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//FUBAR
Major Steven Ross glared down at the alien clad in its pale, purple coloured armour. He held his hand up higher in an attempt to make clearer the number he was trying to sign across. “Where is Officer Ryan Young?” his voice boomed across the courtyard, startling many of the quadrupeds.
The purple armoured equine seemed to pale under his stern gaze. It was good to know that they were scared of him, although it may lead them to make hasty decisions. He glanced down at the large pistol attached to the exosuit’s waistline. Decisions that they would come to regret.
The purple equine was speaking frantically with one of his cohorts, frequently glancing back at the heavily armed humans. The other horned quadruped nodded before taking off and galloping back into the castle. The horned equine turned back to Ross, making a gesture that the human interpreted as ‘just wait a moment’.
A minute dragged by, the tension so thick in the air that it almost felt as if breathing too hard would send the card house of peace crumbling down. In that event, the equine’s ornate armour would give them next to no protection against the marine’s rifles. If the security weapons the WSC could send bullets straight through their armour, the larger rifles the soldiers carried would punch straight through the golden plates of the equine, along with those of the two behind it. Despite the slight imbalance in technology, Ross was still nervous. Survivors of the battle at the Yamato told of mysterious powers the horn aliens wielded. Some did nothing, whilst others could kill. Whether or not this was true, Ross had seen firsthand the burnt and blackened corpses on the field. Who knows what else they were capable of?
Hooves against polished floor sounded off through the courtyard, as the horned alien returned from its venture. Ross watched the door, expecting an armed procession of equines to shepherd out a shackled human.
None came.
Ross frowned as the horned equine approached the one clad in the purple armour. The only difference was that now the returning equine had two objects floating nearby to its head: an urn made of gold and silver metals, and a WSC helmet. The glow surrounding the two objects changed from the deep blue colour to an almost pinkish colour as they were passed to the commanding equine. The quadruped then nervously trotted over toward Ross. It stopped halfway, but the objects kept going, drifting through the air slowly toward the Major, eventually landing gently on the ground before him.
The equine watched nervously as Ross kneeled down, grasping the helmet in his gauntlets. The metal shell bore many scratches and other minor damage, but was otherwise unharmed. Ross lowered the helmet back to the ground. Ross then reached for the urn. As gently as he could, he took the urn into his hands, looking up at the equine as he did. The alien seemed to nod an encouragement, fear evident in his eyes. Surely they wouldn't be bold enough to set this up as a trap?
Ross opened the urn.
There was no noxious gas, no explosion, nothing but ash.
Ash.
Ross slowly looked up from Ryan’s ashes. His glare centred directly at the nervous alien in the purple armour. He replaced the lid on the urn, then, taking both it and Ryan’s helmet, stood. The horned equine tensed at the movement.
The Major called up a single marine, then passed on the two items to be taken back to the dropship, all the while Ross’ eyes remained locked on the alien’s leader. The other equines were edgy, clinging to their weapons in a hope that they might be able to defend themselves if needed.
Finally, Ross turned back to his men. “Release the prisoner.”
The marines guarding the wounded alien nodded, but a voice over their comms stopped them. “Something’s happening! On a cloud, east side!”
“Hold up.” Said Ross as he turned in the direction the soldier had specified. He spotted the disturbance almost immediately. On a lone cloud rested a small figure, holding a light that flashed at sporadic intervals. Ross glanced back at the equine leader. The quadruped had noticed the light as well, and was shouting at one of his companions. Activity on his radio bled through into his ears.
“What is that?”
“Could be a signal?”
The equine aliens were stirring. Guards hefted their spears, and several winged aliens took to the air. The soldiers around him were getting jumpy, all with weapons raised and threatening stances taken.
Ross turned his head just in time to witness the equine prisoner make a break for freedom. It took a hasty look at its captors before taking the risk and bolting towards friendly lines, but it didn’t make it far. Its wounded leg slowed it down, and after only a few steps, its mane was caught in the iron grip of a soldier, wrenching it back and throwing the quadruped off balance. With a short cry it landed on the ground, staring down the rifle barrel of the man who caught it.
