Xenophage
Euqestira
Chapter VII
The Storm II
Captain of the Royal Guard office
“So, you’re the new Captain? I thought Orion said Shining Armour was the Captain of the Guard.” Said Layla as she sat down on a Griffin’s chair.
“Yes, Shining Armour was the Royal Guard’s Captain, however, he left some time ago, around 16 years ago. I was his lieutenant, I was the obvious choice, he’s now the loving husband of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, and the Duke of The Crystal Empire.” Replied Trixie as she sat down and began digging through her desk.
“Ah, is the Crystal Empire part of the war?” Asked Layla as he was handed papers.
“No, Mi Amore says the Crystal Ponies arn’t ready for war. Even though a single Quarts Armored Guard can kick the hay out of seven Royal Guards, well, the veterans can.” Replied Trixie. Layla looked over Trixie’s desk and saw a picture of a filly and a stallion with Trixie.
“Who are they?” Asked Layla as she picked up the picture.
“Some of the first to fall in this war.” Replied Trixie, who was a bit chocked up talking about it.
“Oh, I see, sorry. Didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.” Replied Layla as she placed the picture back.
“You didn’t know.”
“But now I do.”
“Yes, well as you see, we have only a few problems, well ones you can handle, the stuff you can’t will be pasted on to the Commanding Officers of the CRA, mostly training and other things of the short.” Layla raised an eye brow, Ones you can handle? What a load of bullshit, if Zed can hold off an entire army, I can do this.
“No, I’ll handle the training as well, and anything you think I can’t do, just because I’m a gir- Mare, dosen’t mean I’m useless, and if you think I am under qualified, I lead an entire rebellion to victory from the boot of an empire.” Trixie slowly turned to Layla, she wore no emotion, no hint of surprise.
“No, it’s what you are, a ‘Human’. I’ll be very straight with you. I am no bigot. However, I do not trust you or your friends. Something about you is off. You seem evil.” Said Trixie as she walked to her officer window and looked over the courtyard.
“True, I AM evil, Zed IS evil, and Nathan is TRULY evil, however, John, James, and Orion are not pure of heart, they have sinned and paid for them just as much as we did good deeds, hell Orion brought on the destruction of the Avian race. We all have scares, we all have a streak of good and evil, however some of use let one side rule and the other lay dormant, the rest of us, wear a mask. To hid what we are, so that we can help the other Guardians without the people or ponies rather questioning it. I must admit, you are the first to see through our masks, and we have been around for over three hundred years, some have written stories, legends, and myths of us, but all are the same. They tell a false story. Orion and Nathan want the ponies and other creatures of Equestria to write true ones, ones that tell all what we are.” Trixie nearly yelled for back up. However she heard Layla out, Trixie thought over her options, the first, accept the fact not all are truly good, and not all are truly evil, and move on, or the second, call for the guards and try to kill six creatures who sent shivers down Celestia’s spine.
“Very well, I’ll see to it you over see the training of the soldiers. Now let’s work on the paper work.” Said Trixie as she sat down on her chair and began writing down note and reviewing documents. Layla let her heart beat again as she watched Trixie work, true Layla didn’t lie to her, but she still felt like she was betraying her.
Canterlot Main Gate
“Anthros? Really? You really think I’m going to become some kind of furry!!”Yelled Nathan as he loaded his weapon and unloaded it.
“Yeah, you know. Angel of Death needs to look like the Angel of Death.” Replied John.
“No, god no!” Said Zed as he walked off down the road.
“Come on, James back me up!”
“Wings sound kind of sweet, ever see that portrait of the Angel of Life swooping down and floating in the middle of a battle? Sweet.” Replied James as he spun a knife on his finger. Zed looked at James, a small look of horror escaped on to Zed’s face. James noticed this and decided to play a trick, James made the knife spin faster and blood soon came leaking out of his finger, it didn’t hurt, Zed just looked away. “What’s the matter, Zed? Can’t stand the sight of blood?” Asked James as he started to fling blood at him.
“Okay stop that, so no wings? Too bad.”Said Orion as he snapped his fingers, Nathan opened his mouth to object but pain started coursing through his body, same for John, Zed, and James. Orion was ready for the pain, their armor started to split, creating room for the newly formed wings. Orion adored white wings, Nathan black with a few white feathers, John grew bright white wings, Zed earned deep black ones, James white with streaks of black. Each flared their wings to check the span of their wings, Orion and Nathan reached the furthest, both reaching roughly eight meters, next was James he reached six and a half, Zed reached six and a quarter, John came in last with six meters. Nathan looked over his new wings, even with the helmet on Orion knew he liked what he saw.
