Reviews:
LexiconHuka: Why u do that?! *Battlefield revive*
spartan1735: Mugs!
Lone The Dark Hearted Wolf:
Mugs and Maul: *nod*
iOptimumReaper:
Mark: I just finished getting Sparky cloned. Here're the keys.
Guest: Thanks!
IronicNounAndVerbCombo: Mugs is moine!
CountryBrony4-25: It was like the noodle incident.
R3v4nCh15t: Well, at this point it depends on the OC.
CookieMonsta1233: Filly fooler is the more insulting term for a lesbian. A gay stallion is actually called gay, while the insult version is colt cuddler.
Author's Note: I wasn't lying when I said I was gonna use every human OC in the battle. Take the largest chapter yet! Caution: I have an edited version of one of 'my' other fanfics that I posted on here, fit for the theme of the section.
And over 600 reviews. Guies, this makes me happy! (on another note, if you search for 'Adventure' tagged stories with all ratings and sorted by reviews, I'm fifth!)
Co-Author's Note: while I had set up the outline for the yeti battle, I think Jak3 did a good job fleshing it out and adding all the little extras...
hope you (the readers) enjoy. :)
"While they're preparing the fair, what're the humans going to be doing?" Shining asked after the Elements left, singing a song eerily familiar to the beat of a bible school song I was forced to sing once. My Christian parents hoped I was gonna be a Lutheran like them, but I firmly established an Atheist image for myself when I was young.
"Either helping them or setting up a perimeter." I started to explain. "Max and I will be with the Element of Magic for as long as possible, but as soon as the shit hits the fan, I'm out there in the thick of it."
"Why personal bodyguards for Twi?" He questioned.
"From what Sombra said, she holds the key of saving the Empire." I answered. He was cut off as Shelton muttered into his ear.
"Right." He nodded, and looked at me. "I'm going to stay with Cadence, since she'll appreciate the support."
"Go be with your wife. I have things handled here." I said, and looked out a window as the pair's steps faded away.
"All units, move out to your designated areas." I said into the microphone.
"Roger/Copy that/Affirmative." Came their responses. "You got it, Bubba." There's Max.
Blake and I had just wandered into the Crystal Throne room, discussing several different plains of attack when the commotion caught our attention. "Of corse!" Twilight announced as Max and Spike ran into her from behind, Spike bouncing off her plot, only to fall on his ass while the human tried not to trip over her.
"Twilight, Did you find the Crystal Heart?" I asked when she started marching her way towards the throne.
"We looked all over this castle and found nothing..." Spike grumped, brushing his backside off.
"That's because this isn't King Sombra's castle!" She smiled, her confidence showing as she squared off with the throne.
"But isn't this where he lived when he was in power?" Spike wondered aloud, asking the same question on my mind.
"It is… but it didn't look like this," Twi stated as she focused her magic at the throne… only she seemed to be having trouble. "Drat, I need to feel anger for this to work."
"Celestia is a fucking bitch and a retard for intrusting the safety of this empire to you!" I chirped.
"What did you just say?!" She demanded as she shot me an angry glare.
"It worked didn't it," I just had to point out. "You're angry, right?"
"Oh yeah, it did…" Twi realized only to give out a snort after her anger passed. "Do it again Mark, but wait until I focus on the throne."
"I've been waiting to do this for so long," I was rubbing my hooves and chuckling evilly as I stood next to her. As her horn began to pop 'n spark with pent up magic, I leaned in close and whispered in her ear. As to what I whispered, Fuck you, I'm not repeating it just in case Celestia reads this… however, the affect was undeniable.
Dark energy shot from Twilight and hit the crystal throne, turning it black and evil, yet that was not the only thing to happen. Hatred and fear oozed out from the throne and across the floor to reveal…
"Holy shit," Blake jumped back, either frightened by evil looking Twi, or because part of the floor he was standing on just disappeared. I'd probably go with the second one.
"Thanks Mark," Twilight smiled up at me as she proved herself right.
"Yeah… sure," I shrugged and patted her on the back. "Glad I could help."
"Do I even want to know what you said to her?" Max gave me the stink eye as he began to follow Sparklebutt down the secret staircase.
"And risk have it getting back to Celestia," I scoffed. "Hell no!"
"That's ok Max, I'll make sure to put it in my next friendship report." I fucking hate you now.
"You wouldn't dare," I demanded, only to have Twilight turn and stick her tongue out at me. With a sigh, I followed them down the stairs.
"I…I'll stay here with Blake," Spike announced. "Y…you know, to keep an eye on things." Kid was scared, but he was at least being in a position of helpfullness by being there.
"Good thinking Spike…" Twi called back.
The trip down the foreboding spiral staircase was just that, about halfway down Twilight tripped and before Max or I could catch her, she went bouncing down the stairs. "Fuuuck," Max groaned out and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Celestia's going to kill me if she dies."
"She won't die," I chuckled as I stepped passed. "These ponies are rather resilient, hell I once saw Dash fly head first into an apple tree at full speed and laugh it off."
"Twilight, are you ok," the Master Sergeant called, just to make sure.
"Yeah," her voice echoed back from the black beyond. "Spike, can you see outside?"
"It's not good," the dragon shouted down. "Cadence's magic must be fading faster than before!"
