Note: This happens a week after the last chapter. For once it is not made after an mlp episode but I have taken a few characters from the tf2 comics.
*Human world, at the Big Rock base*
Ignis lands at the current base these humans have claimed to fight those metal humans the old man to Grey have sent out. He can see the humans chosen by the Elements fight the army of robots, but from the looks of it, they do not need his aid this time. Ignis dismissed his magic and steps into the base and heads straight over to the fridge for some much needed food. While eating he listens to the fight going on outside and reminiscence the time when he fought alongside his own kind against the Dark Forces. It makes him realize that he hasn't been in his own world for thousands of years, no wonder why he at times has the problem of remembering how his original form looks like. Not much he can do about it, he has more or less accepted the fact that he never will return. So he might as well get the best out of this place. The chosen humans return from the battlefield and find Ignis trying to get an understanding of how the television works. He hasn’t blown it up, so Ignis calls that a win. “With your souls complete and powers fully restored, I see there is no need for me aiding you in the fight anymore.” He remarks to the group while pushing on the buttons on the remote control in order to change the channel. He gets no response, eyeing them he notices the surprised look on several faces.
“What?” He asks them, feeling a bit annoyed of how they stand as if he’s not allowed to leave them and fight somewhere else if he sees fit. “I’m not in contact with that woman so I can come and go as I please.” He turns off the television and strolls past the humans with: “I’m only aiding you because it’s my sworn duty to protect the bearers of the Elements.” If they weren't chosen, then he would've left them ages ago in pursuit of the mission his beloved Astral gave him. Fortunately for them, these humans are now part of his mission.
Guy got a point, but it would’ve been nice if Ignis had a radio or they knew where he went half the time. Lucky for both Ignis and them, there hasn’t been a need for their new big gun. “Point taken, but it would be nice having you around.” Engineer remarks to the man and nods to Soldier. “Solly’s roommate; Merasmus told us he cannot aid us this time of year for some reason.”
“Merra is an Umbra wizard, so he loses his powers at spring and summer time.” Ignis explains the humans and is confused to why the one named Soldier did not know this. “I thought he would’ve told you.”
“Merasmus says so many stupid things, most of it I decided to ignore! Otherwise, I might end up walking in a dress like him!” Soldier declares almost proudly, but now that the currently face-palming Ignis mention it: “He does need more of my help at summer times. Last time he had problems with the mobsters, ha! Why does he need my help? We all have seen him turn us to a bloody puddle!”
“Which happened every time you pissed him off, mate.” Sniper points out dryly and now Ignis mentioned it. “But we had to deal with him only in the fall and winter times.”
At least some of them are not as thickheaded as Soldier. “Autumn and winter is the time where an Umbra witch or wizard has regained their full strength. Merra probably allowed Soldier to become his roommate to keep him safe in the months where he is at his weakest.” Ignis turns to Demo when the man asks somewhat confused. “Are there wizards gaining power at summer too?” He nods to the one-eyed man. “There is; those witches and wizards are the Lux, never met one, though. According to Merra; Umbra and Lux prefer to stay out of each other’s way, living in seclusions all over the world- only meeting at the time of equinox— it’s their way keeping the balance of power.” Ignis gives the humans a faint smirk. “You should consider yourselves lucky to have spoken with an Umbra wizard, most people will never even heard about them.” Merasmus is a bit special compared to other witch and wizards, he does not mind mingle with humans.
“Lucky us…” Spy grumbles, he does not find them lucky that they had to fight that wizard every time Soldier got the wise idea of pissing him off. Then again, they do owe Merasmus a lot, so maybe all those deaths were worth it. But enough about magic. “I’ll be going home now. What I heard, Miss Pauling is planning on transferring us.” And with that, he leaves.
This catches Ignis attention. “Where will you be going?” and Soldier replies quite zealous. “A large army of robots are attacking oil rigs— the eagle raised European to Grey want our American oil. I say that’s only going to happen over my dead body!” Ignis raises a brow of what Soldier considered an insult in calling Grey. Brushing that aside. “I see, doubt I will aid you. Keeping the Sirens in check is enough work for me.”
“Have they gained strength?” Heavy asks. He does recall those women complaining about lack of energy back when his BLU side was under their control.
Ignis lets out a small sigh. “Yes, but fortunately not a lot. Humans do not give them much of the energy they need, so if I keep them busy, the people they managed to get under their control should be able to break free— that does remind me. You connected to the respawn for some reason stay longer under their control, so do me the favor and don’t get under their control again.” He removes his golden armor, revealing a rather nasty scar made by several bullets. “I was lucky to survive the last time.”
