(Barrierland, Location Unknown)
(Rossy Everfree)
Rossy found herself in a strange place between out cold, and barely awake. The first thing that came to her was sound, the sound of voices, but she couldn't be sure. They were too muffled for her to make out any words and just jumbled together. Next to come back to her was sight, but everything looked wrong. She saw shapes and colours mostly orange and black, and nothing had any real detail, just blurry blobs. Then her sense of feeling came back too and with it, a lot of pain.
The pain seemed to sharpen all her senses and quickly her sight and hearing became much clearer. She found herself in what looked like and cave, with a campfire build in the middle of it, with its orange glow casting dancing shadows on the walls and roof. There was books, supplies and other stuff cluttered about the place, including her own stuff that was piled in one corner but not her armour.
That's when she realized she was laying in a sort of makeshift bed, with furs and pillows supporting and covering her naked body. She tried to sit up but as she tried, pain lanced up her arm and into her shoulder, making her lay back back with a pained grunt.
"What? How...how am I still alive?" Rossy thought, gripping her arm and oddly not feeling a bite wound. She lifted the fur covers and to her surprise, she found that her arm seemed fine. No blood, no bite...no infection. She would have cried with joy at this, if it were not for the unfamiliar voices that suddenly came down a tunnel leading to where she was. There were two of them, one of them sounded odd to her, like their voice was not meant to speak Equestrian.
"I had very little choice. She was incapacitated and there were many infected in the area, not to mention she seems very young. If I had not removed her from her current location, she would have been taken."
"But did you have to bring her HERE?!" The second voice sounded more like a Pony, Stallion with a deep highlander accent and he sounded pissed. "I mean we talked about this, not to bring strays to the hideout."
"I believe that was about the cats, not Equines." The other said in a calm and matter of fact manner. "Are you saying I should have left her there?"
The second voice sounded like he was angry but at the same time, not angry. "I hate cats, they're noisy and...and leave hair balls all over the...What? Don't give me that look..." There was a pause, then he yelled. "Alright, no. You did the right thing. But now what? And no before you ask, we can't keep her."
She caught the sight of movement down the tunnel and saw a big shadow of something tall and slender. She couldn't see the other figure, but she saw his shadow. Defiantly Pony but something was off about how he stood. It looked like he was walking on two legs instead of four and his arms were waving this way and that as he spoke again in an irritated manner.
"Ok, go check the perimeter, while I go check on our new guest." The taller shadow nodded and moved off to somewhere else in the tunnels, while the Pony figure started walking in her direction.
She felt a little panic surge in her chest and she did the first thing that came to mind. She lay her head back down and pretended to still be out cold. She couldn't see him anymore do to her eyes being closed, but she did hear him come in and seemed to hover near the fire for a moment. She peeked open one eye and saw him. He had his back to her so she couldn't see his face, but she was able to make out what he was wearing. Her wasn't wearing much armour, just some old tattered brown tunic, black trousers with some wrapping around his lower legs and some padding on his back and she guessed chest. He was sorting through some things, looking for something. He seemed to find it, some sort of bottle and then he came over to her bed. She snapped her eyes shut and stayed very still as he came up to her.
"Alright, lets take a look here." She felt her covers being removed and when her upper body was exposed she threw a right hook upward before her eyes where fully open and only saw the Pony stagger and fall to the floor, with his hooves covering his nose. "WOHA, FUNKY... BUTT LOVIN'!!!"
He writhed on the floor, clutching his blood soaked nose in pain and kicked his legs around in the air. While this was happening she got out of the bed and went for her knife that was on the top of her pile of belongings. Pain stabbed through her left arm and she stumbled onto the floor. She went with it and rolled over to her gear and grabbed her knife, just as the Pony came up to her.
Again, without looking she guessed where his midsection was and buck out hard with one of her legs. Her hoof connected with the guy's crotch and heard the wind wheeze out of him, as she saw him fall over and in a second she was on top of him,
"Where am I, what do you want with me?!" Rossy shouted and pressed her knife into the Stallion's throat. "Who are you, answer me DAMNNIT??!!"
She was in a lot of pain, her arm was on fire and she didn't think she could hold this guy down for long with just one arm. What was she thinking? She should have just stayed still but he was going to touch her body and that just didn't sit well with her. The guy coughed and looked up at her with a pained expression and that's when she actually studied his features.
His wild spiky mane was blood red, his shaggy coat was a silver grey and his eyes were a bright blue that almost seem to glow, with a single ragged scar down his right eye. But that was not all, his face was very wolf like, with big pointy ears, a wolf like snout minus the an actual wolf nose and his mouth had what looked to be razor sharp teeth and she saw more of them as he grimaced in pain. Wait, she recognized him. She'd never actually met him before, not that she knew of but his features fit the description that she was told about.
"What the hell?!" The pony under her groaned, finding it hard to breathe. "I was just gunna give you some water, you crazy midget! AHA, my nose...why the nose? FUCK!!!"
Before she had a chance to say anything, she heard the sound of something make a electronic zipping noise and when she looked up she was met with the barrel of a staff weapon aimed right in her face. "Please." Said the same odd voice from before and she looked up to see the yellow eyes of an Ophlidite looking back at her. "I would prefer if you did not damage my comrade any further. Please, release him. I do not wish to cause you harm, young one."
"Oh Teal'c, relax." The Pony under her grunted, waving one of his arms in a dismissive way. "We're just having...having a bit of fun...yeah, that's the word. Fun, it's always fun having your balls busted...yep."
The one called Teal'c tilted his head slightly to one side and after a moment of silence, he closed the muzzle of his weapon shut and then held it upright so it was leaning against his shoulder. "If you say so, Theran, though I would have never considered you male genitalia being harmed as...fun."
