//------------------------------// // Friends & Broken Mirrors {Rewite} // Story: Gears of War: Down, But Not Out // by Helljumper206 //------------------------------// Equestria, Ponyville Market Abigail POV "Mmmm.." I hummed in near orgasmic approval as I slowly saver the banana nut muffin before swallowing it. With Starlight following her example. "Good choice Star. I've got to remember that place for the next time I'm near there." I told my new friend before taking another bite. "Yeah, Sugar Cube Corner is the best place in Ponyville to buy baked goods." Starlight said. Looking a little better now that she's calmed down a bit. Thinking back, it took me a few minutes to find this baking corner store. My search went quicker by gaining the help of a kind gray Pegasus mare with lopsided eyes. She told me that she was already heading there for some muffins. They found the place very easily with how childlike its look. On the inside, I was memorized by the amount of food that was just displayed out on the counter. The gray mare suggested I get the banana nut muffin. Saying with absolute certainty, I won't regret it. 'And she was right about that, damn this is good!' After ordered both hers and Starlight's baked goods I went to find the market I saw earlier. There I saw the most extensive assortment of veggies or fruits I had not seen in many years. Even a few I'd never seen before. When I entered the market, I could tell I was getting looks from all the ponies. I didn't know much about pony expressions but the few that I caught felt like looks of jealousy and admiration. Some of them even sported blushes when they looked at me, from both males and females. At first, I'd wondered why I was getting all this attention? I left my armor and haft of her weapons behind for that purpose. Sure I kept my retro bayonet and pistol in Starlight's saddle bags if I had needed them. Along with my COG tags around my neck. Other than that, I was utterly nude like every 'pony' else. 'Maybe I'm hot,' I happily thought. I was naked out in public by human standards. Everyone always pays's attention to the people without clothing. I soon found what I was looking for in the form of the biggest pony I'd have seen thus far in the world. A big red stallion with orange hair sitting behind a stall selling a bunch of apples. Big red also had a stunned look when Red looked at me, and if you looked hard enough, you could see the blush through that red coat, which was impressive. It was then I had realized something I didn't before. I was taller than all the other mares by at least haft a foot where Red here beat me in the same sense. I was also more lean and muscular than others so it must mean I'm attractive in this world at the very least. When I got done shopping, I went back to the castle and had lunch/dinner with Starlight. She was already near the door when I got close, and now we had our food in Starlight's bedroom eating over her little coffee table. "Are they still in there?" I asked quietly to Starlight. Not wanting to make to much noise. "Yea they still in there. They haven't been out in nearly three hours, and not one of them has left the map room. Not even to go to the bathroom. Don't worry thou, I put a detection charm on the floor in front of the door, for when the next pony that goes' in or out I'll know about it" She said reassuring. "Umm. How reliable is this charm of yours?" I asked the student. "Oh, it's very reliable. I use it on both my bedroom door and window." "...Why?" "To stop both Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie from pulling pranks on me from inside my room." Starlight relied on. "It works on Rainbow Dash but not always with Pinkie Pie." Abigail eyebrow razed in question at the mention of the pink pony. "I' rephrase my question, why?" "Well according to Twilight, Pinkie Pie is an anomaly," she said. "And I believe her on that. Since meeting the six of them, Pinkie Pie is the only one out of all of them I can't figure out. I told Twilight one time I was going to try and understand how she doses everything without a horn and she freaked out." She thought of the funny memory of Twilight shocked look while dropping a book to try and stop her. "It looked like she was about to have a panic attack. When she calmed down a bit, she told me of the time when she tried to study Pinkie. Twilight ended up hurting herself a bunch of time, nearly getting eaten by Hydra and got so close to going insane that she burst into flames in frustration." She finished explaining. "Twilight bursting into flames?" I said in disbelief. "Umm... what about the bursting into flames part. Do you mean metaphorical or physically? Cause ponies don't simply burst into flames hehe... Do they?" Not wanting to go up in flames herself. "It's rare but not unheard of at all. Only unicorns and I guess alicorns as well can perform it. Maybe one in a thousand could maybe do it." Starlight said. "It triggers during something traumatic or in great frustration. The unicorns inner magic temporally converts it into raw magic and admits itself out from the body giving off a bright flame." "Wow..." I said before finishing up my muffin. "I haven't seen it done with my own eyes, but according to Spike, Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, they