How Moonstruck Got Her Groove Back
Finite Sledgehammer
Disclaimer: Hasbro's toybox, I'm just playing in it.
As another two weeks passed, Moonstruck was quite convinced that Roanamia was stuck in summer. Joseph agreed, although he couldn't say for certain without leaving and coming back. Glenda informed them that summer had been getting longer and longer the past few years. Strangely, the Bridle-Dur ponies seemed to be on track with the rest of the world with their timekeeping, so perhaps it was a seasonal distortion and not so much a time distortion. Under different circumstances it would be something worth looking in to, but as it was, the big day was fast approaching, and no one had enough time to spare.
Moonstruck had never imagined she'd be stretched so thin! She'd barely even had time to throw that pizza party for the jewelry makers when the last batch was made. The time it took to actually get out to Crystal Creek to pick up the pizzas pretty much ate up all the time she'd set aside for the party, so she'd only stuck around long enough to thank everyone profusely and snag a slice for herself. After that she actually had to enchant the necklaces, then get them assigned. She passed the ponies on to Joseph and Glenda for a training run while she ran down to the combat room to train unicorns. After that she had all sorts of things to enchant, and flight training with the pegasus, and equipment that needed either building or hauling.
Surprisingly Max joined in on the combat magic classes, although he still held back. Moonstruck quickly discovered that she did indeed have to start at square one for many of the unicorns. While they could use magic, their spell casting knowledge was easily as limited as the prince. He was more apt to learn the spoken spells than the actual combat part, but it was a pretty big deal that he was even attempting that much. As he gained confidence, she made it a point to drag him along to flight training as well – something he was far more willing to participate in. He was a little less keen on aerial combat, but it it was easier to swallow if she mixed in other practical spells, like shields that he could project over others, and light spells he could send into dark buildings. Typically they'd part ways when it came time to build or haul, but there were a few nights where the extra muscle was a big help. Two alicorns could move some mighty big equipment by themselves, freeing up earth ponies to tackle other jobs.
Glenda pointed out one morning that she'd essentially been teaching him about each tribe of pony, and how he encompassed all of them. She then slid a scone over as a reward. Moonstruck ate the scone, but side-eyed Glenda the entire time. Glenda wasn't wrong, but the implication that she'd been training Moonstruck via classical conditioning while Moonstruck didn't notice was not to be ignored. At least Joseph had gotten a good laugh out of it.
At long last, they set a proper date. The night of the new moon; the idea being that the darkest night would bring forth a brighter dawn. Moonstruck found that kind of silly, and figured a sneak attack during a half moon or something would be more unpredictable, but Max and some of his history buff and poetry friends were all gung ho about it, so new moon it was. It was two and a half weeks out, and they just about had everything in place. Since they were so close to being done, they slowed their pace so that everyone could rest, and gather strength for the coming battles.
Moonstruck somewhat loathed the idea of slowing down. It wasn't that she wanted to be done ahead of time so much that she was worried about the nightmares coming back. She'd basically been falling asleep out of sheer exhaustion, and hadn't been dreaming at all. Not being exhausted was a little daunting. The others were right though, too much depended on her being in tip-top shape. She really couldn't afford to be half asleep for everything. Although she might be anyway, if the nightmares came back.
She hadn't told anyone about them. Max knew she still felt horrible, and she wouldn't be surprised if Glenda had her suspicions, but she didn't want to add her problems to the very long list they still had to tackle. The first full night of sleep she got she cursed Lucena for ruining something else she generally enjoyed. Parties, going to the beach, sleeping – what next?
Thankfully the nightmares did not come back. At least in full force. One over a five day span wasn't too bad, and she was able to get back to sleep fairly easily.
A week before the big day, Lucena called her down for some event happening in the tower – which was not unusual, but she also asked her to bring Joseph and Glenda – which was concerning, to say the least. With some trepidation she fired up the puppet and made sure Glenda was tucked away demurely under a cloak. They hoped it was a surprise (and hopefully quick) trip somewhere, although Moonstruck assumed they would have been instructed to pack their bags if that was the case.