Rossy's eyes went wide when she heard that name. Could be, was it really him, the Red Blade? Her thoughts were pushed to the side when Theran roughly pushed her off of him, while at the same time grabbing her knife in one fluid motion. It was so fast that she didn't even notice she had been disarmed till she felt the empty air in her hoof. She fell back and landed flank first on her bed softly, still sitting up while she watched Theran get up on his legs and stood upright, holding her knife.
"It's called sarcasm, Teal'c, maybe you should try it. And don't talk about my...ah forget it." He seemed fine now like he never got kicked in the balls and he looked at the tiny weapon in his hoof. Then he tossed it back over to Rossy's pile of stuff and addressed her directly. "Now, what the hell was that all about? I was only going to see if you were fine and maybe something for that arm. Fuckin' hell...ah...really messed my nose up too. Nice punch by the way, you got a good right hook there, ouch."
Rossy was speechless. She just stared at him like he was a great beacon of light, while Theran just stared at her in confusion, sniffing now and then as blood still dripped from his snout. Was it really him? Was it really, really him? Her mind was flooding with questions, so many that she kept on staring at him, her mouth agape. "I...I uh...um..." Was all that escaped her mouth.
"It appears you have damaged her, Theran." Teal'c stated, moving a little closer to see what was wrong with her. "Should I get the medical kit?"
Theran turned to look at him and had a (Are you kidding me) look on his face. "What? No, she's not damaged, she's..." He then looked back at her, finding the words. "Well...maybe she is? I don't know I didn't even touch her before she went crazy on me."
"Your name..." Rossy suddenly found her voice again and made herself speak., "You're...you're Theran Razorblade, aren't you?"
Theran's wolf like eyes widened in shock and then turned to look at Teal'c again, a silent question on his expression.
"I did not tell her anything of you, Theran." He stated plainly. "She was unconscious when I brought her here. No conversation was possible at that time."
Rossy's mind drifted off and she spoke her thoughts. "It's really him, it's thee Theran Razorblade." She looked up and her deep green eyes locked onto his. "You have no idea how hard it has been, trying to..."
"I'm going to stop you right there, missy." Theran interrupted and gestured to her. "First off, you the hell are you? And second, why are you looking for me? I don't even know you and it's kinda creeping me out."
Rossy suddenly felt embarrassed and her cheeks flushed a bright pink. "Oh, s...sorry I...I just..." She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and let it out. "My name, is Rossy Everfree, and I was sent to find you."
Theran was suddenly silent, his wolf like eyes glaring at her, studying her. It was unsettling to say the least. Then as if a switch had been flipped, his expression softened and looked to Teal'c. "I'm hungry, is anyone hungry?" He moved off back down the tunnel and vanished from sight.
Rossy was puzzled, that was not the reaction she had been expecting. "Um...is he...ok?"
"He is in perfect health." Teal'c stepped forward into the small chamber, his staff still resting against his right shoulder. "He is...not used to visitors." He glanced at her and looked up and down her nude body. "Might I suggest, you put some clothes on? The air, can be rather chilly at times."
Rossy looked down and her face went bright pink, covering herself with the fur covers. "Um...right...sure."
...
Time had pasted rather slowly since, Rossy woke up and kicked the shit out of Theran. He was till favoring his lower body, still sore but that least his nose had stopped bleeding. He had made all of them some soup and they had been eating in silence. It was odd, she had told him she had been looking for him, but he seemed to ignore this, as if she never said it. She had so many questions but she couldn't seem to think of the right one.
She looked at Teal'c for a moment, scanning him up and down. His staff was propped up by the wall he sat by and had his eyes set to the ground while he ate. She had never seen an Ophlidite so close before, infact she had never seen one at all. She just remembered what they looked like from the old stories her parents used to tell her as a filly. He wasn't as nearly as terrifying as the stories had made his kind out to be, but what did she know, he was the first she'd even met and he had saved her life back in the barn.
She felt she had to say something to him, anything. "Um...T...Teal'c?" He looked up from his bowl and peered over at her with his reptilian yellow eyes. They looked so alien to her, but she saw a kindness in those eyes and in his face. He was surprisingly beautiful to her, she couldn't think of it any other way. His head was just like a snake's but at the same time, so much more. His skin or scales were a soft green with some scales being a different colour, in his case he had red highlights running along his limbs and on his head.
He spoke to her and she was a little startled when she realized she had drifted off in her thoughts. "Yes, Rossy Everfree? You have a question?"
She was amazed by how soft and graceful his voice was. It wasn't even that deep, and that made it oddly soothing. Composing herself and remembered what she wanted to say. "I... I just wanted to say that I'm... That I'm grateful for you saving my life."
Teal'c raised one side of his scalely brow and then did something she didn't expect. He closed his eyes and gave her a curt bow. "I am pleased that you are not too badly injured. But your thanks is not necessary. If I were to be in that situation again, I would most gladly aid you."
Rossy blushed at that and didn't know what to say. So she gave him a little bow back, wondering if that was the right response. Teal'c seemed to like this and gave her an even deeper bow and went back to eating.
She then brought her attention back to Theran, who hadn't said a word to her or Teal'c since they started eating. She thought it was about time to ask him something now. "So, you've been out here this whole time?" Rossy asked, her mouth still full soup. In all her thinking, she forgot to empty her mouth. "I mean, what have you been doing out here, in the middle of nowhere? I only found you 'cause some locals far from here mentioned seeing some Pony that looked like you, and I thought I'd come and see if..."
Theran burped and she stopped speaking. He stopped eating and seemed to be showing signs of stress. He looked to his partner, Teal'c, but he was too distracted by his meal to even give him a glance. He finally looked at Rossy and gave her a grumpy yet puzzled frown. "Ok, lets just back it up a smidge. First off, how old are you? I know you're a teenager, that much is obvious but just for clarity's sake, I'd like to know before saying anything else."
