Lone laughed. He was laughing at the absolute stupidity of the Brotherhood. Even with out his armor, he was able to easily kill many of the idiots.
After Red had kicked him, which was the fifth most painful thing he had experienced, the two began to move through the building they were in, both to kill the rest of the Brotherhood members in it and to get Lone's armor. Nightmare and the others had left in the Shadow at the insistence of Red and Lone. The fact they agreed was enough to surprise the mares, though they did so anyway.
"Why are you laughing?" Red asked over the gun fire.
"Because of their idiocy," Lone replied as he hurled an orb of violet magic at a group of enemies. "They have no unit cohesion."
Red laughs "I see...So, THIS is that Brotherhood faction that Harmony mentioned Eh? My god. these guys are pathetic...Organization XIII was better than these bozos, and they were just nobodies, the lifeless shell of their former human selves who fell to the darkness in their hearts..." Red mused laughing as he attacked ferociously with his Z-Saber, even without his armor he was a force to be reckoned with, infact, it seemed he was far stronger, and faster than he ever was before.
They eventually made their way to the armory, where they found Lone's weapons and armor. Once he came close enough, Lone's armor began to assemble around him, which took five minutes, and cast an eerie, almost iridescent emerald green glow that Red hadn't seen before.
He raised an eyebrow and said, "So, does that have to do with the stuff Harmony told me about?"
"Yeah," Lone said. "And I know you won't like it, but we can't tell the others unless the Brotherhood leaves us no option. Believe me, I wish they weren't here."
"And what makes you think I won't instantly tell Moony when we get back? See, I don't like you. your an asshole. You lie, your vage as shock, and your a pain in the ass to begin with. I may be a part of your team but that's only because destiny chose that we work together. My loyalty will ALWAYS go to Moony and the NLR. I could care less about your own team, much less you." Red said, being, brutally honest.
"Because the Brotherhood will find out if they know, and that will make them want to kill them more. Plus," Lone said, placing a finger on Red's chest for emphasis, "I know how ponies would react to this kind of knowledge. The fact the Brotherhood is focusing on me because of what I know should tell you that."
"He's not wrong, Red," a female voice that didn't belong to Artemis said, "He knows how the Brotherhood acts. More so than us, anyway, and he has been fighting them since he arrived. The fact the others didn't know of it until now shows that he knows what he's talking about."
Red sighed, shaking his head "I suppose you've got a point, Night Shade..." He said looking around for the companion who joined him after he returned.
"AI?" Lone asked.
"Yeah. Standard issue."
"And yet," Nightshade said over the radio, "I have the best hacking skills I know of."
"Not humble," Lone said.
"She might be classified as 'Standard issue' but as far as I'm concerned, Shade's Anything but standard." he said smirking, as he liked this new partner of his. "Come on Nighty, show yourself."
At his word, a life size hologram of a pegasus mare in a version of the Wonderbolts outfit that had the same color scheme as Red's robes appeared. "Pleasure to meet you, Lone. My AI comrades Artemis and Apollo speak highly of you. And may I add, probably a good thing the others haven't seen Artemis' projection."
Lone chuckled a little before saying, "Definitely. But I think we can talk about this later. We need to get out of here."
"Hiding more eh? Well I wanna meet Artemis in person." he said, before he smirked "Well Nighty, I look forward to holding ya in a hug later, to formally introduce you to Moony and the others." He said, knowing how Moony would love her likely the most.
"Under his helmet, Lone raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess: She's able to go between a digital and physical form as well?"
"Yes I am."
"Noted," Lone said. "And you'll meet Artemis once we get to my ship, Red."
Red nodded as Nightshade faded before they headed out to fight, and get out of there.
After the stop in the armory, the two were able to mow down Brotherhood forces, and made it out of the building with ease. "Artemis, we need a pick up."
"Copy that, Lone. I assume Red's with you."
"Affirmative. ETA?"
"Two minutes."
Red smirked "Hey, Nighty, is THAT ready to go yet?
"Almost, Red, but we won't be able to activate it in the city due to the fact property is expensive to replace. It'll have to be deployed outside the city."
"I can get to it, Red."
Red looked at Lone. "Hay no. it's Mine. I ain't letting you take it." he said, as they were heading out.
"What I meant to say was that I can get you there."
"Oh," Red said. "Then let's go."
Red smiled "Nighty? Deploy it outside of town." He said, as he looked to Lone "I can buy us some time with it."
"Falcon, coming in," Artemis said over the radio.
"Quick," Lone said
Red rushed ahead with him, to get on the Falcon and get out of town, to deploy his special surprise to buy them some escape time.
The Falcon set down in the street, and the two got on. Once they were, the ship took off for the outskirts. "So," Red said, "You mind showing me what Artemis looks like."
"Artemis, you good with that?"
"Yeah," Artemis said before a light lit up above the two and between them. What appeared was a being wearing a silver toga, a bow and arrow on her back. But her most interesting feature, though, was that she resembled the beings Aurora had seen on the other side of the mirror portal.
Which was to say she looked like a human.
Red smirked. "Ah...Artemis...if I know my history...said to be the Greek Goddess of the Hunt correct?" he asked looking over the woman before him, even walking around her to see, as he awaited the destination to meet up with Night Shade with his special package, to buy them time to escape for certain as well as provide backup. He smiled and offered his hand to her. "It's an honor to meet you formally then. Though I'm kinda surprised you don't just make yourself a Pony form to be able to interact with us more." He said, seeing that considering she's an AI, she could EASILY do this, by altering her program's appearance data.
"And why would I?" Artemis asked. "This is how my creators looked, in terms of species, and it's really only Lone and the others I care about in terms of opinion."
