The air inside the opened hangar remained unnervingly calm as Gerardo and the three pegasi approached an area where two ships had been twisted sideways, creating a space that was sheltered enough to be free from fresh snowfall. They pushed inside through a narrow gap between the two hulls to find thirteen pegasi warming themselves by a small fire; it looked like they had used wood from one of the damaged airships as fuel.
Rainstorm immediately rushed to the flames, basking gratefully in the meager heat. The waiting pegasi eyed Gerardo with a mix of curiosity and suspicion, several outright frowning. "Look," one said, "if you're looking for revenge for our fight in the Flame District-"
There was an echoing boom as the wind grew and slammed ships in the distance. Gerardo quickly cut the stallion off: "I hardly think this is the best time or place for that. While our past interaction has been decidedly unpleasant, matters of justice and fairness can and should be settled once our lives aren't all on the line courtesy of this accursed weather. Don't you agree?" He gave them a sharp eye.
Darkwind stepped in. "I don't think he's the type to risk his own life in the name of revenge," he said, nodding at Gerardo. "Besides, Kero isn't even here right now. Our shared interest is in getting somewhere warm and safe, and there's apparently a service tunnel out of here."
The pegasi started murmuring, giving possibly-more accepting looks to Gerardo. "A tunnel?" one grunted. "As in, not the main bridge to the B Terminal that blew down when the roof opened?"
"...There was a more main route than this?" Gerardo blinked several times. "I didn't know that. Perhaps what I used was an old construction road, then. Either way, yes, I am aware of an intact way to parts of the skyport that are, last I checked, still standing."
"How far is it?" a stallion asked. "Most of us are from Yakyakistan and are used to the cold, but I'm from Varsidel and have a shorter coat. There are a few of us who won't manage out in the wind!"
"I don't know," Darkwind sighed. "The wind blew some ships across the way we came. We'll have to find our own way back."
Gerardo coughed for attention, smugly patting his sword. "Actually, physical barriers are no obstacle to me, I assure you. Whatever bad fortune these winds wish upon us can be mitigated with proper application of slicing, dicing, and carting away debris. All told, I would say it amounts to fifteen minutes' very slow walk."
The pegasi glanced around at each other. "That's not far," one remarked.
"Hey..." A suspicious mare pointed a hoof at Gerardo. "If you're not out here chasing us down while we're trapped to get us back for hunting you and your friends, why are you here? I don't trust this."
"Ah, simple." Gerardo held a talon to his breast. "Myself, along with a coalition of survivors from the battle at the dam, are here in anticipation of the Spirit of Sosa launching a strike against this facility."
The mare tilted her head, face scrunched in confusion. "Wait, you are looking for a fight? But it's not with us? You want to fight the Spirit even more?" She sighed, tossing her mane. "Whatever. It's not like this city ever made sense in the first place."
Gerardo cleared his throat. "Well, it's less of looking for a fight and more intending to talk them out of damaging Ironridge's remaining connection with the world and effectively isolating the city. Besides, I'm reasonably sure of the survivors, only two or three are remotely fit for battle. It's less a mission that we're doing because we are suited for it and more that everyone else is even less so. However, especially in light of the apparent destruction of this building, it seems they are both here and must be stopped, and that is my present goal."
Darkwind nodded at the confused mare. "Don't worry, Harshwater. Our contract is done in Ironridge. We won't be seeing any more fighting."
"Don't worry?" Harshwater blinked incredulously at him. Then, her mouth split in a grin. "Hey, Gerardo. How many Spirit ponies are we talking about, here?"
Gerardo winced. "It is... extremely unnerving, being addressed by name by ponies I have not introduced myself to..." Swallowing, he quickly composed himself. "I can't say for certain, though I'd imagine less than twenty. Likely all armed to the teeth, however."
Harshwater wiggled her eyebrows hopefully at Darkwind. "About as many as us, huh? Even odds, Mister Darkwind? And it would be just terrible for the city if they blew anything more up?"
"Harshwater, if you're thinking what I think you're thinking..." Darkwind raised a hoof in caution.
"Ayep!" Harshwater giggled. "We can probably take them down without a single scratch. We can fly, so we're faster than them... we've seen real action... they're from the stupid hot district, so they're probably getting wrecked by the cold... and then Ironridge will owe us big time! Maybe we can even get them to give us a new ship, since ours is totally gone without a trace."