Rossy suddenly felt uncomfortable, but she considered that it wouldn't hurt to share her age. "Well, I'm 14 but I'm coming up for 15 soon, just a month a..."
"14!! Are you fucking kidding me?!" Theran suddenly yelled in shock, almost too shocked for words.
Teal'c decided to join in on the conversation and addressed Theran. "Theran, mind your manners in the presence of a youngling. It dose not bode well for your integrity as an adult to use such words."
"What the hell are you on about?" Theran snapped, looking at Teal'c like he had grown a new head. "Do you hear, the crap that comes out of your mouth sometimes?"
"Are you saying I defecate through my mouth, Theran?" Teal'c asked, as he stuck a mouth full of soup in his said gob. "I must say, if such a thing were possible, I would shoot myself with my own staff."
"What...the...fuck." Theran exclaimed, seeming to loose his appetite, putting his bowl down and not seeming to know what to do. "Thanks, Teal'c, you've put me off my breakfast."
"You're welcome, Theran." Teal'c said in the same plain tone, making him hard to read.
Theran just looked amazed and glanced at him. "Did you just use, sarcasm? There's still hope for you yet."
Rossy was starting to get impatient, she could sense he was trying to avoid her questions and she didn't know why, so she pressed him further. "Mr Razorblade, I need you to answer me. What are you doing out here?"
"What dose it look like?" He asked in a sarcastic manner, his expression condescending.
Rossy didn't quite understand his question, looking around to the cave they were in. "Um...a cave I guess? I don't understand."
Theran just gave her a smug look and shook his head. "I bet you don't."
Rossy frowned at that. "What's that supposed to mean? You're not making any sense."
"You know what doesn't make sense to me?" Theran suddenly snapped, pointing at her now. "Why a 14 year old is all the way out here in infested lands, by herself, looking for a complete stranger. I mean how do you even know about me? Who sent you? In fact, who sends a 14 year old? Who dose that?" He looked to Teal'c but he just looked to the ground and lightly shook his head.
"Hey, I can take care of myself!" Rossy yelled at Theran. She felt insulted by his dismissal of her age and she felt her cheeks heat up in anger. "I've been out here for a month on my own and I've looking for your stupid ass, all the while dealing creatures that want to eat me. Don't you dare..."
Theran waved a hoof and cut off her angry protest. "I'm not interested in your hissy fits, I only want to know who sent you and if I should consider them a threat."
Rossy was shocked. Was he really considering her a threat? She answered quickly with confusion and disgust in her tone. "No...we're the good guys, you asshole! We fight against the Skinnys and the ones who make 'em!"
"...Skinnys?" Theran asked, squinting his eyes in confusion.
"I believe she is referring to the infected beings that roam the lands, Theran." Teal'c chimed in. "They are, quite skinny."
Theran looked like he was mulling that over for a moment, but just for a moment, when he suddenly locked his steely gaze back of Rossy and began questioning her again. "And who, exactly sent you to find me? Who are these...good guys, as you call 'em?"
Rossy had the impression that he was making fun of her and she didn't much like that. She put her own bowl aside and gave him an aiming glare. "You don't remember, do you? My Father said that all I'd have to say is Everfree and you would know. He told me you're a close friend to my family and that you would help us fight Black Sun." She shrugged, feeling her arm twinge a little. "After all, you've been fighting them since the beginning."
Rossy shook her head, frowning. "What is going on here? You're making no sense, you're avoiding my questions and you have him here." She pointed at Teal'c and he looked at her, puzzled. She coughed and made a nervous smile. "Uh...no offence."
"None taken." He bowed and looked at his bowl.
Rossy brought her eyes back on Theran and let out a big sigh. "Look, where's Violet? I'd rather talk to her if you won't listen to me."
Theran's smug look faded and was replaced with one that Rossy could only guess was stern realization. What was he thinking? It was hard to get a read on him, his expressions change from moment to moment so much she had no clue what he was actually feeling.
He was suddenly quiet, too quiet that it made her uncomfortable. He closed his eyes and leaned forward, resting his head on one of his hooves. "Gods, damnit."
Before she could ask him anything more, he got up and just...walked off down the tunnel. "Hey, wait a minute! Where are you going?" He kept on walking. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" He didn't reply and soon vanished out of sight, leaving her stumped. "What the hell?! Where is he going?" She asked Teal'c.
Teal'c glanced at her, setting his bowl aside and standing up too. "He appears to be upset. I would not concern yourself with it too much."
Rossy frowned. "Upset? What's he got to be upset about? I just told him his friends are still alive and he's upset?"
Teal'c bent down and picked up Theran's discarded soup bowl that had some left in it and went back to sitting in his spot. "You have given him something to ponder. You must understand, Theran is not like you or I, he is something altogether, more complicated."
Rossy was even more confused now. "You're making no sense to me."
"In time, you will understand." Teal'c stated, as he began eating Theran's soup. "But for now, I suggest you get some rest."
Rossy frowned at this. What was going on? This was not how she had imagined this going, she thought he'd be happy to find out her family is alive, that he, Violet and Haze were not alone. Actually, she suddenly realized something. She looked to Teal'c
"Teal'c...where's Violet? I remember my Dad told me that she was last sen with him. I know her better than I know him since she visited my sister's home a lot." She glanced around. "So, where is she?"
It was hard to tell what Teal'c was feeling, since his face didn't move much, but the way he suddenly slowed his movement and slowly looked at her. She saw sorrow in his eyes, and bowed his head to her. "Rossy Everfree, I am sorry to say, but Violet is dead, has been for 4 years."
...
(Barrierland, Black Sun Stronghold)
Snow and wind blew strong in the high mountains of the Barrierland, as Red Wolf Jack strode confidently up a beaten path and seemingly, was heading nowhere. His blood red armour plating stood out in the snow covered rocky terrain around him, like a mobile blood stain on a otherwise pure white landscape.
