A month had passed and the humans were starting to live out their lives in Ponyville. After some arrangements with the higher pony command echelon, the Sentinel Task Force received permission to stand up as an independent military division separated from the Royal Guard. But they were also supposed to cooperate with the guards should they were needed and supervised directly by Equestria's highest chain of command: the Royals themselves.
It was a regular day at the Friendship Rainbow Kingdom Castle, the Sentinels and Royal Guards were training under the afternoon sun; their regular activity. With recent events keeping them busy, such as the cremation of the minotaur attackers three weeks ago and the potential of another attack; being caught off guard again wasn't a choice they were willing to take.
Captains Lightning Spear and Lone Shadow bolstered with a platoon of royal guard officers were supervising a company of 150 fully equipped guards in their training that day.
"You! use your shield to block! If this stallion is your enemy you'd be dead already!" Lightning Spear scolded a unicorn guard as he carelessly let his guard down which caused his sparring partner's sword -an earth pony- to be only mere inches away from his throat. The unicorn nodded and Lightning gave a nod of approval to the unicorn's sparring partner before continuing on.
"Remember! You must strike with speed, strength and accuracy!" Lightning boomed using his voice amplification spell before continuing his supervision.
Some Sentinels were also practicing their melee combat. Marcus and Joker were sparring in a hand-to-hand combat session; heavily emphasizing on ground fighting. John Markusen, Ramirez, and James Grayson got locked in a push-up competition , while most of the Sentinels were practicing their swordplay with practice swords after a crash-course with Lightning and Lone a couple of days ago. Gideon and Mitchell were watching nearby, only wearing their basic Sentinel uniforms.
"It feels good isn't it?" Mitchell said "To be out from the war and all."
"Yeah, it does." Gideon replied "By the way, where's Ilona?"
"Oh, she joined that animal control party. Left, minutes ago." Mitchell said "And that Grant kid, he seems...interested in her. He left with her this morning."
"You jealous, mate?" Gideon said with a nasty grin.
"No!" Mitchell retorted "Going out with Ilona? she will eat you alive."
Gideon laughed "Come on, lets check our boys at the shooting range." completely unaware that a certain electric yellow unicorn captain was listening to their conversation.
"Aim! Fire!" Lone Shadow's voice boomed. His voice was then followed swiftly by a hail of arrows, energy, and crossbow bolts which impacted straw pony targets on the other side of the range. Not only bows, crossbows, and magic, from the ponies; the Sentinels also fired their weapons, both energy and bullets impacted the straw ponies, obliterating them.
"Remember! The more you concentrate, the better your shots will be." as he said that, Mitchell and Gideon entered the area.
"Major, captain." Lone said with a salute, the two humans returned the salute.
"How are your troops doing?" Gideon asked.
"They are doing just fine, their shots are getting more and more accurate. They will be ready should there be another attack." the captain replied.
"And how are our troops doing?" Mitchell asked.
"They have the best aims I've ever seen. They are surely combat-ready." Lone said before looking at the orange sky, noticing the sun had lowered to the west. "Time goes so fast. I have to call them off."
Both parties called off their respective troops and told them to relax for the rest of day. At that moment,the others arrived at the area.
"Alright! Lets go and grab a beer!" Lightning said, already shedding off his armor with only his leather tunic and longsword on him only to receive sharp looks from every human and pony there "Oh right, the animal control party. They've been gone for too long. Gideon, can you contact them?"
Gideon sighed and patched through his comms "Ilona, where are you?"
And then, a thundering roar was heard. A roar Lightning was all too familiar with.
"Manticore!" Lightning shouted before galloping towards the source of the roar, with others following suit.
"That sure was a helluva hunt." Sergeant Grant "Bolt" Hatch said while holstering his AE4 as he, Ilona, Silent Wing, and Crack Shot were trekking through the dense vegetation of the Everfree Forest back to Ponyville "Nice shots back there."
