//------------------------------// // Whatever It Takes // Story: Phoenix Down // by GJT_Productions //------------------------------// "Sir, do you really believe the threats those fliers were talking about?" "No, Lieutenant, but I can't afford to take any chances. That's why I ordered a doubling of the standard assignment for this show, even though it means some parts of Canterlot aren't being patrolled..." "And what about Captain Spitfire? She's barely moved from the spot she's in now since she finished practice..." "I think the stress is getting to her. It's just about showtime, you'd better get out there and make sure nothing bad happens..." "Yes, sir." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The pegasus Lieutenant ducks out of the backstage area as Lieutenant Captain Shining Armor looks back with pity at the Wonderbolts, none of which seemed excited to go perform stunts again and most wore grim looks. Captain Spitfire was on haunches, expression a half-wince and clutching forelegs over her stomach - it seemed for all the world to be a result of nerves, but privately Shining Armor feared for the life and health of both her and the unborn foal inside. The rest of the Wonderbolts except Soarin' did not know about the pregnancy yet, but Spitfire planned to tell them after the show was over. The mood inside matched the mood outside - tense, particularly after the threat by the flyers distributed in Canterlot's public schools came to light. The previous show the Wonderbolts had performed there had also been ruined by a parasprite release orchestrated by the Agents of Chaos, which added another layer of unease to the growing layer cake suffocating the joy and hope the event intended to bring to the pegasi population of Equestria in general. The stunts were rehearsed and would still please the crowd, but the result at best would be a hollow shell of a victory, should it even happen at all. "It's time." Shining Armor says as he turns back toward the Wonderbolts, and hooves drag as the Wonderbolts assemble in their new arrangement. Captain Spitfire reluctantly stops beside Shining Armor, but can't bring herself to look him straight in the eye; Shining also notices her wincing with each step she takes, and that only seems to confirm his fears of her condition. Shining, however, sees the other Wonderbolts put on a brave face and spread wings open - only a dim hope and the need for professionalism seem to keep them walking. The pegasus stallion Tight Ship cautiously pushes the door leading out into the main arena open, and the first sign of trouble smacks the group in the face: no triumphal music, no riotous cheering, barely any flickers of joy. The stepping out into the main arena proceeds cautiously, and very quickly Soarin' points out another problem in a stage whisper: "Where's the announcement of our introduction?!" Shining Armor looks around, trying to locate the announcer's box to see if the pegasus that was supposed to announce the introduction of the Wonderbolts was even still in there. He sees several figures scurrying about up in that box, but before can see or do anything else is suddenly inundated with a chorus of boos and jeers coming from the crowd, done almost exclusively by its unicorn component. The pegasi in the crowd seem to do nothing, either out of shock or fear of the agitated unicorns. The Lieutenant Captain whirls his head around, mortified at the response he was getting - exactly as warned by the fliers shown to him - then looked back to see the same mortification, if not outright horror, in the entire squad of Wonderbolts. The entire troop stops in the middle of the arena, not quite sure what to do next, and just moments later volleys of hurled objects start raining down on the entire group. It seemed the entire agitated unicorn component had in one possibly-premeditated action grabbed whatever was at hoof - concession food, souvenirs sold by the arena, even items snatched from pegasi neighbors - and hurled them down at the group below! Shining Armor reacted instinctively, throwing up his magenta-colored barrier to deflect most of the projectiles. Simultaneously, the Royal Guard members posted in the arena - mixing all three of the main pony races - spring into action to try to stop the volleys of projectiles, but it quickly becomes clear the situation is getting out of control! Just seconds later, the angry unicorns turn their wrath on the pegasi neighbors - most of which are taken by surprise and thus unable to fly away from the situation - and quickly the stadium seating turns into a free-for-all, unicorns working together to smash pegasi onto whatever hard surface they can reach until blood is drawn. Any pegasus not immediately caught up in the brawl flies away in panic, and some unicorns attempt to escape on hoof. Those attempting to stop the bloodshed, particularly pegasi, suffer most of all as the enraged unicorns abandon their original targets to gang up on anypony that attempts to interfere, particularly Royal Guards of any species. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- With any semblance of order disintegrating, the Wonderbolts revert to more primal instincts and stampede back the way they came out. Shining Armor, still stunned by how quickly the situation had fallen apart, does not notice the stampede immediately and rushes to catch up when he does. When he arrives at the backstage area, the scattered Wonderbolts are nowhere to be seen, except for a stunned Tight Ship, still trying to get oriented after the stampede knocked him down as it passed by him. The unicorn Lieutenant Captain is about to ask the Wonderbolt ground support stallion where the rest of the Wonderbolts were when intense cries of pain prompt both stallions to rush toward its source without any attempt at words exchanged between them. Moving at full gallop, both stallions arrive to find a downed Captain Spitfire, curled into a ball and screaming in intense pain, a dark stain on her flightsuit giving a clue what had happened. "She was ambushed, sir! I heard her go down, but didn't see where the attacker went or even who it was!" the Guard Lieutenant standing over Spitfire shouts at Shining Armor and Tight Ship as the latter two come within his sight. "She needs to get to a hospital! Lieutenant, help Tight Ship get her there! I'm going back out to try to get this crowd under control!" Shining Armor snaps out in order, not even bothering to wait for a response before turning and galloping away back toward the arena. He dares a look back as Tight Ship strips off his uniform in an attempt to make something that would let Spitfire be carried between them, a light spot in a situation that had suddenly became very dark. But Shining couldn't dwell on that, and back into the confusion he charged, determined to do what he could to save the day... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MEANWHILE, UP IN THE ANNOUNCER'S BOOTH... Two cloaked figures, with only unicorn horns exposed, watch from behind the glass as the riot takes its course. Blood has already been spilled in different places in the stadium, and some unfortunate ponies, particularly Royal Guards, are being rolled down the concrete steps of the stadium, each hit inflicting pain on the way down. When some ponies stop rolling, they are already unconscious and bleeding, further fueling the apparent bloodlust of the unicorns. "Isn't it beautiful, Lyacon?" one of the cloaked figures says to his companion. "We are going to harvest an army from the seeds of death and injury being planted here and now." "But Troilus, is this really going to bring down Shining Armor?" the other cloaked figure asks back. "We don't need him to be brought down, we just need him to be seen as 'protected' by Princess Celestia. That will bring ponies out of the woodwork in our favor, just out of sheer disgust." Troilus confidently answers. The conversation is interrupted by the fast entry of a third figure cloaked like the other two, that figure knocking aside an unconscious pegasi stallion - the stadium's announcer - as he does so. That third cloaked figure salutes the other two as he stops beside them, attention focused on him temporarily. "Ah, Petronius. Did you deliver the blow to Captain Spitfire as I ordered you too?" Troilus asks this third figure. "Yes, sir. She won't die, but she will be in the hospital for a while again." Petronius replies with pride. "Good, good. That'll be enough for right now, the riot's unstoppable at this point." Troilus orders. "Lyacon, inject the announcer with the special mix and lock him in the utility closet." "Yes, sir, but what will the two of you do?" Lyacon asks. "Go help with the harvest, of course. Come along Petronius, we have seeds to be planted out there yet." Troilus states, gesturing Petronius to follow him. "Yes, sir!" Petronius eagerly replies, a spring in the step as he follows Troilus back out of the announcer's box as the riot and battle continues raging outside in the stadium seating. If there had been any delusion of treachery being eliminated by the apparent end of the Agents of Chaos, this stadium riot would shatter them. The die was cast for a rebel army to be formed, and the door of opportunity starts to open for infiltration of an enemy most stealthy into Canterlot...