//------------------------------// // Chapter 46 // Story: Hostile History // by Jest //------------------------------// “So uh, I think we should go over the plan one more time. In case Fluttershy forgot,” Rainbow Dash offered, the girl shouting over the thump thump of the helicopter blades. For a moment the back of the helicopter was silent, the six other girls looking at their friend in a mix of confusion and annoyance. Outfitted with armor, but nothing in the way of actual weapons, the group certainly didn't look like high school students anymore. Rainbow Dash wore sleek, form-fitting black military armor that lacked the many pouches of modern protective gear. What it lacked in storage it more than made up for with aerodynamics, while still storing a pair of blackjacks as well as knives. This design philosophy of prioritizing sleekness was reflected in the helmet which narrowed slightly near the nose. Pinkie Pie wore more traditional military gear, sporting a great number of pockets all over her chest and legs. Her helmet lacked the visor and built-in electronics of Rainbow Dash, eschewing the sophistication for something more protective. Like everyone else present, everything Pinkie Pie wore was colored back so as to aid them in their night mission. Twilight's protective gear was limited to a very thick, bulky armored vest while her arms were unprotected. Her helmet was also far more minimalistic, resembling more of a hat than any true precautionary covering. Dangling from her hip was a pistol, though the girl avoided even looking at the weapon whenever possible. Applejack, rather predictably, had the most armor of the bunch, though she had placed aside the cumbersome helmet for the moment. If she had been wearing it, then there wouldn't have been a single inch of skin visible under the veritable ocean of kevlar. Resembling a juggernaut from a game only Rainbow Dash had ever played, the farm girl was a walking tank. Her only weapon was a large club dangling from her hip, its spiked edges glinting in the low light of the helicopter. Fluttershy had the most equipment of the bunch, with the girl keeping one hand on a large backpack filled with medical supplies. She also had on a headset with a short antenna sticking out the back, the bulky device partially hidden beneath her helmet. The healer’s equipment was much like Pinkie Pie’s, containing many pouches, and few weapons saved for a silenced pistol. Rarity carried no firearms on her, only a portable shield that currently sat between her legs. The girl’s armor was similar to her significant others, though it lacked storage, and favored protection. Her headgear was also just as minimalist as Twilight's allowing her to see the back of the flying machine easily. Sunset Shimmer’s outlook was nearly identical to Twilight's, though the pyromancer had a sword rather than a gun. She also had foregone a helmet entirely, deciding to go with a slim headset rather than the earpieces nearly everyone else wore. Her gloved hands stopped fidgeting, and the unofficial leader of the group looked over at Rainbow Dash. “Are you sure it's not you who needs the refresher?” Sunset Shimmer asked. “You did spend most of the flight over staring out the window, or at Applejack.” “It ain't her fault I can pull this off,” Applejack declared, pounding a gloved fist into her chest. “It is true. I kinda want you to sit on me right now,” Rainbow Dash remarked. “Keep your pants on you two. We still got a long way to go,” Sunset Shimmer admonished. “Yeah yeah,” Rainbow Dash dismissed. “Just tell us the plan already.” Sunset Shimmer sighed. “Twilight, if you would.” “Absolutely,” Twilight offered, extending a hand, and conjuring a three-dimensional image of a quarry. “This is the Northridge quarry, our target location.” The image shrunk, and zoomed out, allowing several dozen illusionary helicopters to appear above her hand. “The main group will assault the central quarry, while we are to attack the communications tower,” Twilight continued. “Where they think the special access elevator is located, which we’ll be using to get down to where that jerk earth pony is hiding,” Pinkie Pie piped up. “Precisely,” Twilight declared. “Once down there we are to um, subdue him, and then extract back the way we came if possible.” “Seems simple enough. Do we know where exactly he is?” Rainbow Dash asked. “No, but with Sunset’s special connection to him, it shouldn't be difficult to locate him once we get close enough. In fact, that's the only reason we are being put on this mission, as without that they would likely never be able to locate our target,” Twilight explained. “But don't worry, I’ve brushed up on the tracking spells we’ll be using just this morning.” “Shouldn't be too difficult. This Broken Stone fellow certainly seems to have a flare for the dramatic,” Rarity exclaimed. “He didn't always,” Sunset Shimmer remarked aloud. “Heck there are a lot of things that have changed about