Chap10: Celebrations.
It was two weeks until Christmas and Julie was shopping for the right gift to give her son, still dressed in her business attire after getting off of work for her company.
She felt very tired as she walked past many loud people to get to her destination. She would rather be at home or with her son in the hospital. But she loved her son Ryan greatly and wanted to see his smile again after he had been through so much. Getting a cancerous tumor at only twelve and going through all the ordeals that followed.
During the alien attack her son had been in the hospital for his regular Chemo, but several of the ships descended from the sky and began firing all around their area and taken out the power. What was once an uncomfortable routine was now vital as Ryan had relapsed from, his tumor becoming more aggressive without treatment between the evacuation and finding another chemo center.
Julie’s cell phone rang as she walked past a jewelry store and headed to a videogame store.
“Hi, Mom.” Ryan got out before getting overwhelmed by a coughing fit.
“Oh hi sweetie, are you taking the medicine the doctor gave you? Where's your father?” she asked as she searched through a stack of game boxes.
“Dad went to get me a drink, where are you?” Ryan asked as he held the hospital phone to his ear and watched the drip of an IV, counting every drop.
“Oh don’t worry about where I am, you’re not getting any information on your present.” she said as she looked through the racks, trying to ignore some of the bloodier and scarier games as she picked up one of the two games she planned to get for him.
'Shadow team' she read silently and flipped the box over to see some pictures of soldiers in all black uniforms fighting off zombies and vampires and a caption saying something about the team finally defeating the evil terrorists who unleashed them.
“C’mon Mom, please?” Ryan said before coughing so hard he nearly dropped the phone.
“Ryan. Here, drink.” his father said before he took the phone. “Julie?”
“Yes George. Don’t worry, I haven’t told him anything. I'll be home soon to wrap the presents then I'll go to the hospital, okay?”
“Okay Julie, just don’t overdo it. Last time I needed scissors to open the damn thing.”
“No swearing over the phone,” Julie said in a singsong voice as she hung up and got in line.
Once at the front desk she made a note to try and find the name of that other game Ryan wanted. She paid in a debit card and continued outside of the store, feeling a bit uneasy as she swore some of the slobs there were checking her out.
Julie walked past many other people going by their mundane existences. She was happy with the mundane, she loved the repetition, it allowed her to master every day as it came at her.
But there are always those who aim to ruin lives and cause agony. Julie froze in place when she heard screaming and gunfire, from behind her. As she turned she was struck over the head and fell to the floor. Her mind spinning, she saw people running around before someone tripped over her.
Julie woke up several hours later in a clothing store with many other women, as one woman in plain clothes held an odd looking gun at her. She knew nothing about guns other than they kill and this one was pointed in her direction.
“Stupid spoiled whores, going about your lives fat and rich while others suffer and starve every day.” The armed woman said as she spat on the floor, her hair had been shaved off and she had bandages on her hands, due to cult of Sirius members sanding off their fingerprints.
“You all know nothing about suffering, I grew up in a shitty ghetto and. Every time I left my home all I could see where you upper-class bitches in expensive-“ She was cut off by a new voice.
“That’s enough!” A man walked in with a handgun and whispered to the woman who smiled and pointed her gun at Julie.
“You, business woman, go with the leader.” She said as the man who was apparently in charge over and pulled her up by her arm. Julie was far too afraid to resist as she was pulled her out of the store and into the main plaza of the mall. The skylight showed a glowing red hue as the sun had begun setting, all around her she could see the men planting strange glowing boxes everywhere with a large glowing tower in the center of the plaza, surrounded by bodies.
“Our sacrifice to the masters!” the leader shouted out as he held up his pistol and the others cheered when he shoved Julie to the ground before the metallic pole with strange devices on it.
“For Sirius! The true god!” a cult member shouted and the others cheered in response as the terrorist leader made sure Julie could not move. A hologram appeared above the main power conduit for the plasma bombs.
“Master, we are nearly ready and can begin the countdown as soon as possible,” The leader said as he bowed to the Master Ethereal.
“Well done, my children. Set the timer and escape from this place before the heathens can react, leave no survivors.” The master said as his holographic projector deactivated soon after.
“You heard our god! It is time. But first, one last sacrifice,” the leader said as he put a boot on Julies back and pointed his pistol at her back, aiming for her lungs.