"Fuck," We growled out and then beat feet down the stairs as fast as we could. By the time I hit bottom Twi was trying to nail down a wooden door that kept moving around the room she was in. "Are you sure about this Twi," I questioned as she stood before the unmarked door.
"Sure I'm sure," she snorted, firing a blast of dark magic at the portal and getting it to open, "Come on Max," Twilight said as she trotted through the door. "I think it's through here…"
"Hey, Pinks." I said to the pink reality warper as I walked into Sugarcube Corner. I had this eery feeling of being somewhere else, but I ignored it.
"Hey, Markie! Hey Apple!" She chirped from behind the counter. "Thanks for coming in to help me!"
"How come you couldn't just get Gallan to help?" I asked, leaning against the wall while being careful to not squish Apple. She shook her head, causing me to sigh a little. "Alright, lay it on me."
"That's the spirit. Here you go." Pinkie handed me a cupcake.
I was puzzled, "I thought I was helping you bake?"
"You will be. I made this one just for you before you got here."
"So, is this like taste testing or something?"
"Sorta," Pinkie said.
I shrugged and popped the pastry in my mouth, giving a little to Apple. We chewed a bit and swallowed. Not bad.
"Ok, now what?" Apple asked.
"Now," Pinkie informed her, "you take a nap."
Puzzled, I opened my mouth but felt instantly lightheaded. A wave of dizziness washed over me, the world spun, and seconds later I collapsed to the floor next to my daughter.
[Third Person]
When Mark regained consciousness, he awoke into a dark room. He tried moving, but found tight leather straps keeping his arms, legs, and head in place. His arms were strapped down by the wrists while his legs were strapped at the ankles. He had several metal braces going across his chest and one was between his thighs, helping the leather straps keep his legs apart. As he struggled, Gallan and Pinkie entered his vision.
"Goodie, you're awake. Now we can get started!" Pinkie stated gleefully. She bounded into the darkness, and quickly reappeared pushing a small cart covered with a cloth.
"What the fuck, Luke?!" Mark asked, jerking his arms. The other human merely grinned like a madman. Mark turned to the pink mare. "Pinkie, what the fuck's going on? I can't move!" He said urgently.
"Well duh, that's because you're tied down," chided Pinkie. "That's why you can't move. I didn't think you'd need to be told that."
"But why? What's happening? I thought you said I was going to help make cupcakes."
"You are helping. You see, I ran out of the special ingredient and I need you to get more."
"Special ingredient?" Mark was now breathing heavily, but hasn't started to panic yet. "What special ingredient?"
Pinkie giggled and responded "You, silly!"
Mark's eyes widened, and his face contorted into a scowl. Then he started to laugh and said, in a voice bordering on hysteria. "Woo, you really got me there, Pinks. I mean, tricking me in to thinking I'm gonna get made into a cupcake? I gotta tell you, this the best prank yet. You win, you're the best. And you're making this really convincing, Gallan. Props to you, too."
Pinkie only giggled even more. "Aw, thanks Markie! But I haven't done any pranks today, so I can't accept your praise." Luke nodded in agreement.
Mark was struggling again. "Pinkie, come on, this isn't funny."
"Then why were you laughing?" Before Mark could answer, Gallan grabbed the cloth and whipped it off the cart. On the cart was a tray containing various sharp medical tools and knives, carefully organized and wickedly sharp, as well as a large medical bag, probably Isaac's.
Mark was now in full panic mode. He was starting to hyperventilate. His mind raced as he tried to reason with the pink pony. "You can't do this Pinkie! I'm your friend!" Then he glared at Luke. "And I'm your goddamn superior!"
"I know you are and that's why I'm so happy that I've got you here. We get to share your last moments together, just you and us!" Pinkie was skipping again.
"I was never that big on the chain of command, sir." Gallan added with a creepy as hell grin, looking over a scapel. "Have to remember to thank Doc for letting us... borrow his equipment." He added as he stepped forward. Mark wasn't horrified by what Gallan was saying, he was horrified by what was behind Gallan. In a cruel mockery of itself, Isaac Thompson's head was grinning back at him, showing two emotions. While the lower face was showing glee and as if there was nothing wrong with the world, his eyes showed absolute terror.
"Never able to get the eyes right..." He sighed, sparing the late Thompson a pitiful glance, before turning to Mark. "Do try and enjoy this, would you? Hate for another masterpiece to go to waste."
"Lukie, do you think you could work on Mark? I'm still not too familiar with human anatomy." Pinkie asked, moving out of the strapped down human's sight.
"Only if you let him see what happens to our other 'guest'." Gallan said with a vicious grin. Mark's blood chilled almost instantly.
"What did you do with my daughter?" He said in a quiet voice. What confirmed his fears was the next thing he heard.
"D-Daddy?" Apple's voice quivered. Pinkie pushed a smiliar table as to what he was on into his vision, showing the young changeling strapped down in a similar position to his, except her legs weren't as spread as his, allowing her some shreds of decency. The pink mare pushed Apple's table into Mark's reach, if he wasn't tied down.
"Don't do anything to her, you sick fucks!" Mark growled, while they both chuckled a little before looking downcast.