him since I saw his memories.” “What do you mean?” Fluttershy pressed. “I mean just that. Something’s happened to him. He was utterly devoted to sticking it to Celestia yet now he's dead set on fighting us,” Sunset Shimmer declared. “None of us are aligned with her. I mean I’m the only non-earthican here.” “We are called earthlings. You’ve been watching too much Futurama,” Applejack pointed out. “It doesn't matter,” Sunset Shimmer retorted. “Well a lot can change in that time,” Twilight added. “It is more than likely been a few centuries for him. Perhaps this is some personal beef between himself and Perfect that we are just in the way of.” “I don't know, but that doesn't seem right,” Sunset Shimmer muttered. “Either way I don't think we can do much about it,” Pinkie Pie declared. “Unless he calls us out of the blue to explain his motives and tell us why he hates us so much.” Everyone present minus Pinkie Pie glanced at their phones, half expecting an unknown number to pop up. “That wasn't a prediction by the way, but could you believe it was? That would be so funny,” Pinkie Pie added. “Err anyway,” Rainbow Dash picked back up. “So after we beat this guy up, then we go help Perfect, right?” “He probably won't need it, but yeah. That's the plan,” Sunset Shimmer answered. “Are you sure?” Fluttershy pressed. “He's bringing a couple of heavy hitters, and like, over two hundred soldiers that he or his inner circle have personally trained,” Sunset Shimmer replied. “They are bringing overwhelming firepower down on Foxtrot so I think they won't need us.” “Good,” Applejack proclaimed, crossing her arms over her chest. “Bout time we squashed this bug and made sure he couldn't scuttle away to strike us again.” “I’ll just be glad once this entire debacle is over with so things can go back to whatever new normal we have these days,” Rarity muttered. “I absolutely detest having to wear something so unstylish.” “It is a night op, Rarity,” Twilight pointed out. “Yes well. We could at least be given the opportunity for camo or something. Though at least black is slimming,” Rarity stated. “You look good in anything, Rarity,” Fluttershy whispered. “Thank you, darling,” Rarity beamed. “Right, so we sneak in the back while Perfect takes out Foxtrot and his boys. Then we take out this Broken Stone fella and get out before the entire thing comes down on our heads,” Rainbow Dash proclaimed. “Easy.” “Why would the quarry collapse?” Twilight asked incredulously. “That's just how these things tend to go,” Rainbow Dash retorted. “We take out the big bad, and in their last breath, they detonate some kind of self-destruct code out of spite. Typical evil base stuff.” “I don't think this is gonna end like most of them Metroid games do,” Applejack pointed out. Pinkie Pie gasped. “You know about Metroid.” “Well sure, we had a super Nintendo back on the farm,” Applejack blushed, and ducked a bit behind the lip of her armor. “Was probably why I ended up finding out I liked girls.” “The game over screen, ha! Oh, that's hilarious!” Rainbow Dash declared. Sunset Shimmer cleared her throat. “We are getting off topic.” “Right. Now does everyone know the plan and our roles in it?” Twilight pressed. The group all nodded, or voiced their agreement in some way. “That's good because I’m fairly certain we are getting close,” Sunset Shimmer declared. “I think I can see them,” Pinkie Pie declared, the girl’s face pressed against the glass. The group all turned to the westward windows, gazing out over the seemingly endless hills and forests that surrounded them. In the distance, they could see an opening in the foliage, one surrounded on all sides by cleared lands occupied by a scattering of buildings. These structures had likely served as the camp, and service structures for the mine though were now defensive in nature. Bunk houses had been linked together, with sandbags and stone covering one side. Cranes were locked in place, their upper levels sporting ad hoc sniper nests and communication antennae. The larger buildings were completely coated in thick white stone and resembled the castles of old. Not only had the structures and equipment been altered for the purpose of combat but new hardware had been brought in. Two tanks were dug in out front of the lone entrance, their fronts and sides sporting several-foot thick barriers of rock. Other combat vehicles moved about the interior, taking a position and shoring up what defenses required it. While this happened, men, equipment, and guns were being moved along the tall walls of the improvised castle. Inside of which lay the seven friend’s targets, a large and surprisingly poorly defended structure just inside the defensive perimeter. While most defenders were positioned near the gate entrance and the closest walls, a few sat staring out at the woods on the other side. The building itself was a simple squat metal box at the base of a tall communications tower rose. Metal rose impossibly