“No please! I have a son!” was all Julie could say as her eyes filled with tears and the leader pulled the hammer back on the pistol.
“He’s just another heathen, who doesn’t deserve to live. None of you do, you’re all the same!” the leader shouted as his index finger squeezed down on the trigger and Julie thought of her son, sick and alone. She begged silently as she hoped for a miracle to see her child one more time.
The sound of a gunshot and a scream pierced the air as the leader’s hand was blown off.
Chavivi cursed himself for not having reached his firing position fast enough and racked another round into his rifle; the darkness of the mall hid him well among the fake trees he crouched behind.
“Move in!” Chavivi said into his helmet Com. He fired his second round through the insurgent leader’s throat, frightening and disorganizing the rest of the insurgents, just as he had done many times in his home nation.
“The heathens attack!” a cult member shouted before the skylight above shattered and the fragments were engulfed in a slightly purple, slightly blue aura and sent to the insurgents on the second floor, looking down at the plaza.
The Cult of Sirius members all screamed as tiny, jagged shard of glass flew at them, cutting their eyes, hands and opens mouths. They all soon collapsed dead or dying.
Trixie shivered as she stood atop the roof, looking through the skylight at what she had done, her blue face turning pale as she saw her handiwork.
“Don’t worry, they were murderers,” Ramos said as he finished clipping his Rappelling belt on and with Sato and Cotton they descended down the ropes in a triangular pattern. Landing down in the center of the plaza, they were under a small amount of fire the entire time but their Hercules armor and Nano fiber vests kept them more than safe as they fired their weapons with righteous fury and precise aim at the Sirius members.
Julie lay on the floor, shivering in fear as she rolled up in a fetal position while hiding her head in her arms, terrified of the firefight going on before her. Until just as quickly as it started, it stopped.
“Area clear, Dr. Shen, I’m in front of the main power source for the bombs, can you see through my helmet camera?” Cotton asked as he activated it and Shen watched from the Control room back at the base.
“Yes, I see it clearly. Open it up and I'll tell you what to do.” Shen said as he adjusted his glasses to focus on the holographic screen while holding a data-pad with schematics from an X-com team in China that had defused one successfully.
“Derpy, handle any injured civilians you see, Sneaky and Rock are going through the service tunnels with Jack and Lewis.”
“Okie dokie,” Derpy cheerfully said as she flew down to help with her med-bags strapped to her flanks that held four medical kits, and one muffin for herself.
“Sato, Ramos, move down and clear out any other tangos. Chavivi, you cover me, Boris, cover the entrance.” Cotton said and received acknowledgements from his entire team as he began to work on the power source.
Derpy walked noticed through the corner of her eye that a human was shivering in fear. She quickly flew over and gave the frightened human a smile.
“Hi there!” Derpy said as she took out her Med-kit.
“This won’t hurt, nighty night!” she said before jamming the needle, perhaps a bit too hard, into the woman’s arm and sent her to sleep in a few seconds. Julie would for a long time think that a SWAT team had rescued her and that in her state of shock and terror she had imagined the talking pony that looked like an internet meme. She would also forever face questions from her son who thought she was rescued by the real Shadow Team.
At the front of the building Boris was holding his ground and feeling bored, he had been left out of the last bug hunt to flush out the insurgent scum and he was again being left out now.
“They must think I am not smart enough to be part of big operations other than cutting down enemies,” Boris said to himself in his native tongue. All his life people treated him like he was a dumb muscle head because of his size. What few knew in fact was that he was a college graduate with degrees in European literature and mythology.
“I will show them, I will write a long and very elaborate letter." he commented to himself as he rubbed his chin with his thumb as his gaze went over to a cinnamon roll shop and he wondered if he could snag one.
“It wouldn’t hurt, just one bite.” he said. His heavy boots made far less noise than one would expect from such a large man, but when you grew up with a sister who loved to put you in choke holds, you learned to be stealthy.
Boris was nearly to the counter and the delicious treats were just an arm’s length away, but his quest for food was interrupted when he took notice of two figures lying on the floor. Boris had forgotten to check the entire area and report the corpses.
On the floor next to him lay a mother and her young daughter, both riddled with holes to the point he could nearly see organs.
Boris ran out of the small store faster and quieter than someone his size should be able to. His back was pressed against a wall as he reached up with his left hand to grab an Eastern Orthodox cross hidden inside his armor. Boris shut his eyes as tightly as they could go as he tried his best to get the images out of his mind.