"I wish we didn't have to." Pinkie sighed, moving over to the table that Gallan had picked up the scapel. "But your time is up, and Luke drew your numbers."
Even though he was writhing in his bonds, Mark couldn't help but have a thought enter his head.
'The numbers, Mason! What do the numbers mean?!'
Yea, not a good time, given the circumstances.
"Wh-what's going on?" Apple hesitantly asked, not needing to sense his emotions to tell that Mark was royally pissed off about something.
"Something terrible." Pinkie sighed, taking a sharper than normal knife and going back over to her. "Just so you know, I really am sorry about this. Since we don't have any morphine that'll work on you, you'll have to feel it fully." She apologized in advance as she brought the knife to Apple's chitinous chest, right above her bottom set of ribs.
"Wh-what?" Apple managed to stammer out as Gallan grabbed onto Mark's head and forced him to watch. With a small sigh, Pinkie cut into Apple's chest. The only one who heard the changeling's screech of pain was Mark, due to the emotional connection, causing him to writhe in pain.
"Interesting..." Gallan muttered, noticing that they both had tears streaming down their faces, though Mark's was more invoulintary than Apple's. The BAR gunner moved a hand to check Mark's pulse, and chuckled at what he found out.
"What is it?" Pinkie asked, stopping halfway down her body.
"What you do to her, you do to him, more or less." He replied with a shrug. "You're not leaving any visible marks, but he'll more than likely die when she does." Pinkie hmm'd, but nodded.
"We'll have to be extra careful, then!" She chirped, resuming the procedure. Both changeling and Marine squirmed in pain, before Mark let out a groan.
"Thought you would last longer than that; I'm dissappointed in you, Mark." Gallan sighed, shaking his head. The other man could only give off a half whimper, half growl in reply. "How's the cutting going along, babe?"
"Done!" Pinkie chirped, placing the knife (which was now covered in flecks of chitin and green blood) back on the tray. All of a sudden, both Mark and Apple felt something being wrenched from their insides, and when Apple looked up with watery eyes, she saw Pinkie holding a chunk of her flesh. "I've never had changeling before!" With a sickening pop, she ripped the chunk in two and consumed half, humming in confusion.
"Lemme try." Gallan plucked the other half from her hoof and ate it, "...Grasshopper." He finally said, shrugging. Mark coughed up a little blood alongside Apple, both experiencing new levels of pain.
Mark knew shit like this happened to US personnel who went MIA, but to hear it and to experience it are two completely different things.
"What should I get rid of first..." Pinkie rubbed her chin with a pink and green hoof, looking over Apple in thought.
"Remove her horn." Gallan suggested. "Can't let her escape now, can we?" Apple's eyes widened further, and she started writhing in her bonds again.
"P-Please, no!" Apple screeched, horn flaring up to preform a spell. Within a second, Gallan grabbed her horn (cutting himself a little in the process) and slammed her head onto the table, stunning both of their 'subjects'. Gallan forced her neck to bend to where her horn was almost completely off of the table, except for an inch or so.
"Like I said, I'm sorry..." Pinkie apologized right before swinging a meat cleaver down, chopping most of Apple's horn off in one go. Both Mark and Apple roared in pain, though the latter was in Mark's head and was unheard.
"Can't have you passing out on us, can we?" Gallan asked as Mark was jolted awake, pulling a syringe out of his arm.
"That was totally rude!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Didn't anybody teach you any manners? It's very rude to fall asleep when somebody invites you over to spend time with them. How would you like it if I came over to your house and went to sleep? 'Oh I'm sorry Mark, you're so boring I think I'll take a nap.' You think I like always doing this with just Gallan? I told you how excited I got when I found you were next. I was excited to have a friend be here with me while I worked. But NOOOOO! You've got to be inconsiderate. You know, I thought you were tough. I thought you could handle anything. I've had foals stand up better than you! Do I have to baby you? Huh? Is that how you want me to remember you, as a baby instead of a Marine?" She scolded the panting Marine, a frown adorning her features.
"Even your own child was able to stay awake!" She added, before thinking for a moment. "Granted, she was on the verge of passing out, but still!"
"Make him suffer for it." Gallan said, pointing at her stomach. Pinkie giggled and traded her meat cleaver for a scalpel, placing it at one end of the digestive organ.
"Just kill us, goddammit!" Mark grunted, feeling something slowly pierce his stomach. Gallan and Pinkie looked at each other for a moment.
"Should we?" She asked, while Apple and Mark looked at each other.
"Yea..." Gallan sighed. "We both don't like working on children, so let's just make it as painless as possible now." Pinkie nodded and stepped back as Gallan drew his trench knife.
"I'll see you on the other side, Apple." Mark said with tears in his eyes before Gallan swung his knife into the changeling's heart, killing her and the Marine simultaneously.
The last thing Mark did was laugh hysterically, yelling out a simple thing.
"All of this is fake!" Was the last thing he let out before passing away.
Nearby Max and Spike were doing their best to wake Twilight, who had been in the same stupor as myself. "Yo, Twilight, you ok?"
"What the fucking hell was that?" I grumbled darkly.
"I think we just experienced a taste of Sombra's power…" Sparklebutt shivered only to pause as the radio in Max's helm crackled to life.