“Let me add on thing.” Said Nathan as he snapped his fingers, as soon as he did that the bones and joint of the wings were covered in black metal, once Nathan’s were done Zed’s soon adored the metal too, as well as James and John, Orion watched as his friends and brothers received the armor, soon it was Orion’s turn, he allowed the metal to cover the important parts of his wings. “Now were are ‘Armored Angels’, come to help those who can’t help them selves.” Said Nathan, this made Orion chuckle, ture ‘armored angels’ were a distant memory, but that’s all they were memories to him.
“So? Can we go? We got wings, and they look badass!” Yelled James from high in the air. Orion looked up at James, and a soon as he did memories of his failed past came flowing in. Orion dropped to one knee, this made John and James blot to his side.
“No, you go ahead, I just need a minute. I’ll be fine go.” Said Orion as he looked to the ground, James looked at John, John shrugged and began to follow Nathan and Zed who were already on their way to ponyville. James patted Orion on the shoulder and went on his way.
“GOD DAMN IT! I’m sorry Taiya, I so, so sorry, I failed you.” Tears were now running down his face. Orion’s heart fell, he truly failed one of the few people he loved, or Avian rather. Orion slowly composed himself and got to his feet. And went on his way.
Canterlot Castle
Twilight sat in her room, reading, as she always as done. But today she was sick. She was sick with the flu, very uncommon for her to get the flu, she usually stayed in side all day. Well when she and the girls weren't saving Equestria that is, or going on a picknick, or going for a camping trip, to be honest Twilight never stayed in anymore, she was always out and about. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK sounded her door,
“Come in.” Said Twilight very weakly.
“You sound terrible, well sucks to be you, Celestia asked me to get you.” Called a very scratchy voice, Rainbow Dash’s voice. “Coming.” Replied Twilight with a stuff noise
“Cool, met us in the CIG, or what ever.” Came Rainbow’s voice again, even with 10 years of work, she was still one to forget. Twilight just made a weak smile and got to her hooves and started walking down to the CIC.
Canterlot Combat Intelligence Center (CIC)
“Many of you are wondering why you are here. The answer? Six creatures called “Humans” have come to Equestria, they claim they are here to help, but something about them is off, Celestia is scared of them.”Said Luna as she looked over the small crowd.
“Sister is you had seen what I have seen, you would be scared too, they nearly killed my in seconds.” Replied a shaky Celestia.
“Really, well this is why I’m holding this meeting, these creatures are very smart, very strong, and very powerful. I want you to keep an eye on them, they could be here to kill us, all of us.”Luna looked around the room, what she saw displeased her. “You will drop all war duties and replace them with watching these things, I do not care how you do it, just make sure they are in sight at all times.”
“Wouldn't guards be better suited for this?” Asked McIntosh.
“No, guards would mess up and get caught and more than likely killed, you have can make up fake reasons why you are there. McIntosh and Miss. Applejack, head back to Sweet Apple Achers and help them with the farm, Twilight I need you back in Ponyville, Captain Trixie, I am assigning you as this “Layla”’s assistant, help her and get to know her. Find out about them, report back in one month.” Finished Luna, as she did so she lit up her horn and teleported all of them to their needed locations. Celestia sighed as she looked at the empty room, to think, this is what her world looked like 100 years ago.
Sweet Apple Acres
“But Princ- Gosh darn it, Luna you are a odd mare.” Said Applejack as she looked around and started to walk to the farm house. Big Mac looked around and sighed, Well AppleBloom always wanted to see my dress blues. Thought Big Mac as he walked to the farm house.
“Applejack?! You’re back!” Cheered Granny Smith as she got up and hugged Applejack. “Big Mac you too, aw you look so nice in those cloths, Big Mac.” Commented Granny Smith, Big Mac went red, well redder, this was the first time his family besides Applejack saw his dress blues. On the bright side he would see Little Mac again.
“Say, where’s Buck?”Asked Applejack. Granny Smith just pointed her hoof towards the Ponyville road, sure enough a colt was bolting down the path, Buck. “BUCK!” Yelled Applejack as she ran to him, she and he met half way, “Great to see ya, Buck! Been good?” Asked Applejack as she messed up his mane.
“Kinda, been hanging with Iron lately.” Replied Buck as they walked back to the farm house. “ Uncle McIntosh! That your dress blues?” Asked Buck as he walked around Big Mac.