There was shout from the equine leader, Ross’ head snapped back around, finding the equine in an aggressive stance, horn ablaze with neon light. In a swift movement, Ross donned his helmet. “Let the damned horse go!” he hissed into his radio.
“Sir, what abou-”
“They’re attacking!”
A polished spear streaked through the air, striking a marine square in the chest, but only to bounce off his armour harmlessly. More projectiles were thrown from the equine forces, each ending in as pitiful impact as the last, even accompanied by a streak of emerald energy that dissipated into nothing upon impact.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” A soldier muttered.
The equine leader was practically screaming at his cohorts, tossing fearful glances back at the soldiers. Ross chuckled to himself. They weren’t much of a threat after all. He turned back to the men behind him. “Fire a warning shot.”
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The quadrupeds jumped at the sudden sound, many leaping back as if the attack was directed at them, and all ceased their attacks. There was a silent tension once again, only to be broken by a single Marine’s voice on the comms.
“Hey, is it getting hotter up here?”
“Starnes, shut your fucking mouth.” Ross growled. He turned to the hostage and its captors. “Let it go.”
The marine nodded and reached down, grabbing the equine by its mane and pulling it up. It seemed to whimper quietly as it was pulled to its hooves, clamping its massive eyes shut.
“Major, Starnes is right. It’s getting fucking hot. This can’t be normal.”
“Argh! This is starting to hurt!”
“Starnes? Starnes!”
Ross’ brow slanted down again as he turned around to see the marine. When they had arrived, Starnes had taken position under one of the decorative trees, using the benches as cover. The marine was hunched over, his weapon lay on the ground where he dropped it. His limbs were shaking, and the wood on the bench had begun to blacken. Grey wisps of smoke rose off the wooden structure.
Without warning and ear-splitting howl of pain erupted over the comms as Starnes threw his head back. Tiny flames began to flick over his armour, growing in size as the bench burst into a bright inferno. From his position Ross could see the glow from equine horns from behind their cover.
“That’s them! They’re attacking!”
Ross reached up and ripped the rifle from his back. “Open fire!” he barked.
In a single swift movement, he whipped around and lined up a shot on the equine leader just in time to see them disappear in a flash of pink light.
But not before he pulled the trigger.
From Skies Above – Branch and Blade
This was it. His lucky break. The shots that were going to make him famous.
Money Shot rested atop a cloud drifting slowly over Canterlot. Below the city had been placed into high alert, meaning that something big was about to happen, and the blonde pegasus planned to be there when it happened.
A sturdy camera and support frame rested around his neck, complete with a new roll of film. The pegasus had triple checked the camera, making sure nothing was out of place. He had to be ready for this moment. Money Shot wondered whether or not this was somehow related to the rumours of an approaching war with the gryphons, or even the rumours of alien sightings. He grinned. That would definitely make him famous.
Activity below pulled him out of his trance, and the pegasus gaped when three huge airborne objects came into view. He gazed in awe as the metal giants drifted over the city, heading straight toward Castle Canterlot. Quickly, he flicked the camera up and snapped a few shots.
The metal airships slowed as they approached the castle, heading straight toward a large courtyard. Guards began to swarm around the area like moths to a lamp. He raised the camera once again, but, to the pegasus’ frustration, he was too far away for a decent shot. Cautiously, he flapped his wings and began to push the cloud closer.
Minutes dragged by as he approached, occasionally stopping to take a photo regardless of his range, and as he moved, an extraordinary scene began to unfold before his eyes. Huge black creatures emerged from the larger of the airships, each walking on their two hind legs. Even more shocking, was the two ponies they brought with them, and the smaller biped that emerged from the Castle in the custody of none other than Shining Armour. Two groups approached the centre, and one of the ponies on the biped’s side crossed over to the castle as the small biped moved over toward the airships.
Money Shot’s hoof slipped off the edge of the cloud, and the pegasus struggled to catch himself. He pressed himself into the cloud, trying to make himself as small as possible. He sat prone for a moment, afraid that he had been discovered. If the Royal Guard were to find him up here there would be severe punishments. Not only was he ignoring a high alert, but he was taking photos of an obvious Royal Guard operation.
