//------------------------------// // Totally original idea // Story: The Wayfaring Strangers // by BiasedAmerican //------------------------------// After a few minutes of travelling and multiple ponies following the trio in a subtle way, Tankery and Soviet finally noticed that they were being followed so they picked up the pace after leaving the train station, with Starlight leading them. As they finally reached a house, Soviet realized. "Wait, Starlight. Just in case if I say 'Baghdad', you respond with 'Desert Storm. Got it?" Soviet asked as he looked towards Starlight. Starlight nodded and Tankery knocked on the door 3 times. "Who is it?" They heard a voice coming from within a house. "It's me, Starlight." She answered. "Oh, Starlight! Wait hold on.." the voice said as locks from behind the door can be heard bring unlocked. The door opened and it revealed to be a tall pony wearing some kind of carnival themed suit. "Hi Starlight! Uhm... Who are your guests?" He asked. "Oh right! Guys, this is Flim, and Flim, this two are Soviet and Tankery. They're the 'strange creatures' this side of Equestria was hearing about." She answered. "Oh! Well welcome to our establishment. As you've heard, I'm Flim, my brother is Flam. We're happy to assist you in whatever you need." Flim introduced himself. "Well, that's good to know. I'm Soviet, nice to meet you. We do need your help though." Soviet replied. "Oh? How so?" Flim asked. "Well, we need you to make this. Equestria is in trouble and we need it to be made quickly." Tankery answered. Tankery then gave him a blueprint. Flim took the blueprint by using magic to levitate it to him, he read it and he said "The... M3 Bradley, with what it looks like, this must be very important. We'll be getting to work on this." "Good, get going. Meet us in Canterlot in the vehicle, we'll handle the rest." Soviet said. "Got it, go save Equestria. We'll bring this in within 2-3 hours. Good luck you two!" Flim said as the trio left to Canterlot. "Who was that?" Flam said in the background. "Oh, it was those mysterious creatures we were hearing about. And now we have something to make!" Flim said excitingly. The trio arrived on a train station with a train ready to head to Canterlot, with Starlight's influence, the conductor gave her a free ride, also with Soviet and Tankery. "How kind of the conductor to let us ride for free. Probably because we don't have money." Soviet said. "Well, probably because you two are special, and we need to get to Canterlot fast." Starlight said as the train started. "Fair enough. But also, I do have a question. Does Our Town exist here?" Soviet asked. "Uhm.. touchy subject, but I was overthrown by the town for being 'too soft'. The elements of Harmony made me see my ways and here I am. But I must let you out on this secret, Twilight was thinking about opening a school of friendship, and I think I'll become a teacher or an aid." Starlight explained. "Oh, nice. I think I'll want to help out in the school. Tankery?" Soviet looked towards Tankery who was asleep on a seat. "Well... But I nominate him to help you." Soviet said. "Why thank you, and I'm hoping Twilight doesn't go overboard with the rules and such." Starlight thanked. "Don't worry, I'll keep her in check by telling on Celestia." Soviet chuckled. "But I'll keep her in check and if things go south, I'll call you and the elements to calm her down." "Thank you, but also. I feel like we're forgetting someone..." Starlight said as she scratched her chin. "Yeah! Me!" Elta said in a pissed voice as she rose up from the seat to reveal herself. "Yeah! I've been following you guys since you left the castle, I've been hiding because everyone started to act different! Besides Pinkie." Elta explained. "Ah! There you are." Soviet said as Elta gave him a pissed look, locking Soviet in position as she gave off Asian mother energy levels of mad. "Uhm... So Canterlot... Starlight and Elta, go and search for Discord or wherever everyone else is locked up. I'll give you both something so we can talk from long distances." Soviet suggested. "C'mere." He said. Elta and Starlight stood in front of him, wondering what he was talking about. Soviet then did a hand gesture to tell them to keep still, and he placed a small microphone headset onto Starlight and a big one for Elta. "What are these?" Both of them asked. "It's complicated, but it basically does this from long distances," Soviet backed away and turned on his radio saying, "Test, test." The reaction from the two were priceless, their jaws dropped in surprise and shock. "Pretty cool, huh? So just say that you need help and where you are if you need me or Tankery to head to you." Soviet explained. "These are pretty cool!" Elta yelled in excitement as her eyes opened wide and she jumped. Soviet became embarrassed as he looked around to see no one else was on their train car. "Alright. We should be able