//------------------------------// // Well then... What about the chopper? Why didn't you bring it back? // Story: Blackhawk Down: Equestria // by A Space Cephalopod //------------------------------// Twilight stared at the ceiling, listening to the tick of the wall-mounted clock that she knew read 1:23 AM. This was not an uncommon thing for her, being up so late was more of a routine considering how much research she did into anything and everything, but this situation was new. One could say she had been doing research, discovering things on the subject of anatomy, about herself. However, this was not the case and she knew it as soon as she heard a snore from above her head. She returned her eyes to the wall before her, tilting her head back to look up into the lightly snoring face of Rainbow Dash. The sight of the mare lost in dreams, a peaceful expression on her face and a smile on her lips, brought a sense of happiness to Twilight that she had not felt in a long time. It was a peace in its own right, calming her mind to a tranquil pool of enjoyable thoughts and memories. It caused her chest to tighten, loosening at the same time as her heart began to flutter between two and three beats per pulse. It was strange, but she liked it. She smiled as Dash mumbled in her sleep, her hoof shifting on Twilight’s shoulder before a smile settled into her lips. Twilight giggled quietly, closing her eyes and tightening her hold on the mare she was wrapped around. She began to drift to sleep, enjoying the scent of Raspberries that wafted from Dash’s fur. That was before a loud crash caused he eyes to wrench themselves open, Dash jumping into action and nearly pulling her off the bed in a frenzied attempt to find the revolver she had brought upstairs with her. Twilight pushed herself up with her front hooves, sighing and growling in frustration towards the door. “What is wrong with you,” She screamed down the stairs, getting up from the bed and storming to the door. She pulled it open with her magic, nearly breaking the hinges as she strode through the portal, halting on the landing beyond. Dash followed her out, pistol raised before she beheld the scene below them. “Hey guys,” Kevin said in a strained voice, a human they had never seen draped over his shoulders as he strained to walk to the shelf that concealed the passage to the bunker below. “Can I get some help with the door? This guy’s really heavy.” Dash looked to Twilight, nuzzling her softly before jumping the rail ad floating down to the bookcases. She pulled the book out slightly, a black leather-bound novel with a red diamond etched into the spine, the shelves rotating on their pivot to reveal the stairs beyond. “Thanks,” He said as he passed the threshold, nodding once and spraying sweat across the stone steps. … Kevin sighed as he laid Koloss on the cot beside Allison, standing to be met with several sharp cracks from his spine. He sighed again, the muscles in his shoulders and back relaxing from the three-mile trek through town. “You are a heavy sonovabitch,” He muttered, turning around. “What in Tartarus do you think you are doing,” General Silvermane asked from the doorway, ignoring the shushes from the doctors and nurses as he strode into the room. “I thought the three of you were all that there were?” “So did I,” Kevin said, placing his hand on his sidearm and the other on his hip. “I met him today after Vinyl Scratch asked me to clear her Rave of bugs. I suspect that he put her up to it, but I'm only voicing assumptions.” Silvermane covered his eyes with a foreleg, wiping his face before sighing audibly. “I am not here to protect you humans Kevin,” The pony said slowly. “I am here to help drive Chrysalis out of Canterlot, exterminate the infestation in Equestria, and place Celestia back on her throne. I do not have time to babysit a rouge foreign soldier, his buck-up friend and a comatose female.” “Take care of this one and he will be on his way A.S.A.P.” Kevin said, kicking the leg of the cot gently. “He isn’t with us, and he told me he isn’t even supposed to allow you to see him. Just take care of his wounds, let him lay around for a week, and send him on his way.” Silvermane was about to rebut before a hand wrapped around his leg. He followed the human arm to find it belonging to the woman Kevin had arrived with, Allison having woken up with an expression of terror on her face. “Allison,” Kevin exclaimed, kneeling beside her. “Thank whatever you’re awake!” She twitched her gaze to Kevin, quickly returning it to Silvermane. “The caverns below Canterlot,” She said, voice stone cold and strong. “Find her there, before they do.” Silvermane pulled his leg out of her steel tight grip, staring blankly at her for a moment. “Go now! Before it is too late! Your Dark Night needs your help!” “How do you know that title,” He asked, uncertainty in his voice. “How do you know she is alive?” “Go!” She shouted, startling all present before she went limp once more. Doctors