all seen Twilight do it. So there's some truth there," said Starlight. "I'm going to have to see it myself to actually believe it." I counter back. "I'll admit I've seen the weird, the ugly and the mix of both over the years. I've witness orbital weapons rain down fiery red rays of death to level city blocks, and sections of armies turned to ash. But seeing someone you know just bursting into flames like that, all because they got angry? Yea I don't see that happening." I said while shaking my head at the craziness of this place, looking back up I saw Starlight's shocked face. "Orbital weapons...?" She murmured, with a hint of fear on it. The only thing that came to mind was 'Shit. Storytime.' "Your people... created weapons... that could be fired... from space?.." Starlight hesitantly asked. While I just sigh at that. All my mind could think of was that I just upped and fucked up. Hoping to keep the lid on some of the darker aspics of Locust war. Looking up at Starlight she did not want to answer her last question. Thou for some reason I felt obliged to do so, feeling like she good for some level trust to the pony. Closing my eyes, and taking one last breath. I looked back at the mare in the eye. "Yeah, The Hammer of Dawn." she quietly said to the mare. "What?" Starlight said. Confused by the answer she got. "That's what they're called. The Hammer of Dawn. One of the COG's most powerful weapon." I said. "Fitting name don't you think. A weapons platform we made to send down highly lethal energy to destroy anything that was below it. It was created nearly twenty years ago during the Pendulum Wars. Because of it, it ended the war with the COG winning. It's been our equalizer against our enemies since then to one-up them in conflict." I explained before I couldn't meet the pony's eyes anymore. "And the weapon to our greatest sin..." I didn't see it, but I could tell from Starlight's voice that she didn't understand. "What do you mean?" "When we created it was made to stop the war we were in from going further. It had already been going on for nearly eighty years, but when the first locust attacked... we didn't know what we were getting ourselves into. At the time we didn't know what they are, where they came from, or why they were attacking us. They sprung from the ground under our city's killing all that was in their path. For the first day, they were popping up all over, attacking everyone, both COG and all the other countries that had humans. Whether it be soldier or civilian, adult or child, they showed no mercy." My voice was slowly coming back up with anger slowly taking control but refused to meet Starlight's eyes. "They butchered hundreds of thousands just on that first day, and we could barely do a thing about it." Images of her home city of Char sprang up. "For a whole year, we fought tooth, nail, and blood for every inch of our country. Our Chairman at the time just died, and his son took his position after him a month later." Anger raged within me making my hooves shake a little. "It became our sin thanks to him." I imaged my voice was dripping with anger right about now. "His first act was to burn the world we lived on." I wanted to stop myself from saying anything else, wanting anything to stop myself. But years of anger for that 'traitor' that was pent up inside raged to be let loose. Fighting the locust had helped, but still needed to vent. Still not meeting Starlight's eye's I continued. "It was his first act as Chairmen to propose the fortification act which was in turn to burn everything on the surface that the Locust controlled and the surrounding areas. What that murders first act was to run and kill everyone he was sworn to protect." "The Army was given three days to evacuate to the safe zone after the council made the decision. When the time was up." Tears were now falling from my eyes. "Millions were murdered by the press of a pair of buttons..." My body was shaking right now but kept my voice steady to keep the story clear. "They didn't tell the civilian population centers or refugee camps to get out of the blast zone for fear of the locust hearing about it. Our leader pulled the trigger that ended not only in an untold number of enemy ground troops but also killed the ones that weren't..." I felt weak, didn't know why as I was feeling compelled to keep going. "When the act was done the world became angry as firestorms burned entire forests while debris and ash filled the sky blocking out the sun. To the higher up's it was said that the price was worth the sacrifice. When I heard that I told my superiors I was a security risk, for if I stayed around and saw the Chairman I would avenge all those he and the council murdered. I put in my transfer papers in and got the hell out of the guard and to the front to get away." By this point, I was oblivious to the world around me, not noticing Starlight had gotten close to me. "That wasn't even the worse of it. It was what we called "The Char. After the very city I grew up too. The scar that the hammers created. It incinerated the landscape by flash burning everything. Flash burning the people into statues of ash..." I was brought out of my anger when a pair of hooves wrapped around my neck and pulled into something