A new pony came to escort them today. Moonstruck wondered if their usual escorts were on vacation, or if this pony had simply been added to the staff on this floor. Unfortunately she couldn't ask; Glenda would have to get the low-down later, since she could chat up the staff without raising any eyebrows.
Out they went, down the hall to the elevator, past the floor the main audience chamber was on, down to one of the lower levels. They stopped on the sixth floor. Moonstruck realized as they left the elevator that the operator was new too. At least she thought so. She spent more time in her suite than anywhere else in the tower so she couldn't say for sure.
They made a partial circuit around the tower to what she guessed was the west side. Her guess was confirmed as they passed a section of large picture windows that looked out over the city, and smog shrouded mountains beyond. Their attendant told them to wait in front of a pair of large, ornate double doors that stood opposite an equally large bank of glass doors that led out onto a broad balcony. The mare poked her head in the doors, then backed up and motioned them through. As soon as they were in the dimly lit hallway beyond, Joseph stopped and lifted his head in alarm. Moonstruck glanced back at him, but he lowered his head and started forward again, a deep scowl upon his scaly brow and his snout wrinkled slightly, like he'd just smelled something fowl.
She hadn't sensed anything, nor smelled anything strange. Glenda didn't react, although she was tucked away in her hood, so if she'd made a face, no one would have been able to see it.
On guard, Moonstruck set the puppets gaze firmly forward and flicked her actual ears left and right to try to pinpoint any suspicious noises. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The hall was short, and they were soon led into a large courtroom that was just shy of being an amphitheater. The center seats were empty, but the galleries to either side and up above had a very bad illusion over them. She couldn't see through the illusion itself, but there was a faint, shifting and shimmering to the empty pews that was a dead giveaway. She kept the puppets gaze forward and shifted her scrying spell to look at Joseph. He was glancing around at the galleries as well, which meant he could likely see the distortion. If Joseph could see it, Glenda likely could too. Whomever cast those spells had to be either very weak, or really bad at it.
"Ah, perfect timing!" Lucena said, emerging from the little room that Moonstruck assumed was the judges chambers just as she switched the scrying spell back to its default location.
"I'm sure you'll find this most amusing!"
"I do enjoy surprises!" Moonstruck beamed. Keeping her voice light and clueless was amazingly difficult. She wasn't sure if she should ask about the illusions surrounding them. If Lucena had cast them herself, it was possible she didn't know how bad they were. Pointing that out would be a disaster, most likely.
"Come, come, stand up here, to the right of the judges stand." Lucena waved her onto the dais that held the judges stand and witness box above the rest of the courtroom. As she mounted the steps, Kyrenai emerged from the room and closed the door before shuffling over to stand sullenly next to the witness stand.
"Your attendants can stand on the lower steps, yes right there is perfect. They should find this… educational." Lucena grinned. There was something about the way she said educational that made Moonstruck think she actually meant terrifying.
She wasn't really sure how to respond so she made the puppet smile and nod vapidly. Motion at the other end of the chamber drew her attention to the hallway. Guards began to file into the room marching two by two. They split into two lines as they reached the back pews, fanning out to stand in a line just in front of the side galleries, and the shoddy illusion obscuring them. Moonstruck glanced up as she heard hoof steps in the galleries above as well.
"Just a formality, I assure you." Lucena waved her concern away. "I'm sure there won't be any real trouble."
The guards were in place all of thirty seconds when the distant outer doors opened once again. Another tower staffer marched in, leading an irate Max. He glanced around at the guards, did a very good job of not reacting to Moonstruck, Joseph and Glenda, then fixed a very bored stare on his mother.
"What is it now?" He asked from across the room, walking slowly down the center aisle.
"What's that? I can't hear you when you're being disrespectful." Lucena sneered.
