//------------------------------//
// "This Is What I Have to Work With?" 
// Story: The Winds of Change: Fog of War 
// by AgentSnail 
//------------------------------//


"This Is What I Have to Work With?"


Jason sighed, looking over the group of ponies.  He definitely had his work cut out for himself.  When Team Green Bean had been put together, the fighting in Canterlot was based in stealth, coordination, skill.  It was exactly what he needed.  He didn't doubt that these were the best ponies he had to work with, but they sure didn't look as promising as Team Green Bean had been in the beginning.  There was a fairly large earth pony in the back, a couple pegasi, another earth pony, a unicorn stallion and a pegasus mare dressed in some sort of military uniform, another unicorn, and three more earth ponies.  At least one of the earth ponies was a mare.  There were ten of them for some reason, he figured that was so he could cut ponies from the team.  Good call Shining.

"So I guess I really only need to talk to the new members.  The rest of you, just go meet at the tent."  Tank and the rest of the team minus Dash got up and left, leaving only the new team, himself, and Dash.  He sighed and began to talk.

"I'm sure you know why you're here, whether you know of the mission or the team we're hoping to recruit you to, it doesn't matter.  If you're totally clueless though, this is recruitment for Team Green Bean."  There was a snicker.  "I'm assuming you don't want me to yell as much as Shining, so don't interrupt.  I'm not in a great mood."  He paused.  "Now, there are hostages in the town, and we're going to try to save them without alerting the griffins that we're there.  This is a stealth mission, and one small screw up could result in the death of ponies."  He let that sink in.

"But," he picked up the speech, "I'd like to think that you all are up to the challenge, and that you'll make a good temporary or permanent part of Team Green Bean.  Before you applause, or whatever shit ponies normally do, think about what you're getting into.  There is no lifeline, besides what's left of your squad.  I don't know how much fighting any of you have done, but war is completely amoral.  Griffins aren't going to let you live if they get the chance to kill you, and you shouldn't give them the same.  If you don't have the patience or the presence of mind for this mission or even the guts, get up and leave now."

A pony in the back shifted, but stayed put.  All the others didn't even so much as move a muscle.  "Alright then.  I want to see you all at Shining's tent in fifteen minutes, no later.  We'll be testing you in some way before you get onto the team.  Canterlot was the test before, but this time I'm coming up with something."  He paused.  "That reminds me, there's ten of you here.  Eight get in, possibly fewer if I don't get enough ponies that pass.  Feel free to do whatever you want until meeting time, but after that we're testing and training.  Dismissed."  The ponies continued to stay rather still.  "I said dismissed."  

Jason walked over to Dash as the ponies started to move and talk to one another, grabbing her hoof and helping her up.  

"You were pretty hard on them."  She said as they started the short walk back.

"I needed to be, I honestly don't think they're all up for the challenge."

"We were, and we don't look it."

"Yeah, but we're pretty brave, and we're also damn good fighters.  Some of these ponies could just be one or the other.  Or neither, I suppose."

"I guess we are putting our lives in their hooves if this plan's to go off the way you planned it."

"Yeah, I really don't want to give anyone power over my life, not unless I really trust them."  He sighed.  "I mea--"  Jason fell over, going stiff for a moment before bringing his hooves up to his head.  Dash looked on in horror as he convulsed on the ground for more than thirty seconds.  Jason stopped his writhing, breathing heavily as he tried to recover.  Dash put his hoof over her neck and pulled him over to a nearby tree, sitting him against its trunk and checking him over for injuries.  

"What the hell was that, Jason?"  She finally asked after finding nothing.  Well, besides the slow healing cut on his forehead.

"I-- I don't know.  I was just going along, and then my brain was just filled with voices, hundreds of voices, and I couldn't handle it, I couldn't tune them out.  I don't know why they're gone now, but I really hope that doesn't happen again."  He closed his eyes, shivering at the rather fresh memory.

"You don't think--"

Jason put a hoof to his forehead.  "What?"

"You don't think that it was the hive mind, do you?"  

"I dunno, sounds like it could be, but why now?"

"I don't know.  You sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine.  Let's just get going."  He got up from his position against the tree, clearly still shaken judging by the wavering of his legs.  

"I really chose a weird colt-friend."  

"I warned you.  It's only going to get weirder."

"I'm not complaining; it keeps things interesting."  They got back to the tent village and zig zagged back around the tents before they found Shining's and entered.   The ponies inside looked up briefly before returning to whatever they were doing previously, and Shining made his way over.  

