Happy New Years
Chapter 22 C: Separate paths
Several days pass…
"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Night Shadow asked.
"I had to make sure." Lightning Dust answered softly.
"Make sure of what? We already proved our loyalty, why didn't you tell us."
"Because if Death Fire found out it would have ruined everything."
"Ruin everything?" Night Shadow asked in confusion. "You knew the elements of harmony were alive this entire time, knew exactly where to find them….and you kept it to yourself?! Who's side are you on?!"
"I was ordered to never tell anyone. It was to keep them safe."
"They could have helped you regroup and fight back."
"Look around you, Night Shadow! We're hiding for a reason! You think it's going to be easy fighting an empire that has total control of everything! If I had told Trixie or anyone else, they would have had hope, and Death Fire can sense that if you are correct. Not only would they have been found, but they would have been killed inevitably."
"But the point is, you would have never said a word if I had never brought up my theory about Celestia's quote, unquote death. What was the point of keeping them a secret for so long?"
"Because Celestia told me to. She ordered me to keep them safe, to wait till the right time to reveal them again. How do you not get this? If I had told someone, they would have told others. Rumors spread, Night Shadow. You can't trust anyone with secrets, and secrets are meant to be discovered."
"So why do you tell me this, of all ponies? Why tell me this instead of Twilight?"
"Because you can get things done." Lightning declared.
"And she can't?"
"Not with what I am about to give you."
Lightning put a map on the table of the entire world. On the map were five circles, colored differently from the other.
"It's time to find them again." Lightning said, placing a bag onto the table beside the map.
Night Shadow looked on the map for several moments before sighing deeply, being overwhelmed.
"Lightning…. most of them are on the other side of the world, not to mention deep within enemy territory. How am I going to find them without getting caught or killed?"
"No one said it was going to be easy. I can supply you with a pilot and a crew, but the rest is up to you and you only. In the bag are the picture of each bearers new identity and their element. Once you find them, put the element around their neck and they will revert back to their former selves along with their memories."
"And what if I don't find them."
"You will….trust me."
Night Shadow grabbed the map and the bag, standing up and walking to the exit.
"One more thing, Night Shadow." Lightning said, stopping him. "You can't tell anyone about this mission...not even Twilight."
"How much longer must I keep secrets from those that need to hear them?" Night Shadow said, getting aggravated.
"Use it to your advantage. She believes she has lost everything, even her parents. I bet there's a spark in her heart just waiting to be ignited. You just need to fuel the source."
Night Shadow lifted his hoof and looked at it's underside, making his hoof glow softly with energy.
"A spark is all it takes...to fuel a wild fire."
A day passes….
"Night Shadow, are you awake?" Twilight whispered, opening the door to his room.
She walked in after several moments of silence until she realized that Night Shadow wasn't in the room. On the bed was a note attached to a strange box that read, "For Twilight only." She picked it up and took the note off, examining the strange device before accidentally dropping it to the floor. The moment it touched the ground, the box opened and released a bright blue light into the room, creating a blue hologram of Night Shadow.
"Hello Twilight…." Night Shadow said softly.
"Night Shadow, what are you doing in a-
"In the rare case that you try to talk to me as a hologram, I left you a book call technology for clueless unicorns. It should get you up to date."
Twilight rolled her eyes.
"I recorded this message because I was assigned to a special mission and I won't be able to return for a long time. I was ordered to keep it secret from you until I had already left the base and for that I am sorry. I'm technically not allowed to tell you anything, but if anyone asked where I am, play dumb. Not even Trixie knows about this mission, so don't ask anyone about it."
The holographic Night Shadow sighed deeply, looking directly into the camera.
"I can't help but feel guilty knowing I would be leaving you without saying goodbye. It gave me time to think though, and I have finally decided on something I have put off for a long time. I want to teach you what I know so that one day you can succeed where I have failed. Until then, I would like for you to train with Trixie. For some reason, I feel a strong connection with her….almost as if I remember her from a lost memory. Learn what you can from her and the others, it may save your life one day. I will come back, I promise."
The message ended, leaving Twilight sitting in the room with slight hesitation.
"Train with Trixie….and learn from her…." Twilight repeated slowly. "Ohhhhhh...this is going to be awkward….."