"The shield is failing, repeat, the shield is failing!" Blake's voice shouted.
"I have to get back to the battle," I shook my head clear and started for the stairs.
"I'm staying with Twilight, General," Max stated, before pulling his Covenant Carbine and handing it over. "Just so you know, I disabled the overheat venting… if worse comes to worse, lock the trigger down and run."
"This is powered by Balefire magic, right?" Max nodded and caused me to grin. "I'll buy you guys some time, but you better hurry the fuck up."
"Come on guys," Twilight called out to Spike and Max. "We're on the right track!"
I was still trying to shake off the mindfuck I had received from Sombra's little trap when I stepped from the palace and right into the shit. Thank the gods that Apple was with AJ at the time. "Sir," Blake rushed up and reported. "The shield is weakening at an alarming rate, and we already have reports that a few of the Yeti have slipped through…"
"Have they engaged any of our troops?" I asked while marching over to the HQ tent.
"No Sir," he shook his head. "They seem to be waiting for something."
"And the crystal ponies?"
"Rarity and the rest of the Elements of Harmony have all the citizens at the fairgrounds." He filled me in as I reached the hub of command. "As of right now, we are awaiting orders."
"Duffy, Shepard, Bill." I called out and almost instantly the three snipers appeared behind me. "You three find someplace high and start calling out enemy movements and strength, take Gallan and O'Drake with you as spotters. Two of you have to share one, so be nice."
"Why me?" Luke blinked in confusion.
"Because I said so," and because the real Pinkamena scares the ever loving shit out of me. "Now get going!"
"YES SIR!" They barked and rushed out, the last thing I heard was Shepard as she pulled Luke after her into the air. "Come on bug boy, you're used to taking orders from girls, so you're with me!"
"Ok, everyone listen up." I announced once I had my helmet on. "The palace is now home plate with the first ringing crossroad as the fence line, everything in between is our front yard." I said as I looked over the maps infront of me. "We will use our remaining love gun to keep the Yeti at bay, but once they breech the fence line, all bets are off and its weapons free. No matter what Cadence or the others requested."
"Who's going to man the LG?" Blake asked from the other side of the map table.
"You are," I smiled. "Grab a fast transport and shoot anything not human."
"What about the ponies?"
"The LG is nonlethal," I reminded him. "If you see a pony outside the defensive line, you shoot! There is too great a possibility that they could be under Sombra's influence, so take no chances."
"Gotcha," he nodded as he snatched up the Spartan Laser and called out to Gallum. "Hey Fred, wanta go for a drive?"
"What for?" She asked.
"Yeti hunting!" The dragon chirped.
"Am I driving or shooting?" She's lucky I was able to get Shadow to modify Rover to allow ponies to use.
"We can take turns." Blake offered.
"Hot damn, Count me in!" Always sounds weird in Ditzy's voice.
As the sound of squealing tires faded, I turned my attention back to the maps. The layout of the empire was like an old ship's compass with 12 roads leading out from the palace with several intersecting crossroads, Farmlands on the outskirts, homes in the middle, with businesses and hotels closer to the castle.
Not a bad setup, but it reminded me to much like the civilian block in a certain underground bunker… I had chills.
"Home plate, this Athena, do you copy?"
"I read you Athena," I acknowledged. "What's your situation?"
"We have 10 furballs on the move, and it looks like their heading towards the fairgrounds."
"Roger that," well here we go… "Delay them if you can, sweep and clear if you can't."
"Copy that, we will try lighting a fire under their asses, if that doesn't work we'll go to plan B."
"Plan B?" I heard Blake ask over the com.
"Plan Barbecue," I clarified.
Because the Yeti were under Sombra's mind control and not in charge of their own faculties, Cadence had asked that we try not to kill unless necessary. To that end, Blake and Gallum did their best to relieve the Yeti threat, using the Love Gun on any large group they came across. But it wasn't enough. The more the shield flickered, the more Yeti came through.
The snipers went to work first, followed closely by the song of combat rifles and the whoosh of a high-powered flamethrower as Athena went to work. Small arms fire proved rather ineffective, 9 millimeter rounds just seemed to piss them off, and while .45's punched a hole in their hide, it did little to stop the 9 foot tall enraged snowmen. Even with a direct hit to the face.
But I can say with total certainty that winter fur is no match for armor piercing rounds.
[Shelton]
I had wanted to fight at least one or two opponents, but I must say that my opportunity came rather soon. A Yeti charged down the hallway, aiming for the door I was standing in front of. I leveled a sword at it and gave off a silent challenge. It didn't disappoint me as it roared and charged. Right before it could gut me, I rolled out of the way and took a swipe at it with my weapon. A large gash appeared in its forearm, but that only seemed to piss it off.
"Agh!" I grunted as I picked myself up, having been knocked into the wall. I was slightly winded, but I didn't let that stop me from taking this thing down. I brought my sword up in time to block its claw as it brought it down at my head, probably aiming to decapitate me.
I was still knocked down from the force of the blow, but I kicked the animal in the shin and got back to my feet. With a snarl, I managed to decapitate it before it could recover.
My victory was cut short when I fell to my knees, groaning in pain. I wiped my chest and saw that my hand came back covered in blood.