"What'd you tell them?"

"Basically that I'd be testing them later today, and that they're going to be here in ten or so minutes so that we can get started."  He cleared his throat, immediately garnering the attention from the rest of Team Green Bean.  "You six are going to be helping with the new members today, I'm sticking you all out in a forest, and putting the recruits through various drills against you six.  I'll be judging how they're doing and decide who I'm going to keep from there.  It'll also get you ready for tonight."

Tank raised his hoof and Jason nodded in acknowledgment.  "How are we going to fight them?  We can't exactly use spears."

"We'll use sticks.  Basically spears without the sharp part."  He paused.  "Me and Dash'll be watching anyway, we'll just impose some sort of penalty for cheating.  That work for everyone?  The whole plan I mean?"  He heard several sounds of acknowledgment.  "And Morning Rain, think of this as a chance to find your place on the team.  You too Eravel, although I guess you've been around a while."  He turned so that he was addressing the entire team.  "Do whatever you want to get ready, just meet back here in a bit."

"Trial by fire, eh?"  Shining asked.

"Yeah, you could say that.  I guess we'll see to what extent when it starts."  He looked around.  "You got a whistle?"


__________________________________________________________________


Jason looked over the recruits, lined up in front of him.  He had passed a clipboard around for them to list their names and had given them numbers for easier differentiation.  That way they could just line up in order and he could read down the list, appearing to know all of their names.  That's how bored he was right now.  Dash landed beside him, pulling his saddlebag off her back and tossing it over.  Jason grabbed it midair, sliding out the pad of paper to check for any messages.  He found it mostly blank, except for a small message in the upper corner, 'I miss you.'

Jason sighed, tossing the pad over to Dash with a pencil in case she wanted to say anything.  He slid the computer out of his saddlebag next, along with Dash's ghillie suit.  He quickly powered the computer and pulled up a spreadsheet, where he typed the numbers and coat colors of each pony for future scoring.  He put an asterisk next to the two ponies that were apparently some sort of higher rank.  He waved Shining over, setting the ghillie suit on the ground.  

"Something wrong?"

"Yeah, why are those two ranked up again?"

"I saw some potential in them.  I had to make some sort of structure here, and I needed some lower command ponies."  He shrugged.  "I can always demote them in they turn out to not be up to the challenge."

"Alrighty then.  What I'm going to do first is, hold on, sorry."  He turned to look over at Dash, who was writing on the pad of paper.  "Dash?"

She responded without looking up.  "Yeah?"

"Can you put this on and go hide in a bush in that clearing over there?"  He pointed through a thin line of trees behind the recruits.  "I want to show them how easy it really is to hide around here, especially since it's in broad daylight."

"Yeah, sure.  I'm just gonna finish this."  She went back to her mad scribbling.

"Go ahead, we have time."  He turned back to Shining.  "Anyway, after that brief thing, I've sent Team Green Bean out there, and the initial plan is to have them set up a base and defend it.  I noticed some old ruins of some sort of stone fortification for that, and then I'm gonna send the rest of the ponies in two teams against them.  I'll be judging their proficiency, and that'll allow me to pick the team members, hopefully.  There'll be at least one more test thing, but I'll make that up when I see how they do with this."

"Yeah, I pretty much only made them run around, do a few co-op exercises, that kind of thing.  Nothing like this.  I didn't have a lot of time to get training in, but considering how sore some of them were the day before mobilization, I'd guess I did a pretty good job.  I had to turn a few ponies away though, there were definitely some pretty dense ones, and I couldn't really see them excelling in the field."

"Good call."  He paused.  "So did you get that whistle?"

"Yeah, Here."  He handed it over, and Jason threw it around his neck.  

"I really don't remember why... Oh yeah, to call ponies out if it isn't obvious.  That reminds me, we have sticks, right?"

Shining nodded and motioned for Jason to follow him.  They got to the closest tent, a little ways away from the rest of the camp, and Shining disappeared inside, returning with a large pile of sticks in his magic.  He trotted back over and set them on the ground.  "This good?  Oh, and I got a flag.  Something to capture."

"Yeah, that's more than enough.  Good idea by the way."  Jason picked them up in his own magic, checking to see that Dash had left before walking over to the rookies, still lined up.  He tossed a stick in front of each of them, watching as they dawned slightly confused expressions.