soft and warm. Looking up I saw that Starlight was embracing me in a hug with my head on her chest, tears coming came down from her face. It was if the dam had broke. I grabbed onto Starlight and pulled her in with a hug too as we both cried into each other. We held each other for what felt like hours as I just let out onto Starlight coat. But she didn't mind one bit as she was helping me through about a tough time in my life. Like what Trixie and I did for Starlight when she needed help going back to her old village. I felt so conflicted. Why did I say all that? Why did I explain the Hammer of Dawn to her? Why Starlight? After a few more minutes I felt calm enough before breaking the hug. "...Thank you... Star. I don't know why I just vented there but thank you for hearing me out." I said sincerely. "You don't need to thank me. It's what friends are for." Starlight happily replied before her face went back to being series. "You lost somepony important that day didn't you?" She asked me. Looking down at my hooves, memories of faces long ago appeared before me before answering. "There were a lot of camps that were set up outside the city I grew up. When the city was being evacuated, a few of my childhood friends stayed behind to help with the evacuate the city and build temporary housing for the homeless. My Mother was with them to watch over the younger kids and set up a small school for little children." I said, smiling at the old memories of a time long past. "One of the few things that made her happy was teaching, and that made many others thankful to her for watching out over little children... I tried to warn as many people that I knew to run for the safe zone, but private communications were cut a few months before the strikes. Personal messages were hard to get out before back then and were near impossible after. I did manage to warn them but was too late in the end..." "Abigail?" Starlight said softly. "You did everything you could do for them. What happened to them wasn't your fault." She sad to me before hugging me once more. "I don't have the faintest idea of what you went through, nor do I have a single clew of what you had to do to survive afterward." Breaking off the hug, Starlight forced my head up and locked me in the eye. "I wasn't there to witness the horrors you face. But I'm here now. Whenever you need help just give me a call, that's a promise." "...Abby." "What?" Starlight said now in a confused tone. "Abby. It's what my friends to call me." I explained. "We are friends right?" "Yes, we are." Starlight said happily before giving her new friend another hug. My mind was ablaze with questions. How did I get so soft with all these ponies? Why did Starlight accept everything so easy so fast? If you told me last week, I was going to be spirited away to another reality through the means of a Lightmass detonation, where I am fated to befriend other beings that weren't the of the same as herself. I would have called them crazy and had the MP's arrest him or her for being a danger to themselves and others around them, and yet here she was doing just that. "Thank you, Star. I feel a little better about myself now I got that off my chest. 'Sniffle' It is getting late now. Why don't you get some sleep? I think I'll hide out over at Trixie's for tonight before returning tomorrow. Need to go to recover my stuff from her too. Don't want her touching something that could put a hole in her roof or have something blow up in her face." I said before breaking off their latest hug. "That might be for the best." Starlight agreed. They made their way silently towards the castles front door and allowed me to leave the castle thanks to Starlight. "I'll be right back. You just get yourself to sleep. It'll be a few minutes till I get back with everything so go rest up." Abby said. "Alright, But before you go what happened to the leader of your people? The one that pressed the button?" Starlight asked. A dark shadow filled my mind before answering back. "After the Hammer strikes there were so few people in leadership positions. He stayed in power even to this day, but he lost a 'lot' of favoritism from both the people and the military. A lot of them saw the COG as no better than the UIR or the Locust at some points. A lot of soldiers deserted their posts to search the aftermath strikes, trying to find their families or friends in the rubble. Right now Chairman 'Prescott' still controls the COG, but is viewed very badly by many, even by his personal guard, myself included again see him as a traitor." Starlight just shook her head in disbelief. "Why can't your people put a new leader in charge or have someone else take control?" "Cause nobody wants the job that's why," I said simply. "Was that all?" "Yeah that's all I wanted to know, don't you go off on some big adventure without telling me about it cause I might want to tag along." Starlight replied. That made me giggled but agreed to it anyway. "I promise not do anything crazy without your knowledge Star or at least your involved in it. I'll see you in the morning." I said before turning around to go to Trixie's. After a few steps, I stopped to turn around to see Starlight still looking at me. "I know I'm hot and sexy by this world's standard Star, but it's