"Twenty infected Timberwolves for a day, that will keep the ecosystem healthy." Silent Wing said while adjusting his crossbow strapped to his back.
"Isn't Fluttershy going to be upset about us doing this?" Ilona asked.
"Not to worry, ma'am. We talked to her about this, and she seemed to understand." Crack Shot said. Ilona nodded before something caught her attention: a bunch of white lilies growing nearby. She quickly picked some of them, much to the wonder of others.
"I don't know you are a flower lover." Bolt said.
"You don't know anything about me." Ilona said with an icy tone before putting the flowers on her tactical field sample container. As unpleasant as this seemed, Bolt expected this response. Although he managed to hold a conversation with her about other things, she seemed to be an introvert if the conversation got into personal matters.
"I *static* ere *static* you *static*." Gideon's garbled voice said through their comms.
"Gideon? We are coming back! Do you read?" Ilona said, only to receive *static* in response "We should get back. I can see Ponyville up ahead." she said before adjusting her MORS rifle; looking frustrated due to the fact that she had ran out of ammo and picked up her pace.
But before any of them could move, a thundering roar was heard and a massive lion with a fiery red mane, the tail of a scorpion, and bat-like wings sprung from the trees; blocking their path and brandishing its large fangs and claws. Approaching menacingly towards the small group.
"Back up, slowly. This is not a timberwolf, it won't go down with one shot. Even with your weapons." Crack Shot said. As the group slowly inched backwards with weapons pointed at the massive beast, another manticore showed up behind them.
"Shit, we are trapped." Bolt said as he turned to face the other manticore behind them, pointing his AE4.
"Hey, I am going to clear a path for us." Crack Shot said in a hushed tone while using his right wing to pat Silent Wing next to him, as if signaling something "When I do, make a run for it."
The pegasus guards drew their breaths and focused their sights on the manticore in front of them. They spread their wings and with swift whipping moves, eight sharp throwing knives flew through the air and landed squarely on the manticore's face; hitting it's nose and one of its eyes.
"Now! Go!" Crack Shot exclaimed as the manticore roared in pain, running and smashing into the trees randomly. The team dashed towards the opening with the other manticore in close pursuit. But as the team thought they got away from it, the injured manticore blindly swung it's venomous tail at one of its potential prey: Ilona.
Seeing the imminent danger, Bolt tackled her to the ground but the sting tore through his back armor and venom seeped in to his body; severely wounding and incapacitating him and pinning Ilona to the ground. The pegasi guards were rushing back to protect the incapacitated Sentinel, but the other manticore held them at bay.
Seeing this, Ilona quickly crawled, grabbed Bolt's assault rifle, and fired it at both manticores. The injured manticore was the closest one, and Ilona's deadly accuracy caused the plasma bolts to burn through the creature's skull, killing it instantly. But the gun overheated before it can do any serious damage to the other one. Before the weapon could cool down, the other manticore swatted Ilona with its massive paw, throwing her into a nearby tree and knocking her gun away.
Crack Shot and Silent Wing immediately rushed in to help. But as if having another set of eyes behind its head, the manticore swung its tail at the incoming attackers with such force that it hurled them towards the trees and knocking them out cold. The manticore turned its attention back on Ilona and prepared to feast on its prey.
However before the manticore could tear Ilona's head away with it's massive jaws, a loud *boom* was heard and the manticore's head exploded into pieces with a shower of blood and brain matter, sending it crashing to the ground. And soon, rushes of footsteps and galloping hooves were heard.
"Ilona! Are you alright?" Mitchell asked he and Mitchell helped her up, she nodded and quickly made her way towards the incapacitated Bolt who was being inspected by Lightning and Marcus. Bolt was unconscious and barely breathing.
"Nicely done, Joker." Gideon said as he tapped Joker's shoulder.