Max reached the dais, gave her a look, then swept into a low, wide winged bow. "What do you wish of me?"
"Did an animal just speak?" Lucena asked, glancing over at Moonstruck. "I could have sworn this beast just uttered words!"
Moonstruck really wasn't sure how to respond. Max let out an irate growl then pushed himself up onto his hind legs, his front hooves splitting and separating into fingers.
"Oh! Maximus! There you are! I thought you were still spouting nonsense on the other end of the room!"
He gave her a flat look. Lucena returned it with a tight grin.
"So, it seems you've been a busy little colt lately, haven't you?" Lucena took a slow, almost languid step forward as Moonstruck felt her blood run cold.
"I'll admit, I'm a little impressed. It took a surprising amount of digging to find your trail."
Swearing silently to herself, Moonstruck wracked her brain for a way to communicate with the historical society without drawing attention to herself. It would be better if Joseph or Glenda did it. Except they couldn't just disappear into stealth mode with dozens of ponies watching. She was already invisible and tucked away under the skirt so she could throw up a silence bubble and warn everyone, but if Lucena asked her something she wouldn't be able to respond quickly enough.
"I don't follow." Max said, somehow maintaining his cool.
"Oh, don't play dumb, the jig is up! I know you're planning a rebellion. A sorry, pathetic rebellion." Lucena scoffed, she waved her hand. "Really, I ran myself in silly circles until I realized the tower staff probably knew everything."
Moonstruck furrowed her brow. Max was adamant about keeping everypony in the historical society out of the tower staff and vice versa. He felt it was too risky to have any other members in the tower itself since Lucena had a bad habit of….
Oh no.
"Mother… what did you do?" Max asked, his cool settling into a deep concern.
"The logical thing, of course!" She lifted a hand and snapped her fingers. The illusions covering the galleries dissolved to reveal what Joseph had probably smelled when they came in, and the whereabouts of the familiar tower staff.
Moonstrucks brain came to a complete standstill as she heard Joseph hiss, and Glenda let out a very low swear.
They were dead. Had been at least a few days. She darted her eyes over the corpses propped up in the gallery pews. The orange and purple stallion whom often served as her escort around the tower; one of the cleaning crew, a kitchen attendant, an elevator operator, someone from the mail room, a low level guardspony. Groundskeepers, sweepers, cooks – few ponies were safe it seemed. At least the ponies Lucena didn't find useful or trustworthy enough to keep around.
"What – Mother! Why did you!?"
"It took a few days of torture but I finally got the whole story. How you're mobilizing duds in Dirtton, and earth ponies in Maneas Tirith. Gathering gypsum to power some sort of cobbled together superweapon. Your alliance with the Dunsmir family of the Crystal Cut Valley and..."
Lucenas voice faded away as Moonstruck drifted to a place in her mind she'd never been before. It was not cold, nor dark, nor peaceful. It was hot. Very hot. Smoldering. Bright. Brighter than the sun. She started to laugh. A loud, boisterous, deranged laugh. Her body jerked forward of its own accord, the spells keeping the puppet on her back coming smoothly undone. She was aware of Lucena and Maxes eyes on her. She was unaware of the scorch marks she left on the cold stone behind her.
"See! Ha! I knew you'd find this hilarious! He's so incompetent, isn't he!?" Lucenas voice sounded like it was coming down a long tunnel. She gestured to Max then turned to look almost lovingly at him. "For one thing, the Dunsmirs have been lowly crystal prospectors for a few centuries. For another gypsum is a terrible power crystal and then the...
Moonstruck laughed harder.
Lucena. Had no. Idea.
"This is! This is… I honestly never would have thought!" She managed to choke out, barely keeping the puppet going as the horrified laughter subsided and rage boiled to the surface, threatening to light the world on fire. She was most inclined to let it.
"I know!"
"I motion to move up the time table!"
"What?" Lucena gave her a strange look.
"Uh..." Max gave her a horrified look.
"Seconded." Joseph growled.
"All in favor?"
