-Equus, Ponyville Crystal Castle, Twilight Sparkle-
“Okay, so things are a bit shaky at the moment, but I’m sure we’ll work them out.” So long as the world doesn’t implode in the next five days, we would be able to fix everything involving the economy crisis.
“Well I’m kind of surprised that a solution is being worked on so quickly… do you think Jaded is behind some of it?” Spike seemed skeptical about the solution being naturally occurring.
“I have no doubt that she’s played some part in helping fix things. She’s not pure evil, unless Saddle Arabia is involved. We’re still trying to get her to let go of what happened to her in the past involving the region.” I sighed and shook my head, what could I do to keep a crazy Abyssinian busy? Give Fizzle more time off with pay with the explanation to keep her favorite snuggle cat under control? “Anyway, I’ll be watching her more closely when the summit reconvenes.”
“That’s an idea everyone else already does.” Did Spike really have to be so sarcastic about it? “Not that it really helps any.”
“Yeah, Yona can’t be seeing how watching friend Jaded will stop her from doing things like Discord does.” Judging by Yona curious tone, we were just talking openly in front Yona, Silver and Sandbar without really acknowledging that they were sitting here with us.
Gallus was still currently helping Fizzlepop get the lambkin delegate out of their bunker, I only saw him for a short bit of time asking around for Maud Pie for some odd reason.
-Earth, Somewhere in Eastern California, Shred Tread Base Camp, Rev Olver Ocelot-
Okay we lost a lot of vehicles, but there was one thing we got out of it.
On the screen the news caught Leap Lamb’s actions during the battle with the Metal Gear: B.O.X. while it was active. Well not entirely everything she did throughout the whole fight, but it did show here doing something with her back to the camera and blowing the armor apart.
It was a good thing Leap Lamb wasn’t a cold blooded killer, otherwise there would be a lot more casualties.
The Metal Gear series of machines were equipped with something nuclear in some way, nuclear powered, nuclear weapons, radiation shields and etcetera. B.O.X. thankfully was using an alternative safer power source and not the micro nuclear energy plant that could have wiped out the whole city when it was destroyed.
You have to give Krei Tech credit for making the thing less dangerous after somehow getting a hold of either the blueprints or the prototype.
Still, Leap Lamb is a dangerous individual and I think we might cut our losses here with trying to kill her.
Now… now we wanted her alive, if just to find out how she did what she was capable of.
Leap Lamb didn’t have cybernetics, wasn’t using drugs and didn’t have some prior biological enhancements from the looks of it. So what were her secrets?
-South Eastern Calisota, Sabu Taj-
You try to kill an annoying super powered individual and try to take her rather unique highly sought after device, only to fail horribly.
Leap Lamb wasn’t invincible nor was she perfect, but she is stupidly tough, agile and had a sidekick that was getting exponentially stronger after the Nimnul incident in a notable way.
Strong enough that Caper Canine rammed into several missiles, mostly with what is apparently an indestructible skateboard of hers, with only minor injuries to show for it. Said same missiles were used to blow apart tanks, nobody in the news batted an eye at Caper Canine when they were focusing too much on Leap Lamb. Caper Canine is arguably just as dangerous and intelligent as her partner was.
As if it wasn’t getting bad enough that Agent Forty Seven, the world class top assassin that apparently had an interest in Leap Lamb, caused the capture of one of her teams that were all hospitalized with severe and almost lethally critical injuries.
Forty Seven’s reputation spoke for itself when he didn’t even walk within twenty feet of her team to do whatever it was he did to cripple them so badly, if he had wanted them dead then there was no stopping the guy. He wasn’t being paid to kill them, but he did target her and likely had a contract to do so.
If his calling card was getting a bullet pried out of a badly shattered shoulder that had been aimed for the heart, then Sabu had to tread carefully when it came to hunting Leap Lamb with the assassin watching her movements.
Even further we now had information on the incidents involving the merry band of idiots, the Shred Treads and their attempts to kill Leap Lamb outright. They weren’t having any luck either.
I had to find out about them after my mercenary groups ran across them, they were too well-funded to be a normal mercenary military group.
You’d think after all of this trouble that I would simply just give up…
Not a chance!
I don’t care much about the device anymore, which would be a victory lap and a feather in someone’s cap. Leap Lamb needed to die and I wanted the notoriety as the one who accomplished it on the principle of the matter.
I logically knew a sunk cost fallacy when I saw one, but I was still going to do it if it took every last bullet I could get to do so!
How much would it actually take to bring down Leap Lamb? From the information we’re getting off of the Shred Treads, explosions have less effect than just shooting her and it’s hard to hit her when she’s actively moving at full speed.