Boris was panting hard as he tried not to think, tried not to feel anything. So much so was he spooked by the two innocents that his vitals worried the crew back in the control room. Central called him on his helmet comm to make sure he was alright.
“Boris, this is Central, what’s wrong? Your vitals are going crazy. Are you injured?” Central asked as he looked at a screen with a picture of Boris next to a heart monitor that sounded like a pinball machine.
“Nyet! I am fine, just fine.” Boris said before turning off his communicator. Finally calming down he grabbed his weapon with renewed strength and traveled down the mall’s hallways, in search of blood.
Two of the insurgents had been chased away by Sato and Ramos and were the last of the enemy in the mall.
As they ran from the X-com troopers they rounded a corner and froze before a large and enraged sentinel of vengeance.
“Das vidanya.” Boris cheerfully said, despite his teeth being clenched together, as he squeezed the trigger and fired at the insurgent’s legs first, blowing them off before he walked forward and unloaded his rage upon them. In seconds the torso of a bald female was all that was left of them.
“You are dead; it was your own fault,” he said. Boris had once been called by an enemy in a far off land, a big shaved bear with a gun. He lived up to that title sometimes.
“Commander, the entrance is secure.” Boris said proudly as he wiped his boots off on the dead body of one of the terrorists.
Cotton then smiled as he saw all the devices deactivate.
“Chalk up another victory, everyone, Sato, Ramos, did you find the hostages?”
“Yeah and apparently about five couples are deciding to name their first kids after us." Ramos managed to get out over the background noise of many survivors thanking them and showering them with blessings.
“Alright. Second team, how are the service sections?” Cotton said as he signaled Derpy to take Trixie back to the Skyranger as she had passed out on the edge of the skylight.
“This is Rock Fist, we just cleared out the last of the enemy here and found more explosives. They all seem deactivated….Sneaky! Stop poking it!”
“Central, we have all clear;. Get some medics in here for the survivors.” Cotton said as he looked around the plaza. In all the spaces were plastic plants once lay, there were bodies of innocents whose only sin was being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
“I’m sorry.” He whispered silently to himself before moving out with the rest of his team as the authorities entered.
-Crow’s nest, Central's office.
“Alright everyone, clear out. Vehicles are waiting to take you back to base.,” Central said into his headset. He sipped his coffee as he looked out through a small window in his office down at the Control room staff to see them all working, his eye was especially on one new addition who he swore he saw playing computer games just a minute ago.
All had been relatively quiet for the past month and a half as the alien incursions seemed to drop to zero. But the Cult of Sirius and a few other old and new malcontents saw it as their chance to do harm.
This most recent operation had been the third action this month against the Cult of Sirius and the council had stopped giving them money to fight against humans and the only payment they received was regular paychecks and upkeep. This came at a very bad time as many X-com facilities were using this decrease in alien attacks to train new recruits and get research and development done on many projects.
The lack of funds in North America stalled the facilities so much so that the leader of the North American X-com had had a meeting in Switzerland to negotiate the ‘gray market’. It was all fully within the X-com charter, so long as they sold to governments and not organizations, and was soon adopted by many others around the world.
“Officer Bradford,” a woman in a green staff uniform said as she stood at attention behind Central.
“Yes, what is it?”
“Sir, we've just received payment for the transfer of those Arc-throwers to Mexico and some police forces in United States. Along with the payment for the damaged UFO parts,” the female staff member said as she handed a data pad to Central, who took it and nodded, pleased.
“This is good. Thank you,” he said and handed the data pad back before waiting until the woman had left to contact Dr. Shen.
“Hello Brad, have the payments come in yet?” Dr. Shen asked as he worked on a sketch for a new weapon to give to the ponies. It was the eighth attempt he had made that day to get it right since he had to account for many different variables.
“Its Central, or Bradford, and yes they are in. You can keep working on that satellite uplink underneath the first one, build your foundry, and add the finishing touches to Vahlen’s new lab.”
“Good, she has been telling me about a project that the higher ups are sending to all X-com facilities and-“ he stopped talking when he accidentally felt his elbow bump against a cup of tea and spilled his drink on an important part of the schematic he was drawing.
The ensuing flood of angry Japanese and Chinese was so loud central pulled his ear piece out.