"AYE!" Glenda added her own growl to Josephs.
Moonstruck let the puppet slide off her back and canceled the last of her spells.
Lucenas face twisted from confusion to shock.
"You!? You - "
Moonstruck looked her dead in the eye, then hit her with a magical disruption spell and pumped more power into it than she really needed to, turning it into a blunt force that sent Lucena flying across the room.
"MOONEY!?" Max yelped.
Lucena let out a piercing scream as she stared in horror at her hands which were quickly reverting back to hooves.
"KILL THEM! KILL THEM ALL!" She shrieked. Moonstruck lunged towards her, not entirely sure what she was going to do, but Lucena managed to scramble onto the dais and slammed her hoof-hand down on an ornate rose carving. She disappeared. Teleported, most likely.
Moonstruck whirled just in time to watch Joseph take out three guards at once.
Over a hundred guards against the four of them. Hardly a fair fight.
The more magically inclined guards hurled their halberds at them, but Moonstruck jumped into the middle of the group, stamped a back hoof to send the disruption spell out in a circle around herself and her friends. Then she grabbed hold of the still airborne, but faltering halberds with her own telekinesis, spun them around and returned them to their respective ponies, whom scrambled out of the way in a panic.
The courtroom erupted into chaos as organized attacks were abandoned in favor of simply mobbing whomever was closest. This proved to be troublesome for the guards as well, for Joseph was most adept at fighting multiple ponies at once. Moonstruck, of course, could just pick them all up and send them flying (which she did on several occasions), and Glenda could buck like a seasoned bronco, and sent a few flying herself. She was also quick and brutal with wing jabs, and demonstrated on at least three unfortunate stallions that not only was she not above biting, but that she most certainly still had all of her teeth. Max joined in the fray, mostly hitting guards with stun blasts, and doing his best to stay out of the others way.
In less then a minute, the courtroom was empty, say for them, and what unlucky guards had either been killed, or knocked unconscious. The rest had fled.
"Where'd Kyrenai go? Next to mother she's -" Max whipped around, scanning the downed ponies.
"I surrender."
Max nearly jumped out of his scales as Kyrenai stepped in front of him. She pulled her hood back and knelt into a bow so low her muzzle touched the floor.
Moonstruck tore her gaze away from where Lucena had last been and raised an eyebrow at the maroon unicorn.
"Uh..."
Glenda trotted past them, already talking to someone in the historical society.
"I have committed horrible crimes." Kyrenai straightened up and stared up at Max with so much pain in her icy blue eyes Moonstruck was a little surprised she was still standing. "I do not deserve your mercy, nor your understanding, much less forgiveness. My only request is to be executed at once."
"Uh..." Max took a step back.
The tower began to shake. It was subtle at first, but it worked its way up the structure in something of a rumbling wave. It did not taper off for quite some time.
Without another word they bolted to the door, galloping recklessly past the pews and up the narrow hall. Moonstruck blasted the doors clean off, then flung the glass doors across the larger hall open, allowing them to barrel onto the balcony without breaking stride. They slid to a stop and beheld a most horrible and amazing sight. The distant volcano that Magmanus slept in was erupting; great black clouds billowed fiercely from the shrouded peak and even from forty some miles away a few sprays of bright magma could be seen jetting against the ash.
Then the ash parted briefly and a great dark head emerged from the gloom, fire burning in his open maw, the clouds parting further as he flexed his wings and let out a roar that was the voice of the mountain itself.
Magmanus was awake. And he was not amused.
"I did not expect him to be quite that big." Moonstruck muttered into the stunned silence. He was easily two – possibly even three times the size of the dragons she had fought before. Plainly visible despite the distance and smog; a great fat smudge of a winged lizard clinging to the side of the erupting volcano.
"Well, I'm out. It was nice knowing you guys!" Joseph promptly spun and started back towards the doors.
"Whoa whoa! Hold up! We don't even know if he can take off!" Moonstruck yelped, scrambling over to head him off. "Besides! We already know I can take him out!"
