Chapter 7
“Eyes up people,” Willoughby said. “That’s where we can expect trouble from.”
Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Vinyl Scratch, Willoughby and Cutting were walked through Whitetail Wood, dividing their attention between the path ahead of them, and the sky above.
“They usually only come out at night to harass us, trying to get us to make a mistake so they can swoop in and nab us without a casualty on their side. Airborne infantry are trained to engage at range. These guys? They like getting in close so they can use the blades,” Willoughby said, pointing at the long, incredibly sharp looking blade that ran alongside the barrel of the gryphon rifle, extending out a few centimetres. “Of course, this means that a good shot can hit them while they’re charging. We should thank the gryphons for designing a weapon that can either be a gun, or a sword, but not both at the same time.”
Cutting chuckled, causing Willoughby to raise an eyebrow. “And I thought you commando types didn’t have a sense of humour.”
“Talk to Captain Blackthorn, then consider that line of thought again,” Cutting said.
Up front, Vinyl Scratch was walking with the fillies, levitating the Officer’s pistol above her head, keeping a look out for any signs of trouble.
“If yer friends with Twilight an’ all them, how come we ain’t never seen ya before?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Well, really I’m only friends with Twilight and Rainbow Dash. Haven’t had the opportunity to meet their other friends, haven’t stuck around town long enough for that,” Vinyl said.
“How come?” Scootaloo asked.
“Never did like staying in one place too long,” Vinyl said. “Never lived anywhere more than a year when I was your age.”
“How come?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Dad changed jobs a lot,” Vinyl said.
“How come?” Scootaloo asked.
“Most of the time, he’d get fed up and quit, or would get fired for not showing up for days on end, said that they were beneath him, drove mum insane. We moved to Manehattan and when it came time for dad to lose his third job and become un-hireable. He said “We’re moving to Fillydelphia pack your things.” Well I packed my things all right, but I told him flat out, ‘I ain’t going to Fillydelphia.’ So I went out and started living on my own. I was probably... two, three years older than you are right now.”
“How come ya didn’ go with him?” Apple Bloom asked.
Vinyl smiled brightly at the two fillies. “You cats ask a lot of questions don’t ya? Truth of the matter was, I didn’t need my parents, I made my own money, bought my own food, cooked for myself, did my own laundry. So I stayed, got into a bad crowd. Made a bunch of money in a way I’m not proud of. Eventually started DJing at a club, got popular, made a bunch of money. Did things with that money I’m not proud of. Realised I was wasting my life, cleaned up, wandered a bit, Met Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash, and then five months after that, here I am, walking through Whitetail Wood, with two curious fillies and two kangaroos with guns... any more questions?”
“Are you crazy?” Scootaloo asked.
Vinyl Scratch merely grinned. “Indubitably!”
...
They were a hundred metres from the edge of Whitetail Wood.
“Anyone else feel that this has been way too easy?” Cutting asked.
“Oh yeah,” Vinyl said, looking up, keeping the officer’s pistol pointed towards the sky.
“If they plan on jumping us here, then they’re making a big mistake, they’ll hear the gunfire all the way in Ponyville,” Willoughby mused.
“Who’s going to do what?” Scootaloo asked.
It was at this point that the older members of the group had remembered that they’d been trying to keep the knowledge about the gryphons a secret from the children. The last thing they needed was for them to panic.
They didn’t have time to answer. Cutting turned his Austin upwards and pulled the trigger. Silenced submachine gun fire filled the air, and a gryphon fell from the sky.
Four more gryphons were diving at them, bladed rifles pointing down.
Willoughby pulled the trigger on his rifle.
Bang!
The bullet went through the gryphon’s wing, sending him toppling to the ground.
Vinyl leapt on top of the fillies, trying to shield them from the gryphon’s attack, she fired the officer’s pistol into the air, not necessarily trying to hit anything, just making noise, and praying that someone in Ponyville would hear it and come to their rescue.
The two gryphons that were left dodged and weaved between submachine gun fire, Cutting used his ammo sparingly, knowing that the minute he had to reload would be when they charged him.
Click!
The gryphon dive-bombed Cutting, ready to slash at the kangaroo commando with his rifle, Willoughby, acting quickly pulled the trigger on his rifle; the gryphon’s head exploded, and splattered gore over Apple Bloom and Scootaloo’s faces.
Clearly, Vinyl’s call for help had been heard, they heard a low rumble and through the trees, as M3 Light Tank 105 crashed through the trees, catching the last of the gryphon artillery platoon off guard as he was cut down by the hull mounted machine gun.
Sergeant Tebbs popped his head out of top hatch. “Bloody hell! What was that all about? And what happened to Manehattan?”
“There are children here sergeant,” Cutting said.
“Who are you?” Tebbs asked looking at Cutting.
“Lef-tenant William Cutting! No. 38/42 Commando,” Cutting said plainly.
“Commandos?” Bloody Hell! Tebbs called out.
“Children, Sergeant,” Cutting reminded them. “Children who have been traumatised by what they’ve just seen.”
Vinyl got off Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, who were shaking horribly, disgusted by the blood covering them.
...
Vinyl, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Cutting were sitting on the back of the tank as it drove back into Ponyville, Willoughby had since rejoined his crew on the inside of the tank.
Applejack and Big Macintosh were walking along the high street as the tank passed; Applejack looked up, seeing Apple Bloom riding on the back of it.
“Apple Bloom!” she called out, galloping after the tank.
“Stop the tank sergeant!” Cutting ordered.
“Where ya goin’ with mah sister!” Applejack said angrily. “Apple Bloom didn’ ah tell ya not to talk to them kangaroos!”
“Ahem,” Cutting said clearing his throat. “You have a problem with kangaroos miss? If so, then get stuffed, four kangaroos just saved her life, and her actions probably saved the lives of everyone in town.”
Applejack’s eyes narrowed in confusion. “Wha?”
“Hospital, Tebbs,” Cutting said, tapping the tanks turret, it rolled off back towards its destination, the clinic.
...
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were cleaned up by Nurse Redheart and given a private room where they could rest in, physically, they were fine. But mentally was another story.
Nurse Redheart was the senior nurse on duty, but they didn’t have anyone trained in psychology, for that, they needed someone from Canterlot to come down at speak with the children. Nurse Redheart considered herself lucky that she’d gotten somepony on such short notice.
“They’re only children, I don’t know how bad they are, but since I’m not qualified, I didn’t want to try,” Nurse Redheart explained.
“No, no you did the right thing, don’t worry! I’ll be gentile!” said a stallion’s voice. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were not able to see him since the adults were out talking in the hallway.
A pitch-black earth pony doctor in a white coat entered the room smiling at the two fillies as they lay in their beds.
“Hello, I’m Doctor Nightcaller. I’m from the Royal Hospital in Canterlot. Nurse Redheart has asked me to come down and speak to you; I certainly hope that’s all right.”
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo nodded.
Nightcaller smiled warmly at the children. “Excellent! I think we’re going to get along just fine.”