//------------------------------//
// Rescuing the Squid Sisters 
// Story: Equus' Unexpected Future 
// by Robert Emerald Fountain 
//------------------------------//

The next morning, it was time to start planning how everybody would be rescued. Twilight assembled her friends along with Ryder, Mickey, Taylor, and Lizzie in her castle’s meeting room.

“We will save Callie and Marie first, then we will save the Agents and then we will save everyone else.”, said Twilight.

Ryder looked at the locations and determined which pups would help on which rescue.

“Skye will help out with rescuing Marie and Andrew, Sally and Jerome, and Michael and Iris. The areas are open, so she can provide aerial assistance if necessary. Marshall will help to save the Agents by using water to cool down their escape pod. I say this because the topography shows that they might have landed close to a volcano. Tracker and Rex will help to save Callie and Mike because they are both experienced with rescues in wooded areas. Zuma will also help out with saving Iris and Michael since they landed in a swampy area. His hovercraft will float over any quicksand and keep him from sinking. Lastly, Everest will help to save Marie and Andrew. She is very well experienced with rescues in snowy environments.”, he explained.

“Sounds like a plan.”, said Lizzie.

Mickey said that he and his friends would decide on their own which rescues they would help with. Once the plan was finalized, everyone started gearing up for the rescue missions.

**

Everyone opted to rescue Callie and Mike first. So Taylor was a part of this group. Daisy and Donald were assisting on this rescue as well. Taylor joined Ryder on his ATV and the group set off for the White Tail Woods. Arriving at the forest’s edge, Taylor called to his parents.

“Mom, Dad, I’m here with a rescue group.”, he said.

“Taylor, it’s good to hear your voice. We are switching on a radar beacon in our pod to give our exact location in these woods. Stand by.”, said Callie.

Mike turned on an EPIRB and the radar signal started transmitting. Seconds later, Taylor radioed back that he was seeing the signal on the map.

“They are 60 yards south and 15 yards west of us.”, Taylor said to Ryder.

“I can hear the sound of their beacon, thanks to my strong ears.”, said Tracker.

“Let’s go guys. Be on the lookout for any hostile creatures. We don’t know what could possibly attack us.”, said Rex.

“That’s why I always come prepared.”, said Taylor as he prepped an ink gun. 

After Ryder had pulled out a laser rifle and set it to stun, everyone proceeded into the forest. They came across a few snakes and some timberwolves, but Ryder easily knocked the wolves out and Taylor blinded the snakes with ink. At one point, Tracker called out over radio.

“I see what looks like orange fabric tangled in the branches. It might be your parents’ parachutes.”, he told Taylor.

“Lead the way.”, Taylor replied.

Tracker led the group to a small clearing and they spotted the escape pod hanging low over the ground. Once Taylor had opened the hatch, he helped Callie and Mike to the ground before giving them each a hug.

“Good to see you both.”, said Taylor as tears came to his eyes.

“You too, Sport.”, said Mike as Taylor gave him a hug.

“Yes, you too, sweetie.”, said Callie after she kissed her son.

After Tracker expanded the seats in his jeep, Callie and Mike got strapped in while Daisy and Donald helped Ryder and Rex set the escape pod on a trailer and tow it back to Ponyville. Twilight showed Callie and Mike to a guest room in her castle while they waited for Marie and Andrew to be rescued.

**

As Callie and Michael were being extracted, Mickey and Minnie, along with Everest and Skye set off with Lizzie to save Marie and Andrew. Lizzie made sure to put on her winter coat, scarf, and snowsuit for the cold temperatures. Skye flew everyone to Mount Everhoof on her helicopter and then released Everest on her snowcat. Mickey and Minnie supplied Lizzie with a snowmobile so she could traverse the slopes with them. A snowstorm was in effect when they got into the area, so they had to put on goggles and face scarves as well. 

“Mom, Dad, this is Lizzie. We’re coming for you.”, she said over her headset.

“We hear you, Cupcake. Give us a minute to transmit our position.”, said Andrew as Marie turned on the EPIRB.

Once the location was specified, Everest called out to everyone.

“Looks like we’ve got some climbing to do when we get close. They’re up on a ledge.”, she said.

Everyone acknowledged and started riding through the snowstorm. Visibility was zero, even too much for Everest to see through, but they pressed on by using sonar until they reached a tall rockface. 

“Skye, can you fly above to see if my parents’ escape pod is at the top of this rockface?”, asked Lizzie as everyone started attaching crampons to their boots.

“I certainly can, Lizzie.”, replied Skye as she brought her chopper higher.

A few minutes later, the storm started to let up and Skye spotted the escape pod.

“I can see their safety light.”, said Skye.

“Going up.”, said Minnie as everyone fired ascension cables up to the ledge. 

Climbing up the wall was extremely hard. Wind gusts reached up to 60 MPH, and there were ice patches everywhere. Luckily, no-one’s ropes came loose and the crampons kept them from slipping. Once they had reached the top of the ledge, Lizzie knocked on the hatch to let her parents know they had arrived. Marie and Andrew quickly put on winter clothes before opening the hatch. The ledge was also at an altitude where oxygen tanks were needed, so everyone made sure to put them on before climbing and then gave one each to Andrew and Marie. Skye dropped a rescue basket from her helicopter and Lizzie helped her parents get in after getting in herself. 

Once Skye had taken them up, everyone else rappelled back down to their snowmobiles and made their way back down to the mountain’s base. After getting clear of the storm, they loaded their equipment onto Skye’s helicopter and she flew them back to Twilight’s castle. After exchanging hugs, it was time to get ready to save the remaining crew members. Callie and Marie quickly geared up to save the Agents and their parents. They knew that the rescues would not be easy, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered to them was saving everyone. They were also curious about who the other visitors were.