[Gallan and Jane]
"Yeti at 500 meters, ten degrees north." The changeling muttered. The red and black alicorn next to him paused for a moment to slightly adjust her scope, before sending a .50 speeding towards her target.
"Furball down." She muttered, waiting for another target.
[Bill, Duffy, o'Drake]
"Duffy, I see one coming in through your sector." Connor reported. "Two coming through your's, Bill." He added after a moment.
"I see 'em." Duffy muttered, before squeezing off a round. A spurt of blood was seen as a clean hole appeared in the furball's head and the half ton beast crumpled. "Got 'em."
"Tangoes down." Bill muttered, collecting the still cooling brass casing. "I'm still in the lead, even with these damn hooves. Step up your game, dragon."
"With pleasure, changeling." Duffy all but growled.
[Doc]
"That'll just about do it..." I muttered, before backing away from Stephen. "Good to go, Cepeda."
"Thanks, Doc." He said, rubbing his leg. I frowned as he picked at the stitches, before slowly getting to his feet. "I promise, I'll be careful."
"You better..." I muttered, before looking at Fluttershy, who was finishing up with Maul. Why that dog was named that, I wouldn't know.
"Now, I want you to take it easy for a while." She said as she wrapped gauze around his torso. Apparently he got shot too, but it was only a glancing blow.
"You ready, buddy?" Maul wagged his tail and went to Cepeda's side. The Gunnery Sergeant knelt down and attached the dog's combat vest to him.
"I don't like the fact that poor Maul was put through war..." Fluttershy muttered to me as we put the medical supplies back into their rightful cabinets. Yeah, they came in with me, but these ponies seriously needs something other than jars of leeches.
"The MWDs were a vaulable addition to the conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan, from what I've gathered from Stephen." I said. "Humans don't even come remotely close to the same sense of smell as dogs do. MWDs were enlisted to sniff out bombs, enemies, and help locate lost men." I smiled a little as the two left the room.
"Still..." She didn't let up on the frown.
[Cepeda]
"Hunter and Maul are in position." I said into my mic once we arrived at the fair.
"Roger that. You know what to do when we report a Yeti past the 'fenceline'." The general's voice replied.
"Yes sir." I answered, loading my M14. "C'mon Maul, I wanna see what they got in store for us." Maul barked and padded next to me as I shouldered my rifle and looked at a pie.
[Blake and Callum]
Callum fired off another blast of concentrated orgy while gripping harder onto the turret, before having to duck the swinging M2 Browning a fourth time.
"Goddammit man!" He yelled as Blake drove the Humvee erradically. "Watch where you're fucking driving!" He added as the vehicle demolished a mailbox.
"I'm tyring to get some goddamn traction on these streets!" The Scot snapped as they drifted into an impressive turn. Callum was able to blast another Yeti in the face as they barreled past.
[Lucy's crew]
"See anything yet?" Drew asked Church, who was scanning the outskirts of the fair.
"Yeti, but they're being kept busy with the others." He answered, right before the shield started flickering like mad.
"That's not good..." Vills' grip tightened on his Kar98. At his request, Mark had also given him a scope that was compatable with it. Sooner or later, Mark was going to replace his rifle with something called a 'G43'. With a shattering noise, the shield slowly started breaking.
"General, the shield's failing!" Krass half yelled, one hand on his helmet.
"Fucking figures!" The mare swore, before sighing. "All personnel, the shield is down. I repeat, the shield is down. Fire at will and aim for the head when you're sure you have a shot."
"Roger that, sir." Several voices echoed out. Dunlock and Collins opted to not say anything, instead making sure their rifles were loaded and aimed down their street. Vills took a moment to go into a building and climb up to the second story, poking his rifle out the window for a cleaner shot at anything not pony or human.
Or dog, since the general informed that there was a MWD working with them.
"Incoming!" Vills was the first to spot a Yeti barreling down the street due to his advantage point above the others.
"Ready!" Drew called out, aiming down the sight. "Steady!" The Yeti inched closer. "Steady!" Closer... "Fire!" The reports of six rifles echoed at once as the beast stumbled and slammed into the crystal road, skidding a few meters before stopping. As one, the MK-V crew cycled the bolt and chambered a new round.
[Athena]
"...the shield's failing!" Krass' voice rang out in the crew's helmets. The crew looked to Viktor, their new commander.
"What do we do?" Moore questioned.
"Plan B." Viktor said. "Burn all Yeti we come across." He looked at Legaski's legs. "If Hill misses any of the furballs, I want you to gun them down without remorse."
"Aye aye, sir." The man gave a salute even though Collins couldn't see it.
"This is 'Athena', we are enacting Plan B." McDermott said into the radio.
"I copy, Athena." Mark's voice crackled in through the speakers. "Give 'em hell and leave none alive."
"Put 'er in gear, Moore!" Viktor said, and the war machine lurched forward a moment later.
[Johnnie]
The motorcycle had a surprisingly better traction on the crystals when compared to Rover (though Athena had the best of the three). All this meant though was that when Johnnie went into a turn he didn't get sent flying.
"I'm starting to think it was probably a bad idea deciding to come with them..." He muttered as he skidded into another turn and used his Browning Auto-5 to messily decapitate a yeti who got too close for comfort. "Definitely a bad idea!" He exclaimed as a sneaky swipe caused him to go flying and crash into a store's front window. The impact only winded him, thanks to his armour.