"Twilight, Trixie requests your presence." A guard said, peeking in the room.
"Speak of the devil…." Twilight whispered. "lead the way then." She answered.
"We need to focus more on naval defences and combat, we don't have the firepower necessary to penetrate the armor of a capital ship." A concerned general pointed out.
"He's right, we are defenceless if we are attacked from the ocean. There's a reason Death Fire's navy has dominated the seas for years. We need a way to take them down."
"We have Seaponies and their knowledge of the ocean, dragons strong enough to topple over even the tallest of buildings. Why waste resources on a navy if our main assault will take place on land?"
"Because we can't afford to be overconfident! This invention relies on stealth alone and nothing more. If we are discovered we will be outgunned and slaughtered before we even reach the shore!"
"We invested all our resources into the skill of our soldiers and airpower. We simply don't have the time or supplies to make a navy fast enough."
"Then we need more time to prepare!"
"We don't have enough time and we have waited in the shadows long enough! How many more must die before we act!"
"What's the point of throwing lives away if we are doomed to fail in the end!" We have only one chance and if we fail then all hope is gone!"
"Be silent!" Trixie ordered, silencing the arguing.
She and at least a dozen of generals sat in the briefing room. Each general represented a different race and country, ranging from pony and gryphon, to minotar and breezie. The leader of the dragons communicated through hologram while the seapony general had to have a special, portable water tank so she wouldn't drown. Something which she found infuriating.
"Trixie knows we have been through much...but we shouldn't fight between ourselves. As threatening as Death Fire's navy is and no matter how much we want to defend ourselves from it, we simply can't fight them head on. You are right...we would be slaughtered….that is why stealth is our top priority."
"We might have been successful with transporting troops before, but an entire invasion? It's physically impossible to move millions of soldiers and equipment without the radar picking us up miles away. Moving them ship by ship would simply take to long. We need an established naval force."
"We have a means of escorting our forces safely into the Conflagrations borders. You see, it's a lot easier to camouflage a pebble rather than a boulder with magic. The same can be applied to small, transport ships."
"And if that fails?"
"Well….we can always resort to our super weapon."
"A super weapon?" The generals asked themselves.
They continued to whisper silently to themselves, having trouble believing what she said.
"And when have you acquired such a weapon?
"Just recently." Trixie stated with pride.
"Then enlighten us...what is this super weapon you speak of."
"Not what...but who."
"And who, may I ask, is that?"
"Ummmm….hello?" Twilight said, peaking inside the room.
All the generals looked at her with shock and surprise.
"Am I interrupting something?" Twilight asked, slightly nervous.
Everyone remailed silent until Trixie spoke up.
"This meeting is over, you are dismissed."
All the generals got up from their seats and walked out the exit. Along the way, they whispered to each other concerning Twilight. Many of which couldn't believe their eyes as they looked at her as they passed by. Once everyone was out, Trixie slouched in her chair and sighed a breath of relief.
"Trixie finds it harder and harder to keep everyone together…." She said, being stressed out.
"And here I thought you gave up the third person talk." Twilight said, closing the door behind her.
"Trixie finds it to be more professional than first person. It gives Trixie a sense of superiority that the generals seem to forget when they walk into this room."
"But I'm your friend...or at least I think I am….I want to be….I mean you-
"Trixie understands what you mean, Twilight. Just give Trixie a moment." She said before taking a deep breath and exhaling out. "Ok, so what can Trixie….I mean….what can I do for you?"
"You….called me in here. Do you not remember?" Twilight asked.
Trixie looked confused.
"Did I do that?"
"It's what the guard said. Did you not request my presence."
"Let me think…." Trixie said, recalling her memories.
Thirty minutes before…
"General Trixie, ma'am, get up….you overslept again." The guard said, shaking her softly.
"Trixie doesn't want to get up…" She said, half unconscious.
"You have a war meeting in thirty minutes. Trixie, please, wake up."
"NAHHHHHH!" Trixie shouted, forming a cocoon with bed sheets.
"Fine...I'll just tell them you overslept. See if I care." The guard said, sitting down on the floor and folding his hooves.
Trixie made no movements, making the guard nervous.