His clawed boots crunched to a halt as he stopped at the end of the path and in front of him was more of the barren white land that stretched on for miles. He stood there for a moment and just gazed out onto the vast and, honestly dull view. Then with a sigh he pressed some device on his right arm and stepped forward, suddenly pasted through a shimmering field and in an instant he went from looking at a barren waste land to staring at a vast mountain scape that just appeared out of thin air.
A pare of massive twin doors opened for Jack, as he entered the great fortress of Kell'shak. It was once home to a powerful Ophlidite clan many, many years ago. They build their Keep right in the heart of a mountain and used it as a foot hold in Equestria, but was long since taken over by Black Sun and has remained their greatest point of power. Jack had to marvel at the amount of effort that went into its construction. If there was one thing that the Ophlidites were better at than any other race was mining out mountains.
He walked through the massive hallways, leading to many areas of the Keep, one of which was the office of his Boss. Stone pillars of intricate patterns of snakes and black marble bars running up their lengths, rose up to an arch on the roof and these pillars went on for about a mile all around the mountain.
The near black halls where made out of a dark red marble, lit by many crystalline lights affixed to the walls that bathed the walls and floor in a soft blue glow, giving off an almost twilight atmosphere. Jack heard the sound of marching hooves with a mix of chainmail and a guard patrol of Black Sun Equestrians marched by him and he stopped them for a second. No longer were these bands of cut-throats simple assassins, but soldiers, warriors kitted out in new practically designed overlapping plates of armour, made up of a large metal collar that protected the shoulders, neck and upper chest, while overlapping a two piece chest plate that also overlapped one another. They wore helmets that resembled a snake's head and completely enclosed their heads in metal protection, with small red lenses that seemed to glow in the low light.
They stopped and the leader, who had a different type of helmet, that was shaped like a bird of prey, with gold trims. He turned to Jack and the warrior pressed something on the side of his enclosed helmet and the top of the visor popped open. Inside was the masked face of a Pony that looked normal enough, but there was something odd about his eyes. The whites of his eyes were a bony yellow and his irises were a strong purple that almost rippled with a sort of energy and they glared at him with a frown.
"You want something of me, Inquisitor?" The warrior asked, his tone deep and sharp.
Jack always found these guys, dull and a tad creepy, but a far cry from their Elite counter parts. At least they know how to have fun, but they were still kinda dull, if what in a sadistic way. Jack was straight to the point with the warrior. "Is Vipress here? I have a mission report to give her and I'd rather it be now than later. I got things I want to attend to without interruption."
The warrior nodded and pointed down the seemingly endless hallway. "She is in her study. Will that be all, Inquisitor?"
Jack hated being called, Inquisitor. It made him sound like some sort of Zealot and he's never been into that sort of thing. He gave the warrior and curt nod and then just walked off, not bothering to answer, leaving them to resume their patrol. Soon after many long strides, Jack reached Vipress's main bed chamber and didn't even bother to knock, as he pushed the single large door and entered. The moment he entered he was met with the smell of candles and incense and it burned his Wolven senses. He coughed and felt his eyes water a bit, as he walked into the room and was surprised to find Vipress was't here.
"What? I thought he said she was here?" Jack felt his anger start to boil. He was tired, hungry and really needed to clean his gear from his last mission. He was not just going to stand around like some servant waiting on his master's summons. He looked around, seeing if there was anything new since his last visit. Indeed Vipress had some new decorations and other things that made his fur stand on end. Mainly her fascination with body parts, since there were many around the room, all in jars or mounted on the walls. Jack had taken trophies before, it was kinda his thing to do so if he thought the kill was worthy enough, but this was a tad bit over the top. Not to mention creepy.
"You got some strange hobbies." Jack mumbled under his breath, as he went up to one of the jars and tapped its glass with the tip of a claw. There was a Pony's head in the jar, male and it was staring right at him. He frowned at the head, wondering what Vipress could possibly see in collecting such things, skulls he could understand, but full heads with eyeballs and all the stuff in between. There was slight movement in the jar and Jack blinked in surprise. Was he seeing things? He took a closer look, putting his eye right up to the glass so he was now eye to eye with the head. For a moment, nothing happened, but then the eye twitched a little and Jack jumped back, startled.
"Shrahk!" He swore in his native tong and noticed he had his hand on his sword hilt. He paused for a second, thinking about what he was doing and then relaxed, letting his hand fall from his weapon.
"What the hell are you doing in here?"
Jack turned around to face the way he came in and sure enough, it was Vipress standing in the doorway. She didn't look too pleased to see him and sported a dark green silk gown that was slightly transparent, silhouetting her fit and lean form in the glow of the hall lights. He raised one side of his brow, as he took the sight of her in and had to admit, she looked very attractive. Shame she had a bad attitude.
"Ah, Vipress. I was wondering when you'd show up." Jack stated plainly, though with just a pinch of mockery. "I must say, you are looking fine this morning."
Vipress entered her chamber and scowled at him in disgust. "Mind your tong, Red Wolf, or I'll cut it out and add it to my collection."
He looked at the many jars and body parts on the walls and took her word for it. "Noted." He said in a weary way.
Vipress moved past him toward a desk with a mountain of paperwork on it and gracefully sat upon it. She crossed one cloven hoofed leg over the other and rested her weight on the palms of her clawed hands, leaning back. "So, do you have something to report, or do you just like standing around in my chambers, gazing at me with those repugnant eyes of yours?"
"Repugnant?" Jack just shrugged at that. "Someone's in a bad mood today. Tell me, is it the plotting and backstabbing that's got you down, or is it then lack there of? I can never tell."