high into the sky, its slightly rusted main bulk adorned by glittering new electronics. The long straight cords of metal that kept it from falling over were spread out in three different directions, ensuring its stability. Sunset ignored the surprisingly deep quarry center and paid close attention to where they would attack. The exterior wall had a good two hundred meters of flat ground clearcut of foliage outside of it. Devoid of cover, it would be a hard distance to cross, though thankfully reaching that point wouldn't be difficult. A nearby clearing a little less than a kilometer away lay behind a small rise, allowing them to land and hopefully approach undetected. Sunset cleared her throat. “Let's go over the plan once we hit the ground once more.” “Oh good. Cus I didn't pay attention to that either,” Rainbow Dash declared. Sunset Shimmer rolled her eyes. “Alright, this is what-” A soldier armed with an assault rifle, and wearing armor stolen from a united states army base, leaned his weapon against the wall. Flipping open one of the pockets, he fished out a nearly empty pack of cigarettes and began his search for a lighter. “Need a light?” asked a voice. The man turned to see his comrade, outfitted identically to himself standing only a few feet away. He too had an assault rifle, and had no name tag, or identifying markers on his person. The only thing to differentiate him from the others was a scar that went over his right eye. Middle-aged, the other male had the bearing of a lifelong soldier, contrary to whom he was now facing. “Yeah, thanks,” remarked the younger of the two. He leaned down, and accepted the light from his companion, rising back up after his cigarette burned brightly. For a moment the man just stood there, slowly inhaling, and then exhaling before resting the burning smoke at the edge of his mouth. He was about to say something when a dull boom shook the ramparts, and he glanced over his shoulder. In the distance, across the open pit quarry, the tank positioned to the right of the gate fired. The round it shot flew off into the distance, vanishing into the forest before exploding amongst the foliage. The resulting detonation lit up enormous shapes moving amongst the greenery, shapes which vanished a moment later. “Why the hell are we over here?” the man muttered. “Because if they hit us from the back then we’re screwed, now buck up and watch the perimeter,” declared his superior. The smoking man glanced back for a second longer before turning his attention to the front. Grabbing his rifle, he held the weapon loosely in his grasp, gaze swinging over the empty patch of grass. “So uh. How'd you end up here?” he muttered after a few tense moments broken only by distant gunfire and explosions. “Saw a bunch of dead Iraqis claw my unit to pieces,” replied his companion. “Foxtrot got in contact right before I was about to be thrown in a padded cell.” “Shit. I just really liked big foot, and saw an ad,” declared the first man. “I-” his more battle-weary companion began, only to suddenly look up. “What the hell is that?” His question was answered a moment later when two bats swooped down and released a pair of grenades. The explosive devices erupted a millisecond after hitting their targets, releasing not shrapnel, but a rapidly hardening pink foam. The moment the duo began to struggle, the strange substances locked them in place, arms against their sides. “Mmf, mmf!” the soldier shouted. He tried to twist, shout or fire his weapon but he couldn't move, speak a word or even turn his head. From lips to knees, the two men were covered in a thick layer of the pink cement, restricting their movement. As they tumbled to the ground, they looked out, hoping to see their comrades running to their aid. They were disappointed to find that all but a single one of their fellow soldiers was in an identical situation to theirs. The sole remaining man not with his arms and legs bound by gum the density of cement was reaching for his radio. He didn't manage to even depress the button before a purple bolt shot from the forest, and hit him square in the chest. He swayed to the left, then the right, before crumpling to the ground, snoring loudly. He tried to look around, to find out what had happened, but without the ability to use his neck, he couldn't see much. Thankfully he got answers a few seconds later, though he also suddenly gained a dozen or so more questions in the process. As about a half dozen young girls equipped in combat gear stepped off a glowing blue staircase and onto the rampart. “You missed one,” exclaimed a rainbow-haired girl. “I’m sorry. Mister screech scraw wasn't feeling very good,” added another in a soft, half-whispered tone. “Ahh it's fine, Twilight's got it!” exclaimed a third girl whose bouncy pink hair was barely contained by her helmet. “Were lucky they’re making one helluva racket over there,” proclaimed a girl wearing what looked like a modified bomb disposal