“Okay I'll get back to you.” Central said and hung up, feeling that he could have sworn he heard a desk flip, even though he was several levels above the engineering wing.
Central then called up Dr.Vahlen.
“Gutten tag, Bradford.” Vahlen said as she looked through a microscope at a sample of Trixie’s blood.
“Yes, Doctor, the payments have come through and you can continue your research. May I ask what exactly it is again?”
“I’m working to adapt the alien energy weapons to our own archaic versions while ensuring-“ Vahlen went off on a long scientific lecture that gave Central a headache.
“Okay, good, carry on.” He said before he hung up and rubbed his head.
-Skyranger.
“So, it’s perfectly alright that I hurt those men?” Trixie asked, still in shock over her first time using magic in combat.
“Yes, just remember, if you hadn’t hurt them they would have gone on to hurt and probably kill many more people,” Cotton said, gently petting her head, amazed at how soft her hair was.
Dammit, I hope we don’t have to hire a psychiatrist over this; I don’t want to risk any outside agents finding out about our ponies. Cotton thought to himself as the Skyranger set down in the hangar bay.
The door of the plane opened and the squad stepped out to head over to the decontamination showers.
Sneaky dropped in behind Rock and tried to hide himself from his new crush as she walked past them, on the way to her interceptor for a routine patrol.
“Boy, you need to stop this; it’s getting on my nerves,.” Rock Fist said to Sneaky when they got into the showers and removed their armor. All the males stripped down to nothing and removed their ear pieces to not short circuit them while they cleaned themselves.
Sneaky looked at himself as he washed with the cleaning fluid and felt ashamed as he slightly glanced over at the others; compared to them he felt he was ugly. Trixie and Derpy were in a female decontamination room so as to avoid any misunderstandings.
“Eyes to the wall.” Rock said, in Equine as he finished letting water run into his mane and wash out the De-con soap.
“Yes, sir.” Sneaky said and moved with all the others to finish redressing.
-Locker room.
Inside the locker room Sneaky looked at his fur, it was now almost as blue as his mother’s and there wasn’t a hint of the dye he had on before. His mane had changed color though, getting slightly bleached to the point an average person would not tell the difference between it and white.
“Alright everyone, good job today. I’m proud of you all. Rest up but be on alert as always,” Cotton said to the group, dressed in a light green shirt with the X-com logo on the front and some black and grey camouflaged cargo pants. The group responded in various ways before heading out, with the ponies staying behind.
“These shirts are comfy,” Sneaky said as he slipped on a large shirt similar to the one Cotton and the other on duty combat personnel wore. Only the pony versions had been stretched and modified so that they hung loose and low, covering up the pony’s modesty, though Derpy tended to trip over them.
“They’re not so bad; I like them because they keep me warm out there,” Rock said as he slipped his helmet into his locker and closed it with his back hoof before walking over to the exit, with sneaky joining him.
“Sarge, want to go up to the exercise room and run with me?” Sneaky asked as he trotted along next to him.
“No, I’m tired. I think I'll sleep for a bit and see you later. Besides, I’m pretty sure you use your wings to run faster,.” Rock said with a smile before taking a hallway to the Barracks.
“How did he know?” Sneaky asked himself before taking a path over to the lounge and up a flight of stairs to the exercise room. At the moment the room was not very busy, with just one of the science lab members doing pull ups and Boris lifting weights while he looked at a letter.
“Hi, Boris,” Sneaky said as he glided over to the heavy weapons man and hovered next to him.
“Hello, Little Pegasus,” Boris said to Sneaky but seemed pre-occupied.
“Are you busy? I was hoping someone could run with me,” Sneaky asked as he lowered himself onto the bench next to Boris and tried to imitate the way he sat.
“Dah, reading letter from sister, busy right now,” Boris said as he read the letter from his sister Lyudmila Andianov. She had made herself a credit to the X-com team in Russia with her sniper skills that were so good she had gotten a nickname, 'the snow queen.'
“Okay, I think I might try the running machine then.” Sneaky said as he flew away and landed on a treadmill.
Sneaky spent the next fifteen minutes trying to figure out the treadmill until by some luck he activated it and began running at a gentle pace. Sneaky ran for nearly an hour and failed to notice as he was the only person there until a female form entered the room and took a place on the treadmill next to his.
“Excuse me,” She said as she passed by and placed a bottle of water in a cup holder on the treadmill and placed a small book on it before starting her run.