Vipress rolled her bright orange reptilian eyes, shifting her body a bit and waving her lizard tail around lazily. "You are trying my patience. Do you have something to report, or not?" She noticed the way he was looking her up and down and gave him a shocked smile. "Or are you here to admire the view?"
She opened her lean, muscular legs slightly and licked her upper lip, all the while glaring at him, as if daring him to try it. He looked at her for a moment, taking it all in. Her scent, her silver hair, black scaled skin and Pony shaped face. She might not be Wolven, but then again that never really bothered him before and it certainly didn't now. He moved forward toward her, his steps, slow and careful, as he got right up to the desk between her legs and leaned over her, though he kept his hands clasped behind his back.
From a strap on her thigh, she swiped out a small blade and pressed it to his throat. She didn't do anything to him, she just kept glaring at him and sat there, waiting for him to make the first move. It was so tempting, so close he could feel her body heat and smelled her flowery perfume. He took that scent in, savored it and then leaned back, stepping away from her. He let out a sigh and relaxed his shoulders.
Vipress looked almost disappointed, as she crossed her legs again and leaned forward, crossing her arms as well. "Satisfied?" She asked, her tone plain but her glare still sharp as ever, flipping her knife and put it away.
Jack smirked and titled his head up slightly, enjoying himself. "You could say that." He said, his tone smug.
Vipress narrowed her eyes at him, but her expression didn't weaver. "Well, now that, that's settled, your report. Now."
Jack gave her his mission report and it was long and boring, going over how he killed this and how he hunted that and finished with a shrug. "And that's it, not much really." He was now thinking he should have just fucked her on her desk, instead of giving this dull ass report. But he still had some dignity left and he hated it.
Vipress had moved from sitting on her desk to sitting on the chair behind it and was now leaning on its surface with her elbows. She tapped one long claw on her lips for a moment, pondering and then spoke. "So, we're still no closer to finding it?" She said in a dull tone, seeming bored herself. "Well that's no good, not good at all." She rubbed her temple with a finger and looked rather frustrated. "You expect me to go to our Lord with this? This is nothing, a few dead rebels is meaningless in the eyes of them. You're going to have to do better than this if you want to keep their favor."
Jack frowned at that. He didn't like his work being sullied as if it were some mere errand. "Maybe if you didn't send those grunts you call soldiers with me on every hunt, I might be able to get you actual results."
Vipress looked as if she was going to claw his eyes out but she was restraining herself rather well. She clacked her claws off the marble surface of her desk and seemed to be in deep thought. "That will be all." She sighed, getting up from her seat and making her way to her large bed. Jack watched her as she got half way in her silky covers till she noticed he was still there. "What are you still doing here, go...do something, anything just get out!"
With that, Jack left her chamber and was now back out in the hallway. The door shut violently behind him and the impact kicked up a gust of wind, slightly rocking him forward. "That went well." Jack muttered to himself and made his way to his own chambers. There were teleporters he could use to get there faster, but he hated using them. Something about them made his gut twist and make him feel dizzy, so he walked till he finally reached his chambers and pushed open the door.
He was met by the familiar scent of his wooden furnishings and many skinned hides that hung up on his walls. One type of many of his trophies, for he had many, littered about and all displayed proudly. The wall of skulls was his personal favorite, 'cause it faced his massive bed and he could just sit there and look upon it, recounting all the glorious battles he'd fought in his years.
His most prized one was of an Ursine warrior. Now those were rare to find, let alone slay. He looked at the massive bear skull, as he started unstrapping his grime stained armour and set them upon an armour rack. He would clean them later, he just wanted to relax and maybe get some sleep. His eyes fell upon another wall and this one had bits of old war gear from times long pasted. This, was his collection of mementos, snap shots in time that had left strong emotional prints, emotions that left him perplexed. In short, they were memories of fights that where left unfinished, or didn't sit well with him.
He looked at two broken swords. One was of normal Equestrian design, with a standard hilt and standard blade. A long Sword they called it and it belonged to a Mare he had killed in the heat of a moment. He regretted that kill, she had been already injured when she came out of nowhere and stabbed him in his prosthetic arm. He hadn't meant to wound her fatally, but his blood rage had been to strong to hold back.
The next sword was a strange design, one that had magical gems forged into the metal itself. The tip of the sword was shaped like a spear head, tapering to a fine point and fine edge that seemed to never loose its edge. The hilt was a hone handed configuration and had a slight curve to it. This weapon had belonged to a Wolfkin, a blend of his kind and a Equestrian. He had been a formidable opponent, fought like a Wolven with the cleverness of an Equine. Now that had been a fight but it hadn't reached its full potential and was sullied by the Wolfkin's lack of animal rage and his refusal to use it. He still had the Wolfkin's severed arm and the piece of black steel armour that came with it. He wanted nothing more than to finish that fight, he hadn't even killed him i the end, never granted him a warrior's death. It had been a stain on his reputation and it still nagged at him to this day.
He had unstrapped his sword belt and was in the middle of taking off his padded jacket when he smelt something.
It wasn't one that belonged to his chamber and it smelled of oil and explosive powder. He knew only one with that scent and they were in this room now. Slowly, he took off his jacket and set it down on the floor, while he scanned the room. He didn't see anything, as he held his sword still in its sheath. There was something there, he could smell it and it was very close to him.
There was a shimmer in the air and Jack suddenly in one swift motion, pulled his sword free of its sheath and stopped it mere inches from the shimmering blob in the air. For a moment, nothing happened and then the shimmering blob suddenly turned into a blue and very naked Dacony. He instantly knew who it was, form her blue scaly skin, her shapely upright body, her wild blue hair and crazy purple eyes, that glowed like fire. It was Butter Cup and she was smiling lustfully at him, with his sword practically touching her neck. She didn't care however and stared into his eyes with a crazed look in her own.