"Listen up!"  Jason started.  "These are your weapons, as far as I'm concerned.  I'm dividing you up into two teams, and your objective is to capture a small ruin out in the forest.  Your ability to work as a team and your judgement as an individual will be weighed, and ponies will be cut from the team.  I will not tolerate lone wolf tactics, even if you do somehow capture the ruin all by your lonesome."  He paused.  "You're probably wondering why this is such a hard mission.  Well, I've got the rest of Team Green Bean out there, defending the ruins.  If you get hit with one of these sticks, you better call yourself out.  Cheating is just going to make you that much weaker in war, and if I see it it'll make it much harder to get on the team.  Understand so far?"

"SIR YES SIR!"  Shining had done a good job, apparently.  

"What was that?!?!"  He couldn't resist.  He held back a chuckle at the audible inhale.

"SIR YES SIR!!!!"  He chuckled to himself.  

"Alright, you're going to be in two teams, going for the same goal.  Feel free to help each other out, or sabatoge the other team.  Just know that being on the winning team doesn't ensure you a place on Team Green Bean."  Shining tossed two maps over to Jason, who quickly levitated them to separate sides of the line.  He figured he'd just divide it down the middle, get those two higher ranked ponies on one team.  It sounded stupid for fairness, but as far as Shining could tell, they only had potential, maybe some battlefield skill.  They all had that, really.  

"Now,"  He continued,  "This is a map of the area.  Your objective is marked, along with the path you have to take to  get to the area in which I want you to start."  He smacked his fore hooves together, waiting to see if anyone wanted to say anything.  "Okay then,"  He started walking down another path, further into the woods before gesturing for the group to follow.  "I'm guessing that none of you needed to hide much in whatever you were assigned to do."  He stopped in the middle of the clearing, which was carpeted in short grass.  "Find the pony in this clearing."  They shifted uncomfortably.  "Go ahead, look around.  Betcha can't find her."

Shining walked up next to Jason, looking around himself.  He pointed a hoof subtly.  "That her over there?  In that bush?"  He kept his voice down.  

"Yeah, I think so.  You can never be totally sure.  I guess I can, but only because of emotions coming off her, and those are still pretty unnoticeable.  I mean, that could be a bit of her face, or a trick of the light.  They still haven't found her, so she's obviously done a good job."

"Where did you come up with that costume of hers, by the way?  You had it before the attack, if I remember correctly."

"Yeah.  Snipers from my country wear those and hide in bushes and tall grass, general foliage, and then pick people off.  So I just cut up a bunch of Dash's old dresses and made that thing.  You should see about placing an order somewhere, they're pretty useful."

Shining chuckled at the recruits, which were still looking around.  "Clearly."

"You wanna have a little fun?"  Jason asked.  Shining raised an eyebrow.  "Dash!  Come on out!"  They waited for a few seconds before Dash jumped out of a bush and into the ranked mare, who let out a kind of rushed yelp as she put up her arms and fell backwards.  She put a hoof over her heart, taking in a few deep breaths as Dash helped her to her feet.

"You shoulda' see the look on your face!  Priceless!"  By now Jason and Shining had joined into the laughter, and judging by the recruits' expressions, they weren't as amused.  Jason wiped his eyes, taking a few breaths to try to calm himself.  

"Ha, Jason,  I have to...haha...go."  Shining said through his laughs.  He paused a moment, trying to calm down as well.  "I gotta make sure the lines are still in order.  It's been fun though."  He tapped Jason's shoulder with a hoof before turning and leaving, sending a wave back.  Jason and Dash did quick solutes, as did the rest of the recruits.  

"So what did we learn there?"  Jason asked.  A pony raised their hoof.  

"Surprise is important?"

"Sure, but more importantly, the combination with a good hiding place and timing.  And planning."  He paused, clapping his fore hooves together.  "So without further ado, let's get to work here.  The sooner we're done, the sooner you can get to sleep to prepare.  Get out your maps and start off now, and I'll blow the whistle after I check to see if Team Green Bean's ready.  Anything you want to say, Dash?"  She nodded and stepped forward.

"You gotta play this like it's war.  I know he's said that, but I have something to add.  If you get hit with the end of the spear, assign a sharp end now, by the way, play it like you got hit there.  Limp if you get hit in the hoof, don't walk at all if you get hit in the shoulders, hips, thighs or biceps, and basically act incapacitated or dead if you're hit in the chest, throat or head.  Drag injured ponies to safety, throw them over your back, anything to get them out of there.  And you have to bring back that flag or take out everypony else to win."  she paused, trying to think of something else.  "I think that's it."