"It's nothing boss." Joker said while shouldering his 20mm sniper rifle before securing the perimeter with, Lone, and Ramirez. James and John were checking on Silent Wing and Crack Shot who had just recovered.
"How many are these?" James asked while gesturing the amount of three with his fingers.
"Three." Both of them responded, still heavily dazed after being slammed by the manticore's tail.
Meanwhile, Lightning, Ilona and Marcus were applying first aid treatment towards the wounded and incapacitated Bolt. Lightning ran diagnosis with his magic on Bolt's body.
"Manticore venom. Very lethal. If we don't get help soon, he is finished." Lightning said as he and Marcus applied first aid to the huge gash on Bolt's back.
"I-is there any way to save him?" Ilona stuttered.
"For now, I can only weaken the venom and stop the bleeding. But we need anti-venom from Ponyville Hospital." Lightning said as his horn glowed with his signature electric yellow aura with the same aura enveloping Bolt's wound. After a few moments Lightning finished his work.
"Quickly, we must take him right away. Gather round!" Lone said as his horn glowed with a dark purple aura and with a bright flash, they vanished from the forest.
Ponyville Hospital
1800 hours
"Okay Tenderheart, I am going home." Nurse Redheart said after she finished her shift and validated it on an absent machine at the receptionist table.
"Okay, be careful. See you tomorrow!" Tenderheart said as he put on her nurse cap on.
But just as she was going to leave, a bright flash exploded behind her. After the flash subsided only seconds later, four pony guards and nine humans appeared in the lobby; with one of them incapacitated and soaked in red blood.
"Quickly! we need a phial of manticore anti-venom!" Lightning exclaimed as he lifted Bolt in his telekinesis "Where is Doctor Red Cross?!"
"He is in the emergency room! This way!" Nurse Redheart said before galloping with Lightning towards the emergency room before disappearing around a corridor leading there. Ilona and the rest of the Sentinels were about to chase after him but Nurse Tenderheart stopped them.
"All of you please stay here." Nurse Tenderheart said "Lets not interrupt them."
"But you need someone who understand about human anatomy! I have to go with them!" Ilona said with a nearly shouting tone, causing Redheart to flinch.
"She is right." Gideon said, standing beside Ilona "You have to let one of us to go with them. We all could function as combat medics after all."
"Alright, this way ma'am." Nurse Redheart said before they both jogged towards the emergency room.
Half an hour later, Lightning nor Ilona or any of the nurses or even Doctor Red Cross haven't came out from the emergency room. This caused the team to be more restless. They contacted Twilight about what happened and was going to be there ASAP with the rest of the element bearers and Bolt's Aegis squad.
Suddenly, galloping hooves were heard and the entrance doors swung open.
"We came here as fast as we could." Twilight said as she and the rest of the element bearers arrived on the lobby along with Aegis operators "How is his condition?"
"Lightning managed to weaken the venom and stopped the bleeding." Marcus said "They are working on him now. Ilona's in there with them."
"Bolt's a hard son of a bitch, trust me he will make it." Captain Mcknight said.
"I-is he g-going to be alright, Applejack?" Fluttershy stuttered while inching closer to the farm mare.
"He's goin' ta be alright sugarcube." Applejack said while embracing the timid pegasus.
"Those brutes!" Rarity exclaimed "They will pay for what they've done!"
"Don't worry ma'am, they already did." Joker said while patting his massive sniper rifle. This caused Fluttershy to shudder a bit.
But before any of them could say anything, Lightning walked out from the emergency room; causing everybody and everypony to shut their mouths.
Lightning inhaled and took off his surgical mask, smiling.
"Bolt is awake now."
After what felt like eons for him, Bolt opened his eyes only to be greeted with a severe headache and blurry vision. He felt himself lying on a soft bed and on a room which seemed like a hospital recovery room. He turned his body around and came face to face with Ilona who was sitting next to his bed with a smile adorning her face.
"Don't get up." She said "You are still too weak."