"Hey there, Jacky." Butter Cup giggled in a playful yet daft tone, as her beautiful body slowly swayed from side to side, like a feral creature sizing up its prey. "I've been waiting for you, waiting a long time."
Jack let a wide smile creep across his lips and set his sword aside, as he pulled her in close, pressing her body against his and then bit into her scaly neck. She let out a high pitched gasp of pleasure and then sighed with a lustful groan, as she wrapped her own limbs around him and clawed into his furry back. He felt the sting of her claws sink into his skin and draw a small amount of blood.
"I missed you." Jack growled, as he cupped a hand behind her head and looked into her eyes.
She grinned madly and licked her lips. "I missed you more, oh you have no idea how boring it's been. Vipress has grounded me for causing too much trouble. She's no fun, always a killjoy."
Jack was now holding her up onto him with one hand cupped under her flank and the other now around her waist, as he carried her over to the bed. "What did you do this time, B?" He asked as he put her down on the bed, were she sat on her knees, keeping eye level with him. He always enjoyed the feeling of her smooth scales, their texture always satisfying to the touch. He also liked the way she ran she fingers through his fur, like a brush that grooms hair.
Butter Cup looked like she hadn't a clue, but he knew she did, she was a lot smarter than she let on and he liked that about her. "What? I only, may have just a tad bit...blew up a tiny, yet maybe large shipment of weapons grade explosives..." She then made a slight grimace as she added. "And...I may have blown up a bunch of our soldiers too..." She trailed off and just smiled at him. "I didn't do it on purpose, I was only playing around with some fire magic when, poof. Everything went boom and I lost my best clothes. It was kinda funny, one second you got clothes on and the next they turn to ash, but you know how it goes...you fry some, you burn the rest."
Jack smiled at that, as he put his real hand on her right cheek and rubbed a bit of TNT powder off her skin. "All that and I wasn't there to see it, damn...if only you were with me on my mission. I could have used your talents, far better than the Black Sun soldiers, they only get in my way and muck up my hunts."
"Oh...what happened?" Butter Cup got him to sit down and began to message his tense shoulders.
Jack just let out a sigh that had been stuck in his chest for awhile but Butter Cup's magic touch let that all out. "I don't know what Vipress expects me to do, when her efforts to back me up only lead to my missions failing. I only wanted to gain information and be on my way to the next lead, but Vipress's thugs think it's better to kill everything in sight, than keep a low profile." He gripped his right prosthetic fist tight, making it creak and whir. "It's almost like she wants me to fail, to embarrass me."
He went silent when he leaned into his hands and covered his eyes.
Butter Cup leaned on him, hugging his back while rubbing his chest. "Vipress...she's a bit a hard ass, sure...and a killjoy. But she's my big sister and I don't think she would risk one of our best to just make him look bad. Would she?" She seemed to think about that for a moment, but not for long when she got up and made him look at her. "Take me with you next time, just me and you. I'll even talk to Vipress, I'll make her see that sending two of the best is better than a army of dull, low thinking servants. How 'bout that?"
Jack looked her in the eye, those living gems that hide a fire so fine, it was as if he was starting into the heart of a star. He cupped his hands around her face and leaned in close and kissed her. When they finally parted, he stood up to his full height and looked down on her short frame. She was about chest height with him and she had to crane her neck to keep her gaze locked on his and smiled up at him. "I think, you are the best thing that has happened to me."
"Aww, Jacky you're too kind." She was fiddling with his pant's strap and finally made it come loose. She pulled them down and her grin went wider as he felt her hand go below his hips, ruining her clawed fingers through his thick fur. "You're gunna make me blush." She cud, licking her lips again and showing her razor sharp teeth.
Jack took hold of her and leaned into her till they were laying on the bed, with him pressed on top of her. "I'm going to make you do more than make you blush, my sweet, B."
"Animal." She growled, digging her claws into his back again and then rolling him over so she was on top. "I hope you're going to put up a fight. No one can make me blush that easily."
"Crazy lizard. Challenge accepted." He growled back and kissed her again, pressing even harder into her, making her gasp in blissful pleasure. Her erotic screams, could be hear all the way to Vipress's chamber and she moaned in annoyed torment.
...
(E.H.C Drop Ship, in Flight to Barrierland)
(Agent 0.4.2)
Wind blew by at speeds so fast, that if there wasn't several inches of steel and glass shielding in front of Agent 042, she'd be ripped apart . But she was perfectly safe, as she stood by the cockpit looking out the window, as clouds shot by like a thick mist. Two Airmen sat at the helm, pressing buttons and flipping switches as they neared the Barrier that cut the Heartland off form the Barrierland, and they were closing fast.
"60 seconds to barrier!" One of the Airmen called over 042's helmet radio, using robotic fingers on his armoured gauntlet to flip one switch and the blue lights in the Drop Ship turned red. "Take your seat, Captain!" The Airmen called again, placing his hoof on the throttle and wrapped his metal fingers around it.
042 did as she was asked and sat down in one of the rows of seats that lined the inner hull. She wasn't the only one, three other Ponies in near matching grey and black armour, sat on one row of seats, while 042 sat on the other on her own. She faced her team, who were checking their gear. Their armour, was designated Hazard Protection and Environmental Armour Systems, or H.P.E.A.S for short and it was their main line of defense against the Infected. It was made out of 24 hardened fiber plates, attached to the wearer's body by a gel like undersuit, made from a formula that hardens with high pressure impacts.
So anything short of an arrow will be completely stopped by the gel layer. Its aim is to protect the user from infection while giving the user full movement with the plates interlocking and flexing with the user's motion. It also had a health monitor built into the under layer, which links with the Helmet's HUD. 042 checked her teams vitals and they all read green, with steady heart rate and their friend or foe tags or F.F.Ts, appeared above their heads on her HUD.