"Red, I think you've looked at her enough. She may be an AI, but she still gets uncomfortable when a person she doesn't trust looks at her the way you are."
"This coming from the guy who makes sure Nopony can trust him." he said smirking. "Well either way Artemis, it was just a suggestion. Relax...you can trust me okay? I'm a friend...even if I could toss Lone into a volcano to appease the fire gods..." He said with a chuckle to himself at his own joke, as he began to look around the ship, waiting to meet up with the others, along with Night Shade.
"That's because he was told to keep those particular secrets, and you know what they are," Artemis said, "and do you not see a reason for that?
Red smiled "Nope. I see nothing but more reasons to kick his ass." He said being genuinely honest, and he was clearly trustworthy. even if he was being brutally honest.
"Hey, if you had seen all that stuff firsthand, you would keep them secrets too, if only to not give others nightmares."
"But I'm not you."
"And be glad you aren't," Lone said.
"Already am, considering I don't want to be an vague prick who lies, and constantly gives everypony more reasons to beat me to death." he said, with a laugh as more items begin to show up on the Radar "Hmm? Oh my..."
"Seriously," Artemis said, "that's what you go with. And we're near your stop."
"I think I like her." He said to Lone as he went to the exit ramp.
"Nighty? You there with the package?" he asked, knowing that he should be seeing his vehicle of choice soon down below to handle the incoming enemies.
"It's just waiting for you, Red," Night Shade said as Lone lowered the ramp.
"Then let's go," he said as he jumped out.
Lone rolled his eyes. "I don't see why Harmony chose him."
"Agreed. Plus, I'm already in a relationship," Artemis said.
"That reminds me, how is Legion anyway?
Red smirked, landing and saw his package, it was a large six wheeled Armored vehicle, and Red opened the driver door getting inside, and seeing his friend, and partner, Night Shade right next to him in the passenger seat. he gave her a kiss on her light blue cheek and a hug as well, smiling. "So, Night shade, Ready to go?" He asked, looking out to see the incoming enemies. As Red started the engine it came to life with a roar.
He pressed a button on the dashboard, and the vehicle began to change shape, becoming a mech slightly taller than the prototype.
Red engaged the boost engine on the back of his mech, and dashed right into the fray, drawing the Mech's gattling gun on the right arm, he went right to work mowing down, as a wing pack extended from the back and he took off, easily taking down a great deal of the mechs with it alone. Red also spotted a particular mech that could prove useful for the faction "Nighty, hack in, and take control, we can bring it back." He said, as she nodded and disappeared in a flash of light, turning into her AI form and instantly hacking into the mecha he had pointed out, The mech had stopped fighting, and Red was quickly defending it, as he attacked, soon reaching up and drawing the beam saber he had and began to continue attacking.
Soon the white mech began moving alongside Red's, delivering roundhouse kicks, missiles from the shield on the left arm, and firing shots from it's blaster. The two worked together, easily tearing apart the enemy mechs, protecting both the town, AND their friends. soon enough, they were at the final one. Red charged up the arm cannon on his mech's arm, as Night shade charged the bazooka cannon on her own mech's equipment. they fired it together, as Red's shot melded with her own, and obliterated the final mech, Red smiled, and transformed back to vehicle mode, as he and Night shade quickly raced back to the base. Nightshade had ejected the pilot shortly after taking control of her mech.
NLR BASE MAIN HANGER
The white mech arrived first and landed, moving to a docking bay for maintainance, and shut down, as she appeared back inside Red's vehicle, as the Alpha team gathered, and looked as they heard a horn blare, as Red finally arrived home. He hit the breaks and stopped, right as soon as he slammed into Lone, who was sent into the far wall, and had to peel himself out of it, yet again. This being among the most painful things he was hit by. Red opened up the doors and stepped out "Girls, I want you to meet a new friend of mine, my new AI partner, Night Shade." He said as the shadowbolt mare stepped out. "She came back with me, and is able to change from an AI form, to do things such as pilot mechs, and manage their systems, manage the ship systems, and my own armor systems, but also can change into a flesh and blood pony form that you see before you." he said hugging her, and then hugging Nightmare and the others, minus Barb, Dawn and Chestnut who weren't in the hanger.
Third, Lone thought as he walked over to Red and the others. "You know, you need a new way to get of that stress, Red. Is Nightmare and Fleur not enough?"
This made Red clench his hand and made his eye twitch, while it made the others laugh, while it was a mix for the two aforementioned mares.
Infact it was such a mix, that Red, Nightmare, Fleur, Luna, AND Night Shade, all punched Lone down into the floor, as hard as they could.
"I think that's better." He said as he began to walk of, to find Barb, And his kids, to say hello, and that he was back for real.
Five, Lone though as he got up, and really, it was only the top three things that had hit him that caused actual soreness, and even then One was the only noticeable pain. He made his way back to the Falcon, and, once he was inside, sent a message to Nightengale and Shadow about Fillydelphia.
Red smiled finding them in the mess hall, and snuck up on barb as he covered her eyes "Peekaboo!" he said, smirking.
"Dad/Daddy," Barb, Dawn and Chestnut yelled and hugged him.
"Hey, girls. I missed you all so much. Did you behave?"
They laughed "Yes, we behaved Dad/Daddy!" They had their moment and a celebration was held at the base, to celebrate not only the capture of 'Star City' but also the return of Red himself.
That night, Red was with Nightmare in their room, as she gave him the amulet that Lone had given her sometime before, he put it on, and noticed a blue flame glow on it, as he smiled, Nightmare did not. She just pulled him into bed as he held her close, soon, their large bed was filled with him, Nightmare, Fleur, Luna, Night Shade, Dawn, Chestnut, Barb, and Aurora, his entire little herd/family, finally, officially reunited after so long. They had a great night's sleep this time.
