"Are you alright?"
Spark glanced up from the disembodied head.
"Just fine."
"Good; we should get back to the safe house."
Dawn stepped over a bloodied pony and walked through the remnants of the door. Spark followed her back out into the streets, where the sun just started to rise. The sun's rays reflected off the glass debris, creating a prism like effect.
"You just going to keep staring at the sun or are you going to get moving?"
-----
"So," Arthur took a drag on his cigarette, "how did the mission go?"
"Twenty KIA, five casualties not from us."
Who knew Dawn was so good with numbers.
"Doesn't surprise me. I knew they would try to kill each other no matter what."
"Right," he tapped the cigarette and a few of it's ashes floated off while the others fell to the floor. "They're still going to want someone's head for it, probably each other's."
"What was the point of this?" Spark's voice stood out from the rest of the group, it was the only one that carried question.
"You were following orders. All of us were." Sharpshot replied. "Your orders were to fire on the crowd while mine was to make sure you didn't get killed on the first day."
"Speaking of orders," Skyfall interjected, "Clockwork wants to meet with you. Obviously you're going to need some help getting back in there. There is a daily skyrail that passes his building so transportation isn't the problem, it's not getting caught."
"Can't you get me a disguise or something? Or at least a new paint coat?"
Arthur laughed. "You're a wanted pony, I don't think anyone is going to serve you without asking questions first. We'll disassemble you and send you as a package. As threatening as this sounds it's all we can really do for now. Plus it will give you a new perspective on things.” He grinned, clearly he would enjoy this.
Spark sighed and Arthur began to inspect his body. His metallic chest plate still had it's luster, but blood was splattered upon it and his hooves. Using one of his golden talons, the griffon tried to scrape it off, but instead the overwhelming sound of the talon scratching across the surface convinced him to stop.
After regaining his hearing, he started to feel for a screw or a latch of some sort. All he ended up doing was create an extremely odd situation for Spark, a couple of laughs, and a blush from the rest of the group. Arthur paid no attention to this, and instead continued to feel up the stallion. Sadly there was no indication on the metallic body that it could even be taken apart to begin with.
"Just how in the hoof are we going to dissect him?"
Sharpshot's poor choice of words caused Spark to shudder slightly.
"Don't think his model is separable without destroying a few bits. We have cloak tech why not use that?"
Arthur sighed at Dawn's suggestion. She should know by now cloaking was for the bigger high end missions or when they needed to impress a customer. Well, trick more than impress.
"Sneaking in a VIP doesn't exactly deserve the best, no offense. Especially since we're not getting paid to do this."
Skyfall had a valid point, bits were always the motivation and the only reason why they would go out of their way for something or someone.
"Looks like you're on your own for this one. Try and find out a way by the end of the day, clockwork doesn't like waiting."
Sharpshot placed his hoof on the wall, and a panel opened up revealing his prized rifle. He levitated it up and off it's plaque and onto his back.
"In the meantime you can get some shooting lessons from the best in Subscape."
Dawn rolled her eyes as Sharpshot walked off, head held high, to the elevator. Spark followed, and Sharpshot inputted their destination into the holographic interface. The elevator lurched upwards rather roughly, it had to be one of the lower end models. The ones back in sector 86 were much more smooth. Not to mention this elevator was windowless, save for the glass panel over the emergency stop button.
He turned his eyes to the rifle, as it was the only interesting thing in the room, and saw it had the same pendulum technology that Dawn's revolver had. Albeit the chamber on the rifle was slightly larger. Sharpshot felt his rifle was being eyed and he looked back at Spark.
"You have a question about it?"
"No, I just thought back to Dawn's revolver it had the same-"
"Chamber I know. Modified it myself actually; makes your shots even more deadly than a standard pendulum tech rifle. Might as well have some edge over the competition right?"
The elevator screeched to a halt, and it's doors gradually opened. The range floor was exactly the same as Spark had seen it the other day, was it even in use?