"Yeah, I can't believe I forgot that.  Now stealth.  You saw what she did.  Remember, be resourceful, be smart, be silent.  And use your resources to their fullest."  He looked around at the ponies.  "Go ahead, start off on your ways, but listen for the whistle.  You have to get to the staging area first, though.  Now go go go!"  He watched as they got into their groups and quickly trotted off into the trees.  As the crunching and thundering sounds disappeared into the forest, Jason turned to Dash.  

"I think this is actually going to work."


______________________________________________________


Dash glided into the center of the ruin, landing on the overgrown cobblestones.  Jason landed behind her, letting out a slight hiss as he hit his hoof too hard on the ground.  Team Green Bean was already gathered around, loaded up with sticks and apparently expecting their arrival.  

"So what's the game plan?"  Tank asked.

"You six have to basically defend this place from capture.  Capture being them taking this flag."  He tossed over the orange flag to Archer, who walked over to the middle of the small courtyard before sinking it into the ground between the stones with a slight grunt.  "So are all of you ready?"  They nodded.  "Make sure you try to get your strategy to work with Eravel and Morning Rain, it'll help later.  We'll be watching."  He took off, catching up with Dash, who had taken off a moment earlier.  

She pointed to a particularly high tree and they glided over, setting up camp on the highest branch that could hold their combined weight.  Jason got out his computer, re-opening the spreadsheet.  

"So we can see almost everything from here, right?"  Jason asked.

"Yeah, I think I can see the two other clearings from here."

"Alright, I'm going to blow this whistle, do you want to go fly and make sure they're starting?  Maybe award a couple of points if they're already organized or anything like that?"

"You're asking the fastest, best flyer in Equestria to fly around.  What do you think?"  She giggled, looking downward at Team Green Bean, all of which had spread out into the surrounding forest.  Someone had written "Come and take it" on the flag.  Jason chuckled.  Oh, the coincidences around here... too bad no one will get that reference. 

He pulled out the whistle and sounded it, breaking the normal silence of the forest.  Dash got up from her seat and stretched in a manner much like a cat, clearly teasing him as she arched her back and rump into the air.  

"You really don't have any subtlety, do you?"  Jason asked.

"I wasn't trying to be subtle.  Admit it, you like it when I'm not subtle."  Jason smirked and turned away.  She took a step over and nipped at his ear, returning his smirk.

"I thought so."  With a rush of air and a flap of her wings, she was already over the ruin, making a quick turn towards one of the groups.  He had barely any time to get back to looking around the clearing before she shot past again, more of a blur than a pony.  Another forty or so seconds later she landed on the branch beside Jason, who jumped a little at the sheer speed she really possessed.  That kind of velocity was probably pushing it for him, and she didn't even look winded.

"Fastest flyer in Equestria is right.  Jeez dash."

"I try."  She paused to preen a couple feathers back into place.  "Team one through five gets two points, the other gets one."

"Not that I doubt you, but why?"

"The low team, I'm calling them that now, had another map etched into the dirt, and they were moving out in what looked like a calculated fashion.  The other team, high team, had a formation as they moved through the forest.  Non specific, but they were in positions where they could watch each other.  That a good enough reason?"  She punched him playfully.

"I guess so."  He put down the new scores before returning to his watch over the clearing.  "I think we need some background music though."

"You have some?"

"Emphasis on background, but it seems kinda fitting."  He opened a window and hit play.



A few minutes later, Dash nudged him in the side urgently and pointed across the clearing to the right, apparently the 'high' team, as she called them, was making it's appearance.  It was a good thing this tree was offset from the tree line, they had a pretty good view of everything.  A bush shifted, followed by a couple more, moving down the clearing.  A bout of loud shuffling came up below them as Archer tackled one of the recruits, pinning him with the stick across his throat.  The pony went mock-limp, and Archer dragged him into a nearby bush before re-hiding himself.  

Jason put an 'X' next to number seven, although he gave him half a point for actually acting dead that quickly.  Honesty was worth something, at least.  Although the fact that he was alone begged the question, what had gone wrong?  An easily visible scuffle occurred across the way as four of the ponies from low team stumbled onto Tank's hiding place.  Tank dove out of the way to avoid a 'spear' thrust, feinting backwards.  Morning Rain jumped out and tackled the pony advancing on Tank, and when Jason looked back to where the other ponies of team low had been, they were already gone.  Dash flew over to ID the body, mouthing the word 'three' she landed back on the branch.