Chelsea never really liked running and would prefer to be near her interceptor. But she was really curious about these ponies and wanted to see one up close.
oh my Celestia! Its her, the pilot.’ Sneaky shouted in his mind as he ran along the treadmill, feeling sweat run down his brow. He had no idea what to do and felt like he was going to throw up.
Chelsea continued her run, sneaking a glance at the pony’s wings every so often. She was so fascinated by what it would be like to fly with them rather than a machine.
‘I wonder if he is thinking the opposite?’ Chelsea thought as she recounted how many times she had seen the reflection of Sneaky in her arcade monitor. So far he had been the only male on base to even glance at her for more than was necessary. Chelsea thought it was because he was working up the courage to ask to see the inside of her interceptor.
Just then sneaky let out a yelp as he tripped over his own hooves and slammed face fist into the treadmill belt before being rolled off.
The world was all darkness and echoes for a few moments as Sneaky opened his eyes and saw a red haired angel above him.
“Hey, Sneaky, can you hear me?” Chelsea asked, to which Sneaky nodded with the dumbest grin on his face before getting on his hooves.
“You really hit hard there.” Chelsea said.
“Oh don’t worry, I can handle worse.” Sneaky said as he worked up as much courage as he could.
“Say miss pilot... I was wondering if...” He began but chickened out at the last moment.
“If I could see your airship?” he said and forced an innocent smile, while wanting to punch himself in the stomach repeatedly.
Chelsea smiled and pet Sneaky’s mane the same way you would a dog.
“Of course, Sneaky, and the name’s Chelsea.”
Sneaky smiled and nodded.
“Of course, Chelsea.”
“Also, you can stop staring at me while I play Galaga now. If you need a friend to hang out with then just ask.,” She said and the two walked out of the room, with Sneaky feeling his heart ready to explode.
“Yuck! I hate campy romances and forbidden loves.” Discord snapped as he held his nose to the scene.
-Control room.
“So there have been no contacts whatsoever?” Cotton asked as he looked over to Central in the nearly empty control room, save for the skeleton crew keeping an eye out for alien contacts.
“None at all, sir.,” Central said, sounding suspicious as he looked at the holo-globe, with only four days till Christmas, everything seemed to have died down, no cult of Sirius attacks and no alien incursions.
“Maybe it’s because they know that we expect them to attack.,” Cotton added before he leaned against the metal railing in front of him, looking up at the globe.
“Sir, if I may, me and several others on base think that maybe we should use this chance for a morale boost around the place?” Central said as he looked to Cotton in the nearly quiet room.
“What do you mean? A party?” Cotton asked as in another universe a pink pony shouted.
__________
“Of course! Everyone needs a party to keep their smiles up!” Pinkie pie said with a wide toothy smile as her friends looked at her with confusion.
________
Central cleared his throat. “A non-denominational holiday party, all are welcome and we have room for it in that break room under the exercise room.”
“In just three days to plan it?” Cotton asked.
“My mother used to run a party store when I was younger so I know how to set one up, and it wouldn’t cost much since me and the others are paying for it out of our own money.”
Cotton sighed and nodded before putting a hand on his friends shoulder.
“Why not? We need to remember the little things and enjoy them.”
-One day later in the break room.
“What is Christmas?” Trixie asked as she looked up to a small note on a board in the break room next to a notice about someone finding a raccoon in the Skyranger.
“You should watch more TV with us,” Sneaky said as he sat down with Derpy and Rock Fist.
“It’s the human version of Hearth’s Warming Eve.” Rock said as he tried to ignore Sneaky humming a song and repeating the phrase. “What’s this?”
“Really? Well in that case Trixie will provide entertainment!” She stated triumphantly before asking the cook to sign her name on the pamphlet for her.
“I will give these humans a show they will never forget!” She said before teleporting away to her room.
“I should probably bring my med-kits, shouldn’t I?” Derpy asked, to the nods of the other two ponies.
-Science lab.
Cotton brushed his hair repeatedly in an almost nervous habit as the power door for the lab opened up and he walked in, noticing several scientists wearing hats with elf ears on them while Vahlen wore a Santa hat.
“Victor, stop running around with mistletoe before I kick you in your--. Oh, Commander.” Vahlen stood straight and quickly pulled off her hat as she smiled to Cotton.