hurried to her side, checking her over. “She’s out again,” a nurse said, placing her back in her previous position. She looked at the two around the cot, switching between them. “Do either of you know what she was talking about?” Kevin shook his head slowly, the seasoned veteran phased by the actions of his comrade. “Y-yeah,” Silvermane said, regaining his composure. “I know exactly what she was talking about…” He stared at the comatose human, backing away slowly. “Kevin,” He said, drawing the shocked soldier’s attention. “I hate to say it, but I'm going to need your help on this. You are efficient if anything, and your weapons are more suited for where we are going.” Kevin nodded once, checking his gear before standing. … Kevin crouched behind a stand of ferns at the edge of the Everfree Forest, a dead Manticore behind him as he surveyed the open fields before him. His face was painted black and gray, the stripes breaking up his white skin. His uniform had also been changed, the pigments magically altered into a black and gray urban stripe pattern. He lifted his left hand to his throat, activating his Larynx Microphone. “All call signs, this is Colt,” He said quietly, the vibration sensor transmitting the words as if he had yelled them. “I have clear roads ahead. First squad rally on me, second and third squad stick tight to Dash and Light bulb.” He lowered his hand, wrapping it around the fore grip on his rifle before raising it to sight out the field. The sound of scaled half plate armor and weapons issued from behind him, halting before a hoof patted him on the shoulder. He raised his left hand in a fist, extending two fingers and pointing toward the fields beyond. He rose to a low hunch, rifle aimed forward as he exited the foliage, a squadron of fifteen ponies behind him. A hiss drew his attention, the sound of a pony gasping following it. Kevin turned, drawing his pistol, a silencer attached, and fired into the skull of a cockatrice. The pony thanked him quietly, turning and joining the squadron as Kevin brought up the rear. As they broke free of the large ferns and low bushes, the group began to run, sprinting the distance to a large and broad oak tree. They all slowed as they entered the shade, their magically altered coats and clothing blending into the shadows the moon cast as well as one could hope for, the only way one could find them was if they were directly before them and trying to find them. “Second Squad, Move out,” He ordered. Fifteen black pegasi, lead by a blackened Rainbow Dash, flew swift and low over the fields, hooves brushing the grass and creating a hushed rustle. The group wove between the low hills, landing behind a stand of boulders near a cliff. He watched as Dash gave him an exaggerated nod, once more issuing the order for his squad to move out. He took point, not having to save a pony’s life this time, closing the vast distance with his troops in two minutes. He crouched low behind a boulder, rising to view the area. “All clear,” He said to the gathered group. He activated his radio again, hailing Clarence. “Squadron three, secure the oak tree for Extraction of POV, move.” He set the grip of his rifle on the boulder. “Cover,” He said loud enough to be heard by both squads, ponies laying weapons on their respective boulders, watching the field for movement. In a second of the order being given, Clarence broke from the trees with seven Unicorns in tow, surrounding the tree before climbing into it. Kevin waited with tense muscles as the private checked the tree for hostiles, five minutes passing before he dropped down. “All clear Colt,” He said over the radio, Kevin turning the head set down as he realized it was still on maximum volume. “We are waiting for you to deliver the package.” “Copy your last,” He said, spinning his hand in the air before punching the air toward a cave to their left. “First Squad going in.” He turned on the ball of his foot, moving more freely now that he didn’t have the HULC constricting his joints, running the distance to the cave and lowering his goggles over his eyes. The ponies behind him followed his example, placing a pair of enchanted goggles over their own eyes. Kevin leaned out of cover, bracing his weight on his right knee as he scanned the cavern with his rifle. He waved his squad in, looking up to find the base of the cliff mounted city of Canterlot high above. After a moment of contemplating how the city was even possible for clutching the cliff as it did, he entered the cave, stopping near the back of the stone hollow. “Who has the gear,” he asked, a pony hurrying up and dropping a box beside him. Kevin flipped a switch on the box, a click issuing from it. The click repeated itself every four seconds for half a minute, falling silent. Ten seconds later, echoes of the click returned to them, the box lighting up a red arrow in the direction of a tunnel toward their right. “Fourth Squad, move up to the cave. Second Squad, pile in.” He slid