"Come on, Trixie. I'm going to look like an idiot if-
"SHHHHHH….sleep…." Trixie whispered.
"But you….*sigh*...do you want me to get Twilight in here to wake you up?"
"...Yeah…..sure….get me….skittles….." Trixie whispered.
"I'll take that as a yes." The guard said, walking out of the room but then stopping. "Oh, can you give me a raise and maybe go on a date?"
"Sure….just go away…."
"Oh thank you Trixie." The guard said with a smirk before closing the door.
"...Wait….WHAT!?"
Present
"I can't seem to remember." Trixie said with a blush. "But you're here now so might as well get some things out of the way."
"Like?"
"Well, for starters, you're going to practice your aim."
"With what?"
"YOU WANT ME TO SHOOT A GUN!" Twilight screamed in horror.
Everyone around her looked at her as if she was insane.
"Yeah, what's the big deal. You shot one before right?" Trixie asked.
"No….what gives you that idea."
"You mean you never shot one ever?"
"Celestia forbid, I'm not shooting one of those….death machines!"
"You're acting like a child. What's the worst thing they can do?" Trixie asked.
Twilight gave her a deadpan expression.
"Ok, wrong choice of words….but still. We use these weapons to defend ourselves from those that would want to harm us. It's a form of protection just like magic or combat that should only be used as a last resort."
"So why do I have to learn it?" Twilight complained.
"Don't you love learning?"
"Yes, I love learning, reading and testing, but not this. Guns are just bad and I don't want to use them."
Trixie sighed deeply.
"Twilight….guns are not bad, good, evil, or neutral. A gun is an inanimate object that can not harm you, it is the user and his intentions that determine the outcome and the use of the tool. In the wrong hands or hooves, anything can be used for evil, not just a gun. However, in the right hands, it can be used to save lives, protect loved ones, and even put an end to this war. You are not evil, Twilight, and neither are the ones around you.
They too have suffered just like you, they seek to defend themselves and the lives of those they love. Isn't that what you want….."
Twilight reconsidered her statement and Trixie's words to thought. Despite how convincing her words might have been though, it still wasn't enough to change her mind entirely.
"I really don't want to….but I will give it a shot." Twilight said, hesitantly.
Trixie smiled before looking at the other recruits and signaling the officer to start.
"Alright, maggots, listen up!" The officer yelled, forcing Twilight's ears to twitch. "Today you will learn the basics knowledge of firearms! More specifically, the tool you will use to defend your sorry flanks out in the battlefield! This is what you will be using!"
The officer reached to his belt and pulled out a pistol, showing the group of recruits.
"This here is a standard issue, high caliber handgun specifically made to penetrate the armor of those mechanical monstrosities known to machines. Anything less would simply be a waste of time and effort."
"Wait, why?" Twilight asked before covering her mouth.
The officer looked at her with a stern look.
"Did I give you permission to speak, soldier?!"
Twilight's ears folded as she slowly ducked to the ground.
"May I remind you, officer, that you are speaking to the bearer of magic." Trixie informed. "And that you best treat her with respect."
The officer took another look before backing up in embarrassment.
"Forgive me….I had no idea that-
"Your apology is accepted, just be more aware of who you are speaking to."
The officer adjusted himself before nodding.
"To answer the question, pony A,I are nothing more than walking walls of steel wrapped with pony fur. Their armor is thick and in order to truly damage them one must use harder hitting weapons to pack a punch. You wouldn't try to stop a rhino with a sling shot would you? You need the right equipment."
"So why isn't magic good enough to fight them then?" Twilight asked.
"It is….but what happens when you get tired?" The officer asked. "The same applies to earth ponies and pegasi, a gun takes little to no effort and ensures a safe distance from you and your target. Death Fire's troops will not take a second thought, they will kill whenever they have the chance. That is why we are here, to make sure they don't have that chance."
Twilight nodded.
"Now….if there are not going to be any more interruptions." The officer said, looking back to his recruits. "Remember, this is not a toy, you are to treat this just like a sword or spear and respect it as if it was a part of you. You are to hold it just like this."
The officer walked to a red line on the floor and aimed it down range.
