//------------------------------// // Chapter 15: Battle of the Crystal Empire part 2 // Story: Rogue Sun // by Jninja15 //------------------------------// Sweetie Belle stared out at the snow-covered horizon of the frozen north as they were flying south to intercept Twilight’s incoming invasion force. Sweetie Belle breathed deeply, as she noticed that there was heavy fog all around them. As it had been half an hour since they left the base, and still no contact yet, Sweetie Belle thought back to earlier that morning, she had entered the locker room where her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders had started gearing up before they were to be called out to action. “Mornin’ Sweetie Belle.” Apple Bloom greeted as she adjusted herself in her suit. “Did ‘ya sleep well?” “Good Morning.” Sweetie Belle responded as she stretched. “Yeah, I did all things considering.” “I know what you mean,” Scootaloo chuckled as she zipped up a boot. “I didn’t think I could sleep with all the anticipation of the action that’s going to happen later today.” “Really, Scootaloo? We’re going to fly right into a war zone. We’re probably going to die.” Scootaloo’s smile thinned considerably as she sighed and nodded her head before standing up and placing a hand on Sweetie Belle’s shoulder. “I know that. But we’re doing the right thing, right? If we don’t fight, even more ponies will die.” Sweetie twisted her face skeptically as she tilted her head to the right. “Is there really going to be that much of a difference between us joining or not joining? I mean, we’re not trained for this, most of what we learned was done just barely yesterday.” “Hey, I scored pretty well in the flight simulator for my first time.” Scootaloo pointed a thumb at herself. “But you still scored somewhat below average compared to everyone else.” Apple Bloom smirked. “Shut up Apple Bloom.” Scootaloo half whispered half growled through her teeth. Sweetie Belle chuckled as he brushed off Scootaloo’s hand. “What about you Apple Bloom? How did you do in your training?” “Ah learned a lot about gun control: use both hands.” she deadpanned. “Ah also learned that bein’ able to breathe really helps with yer aim. Slow and steady breaths, jus’ relax an’ don’t hold it. Improved quite a bit after learning that tidbit of information. Your turn Sweetie Belle.” “I just learned how to set up the bomb and defuse it if need be.” Sweetie Belle waved a hand dismissively, “Nothing strenuous.” “You do realize that that bomb is very important to our mission, right?” Apple Bloom said, holding up a pair of pinched fingers to help emphasize her point. “I know that, but still, you can only do those drills so many times before you start falling asleep just thinking about it.” Scootaloo chuckled. “Hey, did Cadence give you a new lightsaber?” “No not yet, and I still have no luck trying to summon it on my own. Even with the lacrima that’s supposed to help.” She looked down at the magic crystal tied around her neck. “Well, let’s not worry about that now.” Apple Bloom said, “I’m sure you’ll get it someday.” “(If we survive that long.)” Sweetie Belle had thought to herself, a thought she repeated to herself while flying. Sweetie Belle was then pulled from her thoughts when Scootaloo’s voice came over the radio. “...I see them! We have a visual on the enemy!” Another voice over the radio responded, “Affirmative, Phoenix 1. Wave 2 is now en route.” Sweetie Belle shuddered a breath as she gripped her controls. “Here we go. Now turning back now, is there?” “Enope.” Responded Apple Bloom plainly. “Not a chance.” Scootaloo intoned with a tint of excitement. Sweetie Belle felt their fighter pick up speed as Scootaloo made a beeline for the flagship that was in the lead. “Here they come.” somepony said over the radio. Sweetie Belle could hear the screaming of several ion engines, adding to the noise of their own. “Hold on to your breakfast!” Scootaloo said as she performed evasive maneuvers around the oncoming enemy fighters and their fire. “Careful Scoots, we’ve got one on our tail.” Apple Bloom said. “Take him out Sweetie Belle.” Scootaloo encourages. Sweetie Belle turned the gun around to face their pursuer. Once the target was in her sights, she felt a chill run down her spine, as if this fighter, in particular, exuded great anger and hatred with their presence alone. --- “Lady Starlight,” an officer said, “we’re picking up fighters on our scanners.” Starlight turned to him and approached his console to confirm that what he was saying was true. “Small fighters. Too small for our onboard defenses to fight against huh? Well then,” She smirked, “launch a squadron of fighters and bring them down.” She then looked out to the oncoming fighters’ direction they were coming from, and her smirk faded somewhat. She felt something, a seedling of strength that could grow into something bigger, she felt... a little threatened. She tilted her head curiously. “And prepare my personal fighter, I wish to join the fight myself.” “Are you sure you want to do that, Lady Starlight?” Admiral Blueblood said from behind her, “Empress Twilight left you in command of this bridge as she prepared the weapon.” Starlight turned on her heel and got within half a foot of Blueblood before she spoke. “And being in command means I can delegate certain responsibilities to others whenever necessary,” she said with an edge. “Just be thankful that that pony is you. I know how much you want to be the one to command this ship. So enjoy it while you can, I