Photos that many ponies he knew would pay dearly for.
After a few more moments to make sure there were no pegasi coming at him, he poked his head up from his cover. The bipeds still had a unicorn on their side, and one with a small white head appeared to be squaring off with the Royal Guard Captain.
Money Shot raised the camera, and began shooting. The bipeds and guards continued to face each other down, but suddenly, they began to move. Something spooked the bipeds, as their movements became more aggressive. The guards began to brandish spears and other weapons, and the Royal Guard Captain began shouting orders out to his subordinates.
Click!
Flash!
Click!
Flash!
Click!
Flash!
Wait, flash?
Money Shot’s eyes widened in fear as he realise the camera’s flash had slipped on. The pegasus looked back down at the castle, and sure enough there were several pegasus guardsponies taking to the air. Money Shot quickly fumbled with the device in his hooves, soon pausing and abandoning the effort when he realised that it wouldn’t matter anyway. He needed to get out of-
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The sounds rang out through the air, and even the guards paused to look down. The bipeds looked ready to attack, as did the guards. They stood frozen for several moments, before there was a flash of orange light below.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
More shots from below, the sound sending chills down Money’s spine. There were screams, horrible howls of pain, and more noise.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Money Shot gasped when something ripped through his body. His entire chest erupted into blinding pain, then...
...nothing.
*
“Get rid of that pegasus!” Shining Armour barked.
The aliens were getting nervous, taking more aggressive stances and threatening nearby guards with their weapons, who in turn began to raise their own weapons in preparation for a fight. Shining gulped. The situation was spiralling out of control at an alarming rate, and the aliens could be mere moments away from attacking.
Shining glanced toward Emerald Haze. The unicorn was getting nervous, shuffling on his hooves as much as his captors would allow. He glanced around nervously, catching Shining’s eye. The guard captain immediately understood what he was planning. Shining shook his head, but Haze ignored his plea. The unicorn looked up at the bipeds surrounding him, and took the first chance he could get.
Haze bolted as fast as his wounded leg could carry him, but much to his horror, the alien guard caught on and reacted almost instantly. A metal hand lashed out at the unicorn after only a few steps, catching the pony’s mane in a vice like grip and wrenching him back.
Shining could hear Haze’s pained yelp as he was thrown to the ground. The guard captain’s eyes widened in fear as the alien raised its weapon, pointing it directly at Emerald Haze’s head. Their prisoner was dead, and Haze had tried to escape.
They were going to execute him.
“Hey!” The Royal Guard captain cried, flaring his horn up with his magic. He lowered his head in and fell into a charge stance, glaring at the bipeds. The aliens stopped, and looked back. Shining immediately felt his courage under attack as the helmetless alien’s small eyes locked onto him.
The alien leader grabbed its helmet, putting it back into place atop its head. Any sign of emotion was hidden by the black mask of death. Shining briefly wondered if the reflective visor was in place so their enemies could see themselves in their final moments. A last act of terror by these horrifying monsters.
A spear arced over the courtyard, striking one of the bipeds. The black armoured alien staggered back, but seemingly only out of shock rather than the force of the spear’s impact, as the missile bounced off its armour as it would a stone wall. Shining gaped in horror. Any anger he had for the sudden attack was quickly overwhelmed by his fear. This was it, the fighting had begun.
More projectiles were launched through the air, each failing as miserably as the last. Even the bolt of green magic merely splashed off the alien harmlessly. The aliens backed up, weapons at the ready.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The shots echoed throughout the courtyard. The pony’s attacks ceased as many dived for cover, eager to get out of sight of the alien monsters. Shining jumped at the sudden noise, his eyes immediately locking onto their source.
An alien soldier held his weapon up high, pointing it into the air. The rest of the soldiers would have easily passed off as statues if one took a quick glance, as they remained rigid whilst the ponies trembled in fear. There was a tense silence in the courtyard, and Shining gulped loudly. He turned to one of the guards next to him. “Make sure everypony holds their fire. That was too close.”
The guard nodded, rushing back to their lines in as least threatening manner as he could.