"I'm surprised, the floor looks the same as was yesterday."
"Just because the others enjoy having dirty rooms doesn't mean I do."
Sharpshot grinned as he looked around the room, proud of it's cleanliness. Upon closer examination the floors were most likely even more clean than the day before. He placed a hoof on the rifle and slid it off his back. He maneuvered it so the barrel was facing forward, and he stood up on his hind hooves. A holographic target materialized at the end of the range, and Sharpshot began to slow his breathing. He started to gently pull back the trigger, and Spark could just barely hear it sliding back of the trigger guard.
His breathe stopped and the hammer flew forward. The firing pin slammed into the brass shell case, and the gas forced the bullet out of the chamber and into the barrel. It quickly began to rotate, and picked up speed as the gas continued to carry it like a rocket. The smoke and flame dissipated behind the bullet, and the shell casing spun in midair before it hit the ground. The bullet had finally reached the target, tearing through it's center sending holo glass into the wall and floor.
"Nice shot."
"Thanks. I'm trying to get my shots to be just as accurate when I shoot with magic."
He pointed the barrel up at the ceiling and gave the rifle to Spark, who clumsily held it in his hooves.
"Butter hooves?"
Sharpshot smirked, Spark was quite the amateur. Then again it was probably just his new body didn't accept anything that was a duplicate. Why pick up a rifle if your body already stores three? That would mean his body had pendulum tech.
He was starting to envy the gray cybernetic in just the slightest way. His near indestructible body, the shiny coat, that precious jewel on it's front...a well placed bullet could still stop him or anyone in their tracks, no matter what they had.
Foreign weapon detected. Analyzing...
Analysis complete. Weapon is .308 caliber, modified rifle. Contains parts from several factories and shops. Pendulum chamber has been modified to increase bullet speed significantly.
Status update: All weapons are now accessible. A visual route has been established.
"How did you just make your eyes change color?"
Spark didn't answer.
Instead he turned right around and headed into the elevator, indicating on the holoscreen he was going to the ground lobby. The elevator was still moving at it's sluggish pace, maybe even slower than when he first came up to the room. Squatting down on the ground, he chaneled his energy into his legs and leaped up in the air.
Unlike most of the more modern elevators in Subscape, which where much more compact and efficient, this elevator had quite a bit of room in it. As Spark began his descent downwards, his body prepared itself for the harsh landing. His front hooves landed first, cracking the cheap tiles and sending the elevator tumbling downwards. His back hooves did a likewise motion, but their impact was much more severe. The main cables snapped like a rubber band and slashed the roof of the car, creating a rather long gash across it.
With another "hop" he disembarked out of his transport just before it collided with the ground, creating a thunderous crashing sound as it was blown apart. The shockwave put a nice hole where the floor's entrance to the elevator would have been and scattered bricks like a shotgun blast. Spark slid down the sides of the shaft and casually walked out the makeshift entrance and the more official entrance to the building itself; completely oblivious to the three mercenaries that laid scattered around the room.
Sorry to control you like that, but it's quite fun. I'll restore your control in a few moments after I warp you over here.
Warp? Warping was only used by military forces, how could have Clockwork acquired technology of that caliber?
Regardless of how his ends justified his means, he was telling the truth. Spark's body began to break up into several peices and then vanished. Simultaneously his molecules re-arranged themselves back at Clockwork's personal office.
"Good to see that you're here."
"Why did you disable my weapons?"
Clockwork studied the cybernetic that stood before him.
"I wanted to remind you that you're just as biological as anyone else despite your body."
"By almost getting me killed? I don't see what that would solve."
"Your body is a lot more durable than you think it to be. Now for your mission. How familiar are you with tales of old?"
"You mean history?"
"No. I'm talking about folklore, fairy tales, legends."
"Well they're all myths right?"
A devilish grin spread across his face.
"I never said they were myths did I?"