Good thing that they have gained a higher resistance against their song now their soul is complete again. But Engineer— and a few others are still dealing with the fallout the song did to them the last time. So he has no wish in getting shackled by them again, he dreads he might not be able to remember the good in him if he falls to his dark side again. He and the others go home not long after, leaving Ignis at the base and hopefully that alicorn won’t blow up the place while they are gone.
***
Back home at the farmhouse Engineer calls home, he leaves the portal, puts away his weapons and equipment to be used on tomorrow’s battle and after having changed his team uniform into some more casual clothing. Dell leaves the shack and locks it as he has no wish in his boy accidentally get himself teleported to the battlefield.
Walking inside the house, he is greeted by his father. “You’re home early.” His father Frank remarks, seemly too busy to look up from his work on upgrading his robot legs after he lost his fleshy ones to a train.
Dell walks over to the working table. “We only had to deal with a few robots and a tank.” He replies and hands his old man the screwdriver he knows Frank soon will be needing to caliber the robot legs.
Frank takes the screwdriver and starts caliber as his son knew he would need to do before turning them on. “I’m sure Logan will be happy knowing the two of you can spend more time fishing now— oh almost forgot, his grade has improved.” He points at the papers lying at the dining table. “They are over there in case you are interested.” His son picks up the paper and reads it, Frank notices the small frown on Dell’s face and knows exactly why. “Yeah, I don’t think your boy will follow in our footsteps when it comes to machinery.”
Dell is, of course, a bit sad that Logan’s math and physic grades haven’t improved, and is taken by surprise that his history and biology have a lot. Also, both he and his father have noticed that Logan show little to no interest in machines. In fact, he is way more interested in being out in the wild. So an engineer Logan might not be but Dell will be proud no matter what his boy chooses. But if Logan does start chasing a dream job about nature; then Dell might introduce him to Sniper, or Fluttershy if there will be a portal at that time. His knowledge about nature and animals is pretty none existence, to be honest. “Might be about time someone in the family got another job.” Dell points out to his father and returns back to help his old man to get his robot legs working again. “I don’t want Logan working for her.”
“Can’t argue with you there.” Frank agrees, the Conagher family has been working for the Mann brothers ever since his own father; Radigan agreed on one particular job. Frank was hired to be the new BLU Engineer and back then the respawn did not exist so he was lucky that all he lost were his legs from those years of fighting while so many other engineers lost their lives and several of them couldn’t have an open coffin funeral. “But that does not mean she won’t use Logan against you.” His son gives him a look that shows he is very aware of this but Frank gets the feeling that the Administrator is not the one who worries him. Before he can ask about it, Logan appears from his room and is of course quite overjoyed to see his father home earlier than usual. “Does that mean we will be out fishing more than just an hour?”
Dell chuckles. “Yeah, let me finish helping grandfather and then we will be going.” Logan nods cheerfully. “Okay!” and the boy runs off, probably to fetch the fishing gear. Dell returns back helping his father and when Frank is up walking again, he heads out to go on this fishing trip he promised they would go on, does stop when his father asks. “By the way, where is that child-woman of yours? She used to follow you around like a puppy.” More like an overprotective dragon. Dell can’t help but think and is glad his father has stopped thinking him and Keahi are an item. He must admit that he really likes the firebug but never in a romantic manner and she hasn’t shown any sign of wanting to take their relationship a step further. Both are content in keeping it as it is now: Strictly friendship. “She is currently at Miss Pauling’s place.” and thinking how that happen still makes him laugh.
Keahi did pretty much invite herself a sleepover at Miss Pauling and when he asked if Miss Pauling agreed to it, she had replied: “She will just decline. At least I don’t have to threaten Miss Pauling as I should with the mean woman.” Which took him quite off guard but when he asked if Pyro had a sleepover with the Administrator, the firebug had left. He doubts that had been the case, but then again, Pyro could very well have been doing that. She is after all very much like a certain pink pony, and everyone on the team quickly agreed not to question why Pyro do certain things.
“Miss Pauling must feel like a mother at this very moment.” Frank chuckles and points out to his son. “She should be around your age by now.” Dell gives him a strange look, he mistakes it for confusions to who he thinks should be a middle-aged woman but is still the young busy mouse thing he saw back when he worked for Mann Co. “Poor thing had just started being the Administrator's assistance. I swear she at times didn’t know where her head was if it wasn’t stuck to her neck.”