impolite to stare at another's rear where I'm from you know," I explained to the student with a devious smile. I then caught a glimpse of Starlight bursting into the color of a tomato before closing the front door on me. Satisfied with the reaction I got, I continued on to Trixie's place. It only took me a good few minutes to reach the magician's trailer. Upon closing in on the trailer, I heard Trixie's stage voice coming from inside. "Watch now! As the amazing Trixie, dazzle you all you all as she performs the most daring and spectacular tricks for all to see!" Getting closer, I saw a light coming out of her windows. Taking a chance and balancing myself on my back hooves to get a better look through one of the trailer's windows. Looking inside, I felt my jaw dropped at what I was witnessing. Trixie was wearing my Onyx armor. She didn't have on the helmet as it laid off to the side. Instead, she had on her wizard hat. Both my Longshot and Lancer laid where I put them earlier with my helmet right next to them, so no danger there. Looking at Trixie again also had her magicians cape draped over the armor giving her a magical superhero look. Watching the magician with both annoyance for messing with my stuff and amusement at how ridiculous Trixie looked. I decided to let the magician be the fool for a few minutes as she did a few tricks. Trixie actually had a few good moves for some of the tricks she performed. Then she pulled out something from one of my pouches that made me a little weary but not outright panic. Trixie then started spinning it as if she's about to show off some fancy new trick. If Trixie had pulled out the one frag grenade instead of the smoke, then I wouldn't hesitate on rushing in. But since it wasn't, I believed it was about time for the magician to pay the price of touching things that aren't yours and know nothing about. Soon like I predicted the grenade spun out of her magic and hit the ground, and I counted down. "Three... Two... One." "Beeb Beeb BEEB WOOSH!!." As a smoke grenade should, it filled the surrounding area with thick smoke. Since it detonated inside the trailer, Trixie didn't get a chance to say anything before it blew. Rushing to the door of the trailer to let loose all that smoke take filled it. Opening it up the smoke quickly vacated the small wagon. Soon as the door was fully open Trixie herself flopped out on the ground coughing up a storm. Rushing to her side, I put the mare on her side to start beating on her back to get the smoke loose and out of her lungs. "Deep breaths girl, just keep breathing." I continued this till the mare got a hold of herself and was aware of her surroundings. "Abigail? What happened to Trixie?" The magic mare asked. "You were messing with my stuff, specifically one of my smoke grenades in an enclosed space. Think of it as one of your smoke bombs but much bigger. That's what happened. If you had my helmet on you wouldn't be on the ground trying to cough up one of your lungs. Now come on, get up and lean on me. Let me help you out of that armor and get your blue flak into bed." I told her before holding the mare steady as they entered the trailer together. "Yeah, Trixie agrees to this plan of action." Parking her next to her bed, I used my magic to lose the restraints of the armor before levitating them to the side. I then led the show mare to her bed. Trixie looked about dead on her feet. "The great and powerful Trixie didn't need your help, but it was appreciated none-the-less." "No problem. You just owe me a smoke bomb now but will worry about that another time. Is it alright I sleep here for the night? I'll take the floor." I asked. Trixie just waved her hoof at in a 'go ahead' fashion. I gapped her starry nighttime hat and plopping down on her head bed before quickly falling asleep soon after. Founding a pillow and blanket wasn't hard to find in such a small room. Setting off to the side, I began going a few things that happen today. The odd behaviors the other ponies were exhibiting were disturbing. Sure I haven't gotten to know them for that long, but the way they acted to us put me off. I shook my head of these thoughts and closed my eyes. I was going to meet up with Starlight in a few hours to learn what the others were up too. Like them holding a meeting in the throne room for nearly six hours with no one leaving for a bathroom break was strange. Something is going on around here, that's for sure. I bet her rank on it. Getting myself into a comfy position, the Gear quickly set herself in a spot that faced the entrée way. She also sat her Lancer down by her side in case of trouble. There may not be any Locust horde here, but that didn't mean squat to her. Pretty much every Gear Abigail has ever met had slept with a weapon wither it be a snub pistol, shotgun or a confiscated enemy weapon. After a few seconds of fidgeting, she found the right spot and got to sleep relatively easy. ..... After what felt a power nap me, a quick series of knocks on the window was knocked eyes snapped open. The voice of Starlight could be heard from the outside calling out to them. "Trixie? Abby? It's Starlight, are you girls awake?" I could easily hear the worry in Star's voice; something must have happened to make her sound that way. Any sleepiness