"No way! No way! Maybe if he was half that size, but he's..." Joseph stopped, then pointed back at the mountain and shook his head. "There's no way!"
"It's like I told you! There's not enough magic for him to cast his shield spell – there may not even be enough magic for him to take off! I mean look how tiny his wings are compared to the rest of him!" Moonstruck gestured at the mountain as well.
Joseph stared. Moonstruck looked over her shoulder to watch.
Magmanus was airborne. But there was something odd about the way he was flying. It might have been a trick of the distance but it seemed more like he was simply floating in place than gliding. His wingspan was less than half his total body length, and his distended belly dangled low, making him almost look like a strange, sideways sailboat.
"Oh that is hilarious!" Moonstruck barked a laugh. "Alright, look dude, I need you on this. I just need you to go and lure him away from the city."
"You're kidding! I'm like a mosquito next to that thing!" Joseph stepped back and pulled his head up.
"Exactly! A small, fast, impossible to swat mosquito!" Moonstruck grinned tightly.
Joseph frowned at her.
"C'mon, it'll be just like the crystal mines. But this time you set 'em up and I'll knock 'em down." She lifted a hoof and extended it towards him, holding it there.
He flinched ever so slightly at the mention of the crystal mines, then closed his eyes. For a few tense moments Moosntruck was afraid he'd bolt, but he finally heaved as sigh. He balled one hand into a fist them bumped it against her hoof.
"For the record, this absolutely, stupidly insane."
"Noted."
"You owe me for this, by the way." He added as he reluctantly trotted over to the railing. He hopped up on it and threw her a dark look.
"Yeah, yeah, add it to my tab."
"I'm calling in your tab if we survive this."
"It's only fair."
He grumbled something unintelligible under his breath then set his sights on the distant behemoth. Crouching low, he spread his speckled wings then sprang lightly into the air, each wingbeat propelling him faster and higher into the sky. Moonstruck didn't watch him go. She spun to tell the others what she had in mind, somehow not surprised to see that Lindsey and Evee had teleported in. Lindsey had brought Max a paper bag, which he was presently hyperventilating in to.
"I take it Glenda filled you in?" She asked.
"Yup. What's the plan?" Evee asked, gaze fixed on the distant dragon.
"Getting to that." Moonstruck trotted over and crouched down in front of Max, who was lying on his belly holding the paper bag over his nose with his front hooves.
"Okay, this might actually be a good thing."
He stared at her like she'd just sprouted an extra head.
"Look, before there was going to be a battle, and we or – well, lets face it I would probably have to do something nasty to Lucena." Moonstruck made eye contact and held it. "But this way, you get to do something that will cheese your mom off so bad she might just have an aneurysm and croak without anypony having to lay a hoof on her."
The extra head seemed to have sprouted another, smaller head going by his expression.
"You're going to evacuate the city."
He shook his head slightly, the uncertainty creeping in to mingle with the fear in his eyes.
"Yes you can. Everything's already set up for it, you just need to get the ball rolling. Joseph and I will come back and help as soon as we can." Moonstruck said slowly and calmly.
"Nopony knows the city better than you and the Historical Society. The evacuation plans are your plans. Yours. You can do this. You can get them to safety."
She lifted a hoof, extended it towards him and held it there. "You can do this."
He looked down at her hoof, slowed his breathing a little, then shakily reached up and bumped his hoof to hers.
"Awesome." She beamed at him then hopped up onto the railing herself.
"Alright, that's your plan. Joseph and I will deal with Magmanus. You try to get as many ponies out of the city as you can before the lahars hit."
With that, she sprang mightily into the air, driving for altitude and speed, an odd sort of peace settling into her bones even as the adrenaline coursed through her blood.