Also we don’t know where Leap Lamb currently was or where she was going, but she would definitely abandon the San Fransokyo area.
I could try and take out a member of Big Hero Six. Despite appearances of goofiness and the friendly dispositions they give off, they weren’t to be trifled with. Bazooka Bunny in particular was one of their most dangerous members and she was the least threatening overall in terms of combat applications, most of which were strictly not lethal and capture oriented.
I shuddered to think what that rabbit was capable of if she were to suddenly go lethal.
Getting helicopters on such short notice was becoming a problem, at least I still had my courageous cougar pilot. Probably the only person I wouldn’t backstab at the rate things are currently going.
-China, Kunlun Mountains, after lunch, Shanty-
So I be spending my time scouting things at a distance with Mopsy, we were staying well away from the day guard and enjoying some minor tourists attractions a distance away from the Panda King’s region in these mountains.
We weren’t going into a valley or near any avalanche zones given what the Panda King actively be doing with his fireworks around here.
Last night’s raid was to make sure the Panda King knows we’re here, apparently he has something called Flame-fu. I’d like to see how it compares to my Cut-lash style when I’m countering with my blasts of water.
Still, Sly deserves the first crack at him as Panda King did burn down Sly’s childhood home. I not be liking Panda King much, he be starting off poor, does he not know what he is doing when he’s hurting people who were just like him once upon a time? He is putting people out of their homes and is a powerful influence in this region, becoming like that which he was said to once dislike.
I not be having a home to miss like Sly, but I be greatly missing Pom, Smolder and Ocellus.
“So the fireworks factory, how are we going to deal with it? Panda King has increased guards patrols like Bentley said he would.” Mopsy lowered her binoculars, she be almost like Pom. In that she is constantly fretting and worrying over every little thing. She was a good scout, but she was not a fighter or someone who could run towards danger without a second thought to save people. “According to him, we now have an opening to strike at the holdings as the guards are spread thinly over every area.”
What’s life without a little risk eh? Mopsy didn’t mind taking a risk with actively joining the Cooper Gang and I would happily be a part of this group any day! I just can’t be a permanent member.
I still wanted to become a pirate, not a professional thief. Even so, I be learning a lot from Bentley, Murray, Sly and even Mopsy be teaching me some things she’s learned from her adventures in life. This world be just as incredible as Equus is.
“What be the simplest way to deal with a factory full of gunpowder? Well the answer be as simple as the question.” I be remembering seeing the fireworks factory Gongmen City. It be similar to one here in the mountains of Kunlun from little I saw. “We be lighting a fire in the right place and will set things up for a series of big colorful booms. We still be needing room for us and any guards to escape, Bentley will be knowing how to do this without anyone getting seriously hurt.”
“Are my sound receptacles burning? Shanty, just the goat I needed to see, after we’re done with the Panda King here, we can get you to Pom. She’s going to meet up with Ocellus and Smolder some time tomorrow and then we’ll try to find a meet and greet point between us.” Bentley seemed chipper as he sat down at the table with us and be spreading out the floor plans for the fireworks factory run by Panda King. Mopsy and I looked at it, it not be too complicated really. “Once we’re done here, we’ll see about flying out to say… maybe Cape Suzette where we can finally drop you off with Pom and then go about our separate ways. None of us, in good conscience mind you, wants to drag you into a fight with a giant mechanical death owl. We’ll have to confirm things through our contact Dawkins Dalmatian first, never thought I’d ever meet a dog that has an IQ level that can match superior cerebral capacity before in my lifetime. Never thought I’d meet a nearly immortal magical chicken either, but I’m starting to believe a whole lot of things. There’s still a logic to it all and well… we haven’t seen any hopping vampire mantis monsters, though China is definitely infested with them. So Spot’s charm is definitely keeping us safe in that respect.”
I felt a little sad to be hearing this, but I did be wanting to be with Pom again. Not that Mopsy was bad, she has kept me company all this time when she didn’t have to. Mopsy could have just trusted Sly, Murray and Bentley to take care of me, but she be coming all this way and even assisting them while looking out for me. She even cared for all of us by cooking when we couldn’t find another one of those funny ‘Hippo’ places to eat at. Mopsy be a friend I’d never forget… mostly because she fed me, it’s hard to forget friends who fill your stomach and your heart.
“So what do we be doing here?” I asked as Mopsy went back to looking through the binoculars, keeping a lookout for trouble. “What’s the plan?”