The Helmet had a range of features, filters to protect against air born contaminants, being able to seal airtight if the need arises. It also gives user enhanced hearing with ear nods and allows Agents to communicate at a distance via radio.
The last feature of the armour is the Exo-Skeletal legs. These legs are hooked up to the Agent's own legs and allows them to stand up right. It takes all the pressure off the user's back with a spine brace, taking their weight, giving them full movement on two legs. Down side is the Exo-legs run on a battery just like their weapons and has to be recharged after every 10 hours of use. Luckily they all carried recharge packs and spare batteries just incase they don't have the time to wait.
"Weapon's check!" 042 ordered over team com and they quickly looked over their weaponry.
Two of them, Agent 212 and 326 were using the Arck-22, standard issue 77cm Rifle of the E.H.C and is capable of firing at a rang of 100meters and can fire a number of costume ammunition from, Lightening Bolts, Pyro Bolts, kinetic and Ice Bolts. It is mainly designed for firing lightening since the infected have a weakness to it, but for anything else they used Kinetic Bolts that could their stun or rip through a target, depending on the power level. The weapon has a split second delay before firing, charging up a round in its twin accelerator rods before it discharges through the accelerator chamber and is shaped into a bolt by the focus nods at the tip of the weapon. It can fire a max of 24 rounds per battery.
Then there was the Arck-12 standard issue pistol the simplest weapon made thus far by the E.H.C, and there for the easiest to use. They all carried one in a holster on their hips and was made of a single steel barrel, with simple iron sights cut into the barrel and It used the same ammo with a range of 20meters and can fire 100 rounds per battery, do to its smell energy cost. Down side is the weapon doesn't pack as much as a punch as the Arck-22 and has a tendency to overheat, but was probably one of their most reliable tools, do to its high fire rate and ammo capacity.
Her last team member, Agent 122 was using the Anti Freak Buster as it is colorfully known, or the AFB and is by far the most powerful weapon developed by the E.H.C. The long thick barrel of the weapon was collapsible for easier travel but once unfolded it is the size of an average E.H.C Agent, which is about 5, foot 9. It has the farthest range out of all of the weapons, reaching up to a mile. It is so powerful it can leave a hole the size of a dinner plate in what ever it hits. It can shred through stone walls and just about any form of armour. Instead of lightening it fires compressed raw magic and when it fires, it sounded like a crack of thunder. The down side to this god of a weapon is its size, the fact it can only fire five rounds per battery and overheats after every shot. Not to mention the battery packs were big, like as thick and long as her forearm.
"30 seconds!" The Airmen on the radio called. "Prepare for cross over. If you haven't checked your gear, now's the time."
"You guys all set?"
042 said of her teams coms, as she checked her weapons. She was carrying a brand new class of ranged weapon system, the TB-AMR rifle. It was a long barreled rifle with a full buttock and thumb hole to make a built in pistol grip and 12X magnifying scope. Instead of firing energy bolts, it fired a 10mm steel slug that when propelled with a small magical sparker, can reach speeds that can break the sound barrier and pretty much anything else that gets in its way. She pulled out some of the steel slugs from a pack on her gun belt and slide about 8 of them into a slot in the weapons thin under belly and then pulled on a charging handle on the side of its frame to prime the sparker to fire at any given pull of the trigger. It made a audible hum as the sparker came to life, and a little green light flickered on near the charging handle.
"Am ready." Agent 212, Unicorn, female, Tag name, Whimcy, said in her Appaloosaian accent, roughly smacking her Arck 22's palm charger and making the weapon hum to life. "Just point and A'll blow a hole in it."
"I'm ready too Ma'am." Agent 326, Earth Pony, male, Tag name, Buck, said in his Canterlot accent, as he rammed a mag battery in his Arck 12 pistol's grip and pulled on the charging slide on the back of the gun, with it also humming to life. "Just say the word."
"One sec." Agent 122, Unicorn, male, Tag name, Boomstick, said as he got the large mag into the massive AFB's frame and pulled on it huge charging handle with a loud chunk. It made a loud hum, louder than the other weapons. "Locked and loaded." He said, satisfied and folded the weapon up and secured it to his chest.
"Good, now stand by." 042 stated and looked over to the Airmen. "Airmen, statues?"
"Crossing in 10." The Airmen called, and stuck his hoof up with all four of his metal fingers ready to count down. "4...3..2..."
There was a slight shudder in the ships hull and 042 felt a tingling feeling crawl over her skin and make her HUD flicker. They passed it, with the static and flickering gone as well. "We are now pasted the barrier. Drop zone in 2 minutes."
"We all know what we're orders are?" 042 asked her team checking her pistol's charge and then holstering it.
"Ah know this mission isn't strictly legal." Whimcy stated, fiddling with a Arck type energy knife, twirling it in her hoof gloves metal fingers. "But when has that ever got in the way?"
042 looked at her team through her tinted visor. They were unable to see her eyes but she could see theirs do to them not tinting their visors, though they could if they wanted to. Whimcy's eyes were pink, Buck's were green and Boomstick's was red.
"I know but this mission is probably the most important mission we will ever under take." She clasped her metal fingers together and leaned forward a little in her seat so her elbows were resting on her knees. "Won't lie, there is a very good chance we might not come back from this. We either complete the mission, or don't come back at all, even if we do survive, there would be no point. So let's get it right and not fuck it up."
"Damn straight." Buck stated, charging up his Arck 22.
042 nodded to that and smiled from behind her helmet, feeling a bit of pride swell up in her chest. "We do this not just for the Heartland, but for all those we left behind in the Barrierland. Once we hit the ground, we try to make contact with a local resistance group, and seek out the one they call, Commander Farsight."
"Commander, huh? Sounds Legion to me." Boomstick added. "You think he sounds Legion to you, Cap?"