Max watched Moonstruck go, dimly aware of the others gathering around him. Closing his eyes, he sat up and pulled the bag off his snout. The air already smelled of brimstone and spent lightening, and the volcanoes ash cloud wasn't even overhead yet. Another earthquake rattled the tower, sending a jolt of urgency after the anxiety that still caused his limbs to tremble and his mouth to dry.
"Right." He muttered, climbing to his hooves. "Right. That mountain and the adjacent peaks had some of the last glaciers on it. Going by past eruptions, we may only have an hour or two before the river floods."
"Back to headquarters?" Lindsey asked.
"That's a good boy." Glenda cooed, patting him on the flank with one wing. She produced a scone from under her cloak and hoofed it to him.
Max gave her an odd look. "Perhaps later. And, no, we need to transfer the command center to the main audience chamber. The storm drains are not safe right now. The audience chamber is one of the oldest, sturdiest parts of the tower. Even if the upper levels came down, it would not crumble."
"Right. On it." Lindsey grunted, activating her nodestone and calling up the ponies to start setting up the teleportation devices that would allow them to transfer everything – and everyone – they'd need up to the audience chamber.
Max took a stumbling step forward, commanded his legs to cooperate, then started off into a shaky trot that grew more steady as he went. They would need to take the main stairs. The elevators would not be working with the earthquakes, and the secret passageways would take too much time. No staff could be found in the halls on this floor, but it was possible Mother had ordered and/or scared them off. Several admirals came around the corner as they reached the main stairs.
"Your Highness! What in blazes is going on!?" They yelped once they spotted he and his group.
"Mother has summoned Magmanus." Max said cooly as they mounted the steps. He wondered how long it would take for the admirals to notice his entourage consisted of a dud, and two pegasus, none of whom wore any tower livery or military uniforms. Glenda had ditched her cloak somewhere, it seemed.
"Yes, but why? Where is the queen? What are our orders? Are we to keep ponies from fleeing the city?"
Max paused on the first landing and spun to face them.
"I have no idea where Mother ran off to. No, gentlecolts, this is a coup d'etat. Duchess Angelina is presently dealing with Magamanus, and we are going to evacuate the city. Your help would be welcome. Your interference will be not be tolerated."
They gaped at him. "You caused Her Majesty to summon the dragon!? This is absolutely -"
He decided to take a page from Moonstrucks book and simply lift them off the floor and hold them still. There were only four of them, and they were not particularly heavy. He stepped over to stand snout to snout with the most senior admiral.
"You will help, or you will leave."
The old stallion stared at him and worked his jaw around, seemed about to speak several times but didn't seem capable of building up the nerve to say what he wanted to say.
Max let them all drop, not bothering to lower them gently. The stallions exchanged glances, then scrambled to their hooves and down the stairs without another word.
"Didn't think they'd want to help." Evee muttered.
"Neither did I." Max agreed. They continued up the stairs. Four flights to the tenth floor, then around to the south side of the building to the grand audience chamber. It was not empty, as he expected; many on the tower staff were huddled in corners. They likely knew this was one of the safest areas of the tower as well.
"Y-your Highness! What should we do!?" They yelped, pouring out of their hiding places. Under normal circumstances they would be terrified to approach him, much less at a run.
"We're going to teleport in some ponies and things, just stay out of the way. Or, no - go and find everyone in the tower and get them into the lower, older levels. I'll send someone around with instructions soon. But, ah, stay out of the grand courtroom. We… well, we'll have to send someone down to deal with that later." He frowned.
"What about the queen?"
"Avoid her if you can. I doubt she'll come out of wherever she's hiding for a while, but she'll be in a very fowl mood when she does" He shook his head. "Oh and let the pegasus out of the stables. They're free to go where they like, although we would appreciate their help."
The unicorns that made up the tower staff shifted their gaze to Glenda and Evee, whom were helping Lindsey map out a section of floor for where the big table would go. As they watched, a small team of historical society ponies teleported in with a wagonload of equipment. The team consisted of six earth ponies, a pair of unicorns, and four pegasus.
"What's going on?" The new herald asked.