the box into the saddlebags of a pony next to him as Dash came up beside him. “Which one,” she asked, turning her head to each of the three tunnels. Kevin pointed to the center one. “You have your gear on you,” He asked, Dash patting her saddlebag. “Good. These tunnels are bound to backtrack and split off into more. These boxes home in on energy signatures from the Princesses. When you come to a split, follow the box.” Dash nodded, rallying her forces behind her before swooping into the tunnel. “Fourth Squad, Pile in.” In a minute, fifteen Unicorns in full gear entered the cave, heavy weapons in hoof and covered in heavy armor. “Give me your gear,” he said, receiving a box like the one he had used earlier. “Alright. Commander Steelhoof, I want you and your squad to stay here and guard the entrance. Nothing gets in or out without properly executing the echo.” He made a star with his hands, getting a nod from the unicorn before him. “Remember it. If you see us with the Package, ask us the question. Only she will answer.” The unicorn nodded again. “You aren’t much for talking are you?” The unicorn lifted his helmet, motioning with a hoof that his throat had been cut. “Ah.” Kevin said, rounding up his team. … Kevin stopped in the center of a large cavern, deep into the mountains below Canterlot. He held up his fist, slowly kneeling. “Take a knee. Check your gear.” He listened to the sounds of the ponies’ weapons clattering, their users checking the most miniscule of details. “Give me the box,” he ordered, a pony placing the black locator in his hand as he reached behind himself. Kevin placed the box before him, flipping the switch. The clicks sounded, returning soon. The arrows cycled, the sound of electricity arcing and the smell of acrid smoke reaching the group. “Shit,” Kevin swore, slapping the box and receiving a decent jolt of power to his hand. “Mother…” he brought his fingers to his lips, sucking on the jolted tips until the pain subsided. “Mmm! Secure a perimeter!” Ponies saluted him, fanning out to check the area for enemies. Kevin stood, shaking his hand before returning the numb appendage to his weapon. “Beta branch, come in,” he said into his radio, standing up and walking around the area. The cavern was large, the ceiling being beyond the sight of his enhanced goggles, the structure of the cave being crystalline. Removing his goggles, he found he could see quite well, the crystal structure casting a calming blue radiance about the area. From the ceiling, he spotted a center of radiating light, the glow akin to moonlight. “The area is secure,” a pony shouted, Kevin nodding before averting his gaze from the hypnotic orb of luminescence. He searched his person for his binoculars, finding them and returning his vision to the glowing orb. Something about the light was off, but what it was he couldn’t deduce. As he investigated the orb, his suspicions were determined to be without reason, the orb of light being just what it seemed. “This place just gets stranger and stranger,” Kevin muttered, returning his binoculars to their pouch on his waist. “Alright,” he said aloud, drawing the ponies’ attention. “Let’s fall back. Our gear is broken, so we can’t keep going or we’ll just get lost.” He turned around, heading back the way they came. He made it ten feet from the entrance, an unseen barrier flashing and throwing him back across the room, Kevin impacting on a spire of crystal near the center of the room. “Fluh plubble…” he managed intelligently, sitting slouched and sprawled on the spire, shaking his head and licking his teeth. “Damn,” he exclaimed, having found his vocabulary. “What the hell was that?” A unicorn walked near to where the barrier was, kicking a shard of crystal toward the tunnel. The barrier snapped into action once again, sparking and sending the shard back with a flash of light. Kevin’s eyes went wide, rolling away in time to receive a superficial gash on his temple. He rolled onto his hands and knees, rising quickly to kneel and placing a hand on the side of his head, sucking air through his teeth as the cut seared with pain. “Can we please be a little careful? I feel like this entire damned world is trying to kill me! First, the Manticore, then the barrier… now, flying fucking crystal spikes! God dammit!” He panted after his outburst, sighing and standing to survey the spike. It was embedded three inches into the spire he had landed on, a drop of blood clinging to the edge that had cut him. “Sorry,” the unicorn said, raising his hoof and gingerly reaching toward the barrier. His hoof caused arcs of energy to cast along the barrier, the contact not warranting the violent reaction Kevin had experienced. The arcs spider webbed along the barrier, revealing the invisible wall to encompass them, a blue aura lining the cavern ten feet from all of the walls. The unicorn followed the barrier up, tracing the path of a lighter blue pulse through the barrier to the orb of light high above. “That’s the