outfit. “Let's keep moving. The longer we linger, the greater the chance of someone noticing their entire eastern flank going dark,” urged a fiery-haired girl that seemed older than the rest. The younger man expected to find a gun pressed to his head but was surprised when that didn't happen. Instead, the small group passed him by, stopping only to poke a few holes in the pink concrete that encapsulated another man. With the male now able to breathe normally, they simply continued on, leaving the soldier to lay there and watch them go. Crossing the distance between the outer fortification, and the express elevator turned out to be relatively simple. There was next to no one around, and those who were spotted were clearly distracted. Be they frantic engineers seeking replacement parts, panicked soldiers searching for a superior officer, or cowards fleeing out the back. Regardless of why they were there, they were all focused utterly on their goal and didn't notice the seven girls slipping past them. From truck to ill-used outbuilding, to pile of supplies the girls moved at a quick yet not hurried pace. Within only a few minutes they had neared their target and stopped behind a now-empty barracks fashioned from a worker bunkhouse. Peering up through a window and out the other side, Sunset Shimmer scanned the building across from her. “Two on the front, two on top, two inside. Pinkie Pie, hand Rainbow Dash a gum bomb. She’ll need it to take out ones on the roof while Twilight sleeps the two closest,” Sunset whispered in a low tone. “Rarity, help where needed, while Applejack is on backup in case were discovered.” A series of quick nods confirmed that everyone understood the plan, and a pointing gesture from Sunset put it all in motion. In a rainbow-colored flash, the two snipers were swallowed by blobs of pink while a pair of purple bolts dropped the others. “Applejack you're in first, Rainbow Dash behind, Rarity on support, and everyone else, back,” Sunset Shimmer declared. The farm girl nodded, and breathed deep, growing two extra feet upon exhaling. Now only just barely small enough to fit under the door, Applejack strode forward, gaining speed with each thunderous step. With a crash she smashed through the thin, metal barrier, sending the thing flying across the room. Where the twisted hunk of steel slammed into a computer terminal mere inches from a confused man’s head. That same man found himself suddenly electrocuted into unconsciousness before he had a chance to think. His ally got only a second later before getting drop-kicked out the plate glass window by a flying rainbow blur. The confused scream lasted for mere milliseconds before being abruptly ended upon him hitting the ground. “Woops,” Rainbow Dash muttered, peering out of the fresh hole she had made. “I hope he’s still alive.” Fluttershy stood next to her friend and extended her hands in the fallen soldier’s direction. After a brief flicker of magic danced across her fingertips, Fluttershy recoiled and nodded dutifully. “He's okay. Unconscious, and with a concussion, but okay,” she declared. “That's gonna suck for him,” Rainbow Dash remarked. “So uh, where’s this elevator?” Applejack asked. Sunset Shimmer looked around the room in confusion. She noted that there were no other doors or methods of entry save for the ladder leading up and the broken window. Other than that there was just a handful of computers, a few screens, and now a whole lot of spilled coffee. “I don't know,” Sunset admitted. “It should be right where we are standing.” “Maybe there is some button or secret code that will make it pop out of the ground or something,” Rainbow Dash offered. “Ooh, and there should be smoke too so it looks all epic and stuff!” Pinkie Pie proclaimed. “We don't have time for puzzles, or anything like that,” Sunset Declared, spinning around. “Rarity, grab that guy that fell out the window. We should wake him up so he doesn't end up permanently injured, and it shouldn't take much convincing to get him to just tell us how to get down there.” “On it,” Rarity replied. The girl walked over to the window, and raised her hand, gesturing it at the male palm open with fingers splayed. A flick and twist of the wrist conjured a makeshift stretcher board under the man before levitating him upwards. In no time at all, he was brought back inside and placed gently on the ground, where Fluttershy was quick to tend to him. A nod from Sunset to Applejack had the farm girl move over to the man and place a hand against his chest. Her enlarged grip and titanic size enabled her to hold down the other human with ease. Ensuring that when he woke up a moment later he did not accidentally get up, and headbutt Fluttershy. “Who what where?” he muttered in confusion. “That doesn't matter,” Sunset Shimmer cut in. “You need to tell us how to activate the elevator.” The soldier struggled a moment later, but when it became apparent that he could not escape Applejack’s grip