"Oh man, where am I? what happened?" Bolt asked while sitting up on the edge of his bed. He noticed his exo-suit, weapons, armor, and operator's jacket had been removed from him, instead; white bandages covered his torso with an IV in his arm. He also noticed that Ilona was wearing none of her combat gear.
"You are in Ponyville Hospital. You got sliced by the manticore's sting after you tackled me to the ground, to make things worse you also...got poisoned by the venom." Ilona said while turning around to get him some water which he happily drank up.
"Well, that explains the IV." Bolt said while examining his IV bag which contained an orange liquid: the anti-venom. But in the middle of his examination, Bolt heard soft sobs next to him and before he could react, Ilona wrapped her arms around Bolt's torso; careful not to touch his wounded back and cried into his chest. This took Bolt's soul into a roller-coaster ride.
"Hey, it's okay now." Bolt said softly when he managed to regain himself, returning the embrace. Bolt never expected Ilona's touch to be soft and caring. At that time, he couldn't let her go nor did he want to. After a few moments, Ilona managed to collect herself and separated from the embrace.
"I am sorry, I am just glad that you are fine. Thank you, for saving me." Ilona said while wiping her tears away. Smiling.
"Don't mention it." Bolt simply replied "I can't let one of my CO get hurt, no?"
Silence filled the room as the two stared into each other's eyes, leaning closer and closer. Ilona closed her eyes, and braced for what's coming...Bolt himself was filled with uncertainty of what's going to happen next as they keep leaning their faces closer to each other. But then, they heard footsteps and hoofsteps approaching the room.
"Hey, make sure to thank Lightning and Lone later. If it were not for them, maybe you'd be dead by now." she said after backing away with a blushing face and was walking towards the exit with her head lowered down. At that moment the door swung open and the others showed up.
"Ilona where are you going?" Lightning asked with a confused tone. The others also gave her that stare of confusion.
"Excuse me, I need some time." she said before slipping away from the group, walking with a fast pace before disappearing around the corridor.
As the ponies and humans were conversing and throwing jokes with the newly recovered Bolt, Ilona was sitting alone by a small pond near the hospital as the sun was setting. Seemingly in a phase of deep thought.
"Vladimir...Irina...why must you two leave so soon?" she said as a droplet of tear slide down her cheek.
Suddenly, Ilona's muse was interrupted when she heard a rustle in the grass. She quickly wiped her tear away and turned her head, only to be met with Lightning with her gear in his levitation.
"I brought your gear, mind if I join you?" Lightning asked. Ilona nodded and Lightning placed her gear beside her.
"Lightning, may I ask you something?" Ilona asked.
"Sure." The unicorn said as he lied down on the grass beside her.
"You handled that situation well back there, and you seemed to be very concerned about Bolt's safety." Ilona asked "How and why did you do it?" this caused Lightning to stare at her questioningly.
"He is my friend and I am proficient at healing magic." Lightning said.
"No, I meant what's your story behind it? It seems that you have a certain...trauma." Ilona said as she stood up and began putting her gear back on. Only minutes later, she was done.
"I was going to share it with you guys over some beers tonight, but since the plan got whacked..." He said "Lets just say, I lost both of my parents because of those manticores."
"I am sorry." Ilona said.
"That's alright, I got over it. It's a life-changing event to be honest." Lightning said "It's the day where my cutie mark showed up, and...basically a whole new life for me."
"You and I...actually have some similarities." Ilona said "I lost..." she stopped abruptly and inhaled to keep herself from crying again "I am sorry, I can't. Not yet."
"I understand." Lightning said while getting up "I am not an expert like my cousin, but I know very well that carrying a burden like that alone is like having a festering wound." Lightning then placed a hoof on her shoulder and stared into her watery eyes "Talk to Gideon, Mitchell, Bolt...hay even us ponies if you want to. We are all with you until the end of the line." Ilona nodded slowly and Lightning walked back to the way he came from.
