//------------------------------// // Chapter Six : Preparation // Story: Defenders Assemble // by Maxis122 //------------------------------// Defenders Assemble Chapter Six : Preparation By Maxis122 Another bolt of magic smashed into it’s target, followed by another one in quick succession. Twilight then charged up another blast and fired it too at the target. Laying on a seat behind her was Max, who was busy reading a book about the systems that were being using in the base. Both were fully occupied by their current tasks. Where Twilight was learning new combat magic and trying to get stronger, Max was using his intelligence to learn about the new world of technology around him. For a second Max looked up from his book at Twilight, and then quickly to the target that she was firing at. So far Max had noticed that she was only firing at one spot, mainly because she was getting her stamina up. Max then placed the book aside and came to his hooves, walking over to Twilight as he did. He then stood alongside her as she fired another bolt of magic at the target. He watched the magic spark from her horn and then condensed into a bolt of magic. As the power came to its peak it shot away from her horn at speed and hit the target. Max shrugged and then walked over to the control panel, examining the many features that it had. “Do you mind?” He asked as he pointed at the control panel. Twilight shook her head, “Not at all. What are you planning on doing?” “Giving you a reactions exercise” He said as he pressed a few buttons and moved a couple of entities on the screen. “Sounds interesting” Twilight said as she watched Max work at the panel, “I guess you found that book interesting” Max looked up from the panel for a moment and looked to Twilight, “Yeah, it’s just so fascinating that there is all of this stuff. Yet, none of it has been released to the world” “They probably had their reasons” Twilight pointed out as she then turned her attention back to the range. “Twilight” Max then suddenly said as he finished what he was doing on the control panel. “Yeah” Twilight replied, turning her head back to Max. “Mind if I ask you a question?” Max asked. “What do you want to know?” Twilight responded. “You said you knew what it was like to be like me” Max began, rubbing his head for a moment and looking behind himself. “What exactly happened to you?” “Well, I used to live in Canterlot” Twilight started, “And I was the personal student of Princess Celestia” “Wow” Max gasped subtly. “And I didn’t have much time for friends, you see” Twilight explained, “And Princess Celestia sent me to Ponyville. She asked me to look over the Summer Sun Celebration and to make some friends, but I had plans of my own” “So, what did you do” Max asked. “I got the supervision done as quickly as possible, and thats how I met all of my friends” Twilight explained, smiling a little at the memory, “In the beginning I pushed everyone away, I felt so closed off and alone. But when I let others help me - I found the magic of friendship” “Friendship...” Max mumbled the alien word, letting Twilight continue. “So I know what its like be in a world of fear, with no one to look out for you” Twilight concluded, “And that’s how I understand what situation you’re in” “That’s quite a story” Max admitted as he then turned to the control panel, with his hoof over the start button. “Maybe you can tell me your story one day” Twilight suggested as she got ready. “Maybe...” Max repeated as he pressed the button. Twilight then snapped her head to the target range, on complete alert. For a few seconds nothing happened as the lights dimmed down and a low tone sounded. Suddenly a target popped up, which caused Twilight to shoot a bolt of magic at it. The purple magic lit up the surroundings and collided with the target, throwing it down again. Another target popped up on the other side of the range, which got the same treatment from Twilight. And as others popped up, they got hit by the powerful magic bolts. Each time a bolt hit the target, Max did not flinch or look away from the target. The entire time he looked at the magic sparkle and glimmer as it achieved its goal. He began to think about what Twilight had said. Having friends and ponies to look out for you. The idea seemed alien to him, but it was possible. Another low tone sounded to show the end of the exercise, Max let out a smirk as he looked at the result. Nodding and being pleased with the result, he walked back over to his chair. “How did I do?” Twilight asked as she walked over to the control panel. “Perfect” Max answered. “In easy mode, that is” Twilight looked back to him, with a challenging look on her face. “I can do harder” She boasted. “You sure?” Max replied, looking her with an equally challenging look. “Let’s go up a level then” Twilight said as she turned back to the target range. Max walked back over to the control panel and pressed a few more buttons. Whooves stood with Luna in a prep room, created for the sole purpose of getting the team equipped and sent out. All of their repaired and polished equipment would be presented in the room so that they could get ready at a moments notice. As the team was brand new, everyone was still training and getting gadgets and devices made for them. Depending on what they did, was what they got. “Think they're ready to see it all?” Whooves asked Luna as he observed the room, and its main package. “I think so” Luna replied as she nodded back at Whooves. Pressing the side of his headset, Whooves spoke into it. “Calling all Defenders, please make your way to the Mission Prep Room” Whooves said clearly. After a few seconds, he got his responses. “Roger” He heard the voice of Max, with Twilight in the background. “Got it” Derpy also replied with Lyra talking in the background. And