that I felt left instantly at that. Trixie on the other hand just kept talking in her sleep. "Of course Princess Celesta "Snore" I'll love to perform for peanut butter crackers 'Snore." If it were any other time, I would laugh right then and there at that, but held it in for later. Starlight obviously heard that and tapped on the wood harder to get her attention. "Trixie wake up!" Starlight shouted. That time Trixie flopped off her bed and unleashing a grand fireworks display inside her home. With me being at the center of it. When Trixie landed in front of me, her horn flashed out a 'fantastic' display of firepower into my face. Casing me to go deaf and near blind to the point I could barely see Trixie quickly opened up her window to let out the smoke that had accumulated from inside. I, on the other hand, was laid out on the floor with my head feeling like it was spun around on in circles. All the while images of several guys with fluffy curly hair dues in weird outfits singing about spinning records and wanting love in my head. When ringing stopped, and the black spots in my eyes faded away, I saw that both Starlight and Trixie were standing over her. "Abby? Abby?! Are you ok?" Starlight said, coming to her loud and clear while standing over me. I let out a small grown before trying to get my legs under me. "Be careful that blast hit your head." Starlight explained. "And 'what' was the thing that hit me? I feel like a flash bang just went off next to me." My voice croaked. "That was me." Said Trixie. "I accidentally set off one of my firework spells that I had when Starlight woke me up. Sorry about that." Trixie stated in a somewhat haft hearted apology before she got into a sudden series face that was unfamiliar to me. "How do we know that you are not a changeling?" She said in an accusing voice. All I could think in response was "What the fuck is a Changeling?" I was both dazed confused, but that didn't help the two ponies in fount of me. "What were the two things you called that chairman?" Starlight said sharply. Which brought even more confusion, as to why that is relevant, though seeing how important this was from the both of their looks made me think something had happened to the point that this was relevant. "I called Chairmen 'Prescott,' a murder and a traitor," I answered with malice in my voice. That only seemed to frighten Trixie but left Starlight relieved. "Ok, it's you. Now as to your question. There that type of pony I told you about yesterday, remember?" Thinking back through my dazed thoughts, I remember Starlight about the story about a royal wedding and the events that took place. "A changeling is a pony that can shapeshift into other ponies and can feed off the love of others if that love is directed at them, and now I have reason to believe that Twilight and the rest have been taken and replaced by them." She explained. "I just got a message from Princess Luna that she and Celesta were just attacked and to call for help. I need to confirm this, but I need your help, can-" "I'm in." "-you help?. What?" Starlight said taken back my straight forwardness. "You will?" "Just let me gear up, and I'll be with you," I said simply before gathering up all my gear in my magic. "You two head on inside and I'll be with you all in a second. You sill have my com device Star?" I asked, now going back into a familiar combat role. Getting a nodded of confirmation. "Good keep it on you and turn it back to the setting it was on earlier to allow me to hear everything. It will take me a moment to get everything set, so you and Trixie go on without me, I'll be right with you shortly." The Gear advised. Pulling out the little communication piece from her ear she set it to the open setting. "Are you sure that's wise?" Starlight asked. "Yes, when I get done here I'll be right outside the front door, my armored boots will make much noise when I'm inside. Just leave it open for me for when its time and don't make contact with them until I get in position at the front. If you're in trouble teleport out back to this spot, I'll catch up." Starlight didn't look satisfied with her answer but agreed to it nonetheless and ran off with Trixie in tow. As I listen to while putting back on her Onyx armor, I heard Trixie ask questions about me and why I called the chairman those things over the com. Also, Starlight promised to explain everything when this was over. I then heard what sounded like a door squeak over the com meaning that they were in the castle now. While they moved into the castle, I continued as she just got on her black body suit. I was about to put on the main parts of her armor when she heard the sound of bickering and laughter over the earpiece. That means Starlight and Trixie are in position, good for them, got a hurry now. Soon I hear the Voice Of Princess Twilight "Is it ready?" Then I hear Applejacks voice sounded in reply. "Just one more." What followed was a sound of what the Gear thought of was electricity humming as something starting up. It was quickly explained by Starlight's shocked voice, "Queen Chrysalis!" "Uge, I can't take any of you seriously when you look like that." The voice of what I assumed was the Queen over the radio. "Oh shit," I said, pretty sure that Starlight heard it over on her com piece, made me double time her efferent on putting on the rest of her armor. "Oh, Sorry," The Twilight's voice said. Followed by various sounds of whooshing fire could be heard. 