042 shrugged and shook her helmeted head. "I don't know. I was in the Legion for most of my life and I never heard of a Commander Farsight. At any rate, this is a long term mission, we might be in the Barrierland for months, maybe even years. So make sure you got everything you need, anything else, we get out there."
"We're coming up on the drop zone." The Airmen said over the coms.
"We're up, team." 042 got up and made her way over to the cargo ramp and stood by a big red button on the right side of the hull. Her team also got up and lined up next to their Captain. "Make sure your chutes are on nice and tight. I don't want to have to catch any of you if you slide out."
Being a Pegasus she didn't need a parachutes, but her team didn't have that advantage. They pat each other down, making last minute checks. A armour adjustment here, a pressure seal check there and com check with a few radio clicks. They were all set and ready to drop.
"30 seconds to drop." The Airmen called.
"This is it." 042 Said over team com. "If anyone wants to change their mind and sit this one out, well you can't. That ship has sailed."
"We're with ya 100% of the way, Captain." Whimcy stated as she gave 042 a sisterly thud on her shoulder plate with her hoof glove curled into a fist.
"You are clear to drop. Good hunting out there." The Airmen called and 042 saw him press a button and the ship's lights went from red to green.
042 smacked the big red button on the hull and the ramp began to open. Rain and wind blasted in from outside and rocked the ship slightly. "Alright out you go, go, go!"
One after the other her team jumped out and soon, 042 took a running start and then flung herself out and joined them in free fall. She put herself into a nose dive, keeping all her limbs straight and sped toward her team's FFTs. They were all together bin tight formation and soon she joined along side them. She eyed a read out on her HUD that showed how far they had till reaching the ground. "1000meters!" She called over team com. As she said that she noticed they had already pasted 200meters and falling fast. She watched the read out. 700, 650, 600, 550 and at 450 she made the call.
"Pull, pull, pull"
One by one they all pulled their chutes and came to a slow decent. 042 then spread out her armoured and suited wings and took flight, flying around her team as they drifted to the ground. She had her weapon ready in her hoof glove's grip and provided overwatch till her team touched down. The ground below was dark, muddy and caped with rain fall. She scanned with her 12X scope, looking for targets and saw nothing.
Her team were about a 180meters off the ground, when a sudden gust of wind blew in and knocked them off course. 042 was fine, as she went with the gust and leveled out but her team didn't have the same level of control over their aerial movement and Whimcy got suddenly tangled in her chutes cords.
"Shit, ma chute's wrapped up!" She called over coms. "AH can't get out!"
"Hold on!" 042 yelled in her helmet mic, as she nose dived toward her tangled team mate. "I'm coming now! Try not to thrash too much!"
"Easy for you to say!" Whimcy yelled back, as she was quickly falling to a nearby cliff. "Shit, Ah can't move ma arms!"
Before 042 could reach her, she struck the ground hard in a mess of rope and fabric. "Whimcy?!" 042 yelled and she landed roughly with a roll and then she broke into a sprint as Whimcy began to slide down to the edge of the cliff. Her chute was still catching air and it dragged her still form to the very edge and then pulled her over.
042 threw herself off the cliff's edge and fell straight down.
"Captain!" Buck and Boomstick called out as they got out their chutes and ran to the cliff edge. They stopped near the edge and looked down to see if they could make visual contact. "Captain? Captain please respond!" Buck said over team com and a few seconds later 042 called back.
"Fuck she's heavy!" She reappeared, flapping her wings rapidly as she pulled Whimcy up by her chute. She reached the lip of the cliff and clawed at its edge with the metal fingers of one of her hoof gloves, cutting grooves in its muddy surface while she kept hold of Whimcy's chute. "Help me, get her off this dead fall!"
They both put their weapons on their chest rigs and moved as close as they could till they were able to grip their Captain's arms and haul her up with Whimcy a second later. "Boomer, help me get her out of this. Buck, watch our six!"
Buck nodded and brought his weapon up and watched their backs while 042 and Boomstick tended to Whimcy. As they cut her free from her chute's cords, 042 checked her vitals and was happy to see she was still alive, with minimal damage to her bone structure. But she did have a minor concussion and a pulled shoulder but apart from that, she was fine. "Thank the EHC for fucking good armour." 042 thought.
Whimcy woke with a gasp and her pink eyes darted from side to side till they found Boom stick and 042 hovering over her. "What? What happen'? This doesn't look like heaven."
"You're fine, Whim." Boomstick said as he cut the last of her chute cords. "I'll be damned before I let you die by some stupid wind."
"Good to hear." She tried to move but suddenly shut her eyes in pain. "Oh...oh ma head...and ma shoulder. Fuck that hurts."
"You have a milled concussion and a pulled shoulder, but apart from that you'll live." 042 stated as she got out a small needle and inserted it in a slot in her armour, allowing it to bypass the gel layer and into her blood stream. "I'm giving you a low doss of pain treatment. That should stop anymore swelling and help ease up your shoulder."
"Thanks, Captain. I owe you one." Whimcy said in a pained sigh as she was helped up onto her hooves.
"You owe me two." 042 said handing her, her rifle. "Remember you still owe me that drink."
"Aye, aye Ma'am." Whimcy said, a smile in her eyes. There was a high pitched screech in the distance and they all tensed up. They all looked to their Captain and she looked at the sky.
She gripped her own weapon now and looked to her team. "Right, lets get a move on. Stay in stealth mode and keep enemy exposure to zero. Now lets get out of this rain."
They all saluted her, Whimcy twinging a bit as she did and then they all activated their camouflage systems. They didn't got invisible but made their armour match the colour and texture of the surface they walked on. 042 looked back one more time at the land over the cliff edge and then joined her team, blending into the land around them, with more screeches calling in the rain.