Chapter 4: Bandit Troubles
Unknown airship, 05:00 hours
“Boss, what is this heist doesn't work?” A bipedal figure wearing a brown skullcap with goggles and a bandana around her neck asked her cohort, who had an overcoat and hat with the same goggles. She and a few others like her were equipped with repeating rifles that had electrical runes engraved on the barrels. Standing alongside them were an assortment of earth ponies and Gryphons, both male and female. The commander turned and smirked.
“It’ll work. And here comes our target now…” he said, pointing at a trail of steam. “Alright men, ready yer weapons! We’ve got a train to catch!” The sky bandits cheered before the engines of the airship thrummed to life and the propellers began to turn. With a turn of the wheel from the helm, the ship turned and headed towards the incoming train. The captain gave a feral grin. 'Nothing like the scent of loot in the morning…’ he thought.
Ponyville Express
“How much longer do we have to be in this contraption?” Seria asked, her tone betraying her annoyance.
Cassie sighed. The swordswoman had been complaining non stop since they had boarded the train, and it was starting to grind on the party’s nerves.
Carl gritted his teeth and said, “Twilight said that we would be there in an hour or so. I would prefer if you didn't keep complaining the whole trip….”
Seria snorted and looked out the window. “Why Tilith brought us to this world, I’ll never understand….” She growled.
Mira meanwhile was talking to Twilight. “So you're Celestia's personal protege?” She asked after Twilight had explained what had happened over the last 10,000 years. Twilight nodded and beamed.
“Of course! But that's not important right now, tell me more about yourselves.”
“Well… I was adopted into Cassie’s family after…” Mira winced at the memory. “It's not something I like remembering. When I was younger, I lost my family to a fire. They were trapped with no way out, and I couldn't do anything to save them… A few months later, I was adopted by Cassie's family, after they had heard of what had happened. But me losing my family wasn't the only mark the fire left…” She lifted her sleeve to reveal a massive burn mark on her arm, causing everyone in range, along with Twilight to wince. “I tried to run in and save them, but as I ran in, a gout of flame hit my arm, and well… this is the result.” She covered the mark back up. “But the both of us were avid gamers and our brother… he was the one that introduced us to the world of Grand Gaia.”
Twilight looked at her with sympathy in her eyes. “I'm sorry to hear that. I don't know what I would do if I had lost my family.” She said, before Karl interrupted.
“Wait, your world knows of where we came from? How?” He asked, Tilith and Seria looking over at Karl’s exclamation.
“Your world is part of a game that many people enjoy called Brave Frontier, it follows the adventures of an unknown summoner as he or she fights the four Fallen Gods and many other threats.” Cassie spoke up. “Along the way, they encounter the three of you, Tilith being the first one.”
“Am I as pretty as I look in this “game”?” Tilith asked eagerly, earning a groan from Seria.
Mira chuckled. “Yes, you are Tilith.” She said, “And they captured your personality perfectly.”
Pinkie bounced up and said, “She's kinda like Rarity!” She then gasped. “Maybe they're twins!”
Tilith blinked. “I’m pretty sure I wasn't an Equine when I was formed…” She said, irritation in her tone.
Pinkie shrugged. “It’s what a few people who play it compared you to.” She said.
Tilith opened her mouth to say something, but Twilight interrupted, “It’s just Pinkie being Pinkie, don’t try and figure her out. I’ve tried that once, didn't work out for me.” She said.
Mira and Cassie both nodded in agreement. Seria rolled her eyes before looking back out at the window, only to jerk back as an explosion erupted in front of her. “What in Lucius’ name!?” She exclaimed. She heard exclamations from the others and a few other passengers.
“Bandits!” Twilight yelped. “They must be attacking by airship!”
“Wait, you have airships?!” Mira asked as another explosion rocked the car.
“Can we discuss this when we’re not in danger of being blown up?” Cassie asked. “We need to stop them before this train gets destroyed!” The sound of feet on metal above her then caught her attention. Uh oh… That can’t be good… She thought.