"Notice my stance, position, and how far the gun is from my body and face. Don't hold it too far or to close, relax. A gun is only dangerous from one location, so don't treat it like a live bomb. Once you found your stance, ease the muscles and breath. If you hold it too tight, you could strain your muscles and hurt yourself from its recoil. Hold it too loosely and the gun will slip out of your hooves and crash into your face. Have a firm grip on your weapon and relax the muscles, it is ok if the gun recoils as long as you have control of your weapon, that is the main idea."
The officer placed both hooves on his pistol and aimed.
"Once everything is in place…."
With one click, he fired the gun and hit the target right on the mark.
"You simply let the weapon do the rest." He said, looking back to the others. "Now try it."
They all walked up to the red line and picked up their own pistol. Twilight simply stood there, staring and to nervous to pick up the weapon. They all started shooting, some messing up, some being a natural, yet still Twilight stared, frozen in place.
"Twilight….are you still with us?" Trixie asked.
"I….can't….move…." Twilight responded.
Trixie picked up the gun with magic and held it before her eyes.
"The sooner you learn, the sooner we can move on."
Twilight slowly reached out and grabbed the gun with her hoof, shaking uncontrollably.
"Ok, now grasp it firmly and aim it at the target."
Twilight slowly aimed her gun downrange, still shaking nervously.
"Now stand on your hind legs and use your other hoof to grasp the gun."
She did so, but she was now sweating up a storm.
"Trixie, is it me or is it hot in here?" Twilight asked.
"Don't be so nervous…and stop shaking."
"I'm trying!"
Twilight took a big gulp before aiming the gun, taking a deep breath.
"Ok….now shoot."
Twilight took several moments, breathing in and out rapidly before she fired her first gun in her life. Unfortunately, not only did she miss her target by what seemed like miles, the gun rocketed back into her face and knocked her onto the floor.
"I'll go get some ice…." Trixie said to herself.
The humming of multiple jet engines filled the ears of those inside the gunship. Night Shadow and the others simply sat in silence, waiting for the airship to stop at their first location. The trip had lasted for almost seven hours and was still going, giving them time to rest and think to themselves. Night Shadow looked around in the dark and noticed his fellow crew one last time.
A gryphon with a strange looking bow with feathers a white as snow. A zebra with a homemade spear, crafted from dragon bone. A small, red filly that reminded him of Ruby. A fox with what looked like a hook for a paw and a changeling with completely normal eyes.
'I always get the weird ones.' Night Shadow thought. 'Then again, who am I to judge.'
The gunship engines dropped in pitch and sound before he felt a thud. Before he could get up, a familiar face greeted him.
"Alright dear, we're here." Summers declared happily, dressed in her warm pilot outfit.
"How can you have so much energy?" Night Shadow whispered.
"Lots and lots of caffeine." She said as her eyes twitched.
Night Shadow looked at her and shook his head with a smile.
"You need help."
"Probably."
He stood up and looked at the others in the ship.
"I'm going to scout out ahead to get an idea of where we could find her. Keep the ship cloaked and the engines warm, we might have to make this quick."
The door to the ship opened, letting in a huge gust of cold wind and snow. Night Shadow shielded his eyes from the wind, having trouble even seeing outside of the ship.
"You're going to need a coat, Night Shadow." Summers suggested. "Its negative thirty degrees celsius out there."
"English system please….I'm still not used to this metric stuff."
"Umm….ok….add thirty two….divide…" Summers whispered, counting on her hooves. "Really freaking cold." She bluntly said.
Night Shadow grabbed a white, fur coat and winter pants for camouflage and warmth. He covered his face with a half mask and put up his hood, grabbing two ion pistols and tons of other equipment.
"If I'm not back in ten minutes, fly the ship around and scan the area for a heat signatures. I'm not leaving without her."
"Hey….take this." Summers said, handing him a transmitter. "You might get lost out there."
Night Shadow grabbed it and attached it to his ear, hopped down into the snow. The door closed behind him and the darkness of eternal night set in. With a spell he increased his body temperature to keep himself heated and turned on his night vision goggles.
"Hmmm, green isn't what I would have went for." He whispered, switching around the settings. "What are all these colors for?"
"Hey, that's really expensive, quit messing with it." Summers said through the transmitter.
"But everything is pink now."
Summers sighed in frustration.