“Well Sly will be ‘playing’ with Carmelita and keeping her distracted from our other operations, I think he enjoys running from her far too much for his own health. At the same time we’ll all be busy procuring some specific fireworks to get him up to Panda King’s lair and opening the path forward. I know you are capable of getting up there on your own without any help with your climbing magic, but… this is Sly’s thing and we really don’t want you to do this alone after that whole scare with Mz. Ruby almost drowning you in a swamp.” Nodding to Bentley, I be understanding Sly needing to confront this guy like he confronted the others of the Fiendish Five and they all be worried about me being able to handle myself. “That and Panda King has size, weight and a comparable combat ability that allows him to mystically light his paws on fire. Magic fire from what I’ve read can be pretty bad and permanently scarring. Sure you have short range magical water blasts and can even walk on water after an unusual interaction with the water safety page of the Thievius Raccoonis, ultimately proving that Sly’s family has magical attributes to them, but I don’t think you’re strong enough to be able to counter him fully or bring him down by yourself.”
“I am not going to be dumb Bentley, I just don’t want Sly to face the Panda King alone.” He be needing help and I want to be there for him. A mechanical warble came from my right and I looked up to Dodo and patted his chest with a hoof. I be learning much about having a familiar, he be a partner, a comrade pirate, my very special first mate and our bond be unshakeable. Dodo also always be willing to carry my stuff which was the best part of having him as a friend. “Dodo be wanting to help Sly and all of you too!”
“I was a little wary of Dodo at first, but he’s proven himself quite friendly and helpful numerous times, he and Murray will be working together on their own mission. We need some muscle and the both of them will be good for moving things into position to take down the fireworks factory, Dodo will be a big help with getting Murray around. You’ll be scouting the area and giving us all information of the guards movements, distract them away from those two and might have to rough up a few. Also yes, you will be the one to set off the ‘fireworks’ Shanty.” Bentley be sending me a concerned look when I grinned brightly at him. “In any case you’ll be distracting the guards so they can get through the fortified positions, you and Sly will be quite busy in a few hours so eat up, get some rest and please for the sake of my sanity be careful around Panda King’s thugs. As for what Mopsy and I will be doing, Mopsy will be the spotter for you, Dodo and Murray. I’ll be watching Sly’s progress to make sure he stays out of trouble with Carmelita… speaking of… did you really have to steal her bra Sly?”
“Hey, I gave it back… while she was chasing me. Just goes to show you that, yes, I am really that good. Plus teasing Carmelita is a sport for me.” What Sly means to be saying is that he put it back on her when he had a near close call of a point blank shock pistol blast to the face. None of be knowing how he did it either, even Bentley was completely stumped that he got the stolen bra back on Carmelita. I don’t know what a bra is for, mostly because I don’t need one as an animalistic, but it was still funny to watch the two bipeds interact in a passionate manner. “Already making plans without me I see.”
“Don’t worry Sly, you’ll definitely be in position to face Panda King and if anything happens to you then Shanty will have to get you out or face Panda King herself.” We all be fired up Bentley, this was going to be both fun and we would be doing it all for a good cause too! “Plus distracting Carmelita with Panda King’s slightly more illicit holdings will give you the time you need to face him directly. Surprisingly Panda King is running several legitimate operations, compared to all the other members of the Fiendish Five he’s the lesser evil among all of them. We will not be touching his legitimate operations and I will try to set things up so they can continue running as to not put people out of jobs.”
“Yeah, I don’t want Shanty to have to worry about me or Panda King, so I better beat him black, white and blue before Shanty even needs to get involved.” Sly sent me a smile as I laughed merrily. He tipped his hat to me with his cane. “Tonight is going to be one long night.”
“Yeah Sly, but as you can see, I’ve finally got to a point in my bulking up where I can help actually out my favorite buddies!” Murray flexed and his muscles were respectable for what he was going for, I preferred to wiry to bulky. Someone with a red tomato sized nose and was fun to hug. “Hey, something the matter Shanty?”
“No, I just be thinking of an old friend I had a crush on a few worlds back.” Hopefully I was remembered by Skunk as much as he be remembering me. “We have been lost for a while, I wonder what world we’ll end up in next or if we’ll just head straight back to Equus? There is still so much to experience, but I do be wanting to help my friends get back home to the world we come from.”
“We’ll help you figure out a way home if you’re still having problems after we’re done facing the big mechanical menace, provided that we survive him.” Bentley crossed his arms and huffed. “Now let’s get some rest, because tonight is going to be a blast.”
“See, told you Bentley would come around to the fun side!” Sly stated with cheer and I be hugging Bentley tightly, he soon joined me in hugging Bentley. “Want to get in on a group hug Mopsy?”
“Well I…” Mopsy didn’t get a chance to protest or join of her free will.