“Yeah...” Dell muses, surprised that his father had been working with Miss Pauling back when he was BLU’s engineer. That was almost two decades ago, so it must mean that Miss Pauling got connected to the first respawn machine not long after his father left and thus her aging slowed. That’s the only explanation why she does not look much older than Scout even after all these years. That is an interesting fact, but now is not the time to think about his boss’s assistance. Now it is time to go out and hopefully, he figures out how to fish before he and Logan will have to go home again.
After have packed all the gear for the fishing trip, father and son drive out to the local pond. Logan found a lot of pride that he can teach his father how to do something. Most people think that someone having 11 Ph.D. would know how to do something as simply throwing a fishing line out right, but Logan now knows that it does not really matter. His father might be a genius when it comes to machines but everything else, he is not that smart on and Logan is sort of happy for that small fact.
Back at the farmhouse, a small group of people has been watching father and son leave the area and only with them gone the truck drives over to the farmhouse. Out from it step three elderly people, all of them in uniforms and seemly ready for battle with the weapons attached to their belts. “Let me have the talk with him.” The oldest of the tree, a slender man with a long white beard tells the two others and knocks on the door.
Inside Frank looks up from his task of cleaning the worktable and knowing neither he, Dell or Logan were expecting anyone and very few know of this place. He grabs his shotgun and carefully walk over to the door. Opening the first one, he spots his old comrade Vigil standing behind the second door made of bulletproof glass. “Vigil? What in tarnation brings you here?” He asks and opens the door, stepping outside he notices the two others from his old team and is once again wary.
Vigil noticed this and explains him in a calm manner. “Paul is putting the team back together, one last job. One that will make us rich for the rest of our lives.” He steps forward to Frank and puts a hand on his shoulder in the sign of their old friendship. “So what do you say? One last battle and show the world these old bones still have some fight in them.”
The offer is tempting, Frank admits that and if this has been a year back; when Dell didn’t have the rights for Logan and spent most of his time in the War Games, he would’ve agreed on this, but now. Well, he has found a certain contentment in being the loving grandfather with a lot of stories his grandson loves to hear. Retirement wasn’t so bad as he first thought. “I appreciate the offer, but no. I have fought my last mission.” He declines, at first with a smile but it fades when Vigil tightens his grip around his shoulder, a warning Frank realizes.
“Any chance we can make you reconsider?” The team sniper asks.
Frank meet the man’s eyes, he knows that look, they aren’t here for him. “Who are you really after?” He demands, tone slow and cold and the grip around his shotgun tighten.
“If you come with us, he won’t be harmed, only leverage.” Greg- the team’s scout points out, Franks eyes wide and next second, he is pointing the shotgun at them. “You stay away from my family, you hear! I don’t care if we were on the same team, I will blow your goddamn head off if you so much as touch my grandson!” He warns them in a harsh and threatening tone. He might be old but these old bones still know how to use a shotgun.
Well, this didn’t go as planned, clear Frank has gone soft over the years, he would’ve agreed on this back in their youth without much thought.
Vigil does try to save the situation, he would like to keep this man around, Frank has been a good companion and Vigil would hate to see him go. “Calm down Frank, we won’t harm the kid. As said, he’s only leverage.”
Leverage for his son compliance, and it will work. Dell loves his son dearly and that’s the issue when being a mercenary for Mann Co. Attachments are dangerous for that kind of work. Other mercenaries groups have been using the enemy team’s family as the key to victory. He knows this as his team had done that more than once against the teams they fought. Frank blames himself for this. He was the one who dragged Dell into this line of work, he should've listened to his father warnings and left Dell out of this... it's too late for that now, but at least he can try and keep the boy who does not want to go this path safe from this family's arrogant choice of aiding the Mann family. “I can’t let you do it.” He tells them solemnly and from the look in both the mercs eyes, he knows what will happen now. “Guess money can really buy anything.” He chuckles darkly to the man he thought was his friend, but it seems, true friendship does not exist.
“That it can.” Vigil agrees, it saddens him it has come to this, but this money is too good to let this old friendship get in between. “Sorry old pal.” and he pulls out his gun.
Meanwhile, at the local lake, Logan jumps in excitement when the fishing line begins to pull. “We got a fish! Quick, pull it in!”