“Eeyup, been wearing these for a while, need to get rid of them, Little Mac about?”
“Yeah, he’s trying to fix the brewer. It was a backing up.” Replied Babs. Big Mac turned to face her but she had already gone back inside. No doubt with a blush on her face, Big Mac knew Babs had a deep crush on him for years, hay, when Babs went trough her first heat cycal, Big Mac was almost raped, luckily AppleBloom was able to stop her. Big Mac kinda wished she didn’t stop her. But thinking back, Blazing Shards would have beaten him good. Big Mac shrugged off his memories and walked inside to remove his uniform. After removing his uniform he trotted over to the brewer.
“Step aside, let the wise show you how it’s done.” Said Big Mac, Little Mac quickly smashed his head into the door as he tried to look around for the voice’s owner. Damn, that went better than I though it would. Thought Big Mac.
“Dad?! You’re home!” Yelled Little Mac as he bolted for his father.
“Yeah, Celestia says I need to be around you more.” This was not a lie, Celestia indeed tell him he needed to spend more time with his son.
“Really? Well I guess you want your room back.” Replied Little Mac.
“Nah, I’ll get the barn, you know I love sleeping in the quite.”
“Oh, cool. Oh and I need to talk to you about a few things later, okay?” Asked the young colt, Big Mac mearly nodded.
“Well, time to show you how this thing works and how to fix it.” Said Big Mac as he went for a wrench.
Some where over Equestria
As Orion flew through the skys, he felt as if he left part of him self on the ground, it didn’t hold much joy. Not as much as it used to hold, the feeling of the wind in your hair, the rush of a dive, the joy of be truly free. All this was take from Orion long ago, true Layla was at his side when it happened, but she never felt the same things as Orion did, he helped them, and he failed them. As if on cue, his brothers joined him just as the memories were wiped away, James on his right and John on his left.
“Orion!, Nathan says he want to talk to you. He says he is going to kill you if you mess up his plan for Miss. C. I don’t fucking know what he means by that but you should talk to him sooner rather than later.” Said James as he followed Orion. Great, more plans for this god damned Miss. C. Thought Orion as he flapped his mighty wings to catch up to Nathan.
“Nathan! You wanted to talk?!” Yelled Orion as he got close to Nathan. Nathan Looked back and flapped his wings back once to slow down and flapped them again to regain speed.
“Yeah, do you think, Zed will hold up? He’s been acting kind of weird, always watching out, but I don’t know what for.” Said Nathan as he dived down into some apple trees and picked two. He tossed one at Orion.
“He’ll hold, the last time he snapped was a few hundred years ago. Don’t know if you remember but he and James were out in Texas in the wild west, you were the the city of New Primm when that happened. He went on a killing spree, killed over six hundred people, had a price of 10 000 dollars on his head, now he’s a legend in E2.”
“Yeah, James told be about that, damn.” Nathan and Orion said nothing for the few remaining minutes of the flight.
Sweet Apple Acres
“Man, Sweet Apple Massacre took place here right?” Asked John as he looked around, the farm looked a lot different since the last time they saw it, the farm house was bigger, the barn was much bigger, and a few new buildings were set up. Zed looked around, his gut told him to run, but he didn't want a reason for Orion to exploit.
“Getting dark, only a few minutes of light left, better talk to who ever his in charge now.” Said James, the rest nodded and followed Nathan to the farm house. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK sounded the Nathan, he wait for a about half a minute until he was greeted but a small white coated colt with a yellow mane. The colt looked at him with awe filling his light green eyes, Nathan just stared back, the yellow glowing eye kicked in as the sun went down, the Legate’s mask looked like a sight found in hell, the colt stared a bit longer before screaming at the top of his lungs.
“HELP!! AUNTIE BABS!! AUNTIE APPLEBLOOM, AUNITE APPLEJACK!! ANYONE HELP! A MONSTER IS AT THE DOOR!!” With that the colt bolted off into the house. Nathan looked back at Orion and the rest, Orion shock his head slowly, but Nathan ignored it and ran after the colt screaming:
“RUN YOU LITTLE MOTHERFUCKER! I’M GOING TO EAT YOUR BONES AND DRINK YOU BRAINS THROUGH A STRAW!!” Boomed Nathan as he ran through the house. His joy was short lived as he was bucked in the chest by a pair of hooves attached to a pair of mighty red legs. Nathan was thrown back six feet as he slammed into another pair of hooves, sending him back at the other pair, however he was not bucked a third time, thus he landed in the middle of the floor.