'Must be the magic to make them look like others at work Star was talking about.' I thought before securing the last of armor before equipping my weapons on the go with my helmet floated beside me. As I made her way back to the castle gate, I continued lessening in on this Queens 'drones' give out a report. "Everything is according to plan, we replaced the six ponies and their dragon and have take control of the castle." "Excellent and I just received word that the princess from Canterlot has been successfully replaced as well." The queen happily told them to which they cheered. 'So getting help from the other princesses is a no go along with whatever military forces they had for back up. Well, ant that perfect.' I thought as I potion herself outside the door. Putting a hoof to her earpiece, she then radioed Starlight. "Star I'm at the front, hold your position. We need as much intel so keep listening in." "We thought to small last time. One pony-nap princess wasn't enough with all the most beloved ponies of Equestria taken care of no pony can stop us!" The Queen happily said before she erupted in laughter along with her drones. Soon the sound of whooshing electricity was heard again meaning the queen was no longer there. "Starlight get out, now!" I said sharply followed by what sound of hissing could be heard over the com. Panicking now that my new friend was about to get attack by an unknown number of assailants. I burst through the front door and into the main foyer of the castle seeing that Starlight and Trixie were nowhere in sight, that was good at least. But the entourage of six ponies plus one dragon was making there way to her fast. Putting a hoof to ear and whisper into her com piece "Star I've been compromised, do that teleporting thingy and get out now. I'll meet you over at Trixie's trailer when I'm done." I said simply over the mike. The 'Changeling' that I believe was disguised as Twilight went up to her and demanded to know why she was breaking into her castle. "I'm Princess Twilight Sparkle, what have you to barge into my castle. I'll have you locked away for your crimes whoever you are. How do you plea?!" She called out as the rest slowly advanced from behind there defector leader. Seeing the small shadows of Starlight and Trixie behind the approaching group. I gave the two confident smirk just before they disappeared from existence. Good, they're safe, now there was no need to hold back. Them seeing my smirk 'Rainbow Dash' got angry. "What's so funny wise guy? You think your some tough mare breaking into a princess's home." "Me? Oh never have I thought I was tough dear 'Rainbow,' you know how tough I am. You witness me kill several monsters a few days ago along with the rest of those present here." I 'explained,' with a bit of smugness at the sight of all seven of them looking like they made a mistake. "In less, you forgot about me along with the rest of you since Pinkie was planning a welcome party for me with Applejack's and Rarity's help. Also Spike and Twilight should know me a little bit more than the rest of for my spicy eating habits, and then there's the info about telling Fluttershy here about the animals from where I came." Now all several of them were looking at each other not knowing what to do next. "So in less all of you happened to forget about me, or all of you are Changelings. So why don't we cut to the chase and you drop those stupid discuses? "I said finally. "For a bunch of creatures that happened to turn into other beings you all are terrible actors that don't do there homework." As one, all seven of them went up in a green fire for a moment to show off what they actually look like. 'Have to say, though they be bigger,' I thought. They all stood on four black hole riddle legs as ponies do, and their entire bodies were covered in the hard shell-like appearance. Each of them had horns and pair of bug wings. But what stuck out the most was the blue bug eyes that they had. In all honesty, those creeped me out the most. But when you see a Brumak up close nothing compares. "That's better, now which of you is going to tell me where the Princesses and the other ponies plus the dragon have gone, or do I have to get violent?" I asked nicely. My reply was when one of them charged at me head on as it flew through the air. With a quick swipe of my Onyx helmet that was still floating in the air, I bashed the changeling in its face causing where it redirected itself and slammed into the wall next me. When it flopped on its back, I pinned it with my foreleg, she then through her Lancer in an overhead arc on her down enemy's chest and activated the chainsaw bayonet. The changeling's natural chitin armor stood no chance as my blades sawed through its barrel and like a magician I sawed the changeling in haft. Looking up from the dead pony bug. I saw the other six with shock and angry faces about ready to attack. Putting my helmet on, I ready my Lancer for my first fight as a pony against a new enemy. "Well, it was going to get violent anyway," I said before flipping the safety off her Lancer.