"I'm taking over." Max shrugged. "How do you feel about national health care, sick pay, and not being tortured or killed for small mistakes?"
The unicorns exchanged glances.
"What about Magmanus?"
"Dutchess Angelina is taking care of him. I hope." He grimaced.
"I'll take it." One mare quipped. She worked her way out of the crowd. "You got enough magic users? My telekinesis is pretty good."
"Come on over!" Lindsey beamed as she trotted up. "We're ready for the transfer."
"Good, do it." Max nodded.
"Go!" Lindsey barked.
The equipment the ponies had brought had been several teleportation nodes, and a large teleportation pad that they had cleverly designed to break down into several pieces for ease of transport. The unicorns spoke the words to activate the nodes, which sent a relay of energy between them. The pad lit up, then the table, the big map of the city, several large stacks of books, and a good two dozen ponies teleported in.
"Everyone alright?" Evee asked.
All positive replies.
"Good, the beacons are set up, ponies are clear to teleport in." Lindsey said into her nodestone.
"Excellent." Max nodded curtly. "Evee, get out there and start surveying the situation. I'm sure a number of buildings have already collapsed. Lindsey, start getting the teams coordinated. Glenda, could you go with some of the tower staff down to the stables to talk with the pegasus there?"|
"Of course." She nodded and trotted over to the group of stunned staffers. "Come along then, I don't know the way."
"I'll show you." One of the younger stallions volunteered.
The rest of the tower staff exchanged glances and seemed to remember they were supposed to be helping their fellow employees get to safe places. Many of them scrambled off to do that, while a few stuck around to help with the command center set-up.
"You… actually were planning a rebellion?"
Max started and half turned to see that Kyrenai had followed them. She was watching the chaos unfold, then contract into frantic organization. He had to admit, the transition into organization was very satisfying to watch. Soothing, even.
"Yes. Not what mother came up with, but, yes."
"Your Highness! What's happening?! The other divisions are pulling out – they say you've committed high treason and the queen has sent Magmanus to punish us all for our sins!"
Max glanced back to see one of his generals - General Markus - scramble into the grand audience chamber, with a few of his other commanders in tow, all out of breath.
"Ah, yes, actually. That would be reasonably accurate. That is Lindsey, she'll be your coordinator on this mission. We need to evacuate the city." He pointed at the mare in question, who was scrambling around a ways away.
"I… sir?"
"I've already got your radio frequencies!" Lindsey barked from half way across the room. She could be amazingly loud when she wanted. "We're gonna need airships over Rose Lake, Dirtton, and Tower Shade! The earthquake damage is really bad in those neighborhoods!"
"We'll also need crews on the ground in Upriver ASAP." Buster added as he and his team trotted past with saddlebags full of surveying equipment and things Max suspected were explosives.
"Sir!?"
"You heard them. Get on it!"
Markus exchanged glances with the other commanders.
"Oh, and take Kyrenai with you."
"What?" She stared up at him in confusion. "I told you, I don't deserve your mercy - "
"This isn't mercy, it's your punishment. Community service. Effective immediately."
She blinked a few times, bit her lip, then turned away, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She marched over to the commanders and took her place among them. She pulled her hood forward to hide her face.
He watched to make sure they scurried off to get things rolling, then turned and trotted into the fray, wishing he'd taken that scone from Glenda after all. They had a long day ahead of them, and he doubted he'd get a chance to eat much of anything. He reached the table and looked around as ponies slowed, waiting for orders. Shifting his gaze to the map, the last of the trepidation dissipated, and he felt strangely at home. Lindsey ran by and dropped a radio headset on the table in front of him. He nodded once.
"Okay. Lets do this."
A/N: UH OH.
I didn't notice it for months afterwards, but I totally had an Avengers Assemble moment in there when Mooney and everyone were fighting off the guards. Like, right when Mooney jumps down with the magic disruptor spell, there could totally be a big camera pan around the four of them springing into action with some epic music playing and all that.