'Shit.' He thought as he noticed his shotgun was missing and the yeti that threw him was climbing through the window.
[Jakob]
With a snarl, I smashed into the yeti about to maul Johnnie. With my changeling awesomeness, I had been able to turn into one of them, though my fur was oddly black instead of snow white. Ah well...
Without a word (I couldn't speak), I tossed the boy his shotgun, before throwing the yeti out through the hole I made, bounding after it. Johnnie came out several seconds later to see me in a brawl with two of them.
[Johnnie]
Jakobs, or probably Apple, was doing well, until one of the furballs got ahold of an arm. I managed to shoot the other and kill it, but not before a loud roar sounded out and green blood started spraying everywhere.
The changeling let out a primal roar and started beating the hell out of the living yeti, even using its dismembered arm in the process.
"It's dead!" I yelled, running up to its side. It looked at me before nodding and flashing green, revealing Jakob, still missing a leg. The ripped off appendage didn't change back.
"M-Medic..." He weakly said, before crumpling to the ground.
"Don't die on me..." I muttered, picking him up and going over to my steel horse, and lying him in the messenger bag, before mounting it and revving the engine. "I'll get you over to Doc and you'll be as right as rain..."
[Fair personnel]
"This is Messenger Actual." Johnnie's voice rang out. "Doc, I'm en route to the hospital."
"What happened?" Tobias was the first to say, doing his best to not look nervous.
"Jakob's been badly injured." The sixteen year old responded.
"Ugh... W-Why can't I feel my left arm...?" The changeling in question muttered, eliciting a response from Mark.
"Fucking... Don't go into the light, Jakob!" She half yelled. "Whatever you do, don't head into the light!"
"Fluttershy and I are ready for him, get here as fast as possible." Doc said.
"We'll clear a hole for you." Sven told Johnnie, before everyone stationed in the vicinity of the fair started making confused ponies move out of the way.
Not even ten seconds later saw Johnnie rocket past, a faint green trail indicating that he wasn't bullshitting around.
"Tobias, Sven. Fill in the hole left by Jakob's absence." Mark said after a moment.
"Yes sir." The two rushed off towards the southeast sector.
[Huka]
"Keep 'em pinned down!" I shouted, firing off a controlled burst from my FAMAS. Mark had given me an intersection and I was to hold it down with Schmidt, Dusk (another Staff Sergeant, but from Vietnam), Sergio, and Alex Veetor. I was temporarily in command, and with the best (relatively speaking) gun, I was a distraction while the others reloaded their weapons. With the location, we were under heavy assault.
"Reloading!" Dusk shouted as a magazine fell from his AK-47 and onto the ground. I knew he was entertaining the idea of using the M79 strapped to his side. I covered him as he loaded up another magazine. "I'm on my last mag!"
"Grab another weapon from the stockpile!" I replied, laying down assistant fire for Schmidt while he loaded another clip into his rifle.
[Dusk]
As soon as the last bullet was expended, I dropped my assault rifle and backed up, firing off a single grenade from my launcher. Buying myself a moment to get another weapon, I turned and grabbed a BAR, along with a bandoleer of mags for it. I turned in time to gun down a yeti with 30-06 bullets.
[Schmidt]
"Fuck this." I muttered, dropping my Kar98 and cocking my StG-44. I had to give up the use of my beloved MP40 because of the fact that the bullets would simply piss off the yeti. Even with direct hits to the face.
[Sergio]
"Reloading!" I called out, fumbling for another magazine for my M5. I didn't have any idea as to what this rifle was, other than the fact that it was the next assault rifle officially adopted by the US military, according to Max. It was a cross between the M16/M4 family and the AK-47, almost having no faults other than the rare jamming.
I managed to cock the assault rifle and continue firing before I could be decapitated by a yeti, sliding to the side as it fell down where I was a second ago.
[Alex]
"Throwing a grenade!" I shouted, lobbing a frag down my street as hard as I could. The resulting explosion and shrapnel took out three furballs and removed a leg from another. I put the crippled one out of its misery before emptying the mag of my M4 into the face of the final one in sight, for the moment. I picked up my shotgun and started loading some more shells into it.
"All clear." Huka confirmed, causing three of us to sag in relief. Schmidt merely huffed and started collecting clips and magazines for his weapon.
[Mark]
"How's it going?" A feminine voice suddenly pipped up from behind me as I stared at the map of the Empire. I had moved Jakob's little figure over to the hospital with Fluttershy and Doc, while replacing it with Sven and Tobias' figures.
"Already down a man." I sighed, pausing a moment to listen to a report. "Johnnie, as soon as you can, could you deliver some supplies to Huka's group? They're starting to run low on ammo."
"I'll be right on it, sir!" Came his reply.
"I saw his body." She sighed and stepped up next to me. "There wasn't anything I could do, dad."
"So Jakob's gone, then?" I asked, looking at Faust. At her grim nod, I sighed. "I'll put him down under the casualties list I have, then." I muttered and pulled a list out from my pocket. I used a pencil to erase his name and place it at the bottom, adding a rank on.
"His body isn't going anywhere, is it?" My daughter asked sadly.