"Ok….ummm….turn the nob exactly four clicks clockwise. It should go back to normal."
He did so and the vision returned to green.
"But green isn't a creative color though."
"Oh shut up and flip the switch on the right."
With a simple flick the green vanished and was replaced with white and black.
"There, you should be on thermal vision now."
"Thermal like heat right?" Night Shadow asked.
"Yes…."
"Ok…but what if I don't-
"SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Night Shadow's ear twitched in pain.
"Alright, I get it."
The wind howled in Night Shadow's non-deaf ear, creating an ominous atmosphere. He continued to walk aimlessly until he stopped minutes later.
"I'm not seeing anything, the map said there was a small town around this location but I can't seem to find it. Are you picking up anything?"
Night Shadow waited in silence as only static filled his ears.
"Summers, I can't see anything and the storm is getting worse. Do you read?"
He only heard more static.
"If you can here me, I'm coming back to the ship, don't move from your location."
As he started to walk back he heard the soft sound of footsteps coming from behind. Just when he stopped the sound stopped as well. The howling of the wind continued, making it hard to single out a specific sound, but that didn't prevent him from knowing he was being followed. By what, he didn't know, but he knew they knew exactly where he was and he needed to play it off. He wanted to give the impression that he lost and paranoid so he made a bold choice.
"Hello?" He said with a hint of fear behind his voice. "Is anyone there…I need help."
He waited for an answer as he scanned around with his thermal vision, not picking up a single signature. Whatever it was apparently bought it when a green pony emerged from the harsh snow storm and stood before Night Shadow.
"What are you doing out here, kid?" The pony asked.
"I….got lost. Do you know how to get back to town from here?" Night Shadow asked, quickly taking off the thermal goggles.
"Kid, I don't know what you're doing but the nearest town from here is three miles off. Where are you even heading?"
"Shelter, wherever I can find it."
"You better find it quick or else you're going to freeze out here. You better come with me."
It was then Night Shadow noticed that the green pony didn't even have a coat on or was covered in any form or shape. He seemed like he wasn't even fazed by the cold. Night Shadow quickly examined the pony with the thermal goggles and came to a shocking discovery. He wasn't emitting a heat signature.
Moments later, he heard several rifles being charged up as multiple ponies decloaked around him. The green pony sighed deeply as he turned around and pointed a gun at Night Shadow.
"You had to make this hard, didn't you." The pony asked. "We could have gotten you back home safe and sound, but you just had to know. Are you happy now?"
"What the heck are you…"
"It doesn't matter now, we can't have anyone knowing about this. Take off your coat and anything else on you and put it on the floor where we can see them."
'I can't have them find out that I'm alive or around the area.' Night Shadow thought. 'But if I fight them it will be obvious who I am. I need to make this believable.'
"Alright, fine." Night Shadow said, slowly reaching into his pocket.
"Now don't make any sudden-
Night Shadow pulled out his own weapon and blasted two of the androids before he was blasted by multiple disintegrator rounds, knocking him to the floor and lighting his coat on fire.
"That little &* ! What did he expect to accomplish by doing that?!" The green android asked in anger.
He was so occupied by this that he didn't even notice that Night Shadow's color had changed from red to light gray or the fact that his body wasn't even burned.
'Come on….buy it.' Night Shadow thought, holding his breath.
The pony reached down and grabbed the pistol Night Shadow was carrying, examining it closely.
"This is a U.E.R weapon. This pony must have been a scout for the resistance." He said, looking to the others. "Report back to camp and send a message to base. More troops are needed to cover more ground."
Two of the machines nodded before cloaking.
"The rest of you are back to patrol."
Night Shadow remained motionless as the group slowly scattered away from the scene. Once several more moments passed Night Shadow breathed in heavily, allowing his lungs to finally take in oxygen.
"I'm surprised that actually worked…." He whispered to himself.
He stood up and brushed the snow off his body before heading back to the ship. It didn't take him long to get there, but when he did he realized the doors to the ship were wide open. He rushed to the gunship and jumped inside, seeing no one present.
"Oh no…."
As soon as Night Shadow turned around to go look for them, he ran right into Summers and tumbled right out of the ship with her.
"What…you're ok?" Night Shadow asked.