Jason sighed and marked another 'X'.  Maybe they'd learn.  They had better, this wasn't exactly a great showing.  A branch shifted behind them as a pony stabilized himself on a branch, looking around at the foliage below.  The pony made a signal to an unseen pony or group of ponies, and they surrounded a bush, one of the ponies going out into the open to act as bait, or being an idiot.  Jason decided to assume that there was planning involved.  Jason chuckled as the bush, presumably with Hunter inside, continued to remain still.  The two ponies not acting as bait came up from behind bushes and threw their sticks, one of them flying true and going partially into the bush before hitting Hunter.  The stallion stumbled out, and with a 'Dammit' of annoyance, he was 'dead' on the ground.

There was total silence for a few minutes, minus the quiet dragging of Hunter's body.  So they were learning.  He marked a few points for the ponies, awarding an extra one for the pony that had thrown the spear correctly.  So that was everyone from low team so far, and only one appearance from high team.  They had seemed more together in the beginning, he hoped that wasn't just a fluke.  

His hopes were answered as four ponies, the two officers included, came out of the forest on the far side, moving in a small formation.  They did a good job keeping at each other's speed and watching their areas, but he wasn't sure whether to award them points for planning the formation or take them away for not neutralizing ponies in the forest.  He settled with none, figuring he'd wait to see if they had something more involved planned.  

The ponies reached the knocked down side of the ruin, which they used as an entrance.  He was able to award some points from their immediate corner checks and strategic positioning of ponies.  That was definitely a good thing to see.  What was also easy to see as they trekked back into the forest was the orange flag, strapped to the stallion officer's back.  So stealth for him wasn't an option.  Some shuffling underneath him and the sudden movement of a group of ponies let him know that the other group had caught on and was moving to intercept.  Points for knowing the situation and moving to adjust.

As they passed, the further movement of bushes a ways behind the group of ponies notified him that Archer was still in pursuit, staying a safe distance behind.  Jason heard some more sounds of scuffle, turning his head a little too late and missing a small fight that left Tank and another pony 'dead'.  Number five, Dash said as she flew back over.   Jason watched the forest to the left, awaiting the inevitable clash of the teams.  That came soon enough as the trio worked their way quietly around, getting to a slight gap in the trees, too small to be considered a true clearing.  

The ponies from the high team jumped out at the passing low team, still attempting to create a formation with one less pony.  Their strategy seemed to work, knocking out two of low team's ponies to their one, as both teams backed off and regrouped.  

"Let's get on over there then."  He packed away his computer and signaled to the 'dead' ponies behind him that it was fine to get up and make their way over.  

"Yeah, over huh?"  She stretched out her wings, gliding down across the clearing after Jason.  As they made their way over, the groups charged at each other, only to have a few small piles of leaves explode as Eravel and Steve jumped into the fight from behind, along with the Morning Rain and Archer, who had both been trailing the teams the whole time.  

It was over within a couple of seconds.  Evidently the whole 'bursting out of the leaves' thing had caught the ponies a little off guard, hell, he hadn't been expecting it.  They landed next to the group a few seconds later and Jason blew the whistle, to make sure all of the other ponies made their way back.  He waited a few minutes for them to get back before lining them back up and speaking.

"That was good, I'm pleasantly surprised you all did that well after a start like that."  A couple ponies blushed.  "But there was obvious room for improvement.  None of you took the threat of being followed seriously enough, you all figured that you were the one several moves ahead of the others.  I like to keep my strategy simple.  Never underestimate the enemy.  Overestimating is fine, it means you're ready, for sure."  He paused.  "Now, there were some parts I liked, like the formations and the bait trap thing you had going across the clearing.  But here's the thing, you need to be more resourceful.  Getting in the tree is a good example."

"I guess while we're at it,"  he continued,  "you guys need to take out all the threats first, then get to the objective, especially when it involves going out into the open like that.  That flag's not going anywhere.  And don't be so obvious about where you're going, trick the enemy, make him think he's got you pinned.  Don't enter into fights that you don't think you'll win."

"Okay, round two.  Same drill.  Go!"


_________________________________________________________________


The sun was starting to dip in the afternoon sky, as Jason lined up the ponies for hopefully a final time.  He grabbed their sticks and tossed them back into the storage tent nearby, they had since returned to camp after a rather long and interesting round three.  Jason threw a wave to a passing Shining, probably out to see what was taking them so long, before trotting back to the recruits.  He grabbed the computer, pulling up the spreadsheet and sighing.  Three and nine.  He grabbed the clipboard, opening his mouth to speak.