"I'll go back in time after cremating his body, and put the vase with his current grave." I said. "It's what he wanted, and so I must oblige his final wish."
[Operator Squad]
"See anything?" Nutcracker asked of the rest of the squad.
"Negative." Gunny replied, sighing a little. The woman leaned back against the wall she was next to and frowned a little.
"This is kinda boring." Chief muttered, Ash nodding in agreement.
"Why'd the general put us up here, anyway?" Ash questioned.
"To have a squad keep a bloody eye out over the entire fair." Came said person's voice.
"Right." Ash muttered, rolling his eyes, before he did a double-take at what he saw.
[Yovslavich]
I do not know why Mark decided it was a good idea to put me in the castle, but I did not argue. I had dealt with stupid sounding orders for a while now, and this was no different.
Mark had posted me outside the throne room, and told me to guard it with anything except my life. An odd order, but I did it anyway.
[Mark]
"SOMBRA'S PAST THE BARRIER!" Somebody shouted, causing me to sigh in agitation.
"All non-engaged personnel, if you spot Sombra open fire." I said, before slowly walking out of the tent.
"You don't have to go out there, Mark." Faust softly said. I paused long enough to look at my daughter.
"I do and we both know it." I sighed, looking down a little. "We both know I would put my life on the line for my men and women, during the time of war. Right now is just a battle, but we cannot allow Sombra inside the castle." I chuckled and looked back out. "I'd ask for some divine intervention, but we don't have a Hammer of Dawn and you don't have the ability to appear to anyone else, at the moment."
"I'm getting stronger, dad." Faust said, causing me to smile a little. "Who knows, maybe I can appear in real life for a few minutes in your lifetime." That caused my smile to widen.
"I'm sure your mother would love to meet you." I said, cracking my back a little. "I must go now, my people need me." Never thought I would get to say that. It got her to giggle, at any rate.
"Good luck dad, I'll be watching over you." Faust said before departing.
[Max/Twi/Spike]
"FUCK ME!" Pony Max cried as gravity reoriented and he landed on the floor with his face… while Twilight and Spike landed a little less haphazardly. The upside-down stare case slide started off a bit rocky seeing as how Max's flight boots were designed to keep him from sliding, yet hooves on the other hand…
And the sight of Celestia, even if it was the male version, made the already mirthful Sparklebutt giggle like a school filly.
"What's so funny," Max grunted while trying to pull his long embedded horn out of the floor. Currently he had an unobstructed view of his belly and balls and all it did was remind him that every time he transformed, that all his cloths disappeared and he became naked. Hey, when you're covered from head to hoof in fur, you tend to forget you're really nude… just swinging in the breeze. Well, halfway.
"Oh, nothing much," Twi giggled as she used her magic to help pop his horn free. "Allow me to help you, Prince Sunbutt."
"Oh ha ha," he sighed sarcastically, giving a roll of his eyes.
"Um… guys?" Turning, both Twilight and Max found Spike standing stock still with a little clawed hand pointing at…
"Well Twi," Max smiled as he nodded her on. "It's up to you now."
Grinning wildly, the purple unicorn began to make her way towards the real crystal heart that floated high in the middle of the room. Yet as she stepped onto the odd star pattern on the floor below the heart, it suddenly turned dark. Recognizing Sombra's evil, Max darted forward, yelling "It's a trap!" only he momentarily forgot he was a pony.
Armored shod hooves slid on the polished floor as he tried to stop, instead he plowed into a confused Twilight and the two went tumbling. In the blink of an eye, black imposing crystals erupted from the edges of the star design and surrounded them. "The heart," Twilight gasped once she realized what had happened. "Where's the crystal…"
"It's over here," Spike called out while hopping about, trying hard to keep from stepping on the black shards that kept popping up through the floor. "It rolled over here."
"Don't move," she ordered, only upon seeing the threat sprouting up around his feet, she changed her mind. "Ok, you can move, just not toward me."
"Twi, Wait!" Max snapped as her horn lit up and she vanished… only to reappear slamming face first into the inner wall of the trap. "Can't you feel it," he asked while gently placing a wing on her back. "The black crystals fuck pony magic so once inside, no pony is getting out."
"How could I have been so foolish, I was just so eager to get it," she whimpered as she looked to Celestia… to Max for guidance. "And when I saw what was going on outside…"
"You have to get out of there Twilight, you have to be the one to bring the crystal heart to Princess Cadence," he stated in a panicked tone. "If you don't, you'll fail Princess Celestia's test."
"King Sombra is already attacking the empire," she sighed as sadness began to eat away at her. "He could reach the crystal ponies at any moment, reach Princess Cadence, my brother, my friends… There may not be enough time to find a way to escape."
"Oh Celestia, what should I do…" her head was hung low and ears drooping as she sat her plot on the floor, tears starting to form at the corner of her eyes as all hope slowly draining from her spirit.
Not knowing if he should interfere or not, he finally decided to hell the whole thing and took a deep calming breath. "I believe in you, Twilight Sparkle," he said softly, having altered his voice to sound like the sun princess. "Now calm yourself and think this through logically."