"Of course I'm fine, I just went outside to look around and breathe some air. You don't have to raise hell because of it."
"Where are the others?"
"You didn't come back with them?" Summers asked
"No, I ran into a patrol of scrapers and they're using cloaking fields to hide."
"They couldn't have gone too far, let's find them."
"Summers, wait…." Night Shadow said, grabbing her shoulder. "One of them looked like a civilian and spoke to me before I was ambushed."
Summers looked shocked.
"It could talk?"
"Just like we are now, emotions and everything."
"….This is bad…"
"We need to get this information to command when we can, who knows what else they're hiding."
"We can't, Night Shadow. This is a secret mission that only we know about. No one can know we're out here."
Summers turned around and saw the changeling from the ship quickly running back towards them.
"Imago, what's wrong?" Summers asked, concerned.
"GET BACK ON THE SHIP, GET BACK ON THE-
A huge laser quickly whizzed by and exploded several feet away from Night Shadow and Summers. Night Shadow grabbed Summers and threw her into the ship as more gunfire flew over their heads.
"Get the ship off the ground!" Night Shadow ordered.
Summers hesitated but quickly disappeared into the cockpit. Imago skid by Night Shadow and got inside.
"What about me, sir?" Imago asked.
"Get me a bolt rifle and stay put."
Imago tossed him a large rifle that was at least five feet tall. He grabbed it and pulled back the bolt. The rifle then started to levitate itself as Night Shadow aimed through the scope braced himself for a massive kick. The fox and filly came into view first, being persuade by at least ten troops. He pulled the trigger and hit one of the machines right through the chest and another through the head. But what Night Shadow didn't know was the rifle he was shooting was a prototype that magnetized the bullets it shot to hit any metallic objects in a twenty foot radius.
In short, he dropped his jaw when all ten targets dropped to the floor in a split second.
'What the #& * did I just shoot?!' He thought to himself.
The fox and filly boarded the ship quickly as Night Shadow aimed at a new target. The zebra was next to appear from the thick storm. The red stallion cocked back the rifle and loaded in a new round. Didn't take long for several groups of soldiers to emerge from the storm as well, firing viciously at their target. Night Shadow fired, taking down fifteen targets with only one bullet. After that, it was clear who the real threat was and thus concentrated all fire at Night Shadow.
He quickly grabbed the rifle and jumped out of the way, rolling across the snow and cocking the bolt. Once he stopped, he fired the rifle while on his back, taking down multiple more machines. Despite this, more and more continued to come.
"Night Shadow, we got to go!" The zebra shouted, getting on the ship.
"What about the gryphon?!"
"He can fly, you can't. Get on the ship while you can!"
Night Shadow put the rifle on his back and dashed to the ship, jumping inside just before another huge laser fly by.
"How is he going to see in this storm?!" Night Shadow asked.
"Give him a moment…." Imago said softly.
Several moments passed as the airship lifted off of the ground and floated in place. Meanwhile, all the troops were gathering and locking on the ship with anti-air launchers.
"If we don't move they're going to shoot us down!" Night Shadow yelled.
"Not if they're destroyed."
As if by some sort of miracle, the soldiers were all taken down by what looked like transparent arrows before the gryphon landed inside of the ship, shaking off the snow from his body.
"GO, GO, GO!" Imago shouted.
The ship slammed the doors shut before blasting away from the scene. They were still taking fire from below as Summers called Night Shadow to the cockpit.
"Where are we going?!" She asked, swerving around missiles.
"Before they shot me, they mentioned a town three miles away from here. That's our best bet."
"Where exactly is that going to be, I can't see anything out there."
"They came from the north, if we start anywhere that would be it."
"But why are we heading right towards them?! Shouldn't we be running away from them?"
"We came here to get the bearers of harmony and to avoid detection. We have to make sure both of those are secured."
"And how are we going to do that."
"Liberate the town." Night Shadow said boldly.
"You can't just liberate an entire town, Night Shadow! They will call for backup and we will be exposed!"
"This storm was scrambling my transmitter not even a thousand feet out, there's no way they have a connection. We need to destroy the base before the storm clears or else we might as well give up here."
"But we….I won't….damn it, I hate when people are right."