"Ah, yes. Before I forget." Gerardo raised an important talon. "In terms of resources we have available to bring them to justice, I feel it's important to mention that I possess a ship that can fly in this weather. Such could prove an invaluable tool."
Darkwind gave him a stare that was borderline deadpan. "If you're trying to trick us into stealing a trapped ship, that's too obvious. And if you're being honest... you're far too trusting."
Gerardo wilted, more wind and booming echoing throughout the chamber. Several of the pegasi were climbing to their hooves, however, most looking at Harshwater. "If we're going to try to get anything for protecting the skyport," one observed, "we better do it while there's still anything left to protect."
"Do we even know for sure that he's telling the truth?" another asked, pointing at Gerardo. "How do we know the Spirit opened the roof? How does he know? I mean, how did they do it in the first place if the power was out? Rerouting emergency backups, or something? That would take so much studying to know how to do..."
"Remember," Darkwind cautioned, "what Harshwater is suggesting isn't contracted work. We might not get paid at all, and if it were an offer, I would reject it. It's time we got to go home."
Harshwater harrumphed. "Then whoever wants to sit out can sit out. I'm awesome enough to beat them all up on my own."
Grumbling, another one countered, "You were also awesome enough in the tunnels to freak out when Valey grabbed you and kick me in the face..."
"Hey, that's not fair!" Harshwater snapped back. "She used her shadow magic on my eyes and I was disoriented!"
"The point is," Darkwind growled, "we're not invincible. None of us are. We've gone without casualties for an entire year thanks to being in Ironridge, despite extreme danger from our last mission, and aren't out of the storm yet. Be careful, and don't cost us a perfect survival rating on a job this long."
"Either way, might we go?" Gerardo knocked against the ship wall. "I've left the rest of my allies waiting, and both escaping and protecting the skyport are not being accomplished by waiting here in the cold! I, for one, have some familiarity with cold-weather flying but am not far from the point where I will become actively handicapped and unable to go on. We must hurry!"
Darkwind raised his voice. "Yes! We're moving out. Everyone who can't fly, get with someone who can! Stick low to the ground, keep together, and be prepared to rush to the next shelter. On ten!"
A countdown ensued, during which the pegasi scrambled, a few approaching others for rides while some scattered the fire, just in case. Gerardo himself flexed his wings, deciding he was definitely still capable of a short glide.
A sighing Rainstorm walked past him, looking wistfully at the embers of the fire, and Gerardo cleared his throat. "I take it you're feeling better?"
"Huh?" She glanced back at him. "Oh. Yes. I am. I can't believe I almost froze to death..." She hugged herself with her wings. "Usually I'm one of the best with cold, which is why I was out there. I think I forgot most of what happened, and my mind is maybe a little slow right now, so sorry. But if you did do anything, thanks. Even if it was just being worried."
Before Gerardo could reply, Darkwind whistled sharply, and they set out.
Eleven wingspans trailed powdered snow, half of the mercenaries loaded down assisting their warmer-weather kin. Gerardo and Darkwind flew at the front, and despite the thick snow limiting their vision, the griffon was fairly confident he was leading everyone true. Turn at this wreck... Go straight past that one... Ahead, they should have been reaching the point where the two ships completely blocked the way.
...They should have. But they kept going, more ships passing on the left and right... and eventually reached a side passage blocked by a boat that completely lay on its side, causing Gerardo to signal for a landing. "I don't remember this!" he loudly announced. "I think we've gone one too far over! We may need to detour through that ship to get back on course!"
Darkwind also signaled for a stop. One pegasus ignored him, flying higher, trying to clear the obstacle through sufficient height... and the winds immediately intensified, the lone pegasus landing before he could be swept away.
"Fear not," Gerardo grunted, drawing his sword and pacing up to the ship's vertical deck. "I'll just slice my way through this..." Stab. "And do the same to the next deck..." Slash. "And the one below that, until we come out the other side!"
He swept the sword in a circuit, carving an entry that was quickly removed. Respectively cautious and eager, Darkwind and Harshwater stepped up beside him to look into the hold of the ruined ship they were about to turn into a tunnel.
Two massive, hairy, double-horned faces looked back. "Look, Priscilla!" one yak happily boomed, pointing at Gerardo and the pegasi with a big black hoof. "Little ponpons!"