“I hope you’re not busy, Doc.,” Cotton said as he felt like everyone in the room was looking at him, which they were since the rumors around base were that Vahlen and Cotton were an item.
“No, of course not. I was just making sure everything is done before my staff go to the party.” She said and looked to Cotton.
“Are you here about the delivery from command?” She said but that went in one ear and out the other for Cotton.
“No, um, I was wondering if you would perhaps like to go to the party…. with me?” Cotton then felt as if he had stepped in a minefield.
Vahlen smiled and bit her pen. “Well. I might be busy with the delivery.”
“Oh come on!” someone shouted in the back before there was a sudden clatter of everyone in the room trying to look busy.
Vahlen couldn’t help but laugh. Here they were fighting to save the world and they still had time for childish antics.
“Commander, I'll be at the party just in time to dance, okay?” She asked.
“Sure thing, Doc! I'll get my dancing shoes ready,” Cotton said before turning and jogging out of the room, wondering where he left his dress uniform.
-Engineering
“Dr. Shen?” Sneaky Breeze called out in the busy engineering wing as he searched for the ever helpful doctor.
“Can I help you?” an engineer with a pair of goggles said while he turned to look at the pony, turning away for a moment from something hidden under a tarp with a gun barrel sticking out.
“I was looking for Dr. Shen; do you know where he is?” Sneaky asked, feeling nervous as the big man looked down at him.
“Well, I think y’all can find him up in his study up yonder.” The man said as he pointed a gloved finger up to a small office in the back of the room.
“Thank you!” Sneaky called before letting his wings out and flying over the busy workers, feeling a sense of Déjà vu.
Sneaky landed down on the last stair up to Shen’s office before knocking with his hoof.
“Dr. Shen! Dr. Shen?” he said loudly before the door opened and he looked up to the aging man.
“Hello, Sneaky. Did you need something made? You know you can just make a requisition order.” Shen said as he stepped back to let the pony inside.
“No, nothing like that, Dr. Shen.” Sneaky said as he sat down on a chair, noticing on a drawing desk to a corner of the room was a watercolor drawing of Trixie wearing purple armor.
“I need your advice on something and you’re one of the smartest and most trustworthy ponie…er people on this base.”
“I thought you already asked me for help?” Shen said as he sat down in his drawing desk and adjusted it to hide what he was making.
“Did I?” Sneaky asked as he rubbed his head, a part of him said he did while another said he didn’t. He shrugged it off and asked his question.
“I was hoping you would keep this confidential... but, I want to give a present to a certain female human, but I don’t know what to give.”
Shen coughed in surprise and chastised himself for several thoughts he had in his mind.
“Oh, a gift? For a human, um...” Shen rubbed the back of his neck as sneaky noticed his face turned redder than he had ever seen it.
“Well, I guess if you like I could craft something, I am quite accustomed to making things on my own,.” Shen said, before Sneaky jumped up.
“Oh thank you, thank you, Dr. Shen! I'll go find out what she likes. But here, it’s all I’ve got, I promise I will pay you back!” He said and flew off after dropping a small cloth bag on Shen’s desk but stopping in midair.
“Wait…she likes something called a dolphin,” Sneaky said, feeling confused as to how he knew that.
“I'll see you later, Doctor,” Sneaky said before flying slowly out of the room wondering what was going on.
Shen’s curiosity peaked as he looked at the object left on his desk. With gentle care picked up and he opened the bag, pouring the contents out into his palm. The half dozen golden coins fell into his hand and Shen almost thought he was about to go into cardiac arrest.
“I'll make the best damn present anyone has ever seen!” Shen said triumphantly as he flipped to a new canvas and began drawing the pilot’s wrist and calculating the size in his mind. Not noticing a slight glow behind him that quickly faded.
-Night of the party.
Nearly the entire base had shown up for the party and everyone seemed to be having a good time, but there was an air of unease as well. Cotton noticed it all as he stood near the snack table in his dress uniform. His well pressed pants, shirt and beret made him stand out from everyone else who was in either their X-com uniforms or in casual clothes.
Cotton made a gesture to Central who was having one of Derpy’s muffins.
“Is something wrong, sir?” Central asked as he quickly wiped his face clean to be more presentable.
“Everyone’s uneasy,” Cotton said and Central had a look as if he already knew.
“Yeah, I feel it too, like someone is watching us...” Central kept his eyes on Cotton as he moved his arms like he was having a conversation.