won’t be gone long.” and she walked off the bridge and to the hangar where her fighter was docked. --- “Sweetie Belle!” she heard Scootaloo yell, “Shoot him!” Sweetie Belle shook off her sense of dread as she squeezed the trigger and bullets flew from her turret to her target. Some hit, but most grazed off the heavier plating the enemy fighter sported. Scootaloo flew close to the exterior of the flagship and weaved inbetween the massive turrets that were unable to target them in tight twists and turns, hoping to lose their pursuer just enough to get around and get a clean shot, all the while being mindful not to fly directly in front of the massive gun barrels. “You know, this would be a lot easier if you would quit it with your fancy flying.” Sweetie Belle shouted to Scootaloo. “Just who are you trying to impress here?” Scootaloo was unable to answer when their pursuer fired their weapons, and magic energy pulses grazed their right wing, and another glanced off Sweetie Belle’s window. Sweetie Belle tried to retaliate with some fire of her own but the enemy nimbly dodged with an aileron roll. Scootaloo growled. “He’s gaining on us.” --- Starlight rolled out of the way of some oncoming fire. She quickly straightened out and slowly closed in on her prey, she fired a few magic energy pulses that glanced off the pursued craft. Starlight smirked as she readied to fire the finishing blow. “I have you now.” She said to herself. Her aim centered on her prey and her weapons became fully charged. But before she could fire, her craft jolted as her left wing was blown off and she went into an uncontrolled spiraling descent. --- “What was that?” Apple Bloom asked as she saw their pursuer go into a death spiral. “Doesn’t matter,” Scootaloo responded. “I see an opening for us to get inside, I’m taking it.” Scootaloo veered out, away from the flagship, then turned back towards it, landing on top of a gaping hole in the ship’s side and used their grappling hooks to anchor their craft firmly into place. They all exited the fighter from the bottom and slipped directly into the enemy flagship to make their way to their objective. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were tip-toeing through the hallways of the Midnight. Scootaloo was up in front of the group, leading with a semi-automatic rifle, Apple Bloom was in the back watching behind them for any unwanted followers with her automatic rifle loaded and at the ready. Sweetie Belle was inbetween them, a bomb in her backpack, a pistol in one hand, a map in the other and her lacrima tied around her neck. “Take a right here.” Sweetie Belle whispered to Scootaloo. Scootaloo stopped to peer around the corner, causing everypony to silently run into each other. Scootaloo glared back at Sweetie Belle, who only gave a sheepish and embarrassed smile in response. “Are you sure we should go through there?” Scootaloo asked. “It’s a pretty open space.” Sweetie Belle shrugged. “Well, it’s what the map says, so...” Scootaloo gave a nervous “Eh.” as she led the way. They seemed to be doing well at being stealthy, all things considered. Of course, they hadn’t actually seen any- “Down there!” Nevermind. A firefight broke out between the Crusaders and some of the crew on board. Thankfully, once the guy shouted “Down there!” he gave his spot away, and bullets flew, yes they flew, from the crusader’s guns blowing them all away~ay~ay. Well, Sweetie Belle managed to blow that one guy away with a nice, clean headshot, everyone else in the room was well behind cover, including the Crusaders, as they became stuck what essentially became a form of indoor trench warfare. Sweetie Belle sat with her back against her cover, clutching her gun to her chest, and shuddering deep breaths as her first kill replayed in her mind. If she slowed it down enough, she could see all the little drops of blood that flew out from the impact of the bullet to his skull, and her imagination lost its reigns as she could picture his dead body on the floor and a pool of blood forming around his head, slowly growing. Sweetie Belle threw up at the image. “Hey, are you OK?” Scootaloo asked, her voice barely audible over the noise of gunfire. Sweetie Belle wiped her face with the back of her hand as she continued breathing in shuddered breaths. “I- I killed somepony.” “What?” “I killed somepony!” Sweetie Belle screamed, tears welling in her eyes. Scootaloo glanced in the direction of the oncoming fire and to Apple Bloom, who gave a concerned look that communicated to Scootaloo, ‘I don’t know what to do.’ before she returned suppressive fire and Scootaloo returned to Sweetie Belle, embracing her with a one-armed hug. “It’s OK,” she said in an almost whisper, “we’ll get through this together, we just gotta survive this, right?” Sweetie Belle sniffled as she nodded her head. Scootaloo released her as Apple Blood ducked down to reload. “Crap!” Apple Bloom said. “Their closing in on us!” “Have you killed any of them?” Scootaloo asked. Apple Bloom shook her head. Sweetie Belle was torn between feeling thankful and uncomfortable. However, the noise of gunfire rose sharply before falling down to silence just as fast. The Crusaders looked to each other in confusion. After five seconds of silence, somepony whistled sharply before a familiar voice said, “Hey! Is anypony else in here?” The Crusaders jumped out from their cover and looked at the source of the voice with wide, incredulous eyes. “Sunset?!” “Ah, there you are. Come on, let’s blow this popsicle stand.”