after a few minutes the members made their way to the room and stood in a line in front of Luna and Whooves. “Why are we here?” Lyra asked, looked around the new room. “As you are now part of the team, you will need your new suits” Whooves explained. “Are you sure that we should be fighting in a black blazer and tie?” Twilight asked. Whooves shaked his head and chuckled. “No, not that kind of suit” He then pressed a button and four manikins raised from the ground. Each one was wearing a suit. Their jumpsuits were made of a strong black material. Soft on the inside to make them comfortable to wear. There were thick lines on the outside of them which traced the main parts of the body. The colour of these lines correspond to each of the members coat colours. The suits were near identical, but in different sizes. Strangely the right sizes for each of them. “Where did these come from” Max asked as he approached his podium and looked at the jumpsuit. The others approached theirs too, taking in what they would be wearing. “We made them, or more specifically our designer made them” Whooves explained as he walked along side the members, taking in each of their expressions. “Who is the designer?” Twilight asked, being a little intrigued by this new character. “All in good time” Luna replied. “These suits are made to defend you. The material is strong, fireproof, waterproof and most types of proof” Whooves explained as he pressed a button, and a fireball was fired at one of the suits. The impact was quick, and the suit was engulfed. But after a brief second the fire died and the suit was left behind without any damage. “We have added some features to specific suits from our research of you” Luna added. “You’ve been... studying us?” Lyra questioned, raising an eyebrow to the idea. “We have” Whooves confirmed as he then walked over to Lyra’s suit and raised the forehoof of it. “These are tasers. If you get close to something and want to paralyze it, just press these into it” “But what if I touch somepony that I don’t want to taser?” Lyra asked, looking a bit unsure about the upgrade. “Don’t worry about that” Whooves then let out a little smirk as he felt clever. “It will only activate if you are in a state in which you would need to use it. For instance in a fight, or if you are about to fight someone” “I get it” Lyra nodded as she understood what Whooves ment. Whooves then approached Max’s suit and lifted the forehoof. There was some kind of gauntlet on each of the fore hoofs. It had a diamond at the end, and lines leading back into the suit. “After you performed your power at the training session we found that we needed to make some adjustments to your suit” Whooves pointed to the diamond at the tip of the gauntlet. “We had to used diamonds to project your power, as other elements just wouldn’t do. We are on the verge of discovering a new element for this, and thanks to you doing what you did, we’ve gotten closer” “So, how does this work?” Max asked, looking at the special suit. “When you use your plasmatic power it is channeled by your suit, into the gauntlets. Therefore creating two plasma beams” Whooves explained, “And in time you will be able to control your energy” “I hope” Max added. “I know you will” Luna concluded, smiling at Max warmly. A sudden siren sounded, causing the entire room of ponies to stop their current concerns and look to the speaker. The room was left in silence as the mare spoke through the speaker. “This is a level five emergency, repeat, level five emergency” “Well, looks like you will get to try your suits out sooner than later” Whooves remarked as he dashed away, towards the small office near the preparation room. “What’s a level five emergency?” Twilight asked out in the open, not directing the question at anypony. “Well” Lyra began, “It’s an emergency that is level five” “Helpful...” Twilight sighed as walked over to her suit, seeing that the thick lines were in a strong violet. Standing face to face with the manikin made her a little uneasy, thinking that she would be wearing this in the combat zone. “A level five means that some place is being attacked by something that needs to be dealt with fast” Derpy said as she unzipped the suit from the manikin and began to put it on herself. “So, what would we be fighting?” Max asked, as he attempted to get his suit off the manikin - but then he realised that the gauntlets were holding it on. “Troll, Dragon, Ursa Minor or Major. Take your pick” Derpy listed as she zipped her suit up and then grabbed her quiver, strapping it on her back. “Sounds intense” Max remarked as he detached the gauntlets and put his suit on. “It’s just the four of us verse some giant... thing then?” Twilight pressed, as she started to let her nerves get the better of her. “Yeah” Derpy shrugged, “Problem with that?” “It’s just it doesn’t add up” Twilight explained, “Normally you would have a large amount of ponies to deal with a big thing like this. But just four of us?” “Four of the best” Lyra added. “I... guess so” Twilight mumbled. The siren then died down and Whooves began to speak down the line instead. “Alright, we’ve got a very big dragon and he is not happy. Make sure that you have got your earpieces in and stay together. You’re a team, remember that” “Where is this happening?” Lyra asked aloud, not even considering if Whooves could actually hear her. But he could, and he was hesitant at first. He cleared his throat and tried to stall by flicking through some files on the screen so that he could read it for himself. The next word that he spoke made the entire team go silent, except for Max - as he had no idea what this place was. It was only when he thought back to the files, that he then remembered one important detail. A place that was safe to them, their place. Their home. “Ponyville”