he gave up. “No,” he stated. “No? I don't think you understand the position your in here, pal,” Applejack retorted, squeezing his midsection. The man winced, his dark features scrunching up. “You wouldn't,” he declared through clenched teeth. “Try us,” Sunset shot back, kneeling down next to him and conjuring a baseball-sized orb of fire in her hand. “Heh, nice try but my teenagers are more intimidating than you and their only power is spending my money,” he exclaimed, his laugh turning into a wheeze when Applejack gave him another squeeze. “Look, sir. Let's just be logical here. The only way you make out of this as healthy as you are now is if you cooperate with us,” Rarity proclaimed. “Perfect will win and when he does, if you slowed us down and indirectly caused the deaths of his men he won't be happy.” “You assume much,” he muttered, an arrogant smile coming to his lips. “This is getting nowhere,” Rainbow Dash interrupted, the girl stepping forward and pulling out her knife. “I’ll start carving chunks out of him. Fluttershy, you get ready to heal him.” “Hold on a second,” Sunset Shimmer stated. The girl then took a step forward and extended a hand toward the man’s shoulder. “Look I’m sure if you understood exactly the type of person you are defending you would-” Sunset Shimmer’s speech was halted the moment her hand brushed against the man’s uncovered neck. In an instant, the world fell away, though instead of gaining an insight into the man, Sunset felt the opposite happen. Information flowed from herself into him, the soldier being forced to grasp exactly what was happening from Sunset’s perspective. Sunset tried to fight it for a moment, worried that she might reveal a secret but she knew that wouldn't happen. Her powers of empathy never revealed something hurtful or damaging unless necessary. Even now, with the world coming back into focus, Sunset Shimmer could tell that he didn't know much. Just enough to get why she needed to get down there, and incapacitate the earth pony he was protecting. “I…” he muttered before going slack. “The computer closest to the door. Open the command prompt and type activate lift three, space delta echo charlie.” Sunset Shimmer looked over to Twilight. “Well, what are you waiting for?” “I think we're all just a little confused about how you did that sugarcube,” Applejack muttered. “My empathy power. It goes both ways now and it's stronger too,” Sunset Shimmer explained. “That's super neato but I really think we should get skedaddling. Don't you?” Pinkie Pie urged. “Right,” Twilight murmured half to herself. A few swift clicks later and the metal beneath their feet began to groan loudly. The two panels of floor receded downward before parting and disappearing out of sight. Revealing a ten-foot by ten-foot metal elevator rising out from a deep, smoke-filled pit. “I told ya it would make a cool entrance,” Pinkie Pie whispered. Sunset Shimmer rolled her eyes. The group didn't have to wait long before it clicked into place after rising into view. The interior was spartan, with only a grated floor, and a rusted metal cage, it sported only two buttons. One was an arrow pointing up, the other down. “So uh. What do you plan on doing now?” Sunset Shimmer asked. “I don't know,” murmured the soldier, now free to sit up. “I guess surrender, but I suppose I should also warn you that Foxtrot was planning something big for this place. Never told anyone what exactly, but he was confident it would be able to turn the tables in our favor.” “Thanks for that vague bit of foreboding,” Rainbow Dash sarcastically remarked. “Sorry. It's all I know. Foxtrot has compartmentalized so much information I doubt anyone but he and the pony know anything about it,” the lone male muttered with a shrug. “Shouldn't we hit him with a gum grenade or something?” Fluttershy offered. “No, I don't think that's necessary,” Sunset Shimmer replied. “I won't interfere. I just wanna talk to my girls again,” muttered the man. “I think he's genuine. Come along everyone,” Rarity hurried. The group quickly assembled into the small metal cage, with Applejack pulling the door shut behind them. Once inside, Sunset Shimmer reached for the buttons when she stopped, hesitating for a moment. “It's not too late you know. There are few relationships out there that are truly unrepairable,” Sunset Shimmer offered. “I know that… I guess I just needed someone to tell me that. Good luck,” he muttered. The man then stood up and walked out the door. “What was that?” Fluttershy whispered. “Just a parent with some baggage,” Sunset Shimmer replied. A dull boom shook the entire building, causing the windows to rattle, and monitors to vibrate right off the desk they had been standing on. It lasted only a moment, but flames shooting into the air outside remained, a great torrent of fire rising into the sky less than a kilometer away. “We should… we should get moving,” Rainbow Dash muttered. “Yes. Yes we should,” Sunset agreed.