"So before I send two of you away, I'd like to state my gratitude for you going through all of this, even if it turned out to have no gain.  Even if you don't make it onto the team, you still have bragging rights for being selected, and you should be proud that your skills are this well toned.  Now without further ado, the ponies on the team are as follows, in order of score.  Breeze Glider, Light Dasher, Star Grazer, Dusk Sky, Dull Shine, Rain Flurry, Wood Work, and Blueblood."  What the fuck?  He read it again.

"Did you just say Blueblood, Jason?"  Dash asked.  "Cuz it sounded kinda like you did..."

"I did, it's right here on the sheet."  He showed her the clipboard.  "So maybe one of them's joking?"  He turned to the ponies.  "Which one of you is Blueblood?"  He put air quotes around the last word.  

One of the ponies tentatively raised his hoof.  "That would be me."  He said.  Jason walked over to the pony, looking him over more closely.  It wasn't surprising that he hadn't recognized the pony, his white coat had grayed with dust and his blonde hairdo was totally unkempt.  So yeah, no surprise.

"What happened to you?"

"I wanted to actually do something with my life, and your stu- war seemed like a good enough cause."

"But what made you change?  If I remember, you were one of the ponies on the sidelines in Canterlot.  You know what, I'm not going to question it.  Welcome to the team."  He turned back to the group.  "I should have probably said this earlier, but the two that didn't get on, you can be alternates if you want to."  They nodded, still looking a little downtrodden.  

"So you wanna show them the plan then?"  Dash asked.

"Might as well, we're doing this later tonight, and I want them to have time to rest in-between times."  He turned to the group.  "Come on then, we're wasting daylight."  Shining caught up to Jason as he started to trot back to camp, and looked over the recruits again.  

"So those were the ones you chose?"  Shining asked.

"Yeah, it was close, but those two had the fewest points.  The rest of them look pretty promising though."

"So are you splitting them into two teams?"

"Yeah, I just kept the teams of five from before, and luckily one from each team was cut, so I don't have to move ponies around."

"So you're ready for tonight?"

"As ready as I'm going to be, Team Green Bean did a good job teaching Eravel and Morning Rain, so that's always a bonus."

"So you haven't made code names yet?"

"No, I'm going to give them some thought this time, feel free to give me any ideas."

"I'm not really good with names."

"Well neither am I!  One of the ponies is named Steve, and we used to have Potato."

"Just think about it then, I mean they don't need code names."

"But it's way cooler!"  Dash interjected.  Shining grunted his annoyance and entered his tent, hearing a shared laugh from Dash and Jason before they followed him inside.  Jason waited for the rest of the new team to show up and group around the map before he began his presentation.  

"So, you eight are arranged into two sub teams, Charlie and Delta, which is ironic because I wasn't using the military alphabet for our teams.  Oh well.  Same teams as in the drills."  He looked them over, most had seemed to accept his words easily enough.  "Now.  The plan.  I know you ponies aren't exactly totally in the swing of things yet, and you aren't going to need to be.  I've got you eight on the easier half of this plan."  

"What are we doing again?"  One of the mares raised her hoof.  

"Did I not..."  Shining leaned over and whispered in his ear.  "Oh, you just came here for this from a ways away?  Basically, there are hostages in the town hall, right here."  He pointed a hoof.  "We're entering from the docks, skirting the left side of the river against the current, and making our way to town hall."

"But that's way too out in the open!"  A stallion pointed out.  

"You were in Canterlot?"  He asked.  The pony nodded.  Seems like a thing a pony that went through the battle at Canterlot would notice.  "That's where you come in.  You'll be positioned to the east, on the left side of the village.  Do whatever you can to draw the griffins' attention, without giving away the fact that you're ponies, because that may lead them to kill the hostages.  Then we use that distraction to get through this little bit of open ground, into the town hall, and get the ponies."

"Ooh, can I tell the next part?"  Dash asked, receiving a nod and a smirk from Jason.  "Then we're going to give one of you the signal via one of these pads of paper, and you'll rush in from the side of the village.  Not really rush, but you know.  We'll make a hole by sandwiching the griffins in between, and then escape.  Simple, really."

"The only complication, besides keeping the hostages safe, is trying not to kill the griffin civilians.  Two reasons for that.  They could be innocent, and they may be willing to fight on our side if their government is a terrible as Eravel said it was.  At the very least they could provide a safe place to store supplies, buy some extra food, stuff like that."

"So get some rest, and make sure you're back here and nineteen hundred hours.  I want to get you all mobilized before twenty one hundred."  Shining finished.  Jason chuckled, letting a wide grin spread onto his face.  

"Welcome to the team."