“You think they know that we know?” Cotton asked as he scanned the room, keeping his lips form moving as little as possible to avoid lip reading in the loud room.
“I’ve checked the systems countless times, sir,. I think it might be combat fatigue. We are literally on call twenty-four seven; some haven’t left this base since they first got in. Maybe we need a head doctor,” Central said as he moved to stand in front of Cotton.
Cotton’s face said he didn’t approve. “So you want everyone on this base to think I’m worried they’re going to start chasing invisible rabbits?”
Central sighed and Cotton held back his anger. Central had always been an intelligence and logistics boy, he didn’t know how hard it was to talk about one’s self.
“Sir, it’ll show your men that you care enough. And besides, I already know someone who can help us screen for new personnel that won’t sell out our ponies to the glue factory.” Central replied, referring to the council which might have them dissected just to get a glimpse of their magic.
“Alright, I'll consider it later,” Cotton said and felt a tingle on his spine like someone was behind him. Cotton turned his head and saw nothing but a blank wall.
“Actually, I think I will look into it tonight after the party,” Cotton said and began wondering if paranoia was contagious.
The party continued on into the night with everyone dancing and talking, Derpy was constantly flying in and out of the kitchen with snacks and foods as Trixie performed magic on a mini stage.
“And now, juggling!” she said in her stage voice as she spun a pair of bowling pins, along with a bowling ball, in the air above her to the applause of her gathered crowd.
Sneaky was busy with Chelsea as the two of them sat at the edge of the party.
“Um, I got you this present,” Sneaky said as he handed over a box to Chelsea. She was still in her flight suit but looked beautiful to Sneaky none the less.
“And for my favorite pony, I got you this.” Chelsea said with a smile as she handed over a pair of aviator sunglasses. Sneaky wasted no time and put them on.
“I feel like I can be your wing pony anytime.” Sneaky said and tilted his head when Chelsea started laughing.
“Hey, I probably don’t look that funny, you open yours,” Sneaky said as he tilted the sunglasses down.
“Okay, okay, hold yourself horse,” she said as she opened the box and found a small wrist bracelet with the images of dolphins carved into it and a clock with a dolphin on top.
I guess those bits I gave Dr. Shen were more valuable than I thought. Sneaky said to himself as he saw the look in Chelsea’s eyes.
“How did you know?” She asked as she pushed down on the watch face, a moment later it let out a soft dolphin call.
“Oh you know, animal senses and such,.” Sneaky said in a tougher tone, basking in the moment as above him someone lowered mistletoe on a string.
“Hey, Sneaky,” Chelsea said before leaving a quick peck of a kiss on his cheek. “You can be my wing pony anytime,” she said and wondered if she broke the pony when he remained frozen with his mouth hanging open.
‘I will never wash this face!’ Sneaky thought as he fell over and saw hearts everywhere.
Rock Fist sat with Boris on the level above Sneaky and Chelsea as they left the mistletoe to hang there.
“You sure this is good idea, tiny pony?” Boris asked as he hoped the boy wasn’t leading himself into a bad situation.
“He'll be fine. Besides, he needs a girl. In all the years I’ve known him she is the only female he has chosen to pursue romantically.” Rock said as he recalled his own romance with an archer from the Griffin Empire.
“So, Rock, you don’t want to party?” Boris said as he took a sip from his eggnog, having wanted to not feed the stereotype of vodka drinking Russians.
“No, I don’t party anymore; I’m too old for that,.” Rock said as he smiled down at Sneaky and his crush talking and having fun.
“Besides, I just gave Sneaky his present,” the older pony said as he lay down and listened to the party music next to a man who would make an Ursa Major tremble.
-Down in the party
Cotton paced around nervously, alternating between being near the ice boxes and under an A/C vent. He kept worrying he would be sweaty when Vahlen arrived and that just made him sweat more.
“It’s almost time to dance, maybe she changed her mind. Maybe I was too strong,” Cotton said to himself in fear when Ramos suddenly popped up and tapped his shoulder.
“Sir, your date has arrived,” the assault trooper said with a smile as he disappeared as quickly as he appeared. The music began to slow down and the many voices that were once talking hushed as the door to the room opened, Vahlen stepping in with her auburn hair let down. She wore a black dress that was rather reserved and humble, along with black high heels.