"Then we need to move, quick before we-
Night Shadow witnessed multiple missiles flying right towards the ship right before Summers pressed a big red button.
"BRACE YOURSELF!"
One hour passes
Twilight looked out the window of her room, seeing the beautiful underwater city they resided in.
"I hope you're ok, Night Shadow." She whispered.
The door opened behind her as Trixie walked in.
"Are you ready to try again?" She asked.
"What, shoot a gun?" Twilight asked. "Yeah, right after I find the cure for ponypox."
"I know you're a little upset and-
"Upset! I'm more than a little upset, Trixie! Not only do I have to force myself to do this, but I can't even shoot one without it flying into my face!" Twilight yelled.
"That can't be the only reason."
"Do you know how embarrassing that was for me?!"
"You're embarrassed?" Trixie asked with confusion. "Why? What's there to be embarrassed about? It was your first try, it's not a math exam."
"It might as well be. All this aiming, waiting, calculation, stance, breathing, knowing how far your target is. Why can't it be a math exam?!"
"You just described a sniper…" Trixie bluntly said.
"A what?"
"That's what a sniper does. Calculate how far a target is and adjust to situations and wind speeds."
"What makes you think I want to be a sniper, I can't even shoot a regular gun! Forget it, I'm not shooting anything anymore." Twilight said, folding her hooves
"Oh yeah, I forgot. Sniping is too difficult for you. Too many big words and numbers…." Trixie said, turning her back on her and smirking.
"What…" Twilight said, slightly offended.
"You're right Twilight, poor little Trixie was wrong. Shooting a gun is just too hard for poor whittle Twilight…it makes her think too much. I mean… sniping is for smart ponies that are good at math, good with numbers and calculating. They study for hours and hours, practicing, testing, and reading. I guess Twilight isn't as smart as she says she is…oh well….at least we tired." Trixie said, walking toward the door with a grin. "If you need Trixie, she will be down at the shooting range….you know….where the smart ponies are. You can change your mind if you want…well…unless that's too difficult for you that is…" She said, disappearing from the room.
Twilight was left in the room with her eye twitching violently.
"Did you just….COME BACK HERE!" Twilight yelled, running after her.
Twilight marched straight down the shooting range where Trixie and others where talking slammed her hooves on the table.
"Oh look, it's poor whittle Twilight." Trixie mocked with good intent.
Twilight mumbled under her breath as she grabbed a rifle, an instruction manual and ammo that were conveniently placed on the table in front of Trixie. Once she grabbed everything, she stuck her tongue out at Trixie and ran off.
"Uhhhh, sniper training is that way Twilight." Trixie pointed out with a smirk.
Twilight walked back and growled at her before running off the other way.
"Wow….that actually worked?" One of the guards asked.
"Of course it worked! It's Trixie's plan! Trixie's plan always works!" She announced.
"But what about the time-
Before the guard finished, he was slapped across the face by Trixie, shutting him up.
"ALWAYS WORKS!"
"Come out and make this easy on yourself." Night Shadow said, standing before a communications tower.
Meanwhile, behind him, Summers and the others were cleaning house of any other potential threats and guards.
"You're supposed to be dead!" The green android shouted from inside the building.
"Never send a machine to do a pony's job, or were you programmed without common sense?"
"You come into my town, you kill all my soldiers, and then you demand me to just give you what you want?! Go to hell!"
"Been there, done that. Come out here before I blast my way in myself."
"You're just one pony! Do you really think you can threaten me like this?!"
"This pony just took down your entire platoon single handedly."
Night Shadow heard coughing behind him as Summers looked dead at him with a disappointed look.
"Well…I had some help but that's not the point. Quite stalling and surrender. Make this easy for us."
The rest of Night Shadow's squad finished cleanup and stood next to the red pony, waiting for the machine to walk outside.
"Archangel, be ready to incapacitate the target if he tries-
The machine kicked down the door, holding a hostage close to him as he shoved his gun into the hostages mouth.
"Don't bother, now back off!" The machine shouted, pointing his gun at them.
Before anyone could react, Night Shadow threw his weapon to the floor and backed away.
"What are you doing?" Summers asked.
"He's holding one of the elements hostage…"
"He's what?!"
"Drop your weapons just like he did and get on the wall!" The machine shouted.