His father does just that but Logan quickly realizes his father is doing it wrong. “You’re going it too fast!” So his father tries to go slower and the struggling fish gets nearer. Just as Logan reaches out to get the net, the fish decides to leap out from the water, right at them and startles his father in a hilarious manner. His father lets out a cry and then whacks the fish with the club they brought to finish it off, the fish gets thrown back into the water but is fortunately still trapped by the line.
Both stare at the spot where the now dead fish is, Logan slowly looks up to his still quite startled father. Then he burst out laughing.
Recovering from the same reaction he would’ve done if a spy attacked him, Dell can’t help but laugh as well. The fish didn’t know who it was dealing with. “That’s one way doing it.” He chuckles and pulls the dead fish up from the water, it’s not big but still can make a decent meal. Logan does not answers, he’s still too busy to laugh his head off. The laughter does get to a sudden halt when sounds a guns echo through the air. Dell snaps his head towards the sound, realizing they come from the farm. Someone is attacking his home! He quickly turns on the motor on the boat and sails back, Dell leaves the boat and command his now scared son. “Stay here!”
He runs as fast as he can back to the farm, fearing the worst as the shooting has stopped. He barely has time to spot the intruders before he gets killed by a headshot and when regaining conscious he is in the nearest respawn point and this one does not have the portal back home. “No!” He cries, already dreading that when he gets back he will find his family murdered.
Not want to waste any time, Dell swiftly searches this base for a teleporter, there is none but he finds an old truck, it’s only low on battery. Faster than he has ever done it before, he changes the battery and pushes this old truck to its limit on his way back home.
He does not even bother turning it off when he reaches the farm, he jumps out and runs over to the lake. To his relief, he finds no body, but it does not help on his fear when there is a paper saying that unless he claims the alpha respawn, his son will die. With no other option as he has no idea where to find Grey and thus his son, Dell returns back to the farm. His blood runs cold when he sees his old man lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood. “Dad!” He runs over and freezes in cold horror. His father is dead, the body already starting to go cold.
Dell gets on his feet, unable to stand still from the many emotions going through him, grief, rage, horror.
It wouldn’t hurt so much if he hasn’t rekindled his relationship with his father, the dark part of him speaks in his mind.
Dell tells it to shut up, but the voice continues.
If he wasn’t so selfish, left his father alone, then his old man would’ve been alive. Maybe even been happier as he still dreamed of doing mercenary work. Instead, his own son put him into the dull existence of an old man doing nothing but tell stories of an earlier life. And what about his son? Because he refused to let Logan live with his ex, refused to accept that she was perhaps best for him. His boy is now a prisoner for people who might do more than rough him up. All of that could’ve been avoided, his father still alive, his son out of harm.
If he just did the sensible and cut ties with them.
“Shut up!” Dell yells and punches the nearest object, which is the driveways tree, the pain quiets the voice and helps him to see past the flood of his emotions. Helps him to think a bit more straight. Taking a deep breath, Dell returns to his father’s body, he removes the robot legs and carries the rest over to where his mother lies. Quietly he digs the grave, wishing the voice in his head would allow him the same thing. But no, the voice keeps reminding him that this is his fault.
Maybe it is, not that it matters. What does is that he has to save his son from Grey and in order to do that, he needs the team’s help. Does not matter how much the voice argues he does not need them, he is smart enough to know that he cannot do this alone.
*In Miss Pauling’s apartment.*
How Pyro knew about where she lived and got inside without breaking the lock is beyond her, all Miss Pauling knows that when she walked into her apartment, she was greeted by the only female of the team with a plate of slightly burned pancakes. She tried to figure out how Pyro got here but soon gave up when Pyro refused to take off the mask. “Any reason of why you are here?” She asks the still dressed in the flame retarded suit mercenary.
Pyro replies by dragging her over to the dining table that has been decorated as if it’s a child’s birthday and before Miss Pauling can object, Pyro has put her onto the chair and start serving her the pancakes. With that done, the firebug puts herself down on the sofa, sipping a juice through a straw into the mask’s filter.
Miss Pauling watches the dangerous but also most child-minded member of the team, not sure why Pyro is refusing to take off the mask at this very moment. “Why not take off the mask?” She asks, after all, she has known what Pyro looked like long before she started on the team and after the trip to that pony world. She was the one who got Pyro out from that mental asylum, only reason Helen even considered hiring a woman was that of her great talent in fire and sinister child-like mind.
Pyro has gotten comfortable walking around the boys without the gas mask, something Miss Pauling never thought would happen, for even back at the asylum, Pyro was reluctant to show her face.