Mostly because Murray, who had successfully quietly snuck around us, didn’t need to be told twice to join in as he hefted all of us into the air and gave us a loving squeeze.
“Whoa, you definitely have gotten stronger Murray.” Sly wheezed in Murray’s arms squishing us all together.
“The Murray is ready to aid you and Shanty in the field Sly!” Murray stated loudly with a happy grin. “I’m not going to let you guys get into trouble again without someone there to do some heavy lifting.”
“That is being nice Murray, but can you please be letting us breathe?” We all be needing air and Murray be real strong to lift all of us into the air.
“Please… Murray… Bentley is turning purple… and that’s not… a natural color for him.” Choked out a distressed Mopsy as she struggled to get some air.
Murray stopped hugging us and we all flopped onto the ground in a pile, all gasping for the sweet taste of air after that hug. I be liking hugs, but even that be ridiculous.
“Oh gee, sorry guys, guess I don’t know my current strength… I’ll just have to work on that. I’ve been trying to get strong enough that I can flip the van back up onto its wheels in case it ever falls over or ends up upside down.” Murray rubbed the back of his head with his right hand. “I guess I’ve come a long way huh?”
“Murray, I seriously doubt that you will be having any problems doing that.” Bentley stated as he cleared his throat and smiled. “Now the question here is, when do we begin Operation: Fire Works?”
“Heh, welcome to the dark side Bentley.” Sly grinned. “Love the operations name.”
“Yeah we have cookies Bentley!” Murray stated with a happiness as he pointed to Mopsy eating an oatmeal cookie. She swallowed and looked at us as she motioned to the tray next to her. “We’ve always loved those and it was our first heist, the cookie jar.”
“I was the one that made these.” Mopsy stated flatly, but she still had a slight grin on her face.
“Nice talent for a person who helps run an orphanage.” Sly nodded sagely. “You’re a credit to friendly good natured ladies everywhere Mopsy.”
“Oh stop.” Mopsy blushed and waved a hoof at Sly lazily.
“I’ll be having three of those, be needing a lot of energy for tonight.” Nobody be questioning my bottomless stomach anymore, I needed the energy for my wall climbing magic anyway.
Dodo warbled and picked up a cookie with his beak before tossing it into the air…
That cookie hung in the air for me and slowly faded into being the moon.
-Outside Panda King’s Kunlun Compound-
I be looking up at the moon and looked down from cliff on the mountainside. Pom could just be floating down from here, I be having issues with that. Instead I could just roll down the mountainside like I learned to do in that Panda Village when we faced General Kai.
As for the opening distraction technique and being the entrance maker, time for the giant door busting building snowball technique!
“Are you sure this is going to work Bentley, I mean I know Shanty can do the water splash thing, but can she really apply that much magic to the snow?” Mopsy will be seeing soon enough whether or not I can do it, because I’m about to find out too.
“Shanty’s magic works really well when she’s in motion and she’ll definitely be moving alright.” Was Bentley’s confident response to Mopsy, he then said what I really wanted to hear. “Alright Shanty get us started!”
I leapt off the cliff curling up to rapidly flip forwards through the air, the sky and ground alternating incredibly fast.
Things be getting interesting when my body connected with the snow covered slope and I loosed slash of water from my rapidly spinning body and my entire world quickly became surrounded by white. The snowball building up in response to my magic.
“One hundred feet, fifty… now Shanty!” At the sound of Bentley telling me to go, I kicked with all my legs and left the center of the snow ball and kept kicking to spiral outwards. “Switching over to watch Sly, he’s made contact with Carmelita and will soon be in the process of luring her to Panda King’s illicit activities. You’ll be in contact with Mopsy from this point forward.”
I eventually used the rolling momentum of the snow boulder to launch myself high up and over the gate with my legs spread out wide, I came down and caught a tree branch which bent when I changed my downward momentum to horizontal and launched forward onto a building that I clambered up.
Hearing a massive impact, I looked down at the sight of a mass of white now covering the entrance of the guard’s barracks.
That’ll take a bit to dig through.
The giant snow boulder had continued on to slam into the gate. Upon decimating said gate, the snow boulder continued forward picking up three guards and then burst when it slammed into the nearby buildings entrance.
“Shanty is on point, Dodo, Murray, be prepared to move out when Shanty starts actively distracting the guards.” After Mopsy spoke, I hear a warbling that made me smile as I climbed to the roof. “Well shanty has already kicked things off to a great start, I feel kind of bad about sitting in a heated van watching all of this. Can I get a visual of Panda King's surrounding holdings Shanty?"
"On it!" I pulled out my binoculars and slowly swept it in a full circle.
"Operation: Fire Works has officially begun." Announced Mopsy.