to see Canterlot from here." Starlight said. Soviet ran to the nearest window and opened it, he stuck half of his body out just to see Canterlot, it was in.... Cupcake and colorful ruins. But what could also be seen was a cloud of black flying into Canterlot. No one knew what it was until they heard a window crack and something land. "Oh shit!" Soviet screamed as he turned around to see multiple Changelings crash into the windows and running towards them. Soviet pulled his M16 and fired single shots into the oncoming Changelings. He looked over to Tankery to see if he was awake and he was very well awake. Tankery stopped a changeling charging at him by putting his foot onto it's face, he then quickly moved his foot to bend and eventually crack the changeling's horn, making it scream. He then aimed and pushed the changeling head's back with the tip of his MP5 and unloaded half of his magazine into it, and firing onto the other changelings. "Duck!" Screamed Starlight as she fired a magical shot to a Changeling that was climbing the chairs to jump onto Tankery. Tankery rose back up and nodded to her and hitting a changeling in the face with the butt of his MP5. Soviet ran out of ammo so he attached a bayonet at the last changeling who was also charging at him, charging his horn to fire. The changeling fired and Soviet just merely dodged it as it went by his torso, the changeling kept running but Tankery put his feet out into the opening, making the Changeling trip and it's head being caught by the bayonet. Elta was trying to hold in her lunch as Starlight tried to look away. "Well, that's what they sent against us? That wasn't so bad." Soviet said. "Ugh, I need to go back to sleep." Tankery stated. "Yeah no, we're almost to Canterlot anyways. Elta, get in the air and scout for us." So it ordered. Elta flew out of the cart from the door while she still tried to keep her lunch in. "Well, that's settled. Starlight, me and Tankery will make our way to the castle. You go scout for us." Soviet ordered. Starlight nodded and once the train stopped and the doors open, the three ran out, but only Tankery and Soviet ran towards a dark alleyway for cover as Starlight ran in the open streets. As the two stopped to rest, they were hiding near a building and in front of them was a huge opening. Soviet looked up and spotted the castle, he pointed it to alert Tankery. Tankery saw and he also noticed that everyone was going about their business as if nothing happened. He moved his head towards them to show Soviet, but both of them had no idea if they were Changelings or not. But just as they were going to run under the shadows, a bystander was passing by them and noticed them. "Hey! It's the strange creatures!" She yelled. Soviet and Tankery shushed her but everyone noticed them now, and they all started to stare at them. So the duo ran for it. "Anything coming up?" Soviet asked on the radio. "Nothing so far.. wait! There's a group of Soldiers heading your way, they're using changeling gear but they're ponies, probably Changelings!" Elta yelled as she circled above. "T-thank you. Just please don't tell into the radio." Soviet said. "Well that's what you get for forgetting me!" She screamed. "That's fair." Starlight interrupted on the radio. "Alright. Let's ambush the coming troops." Soviet ordered. "Elta, where are they?" "Just a street behind you! Brace!" She yelled. "Ow! Tankery, go move your ass towards there." Soviet pointed to a bush on the other side of the street. As Tankery dove into the bush, the squad of Changelings were running past them, Soviet said on the radio, "Open fire." A mere second after his order, the street lit up with gunfire, with Soviet's M60 and Tankery's MG-3 mowing down the changeling squad. "Hold your fire!" Soviet yelled as he stood up, raising his hand. "Clear!" Tankery yelled in response as he too got up. "Enemy squad clear, Starlight, report." Soviet ordered on the radio. "Uhm... I found where everyone is, it's in Canterlot Castle, and you're not going to like this but... I've been captured." Starlight sighed on the radio. "And they're holding spikes and swords at me!" She screamed as the radio cut out. "Shit! Everyone, converge to the castle, we need to move before the Royal Guard tries to arrest us for thinking we murdered their own men. Move it!" Soviet yelled on the radio. Tankery and Soviet sprinted to the towering castle that casted a big shadow over Canterlot. As they stopped sprinting, they stopped in front of the two big doors after the stairs, and they saw Elta waiting for them. "Oh hey guys!" She cheerfully said as the door opened slightly and she was pulled into it. Soviet and Tankery ran to the door, stopping it from closing, Tankery saw the Griffon holding Elta hostage and he raised his newly spawned M4A1 and fired a single shot into the head. "Nice shot." Soviet said as he ran past him patting Tankery's back.