She seemed very embarrassed when she noticed she was being stared at.
‘I knew I should have dressed more casually. Shen you bastard! You said everyone was dressing up!’ She shouted in her mind despite the smile she wore. Shen meanwhile felt the urge to hide for some reason.
“Doctor, you made it,” Cotton said and quickly took her arm, leading her to the dance floor and giving anyone who was staring a quick look that told them '“back off'”.
Vahlen was caught off guard by how well Cotton had cleaned up. His face was shaven, his clothes were pressed and he looked more like a movie star than a soldier.
“I’m sorry I was late, I just needed to work on one of Shen’s schematics,.” Vahlen said as the music began to change and the lights dimmed.
“It’s alright doctor, I’m sure it was valuable,.” Cotton said, trying not to stare into Vahlen’s eyes.
Shit, shit, shit! I am freaking out, I don’t know what to do!' Cotton thought as he held Vahlen’s left hand and put another on her shoulder. Fighting terrorists, pirates and aliens was easy. But dancing was a whole different world.
“Do you even dance?” Vahlen asked since they were the only two not moving. Even Sneaky and Chelsea where dancing, though it was mostly a broken two step type of dance with Sneaky hovering in front of Chelsea.
“Um, Sorry, Doctor, I don’t.,” Cotton said feeling horribly embarrassed.
“Just do as I do,” she said and took lead. Their footsteps kept in motion with the music as they swayed gently together. Others made sure to move out of their way as they danced. The man running the lights wanted to put a spot light on the couple but Shen told the man to give them privacy or else he would show him real kung-fu
-Light control booth.
“Alright, alright!” the light manager said as he stepped away from the controls and Shen stood in his spot, watching two of his closest friends dance.
“You two deserve this moment of happiness,.” Shen said as he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, reminded of a painful memory.
“No, can’t ruin the moment,” Shen said and made sure everything was perfect for his friends, wishing he could find a nice girl to hook Central up with.
“One day, I'm going to get my ass kicked for playing cupid,” Shen said with a smile. “But its worth it to see these young people enjoying their lives, and forgetting the horrors we fight.” Shen said before his watch began beeping loudly and out of control, so much so Shen pulled out the battery with a multi tool he always kept with him, only for the watch to still be going crazy.
-Dance floor
Vhalen blushed as she danced with Cotton and for the first time looked at him as an equal and not an soldier. She noticed how his new hands were very soft and began to wonder if the vita tanks had made them that way or if he always had them.
“So, um, Doctor.,” Cotton began.
“How many times do I have to ask everyone to call me Vahlen?” she said, saying it in a tone slightly harsher than she meant and prepared to apologize when she felt faint and collapsed right into Cottons arms.
“Vahlen!?” Cotton shouted as he kneeled down and checked her pulse, it was frighteningly erratic.
“Get me a medic!” Cotton shouted when he felt something heavy fall on him. He reacted quickly and threw the object off of him, to find it was one of the engineering staff. Everyone else in the room except Trixie and Cotton had collapsed and seemed either heavily disoriented or unconscious. The entire facility groaned and shook as if an earthquake was occurring and Trixie screamed as she was suddenly pulled to a wall where her horn scratched a large glowing crack into the wall which seemed to expand continuously.
“What’s happening?” Trixie said as her horn suddenly began to glow before it glowed so bright that combined with the crack in the wall, Cotton was blinded, like staring into the sun, all Cotton could see was light and all he could hear was Trixie screaming until he heard the echoes of a voice with a British accent and the world faded to black.
When he could see again he was in the med-bay and a crowd of concerned fellows was gathered around him.
“Commander, can you hear me!?” Shouted doctor Mbutu as he shined a light into his eyes.
“What happened?” Cotton asked. He felt exhausted and noticed then that he had the worst migraine imaginable.
“You just passed out on the dance floor, Trixie too. We were worried something was wrong,” Central said as he rubbed his chin with a curious look.
“How’s Trixie?” Cotton asked and Central’s expression turned dark.
“I’m afraid she may be in a coma. Whatever happened to both of you affected the cerebral connections that feed into her horn,” Mbutu said.
“You mean her own magic put her into a coma?” Cotton asked as he tried to sit up in his bed.
“Honestly, we don’t know,” Mbutu said while Cotton turned to see Trixie in the next bed, hooked up to a variety of machines keeping her alive.