Pyro gives her a silent look, still staring she returns on sipping the juice. Riiight.. even Pyro does not trust her, not that it comes with a big surprise. The only one who can beat Pyro with trust issues is Spy. “Alright, I get it, none of you trusts me.” Miss Pauling sighs and eyes the pancakes Pyro made for her, at least the firebug is still being friendly towards her. Soldier and Medic do the same which is a relief.
Unlike some of the others such as Sniper who barely listens to her anymore.
Spy, Engineer and Heavy all won’t hesitate to remind her of the reason to why they refuse to trust her unless she proves she has their best interest. Scout and Demo are trying to be friendly but both keeping their distance, she knows why Demo does it. Last time he went over the line by befriending Soldier, she was sent to ‘encourage’ him to end the friendship and fight Soldier and when he refused, she had also been the one delivering the threat against his mother’s life. Miss Pauling has a feeling Scout is scared for his family’s safety, but if her observations of the hint of friendliness between him and Spy show anything. Then it might be because his father has warned him about what danger Helen can be if their relationship is ever found out.
Miss Pauling is not entirely sure how she figured it out, but she did and in the start, she was thinking on giving this information to Helen but considered otherwise when Spy showed no sign that he considered Scout his son and in fact enjoyed to kill him. Now, she gets the sense that was just an act but now she just can’t bring herself to tell Helen anymore.
No idea why and it worries her of thinking not to share such an important information to her boss. “It shouldn’t really bother me, I mean I have been working with so many mercenaries throughout the years and most of them didn’t trust me. Only obeyed because of the money.” Miss Pauling sighs and eyes the quietly watching flame specialist. “Ever since I got connected to the respawn, the Administrator has been the only person I could speak with. The only person I wouldn’t have to abandon after a couple of years.” She turns back to the pancakes, poking apprehensive to them with her fork. “I know she’s not a caring woman, but… I thought she did at least care just a little for me.” Helen did say she did in the alleyway but Miss Pauling is not stupid, those words were a lie and those she said in anger were the truth.
All Helen wants from her is a pawn that does what she is told without asking questions. Miss Pauling knows that always has been like that, but it still hurts her. “I have been murdering, stealing, lying and leaving everything behind for her sake… but it seems…. all of that does not matter to her… I will always be a simple pawn, replaceable like the past mercs if anything happens. It is pretty ironic.” Miss Pauling eyes the quietly watching Pyro. “It seems we have that in common, like you, I am nothing but an asset to her.”
Miss Pauling blinks when Pyro suddenly leaves the sofa, walks over and with a muffled sound wraps the arms around her into a hug, Miss Pauling knows she is supposed to be someone nearing the forty but her body and part of her mind is still stuck in twenty-three, a lonely twenty-three woman who really could use a friend. “Thanks for the talk, buddy.” She muses up to Pyro and Pyro replies with muffled words sounding very much like: No problem.
The phone suddenly rings, and Pyro is about to let go and step away so Miss Pauling can take the call from the mean woman. Miss Pauling stops her. “She can wait.” Pyro giggles, more than approving on this repel side showing in Miss Pauling.
The phone rings three more times before going over to voice mail, however, it is not the Administrator there has been calling.
“Miss Pauling, are you there?” Another woman voice asks, she sounds very distressed and Pyro feels Miss Pauling tense up hearing this voice. “You better hear this, for this is your boss’s fault this happed—they have my boy and they know he’s connected to the respawn so if you do not get him out they will put him torture no human should endure— get him back…!” And the call ends.
Pyro steps away and allows Miss Pauling to leap up from the chair and call the distressed woman. “It’s Miss Pauling. I just got your call— who got him? Any idea who? No, I haven’t heard anything. I will take this up with the Administrator. Of course, she will help, Scout is… no, he is important to her—” Miss Pauling is silence for a moment, frowning of whatever the woman is telling her. “How do you know all of this? Scout didn’t know… wait, are you still in contact with Spy?” Pyro titles her head in wonder of how long Miss Pauling knew about the relationship between Spy and Scout.
Miss Pauling stops the woman. “I have to reveal this to the Administrator, she’s not that bad when you get to know her.” Again she is quiet for a long time, this time it’s Miss Pauling’s turn to be distressed of what the angry-sounding woman is telling her. Slowly she ends the call and Pyro walks over to her, taking off the mask as now it is time to speak. “We have to tell the others.” Miss Pauling does look as if she wants to object but is still shaken up by whatever the woman said and simply nods. “Yeah… let’s go.”