Shining took a deep breath. Somepony had to do something before they attacked again. He doubted the alien’s patience was infinite, so he steeled his nerves and prepared to confront the alien leader directly and ask for Emerald’s return. He prayed they wouldn’t kill him.
He took a single step when something caused him to stop. The aliens were stirring, looking around frantically. Shining followed their gazes, his eyes coming to rest one of the biped soldiers. The black clad creature was crouched behind a wooden bench, but something was wrong. The weapon had fallen free of the biped’s grasp, and it appeared to tremble on the spot. Then Shining saw the smoke.
Without warning the biped erupted into a column of fire, incinerating the bench and setting the nearby tree alight. In his peripheral vision the unicorn could see a faint orange glow on one of the balconies.
The aliens didn’t hesitate, and the courtyard was enveloped in the thunder of their weapons. Shining’s ears flattened against his skull as they were bombarded with a storm of screams and explosions. He turned his head at the alien leader. The biped’s arm reached up behind its head, pulling free the weapon attached to its back. In a single smooth movement, Shining found himself looking down the barrel of the alien weapon.
The air tingled around him, and his senses were suddenly overwhelmed by magic. The alien weapon flashed just as it faded from view.
All Shining could feel was pain, and all he could see was pink.
*
“They’re invincible!” a stallion to Starry Night’s right cried as his spear bounced off the armour of a nearby biped.
The unicorn mare hurled her own spear, the tip glinting in the light as it raced towards its target. With a loud clang lost in a storm of similar noises, it struck an alien in its shoulder, ricocheting back and clattering to the ground. The alien’s could repel a guard’s attacks effortlessly.
“Stay calm.” She ordered, “Their armour is too strong, so we’ll have to try something else.”
“Like what?”
Her eyes quickly scanned across the courtyard. The aliens held their fire for the moment, but for how much longer? Under the closest of the courtyard’s two trees the mare spotted an alien crouched low behind a bench. Its weapon was held high, sweeping back and forth across the line of guardsponies on the castle side of the yard.
“See that one by the tree? On my mark vent as much heat into the area around it as possible.”
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Starry Night’s ears flattened against her head as they were attacked by the sudden noise. She jumped back out of fear, crouching low behind the rails of the balcony that overlooked the courtyard. The four other unicorns, two either side of her, did the same.
They were attacking.
“Do it! Now!”
Her magic reached out to the courtyard below, into a forest of unfamiliar voids amongst the world’s magical glow. In an instant she locked onto the void by the tree, an empty space under the warm lights of the tree’s life. It was an unnatural sight.
Pushing her energy into a spell, she began to pour as much heat as she could manage into the tiny area around the void. Beside her, she could feel the other unicorns doing the same, all of them giving it everything they had.
The biped shaped void began to writhe, its weapon falling from its grasp. It was working. Opening her eyes, Starry saw an explosion of flame under the tree, flaring out and engulfing the bench and the plant. Flames licked at the biped’s armour, cooking the beast inside.
BAM!
The railing in front of the unicorn exploded into debris, cutting off her spell and sending the pony reeling backwards.
“Get back!” she cried.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Something splashed on her white coat, and she opened her eyes to see red on her muzzle, and more on a white and gold mass that lay still next to her.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Screams filled the air, along with more thunder. Starry peered over the edge of the balcony. Aliens held their weapons up, flashes of bright yellow and orange punctuated by the thunderous noises erupting from the ends of them. They edged back toward the large airship, some turning and running inside when they came close enough.
The second and third airships hovered upward, casting shadows the size of several wagons over the courtyard and structures around.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
The sounds was even louder that the alien soldier’s weapons. Under the noise of dozens of metallic explosions, the courtyard was ripped apart under the fury of the airship’s automatic cannons. Chunks of stonework were hurled into the air in clouds of dust as guards retreated inside the relative safety of the castle.
“Get inside!” Starry screamed over the chaos.
The remaining unicorns on the balcony reacted instantly, rushing indoors. Starry struggled to rise to her hooves, but felt a magical grasp around her tail, and she was pulled across the balcony and into the castle.
And the shit hits the fan, but I suppose you already guessed that this was going to happen.
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