The others hesitated until Night Shadow spoke up.
"Do what he says…."
Everyone followed suit and dropped their weapons. Luckily for the others, Night Shadow was still disguised, giving him an advantage.
"Night Shadow…do something or he's going to kill us." Summers whispered.
"Shhh…"
"So this mare is important to you?" The machine said with wickedness. "Good…because if you make any sudden movements I'll detonate the bomb on my chest and send this entire base sky-high."
He held the mare even closer as he pointed the gun at Night Shadow.
"You with the gray coat. We have some unfinished business. Turn around and face me." He ordered.
Night Shadow turned around slowly, looking right at the machine still holding the mare hostage. He put his gun right up to Night Shadow's head and smirked.
"This time I'm going to make sure you're dead. Any last-
Night Shadow spun around, grabbed the gun from his hoof and karate chopped the machines neck before anyone could even register what had even happened. The android dropped the mare before falling to the floor, shutting down.
"Oh I'm sorry….did I interrupt your villain speech." Night Shadow said, throwing the gun at the disabled cyborg.
"How did you know he would do that?" Imago asked.
"He's a bad guy. They always do that."
"Gloat?" Summers asked.
"Talk." Night Shadow corrected. "Foxx, get the bomb off of this guy and set it to detonate in five. The rest of you help carry this hunk of garbage to the ship."
"What about you?" Summers asked.
"I'm going to speak to an old friend."
The others dispersed, leaving Night Shadow alone with the broken, gray mare on the ground. Night Shadow took off his disguise and looked right into the mare's eyes.
"Do you remember who I am?" Night Shadow asked.
"Leave me alone…" The mare whispered weakly.
"That's not an option, ma'am."
"Then what do you want, can't you see I've been through enough today!"
"That's why you need our help."
"Our help! If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have almost died today! So leave me alone!" She yelled.
"I can't-
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" The mare screamed in rage. "I don't want to see you or your rag tag team of idiots ever again! NOW GET OUT OF MY FACE!" She demanded, turning her back on him.
Night Shadow sighed softly before deciding to get to the point.
"This war has changed you, hasn't it….Pinkie Pie."
The mare froze in place and softly shook as she turned around slowly.
"….How do you…"
"Around seven years ago you fought in a battle that determined the fate of Equestia and the world. You, along with the other elements of harmony, defended freedom in the face of tyranny and oppression. Unfortunately, you lost the battle and evil took over the world. You we're told that you had lost everything and everyone, that there was no hope for the world to ever return to peace. Now the world cries out to be free from its control, they call upon heroes to save them just like they did before."
Night Shadow reached into a bag and held the element of laughter in his hooves.
"The tails of the bearers of harmony continue to be told to this day, bringing hope back to a broken world. You, along with your friends, have saved our world many times in the past….will you save it again in a world that needs you now more than ever?"
Pinkie took the element in her hooves and glared at her reflection, seeing everything she had become. She attached it around her neck and within moments the element and its wielder shinned with a bright light. The mare slowly lifted off of the ground and floated in place, glowing with bright pink light. It lasted for half a minute before the mare fell to the floor, appearing lifeless. Night Shadow stared in shock for several more minutes before he closed his eyes in tears.
"Summers…" Night Shadow tried to say, choking up. "I….I don't know what to say…but she's…."
Night Shadow threw away his transmitter and slammed his hooves into the ground, screaming to the sky in both anger and depression. He started to cry into his hooves as he collapsed to the floor.
"I've….failed….again…" He whispered as he rolled onto his back to look into the sky. "No matter what I do, no matter what I try, you just never want me to win! ARE YOU HAPPY NOW, YOU'VE FINALLY WON!"
As he continued to cry, he felt slide up next to him. With watered eyes, he looked over to the side to see Pinkie in full pink staring up into the sky with a smile.
"You know what my favorite thing about the night sky is. No matter how many times you look at it you can always find something new." Pinkie said, cheerfully.
Night Shadow quickly jumped up and grabbed Pinkie, hugging her tightly.
"I missed you so much…" Night Shadow whispered.
Pinkie hugged back, causing Night Shadow to turn blue.
"I missed you more, Nighty!" Pinkie shouted.
"…you haven't changed one bit…"