“Tilith, you and these two stay here and protect the passengers. Karl, let’s show these bandits the power of a summoner!” Seria said. Karl rolled his eyes before he hefted his Halberd while she pulled out her sword. The two then ran out, leaving Tilith and the rest of the group in the car.
Cassie rolled her eyes. “Stay here? Yeah right!” She said, “Mira, help Tilith with protecting Twilight and the passengers, I’m gonna go help them.”
“But Seria said-” Twilight began before Cassie cut her off.
“Seria isn’t in charge of me. And like it or not, they’re gonna need help.” She retorted before she opened the door and with a flap of her wings, soared into the air.
Seria ducked as a lightning bolt zipped past her, smoke emanating from the rifle barrel it came from. “Keep your pretty lil' head down if you catch my drift!” The human bandit yelled before he gasped and cried out in shock.
There was a thud and silence before Cassie’s voice said, “Maybe you should watch the skies more often.” Seria looked up to see the bandit lying on the roof of the car, unconscious with Cassie standing over him, her blade drawn.
“I thought I told you to stay with the others!” The swordswoman yelled.
Cassie raised an eyebrow. “And leave you two without backup? Not happening.” She said. Seria growled and took a step forward.
“Why should we let a novice summoner like you help us? You don't know how to even fight.” She asked.
Cassie's eyes narrowed at that. “That’s where you’re wrong. Both Mira and I had to fight from the very moment we appeared here 10,000 years ago. So saying that I don't know how to fight is a vast underestimation on your part.” She growled, electricity arcing along her blade.
Karl’s eyes widened at that. “Wait, you appeared in this world that long ago?!” He asked as he blocked a sword thrust from another bandit, this one an earth pony.
“I’ll explain after we deal with these guys.” Cassie said before she slashed at another bandit, simataniously cutting and shocking her opponent. She then leapt into the air and began to duel with a pair of Gryphons, her blade easily keeping them at bay. She then flew backward and stretched her hand out, a summoning circle appearing in front of it. “I call upon Alana, Angel!” She chanted before an armored human female with feathered wings and equipped with a sword materialized in front of her.
“You called, Milady?” Alana asked, while Seria and Karl looked on dumbstruck.
“I need you to assist the two summoners below, I’m gonna take out the airship.” Alana nodded in response.
“As you wish!” She then flew down to where Karl and Seria were, her blade emitting the same energy that covered Mira’s blades.
Looking up, Cassie could see the Airship, a Zeppelin like craft with an actual boat underneath the balloon armed to the teeth with cannons and what looked like flintlock muskets on stands. This is gonna be a tough one, but I should be able to knock out the guns and maybe the engine… Assuming I don't get shot out of the sky…. She thought as she flew towards it. A Gryphon manning one of the muskets quickly spotted her and alerted his companions before opening fire, just barely missing her. She ducked and weaved as more rounds whizzed past her. Stretching her hand out, she sent bolt after bolt of lightning at the gunners, causing them to duck and give her the opening she needed. Her blade was the last thing the gunners saw before blackness consumed their vision.
Damn it! Three summoners on that train?! The captain swore silently. This just complicated things! He turned at the sound of rifles firing and blades clashing. And now one of them has the audacity to board my vessel… Time to show whoever it is that I don't take prisoners... Pulling out a single electric runed pistol, he swung the door open to a scene of complete chaos. Many of the bandits had been felled by a single blade, while others bore scorch marks from where a lighting bolt had hit them. The cause of their injuries stood before him a few feet away, her blade covered in blood and panting heavily.
“Well, aren’t you a long way from home, missy?” He asked cheerfully. “I’m curious as to how a summoner even arrived in this world… Especially one like you. I thought the Summoners Guild would have kept their summoners at their base….”
“Hate to rain on your parade, but I’m not from Grand Gaia.” Cassie retorted. The captain blinked at that.
“Not from…” He burst into laughter. “You’re pulling my leg aren't you? There’s no way you're not from Grand Gaia!” His chuckles subsiding, he swung his pistol up and aimed it at Cassie. “Now hold still and this will be over quickly!” He said as he pulled the trigger and fired three blasts of electricity only for his target to dodge to the side and charge forward, her blade raised. “What-?!” He gasped before he leapt to the side, causing her to skid to a halt in the room. The bandit chuckled. “You’re a quick one, I’ll grant you that. But it won't save you or your friends… or the passengers on the train.”