Glancing up, Twi's fears and sadness instantly vanished as hope once again filled her. Sure she knew Max was the one saying it, but to see Celestia's smiling face and to hear her voice… and then her gaze fell on Spike and something clicked. "You have to be the one to bring the crystal heart to the fair."
"W…who, me?" Spike blinked in dismay.
"Go…"
"But…"
"GO!" She commanded, and after a moment's hesitation, the little dragon grabbed the heart and ran for the balcony. Once he was gone, Twilight gave out a ragged sigh and fell to the floor, curling into a ball Max's hooves and began to shake. "Max," she whispered. "did I do the right thing?"
"Hey, up here," they could hear Spike yell. "I got the crystal heart!"
"Yes, yes you did," the male Sunbutt gave her a warm smile as he laid down next to her and wrapped a wing over her. "I don't know about the test, but I'm proud of you and I know Celestia will be to."
"You think so?" She peered up at him with her huge eyes.
"I know so…"
[Mark]
"Hey, up here!" A voice rang out over the sounds of battle. The fighting actually paused long enough for everyone's attention to be drawn up to the top spire and the little dragon perched on an extended balcony. "I got the crystal heart!"
"NO THAT'S MINE!" Sombra snarled and fazed face first into the ground. As he did, black crystals sprouted from the earth, indicating where he was traveling. The next thing I knew he shot forth and rocketed into the air just as Spike started to run down a spiraling dark crystal tower.
And then the little twit tripped and fell… what the fuck?!
It didn't take a genius to realize that Sombra was using the obsidian crystals to power his… power and once he had abandoned the battle and began to use them to go after the falling heart, I had a quick idea. "All personnel listen up!" I called over my radio. "Forget shooting at Sombra, shoot the black crystals… repeat weapons free on all black glass!"
Pride welled up inside me when no one questioned my orders, and from over my shoulder the loud coughing of a fifty blared out, its tracers flying down range towards Sombra's creations. From all over the empire, where not otherwise engaged with Yeti, my troops opened fire on any and all black crystals. I could tell that the snipers had the easiest job of that, considering that they weren't engaged with anything.
And that's when this came over the radio. "Holy Shit! Shiny just chucked Lovebutt off the balcony!" Gallan reported.
Ok, what the fuck.
Sure enough, Shiny had suddenly tossed his wife into the air and as I watched, she and Sombra converged on the falling dragon… and just before he could get his prize, Cadence snatched up the heart and Spike with her magicks.
Upon seeing Cadence with the heart a crystal pony began to cheer out. "Look, the Crystal Heart!" As another cried, "It's the Crystal Princess!"
Seeing the evil fuck in a solid state, I pulled Max's carbine off my side and took aim, actually using my helmet to help the bolt fly true. "WHAT, NO STOP!" Sombra sounded pissed… The carbine made a twack sound as the bolt fired out and slammed into the fucker hard enough to knock him off his hooves.
Dropping the carbine, I took off at a dead gallop… I wanted to kick this guy's ass so goddamn badly it hurt.
The impact he made, after falling over 500 feet to the streets below, kicked up a shit load of dust and left a shallow crater. By the time I reached him, he was crawling from the pony shaped pit and cursing up a storm. "I AM A GOD," he snarled up at me as he reached the top of the crater. "I SHALL NOT BE DEFEATED!"
Pulling my magic stick from my belt, I changed it into a table leg. "Fuck you asshole!" I grunted as I swung with all I had (with magic, that's quite a lot). At that same moment Cadence was placing the Crystal heart into its proper spot under the castle.
"The Crystal Heart is returned! Use the light and love within you to insure that King Sombra does not!" She called out.
The leg connected with Sombra's face just as a bright wave of light exploded out from the palace and washed over the empire. When the light faded, all that was left of Sombra was the last 3 inches of his fucked up horn, his cape, and his dented crown. Feeling very happy and relaxed, I gathered up my spoils of war and moseyed back to HQ while humming the Ghostbusters theme…
Then my happiness evaporated as I realized how much paperwork I had to fill out.
Goddammit.
I don't know why, but as soon as I entered the command tent (which had a few people in it already), I started singing softly. Probably because I was a pony at the moment.
"Mine eyes have seen the glory
of the coming of the Lord;
he is trampling out the vintage
where the grapes of wrath are stored;
he hath loosed the fateful lightning
of his terrible swift sword;
his truth is marching on.
"Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
"I have seen him in the watchfires
of a hundred circling camps,
they have builded him an altar
in the evening dews and damps;
I can read his righteous sentence
by the dim and flaring lamps;
his day is marching on.
"Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
"He has sounded forth the trumpet
that shall never call retreat;
he is sifting out the hearts of men
before his judgment seat;
O be swift, my soul, to answer him;
be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on.
"Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
"In the beauty of the lilies
Christ was born across the sea,
with a glory in his bosom
that transfigures you and me;
as he died to make men holy,
let us die to make men free,
while God is marching on.
"Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.
"He is coming like the glory
of the morning on the wave,
he is wisdom to the mighty,
he is honor to the brave;
so the world shall be his footstool,
and the soul of wrong his slave.
Our God is marching on.
"Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on." At the end, I noticed that everyone had joined in.
"Where did that come from?" Schmidt asked, picking his MP44 up and inspecting it.
"Pony form, probably." I dismissed with a shrug.