“NATHAN?!?!?!” Screamed a southern voice, no doubt Applejack’s. “What in the hay you doin’ screaming and runnin’ after little ol’ Apple Spite? We thought you were a monster, and did ya mean what ya said about eating him?!” Barked Applejack.
“Good to see you to..” Replied Nathan weakly, as he started to get up, you could hear bones snapping backing into place, each of his ribs were broken into pieces, his spine was almost dented. “Damn....... You two are strong as hell...... Never been kicked so hard in my life, well there was that one time with Cass and Veronica.....” Said Nathan as he looked into space.
“Veronica? She, you, what, how?!?” Asked Zed as he looked at the broken man.
“Whiskey, and lots of it.” Replied Nathan.
“You still didn’t answer my question! Why were you runnin’ after Apple Spite?!” Barked Applejack once again.
“Saw the opportunity, could resist, plus, I need to blow off some steam.” Replied Nathan as he sat against the wall and removed his helmet.
“Fine, don’t do it again. I’m warning you.”Said Applejack as she walked over to the table.
“That is the second time someone said that to me today...”
“Yeah, wonder why?” Asked Orion as he helped Nathan off the ground.
“Don’t know, usually I do shit right all the time.” Said Nathan as he pulled out his two favorite dice.
“You need new die. Those are over 275 years old.”
“Hey, these have been with me for years!”
“Yeah about 275 years.”
“So? These motherfuckers are pure gold with diamond buds!” Yelled Nathan as he pulled out two gold die with diamonds numbering two to six on each one, the side that was meant to have a ‘one’ on it had a radiation insignia made of emerald on it and the other had a Brotherhood of Steel insignia made of silver on it.
“Yeah sure, oh. McIntosh, as you know we’ll be working here until you have some more work hands, or hooves rather. Any idea of where we can stay?” Asked Orion. Big Mac just raised an and slowly walked out the dining room and on to the porch, he turned back a made a ‘follow me’ gesture with his hoof, all the bipeds followed him, they walked out side to the old barn, once in side Big Mac turned around and began to speak;
“You and I will sleep in here, we have about ten pairs of blankets and ten pillows, you should use about two each, I’ll take the last two.” James looked at Zed and spoke;
“Zed needs about ten alone.” This made Zed send a small bolt of lightning at James, who in turn jumped from the shock. John let off a small chuckle. Orion just smiled, Nathan looked as if he just saw an old movie, unimpressed. Big Mac just stared in stoic manner.
After about about a half an hour of watching idiots try to fix three beds Orion and Nathan flew up to the roof the watch the stars and talk about the next day, while smoking hobbit style pipes.
“So, how do you think tomorrow is going to play out?”Asked Orion as he took a drag.
“I.” Said Nathan as he exhaled. “Don’t know, we’re going to clear a field and, rest a bit, talk, and head back unscathed.” Said Nathan as he took another drag. “Well almost unscathed.” Orion let out a small chuckle at the last bit.
“Yeah, after this job, feel like heading to the Ponyville hospital? And Talking to Lyra, Bon Bon, and Lyra?” Asked Orion. Nathan took a deep breath and slowly exhaled before he answered.
“Well, that sound good and all but I have one thing on my mind about that.” Orion knew what was coming. Nathan inhaled and exhaled before finishing.
“WHY THE HELL DID THEY NAME HER, LYRA?! AND WHY THE HELL DID SHE KNOW WE WERE HUMANS?!?!” Yelled Nathan as he throw up his arms, unfortunately this made him lose this balance, he fell of the barn and landed on his ass. After a few seconds of looking down, Orion burst out laughing,
“You. Fucking. Idiot!” Said Orion in between laughing and trying not to repeat what Nathan did. Nathan just sat on the ground and said:
“I’ll just sit here.” This only made Orion laugh harder. After about a solid minute of laughing Orion jumped down and helped up the broken ego-ed soldier, they entered the barn to find Zed, James, and John had already removed their armor and fell a sleep, all three sets were on display as if they were Samurai armor, Nathan shrugged and stared to remove his, one down side to having wings, you need two people to get out of the armor. As Nathan laid down in his makeshift bed, he heard Zed sleep talking and as soon as he heard him say ‘right on’ he started recording.
“Oh yeah.... Right there Rarity....... man I going to fuck that perfect flack.... all night long.....you better be......” Was all he could hear, and that was enough to send Nathan into a laugh attack, he quickly slammed his head into his pillow to keep him self from waking Zed or John who were sleeping next to him. Tomorrow is going to be fun. Thought Nathan as he stopped recording.