"Lightning?" Ilona asked and he turned around "Thank you."
"No problem. Oh, one more thing...if you really have feelings for him, don't deny them will you?" Lightning winked and walked away, leaving Ilona with a beet red face.
"Our sources have confirmed that the attack on Ponyville a month ago was executed by the Firehawk Rebellion." Hurricane began as all of Equestria's highest military command echelon were attending a meeting at Canterlot Castle.
"The Firehawk Rebellion?! What resentment do they have with us?!" Commander Iron Sword spoke up.
"That we don't know, but if they are trying to take out the Elements...then we should consider there are no more motives other than destroying us." Hurricane said "We don't have enough resources to go that far into Gryphonia, even with the Sentinels on our side. Plus, we are going to break the peace treaty with the Empire! We can only hope Emperor Nofus is quelling the Rebellion as we speak."
"On the matter about Gryphonia and the peace treaty, our sources stated that apparently the griffons have acquired human aid as well." General Gleaming Shield stated, this left the room on a silent state with hushed whispers echoing on the room.
"Please do enlighten us, general." Princess Luna said.
"There are only six of them but our sources stated they are very well trained and armed. Possibly exceeding the Sentinels. They even managed to re-capture Falconhamn, one of Gryphonia's largest mining town in just one night." the general explained.
"And what are these soldiers are known as?" Princess Celestia asked.
"They are known as 'Wolfpack' your majesty." Gleaming Shield stated "Your Majesty if I may, Gryphonia is not exactly our enemy but we cannot ignore the possibility that they will try to invade us in the future!" The rest of the room mumbled their support for him. Hearing this Celestia raised her hoof and the room fell into silence once more.
After the moment of silence, Celestia finally spoke up.
"Notify the rest of our military, we cannot afford to be caught off guard again and I will contact the Sentinels as well to see if they know something about this 'Wolfpack' soldiers. Ladies and gentlecolts, this meeting is adjourned."
"One...two...three! Pull!" James yelled as he and Joker yanked a stump of dead apple tree at Sweet Apple Acres with all their might, clad in their AST suits. Punching down the tree was more than just easy as it only took a kick from James to knock the tree down. But removing the stump, was another story.
"Put yer back into it boys!" Applejack said as she and some Sentinels passed by with two baskets of red apples on their backs and arms.
"Damn this is hard!" James cursed underneath his breath.
"That's what she said!" Joker snickered.
As the two continued to tangle with the stump, Mitchell, Gideon, Marcus, some Royal Guards, and most of the Sentinels (in exception for Bolt and Ilona) were harvesting apples on the large farm. Loud cracks were heard as they bucked the trees over and over again with hails of apples falling down on them.
"Alright everyone! Collect the scattered apples and gather 'round. We're goin' to have a break!" Applejack said.
"Don't worry we got it covered!" Lightning said as he, Twilight, Lone, Rarity, and every unicorn guard on the area levitated the scattered apples and placed them in buckets under the trees with their brethren. Seeing the work was done, they gathered on a shady spot nearby to escape the scorching sun.
"That was a lot of work." Gideon said as he sipped a glass of Sweet Apple Acre's signature apple juice.
"No shit." Joker said, already exited his AST suit and was munching on a slice of apple pie.
"Language!" Applejack said "We got fillies here mister!"
Before Joker could say anything, their exo wrist-pad communication HUDs switched on and soon, Princess Celestia's face appeared.
"Good afternoon, Sentinels. I can see that you have been busy." the princess smiled.
"Good afternoon, Your Majesty." Gideon replied "Is there anything that you need?"
"Just a simple question, Major." Celestia said with a serious tone "Do you know anything about 'Wolfpack'?"
The word 'Wolfpack' instantly rendered Gideon, Mitchell, and Joker speechless. Knowing if what Celestia's reference was correct, things will never be the same again.