Cassie snarled at the bandit, her eyes glaring at him. “I wouldn't say that….” She said before she yelled, “Orion, Apollo, the Argus twins, come forth!” In a flash of light, two double headed hounds stood before her, growling at the now nervous bandit captain. “Sic’ him.” She quietly ordered, and the two Argus' leapt at him, teeth bared.
“Nice try Missy, but you’re gonna have to do better than- ACK!” he said as he gunned the two hounds down, only to find himself impaled against the wall by a seven inch blade in his stomach. He coughed up blood and chuckled, “Guess I underestimated you… You have a warrior's spirit…” He groaned as Cassie drove the blade deeper.
“The ponies have a name for me… One that many of my foes 10,000 years back feared, the Thunder Phoenix.” Cassie said, causing the captain’s eyes to widen in fear. “And no one… hurts my friends or my sister!” She snarled as he tried to push the blade out of him. She then yanked the sword out, causing the bandit to cry out in pain before she raised her blade.
“Please.. Don’t!” He begged. But his words fell on deaf ears as she prepared to deliver the final blow. But just as she began her downward stroke, a single blast of lightning slammed into her, sending her crashing into a nearby table. A feminine figure stepped out from the shadows, a rifle aimed at the stunned girl
“Don’t you dare hurt him!” The female bandit snarled, glaring at Cassie. “Boss, are you alright?” She asked, not taking her eyes off of Cassie.
“Yeah… but we need to leave.” He grunted in pain as he tried to stand up. “We picked the wrong train to attack.”
“We can still take those summoners out! We can still-” she began, but the captain cut her off.
“Not if the train is defended by the Thunder Phoenix and Blade Queen!” He snapped. The female bandit’s eyes widened at that. “Tell those that can still stand that we’re leaving.”
“Yes, Boss…” she said, backing out of the room. Cassie stood up and walked out, her blade dripping blood, and her face and body splattered in it. Spreading her wings, she leapt off of the balcony and flew back towards the train, the remaining bandits watching her in amazement and fear, the female bandit among them. ‘Hmmm... I must report to Maxwell about this... She's not going to be happy about this.... she thought with a frown before she walked off, her form shimmering before a completely different figure took her place, four sabers appearing around her and her brown eyes becoming bright blue and her pupils draconic slits. This was Silver Queen Gabrielle, and unknown to both Cassie and Mira…. A messenger for a higher power...
Cassie landed just as the train started up again, stumbling as the car jolted as it began to move forward. Mira quickly opened the door and stared in shock at the state her sister was in. Twilight and the others were also stunned at her appearance, with blood splattered all over her, and her sword covered in it, she looked like she was a demon brought to life.
“Cassie?” Mira asked as her sister walked in. “Everything alright?”
Cassie took in a shuddering breath. “I… I need some time alone. I’m gonna go get a shower and get all of this blood off of me.” She said as she walked towards where the showers were.
“What… What’s wrong with her?” Twilight asked, her eyes curious.
“She must have nearly done something she would have regretted.... When someone threatens me or a friend of hers, she’ll sometimes end up fighting so hard that she sometimes ends up in a battle rage and will kill anyone that gets her way… even those who ask for mercy.” Mira said, looking towards where Cassie had gone. “It’s terrifying to see…”
Tilith put a hand on her shoulder. “Seeing those you care about get hurt can do that.” She said.
Mira nodded before she turned to the window and watched the world go by before she succumbed to sleep. Tomorrow would bring new adventures and new friends.
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Not sure if I feel fine with their mother working as a bandit.
7775551 She was actually posing as a bandit, but there's more to her than meets the eye...
7775558 That still doesn't make me feel better, but alright.
7775567 I do like keeping my readers in suspense...
7775583 Yeah, well, I can only imagine what would happen should Seria piss off the wrong Displaced. One of the Doom Marines being one of them.