source,” he said, lowering his hoof and pointing to the ball. Kevin looked up, pulling his sidearm from his thigh and taking aim. He fired at it, the sound of a ricochet reaching his ears promptly. “Shit, take cover,” he ordered, ducking behind the spire. The ponies scattered, a few running into the barrier and being thrown to the spire, others narrowly being missed by the bullet before it dug into the floor. Everyone rose from their prone positions, raising hooves and hands from the backs of their heads. “Kevin what were you thinking,” the unicorn screamed at him. “You tell us to be careful, and then you shoot a fucking bullet in a force field? You shoot something in a Violent fucking force field!?” the unicorn reared up, crouching on his haunches and squeezing his temples. “I swear to fucking Celestia you humans make no sense!” he closed his eyes tight, massaging circles on his temples. Kevin stood and dusted his uniform, holstering his sidearm and shrugging, giving the pony a sheepish smile. “Sorry,” he said idiotically. “I thought it might help. Shit man I didn’t go to magic college, humans don’t have that.” “Do you have Common Sense classes at least,” the pony yelled back, huffing and falling onto his face, beating his head on the floor. Kevin shrugged again, finding it better to end the conversation now, lest he catch another blast of magic. “So how do we get out of here,” he asked, fingering his microphone and hailing the other half of his team again. The unicorn looked up from the floor, his forehead bruised slightly. “Can we can go five seconds without a life threateningly stupid incident?” Kevin nodded. “Then give me ten minutes and I will see if I can do something.” … “Ten minutes is up,” Kevin said, standing from his seat on the wall and walking over to the Unicorn that was at work finding a solution to their predicament. “What do you have?” The unicorn looked down from the orb of light, his glowing horn returning to its unnatural black color. “It's an old spell,” he said. “It’s been here since before any of the reliably recorded history we have.” “Reliably recorded,” Kevin asked. “Isn’t your empire only a couple thousand years old?” The unicorn nodded. “Yeah, but Discord liked to mess with things when he was ruling our kind. Nothing before Nightmare Moon was banished was nearly as reliable…” He stopped, blinking and glaring at the human. “You got me on a tangent on purpose, didn’t you?” Kevin smirked and pointed up. “Yes… well it seems that the crystals in the cavern are feeding the field with some sort of power. It would also seem that the field was created to hold something as powerful as Celestia or Luna inside indefinitely.” “Wait,” Kevin interjected. “What do you mean Indefinitely? Are you telling me that we are going to be stuck here forever?” The unicorn scowled at Kevin with a bemused expression. “What do you think indefinitely means, smart one?” Kevin returned his expression, huffing and shaking his head; this was no time for jokes. “You wanted to know what it was and how to deal with it. I told you what I can get from it.” Kevin swore under his breath, taking off his cap and throwing it on the ground. “What will it take to destabilize it,” a pony from across the room asked. “If we can just disrupt it, we could squeeze through the gap and escape, right?” The unicorn looked at the pony who spoke, finding an earth pony with a scar over his right eye. “How do you know Magical Field Theory,” he asked incredulously, slightly awestruck by the pony’s knowledge of something he couldn’t do. “My parents are unicorns,” the pony said with a smirk. The unicorn made a ‘Whodathunk’ expression, returning his gaze to the orb above and setting his horn alight, searching for the weakness. “It would take a disruptive pressure equal to or greater than fifty cubic pounds of air, or…” The unicorn was cut off as a tapping sound reached his ears. He turned his head to the right, spying Kevin bouncing the bottom of a Mk. III Grenade on a flat piece of crystal. “I got this,” he said. The unicorn nodded, stepping away and letting him choose his angle. Kevin took aim, pulling the pin and holding down the trigger. “How close should I get it?” he asked. “Right in it, or as close as possible,” the unicorn replied. Kevin made to throw, stopping himself half way and turning to face him. “What?” “It has a fuse,” he said plainly. “It won’t go off in time. You need to hold it there for me with that floating thing you do.” The unicorn nodded once. Kevin turned back around, readying himself before chucking the canister as hard as he can. It reached half way before it began to fall, the unicorn grasping it with a spell and getting it to the orb. He placed it above the ball, letting go in time for the grenade to detonate. The barrier flashed once, falling before a new one began to form. “Everyone out!” Kevin ordered, making for the edge of the cavern. The ponies scrambled, reaching the wall nearest to them before the field returned, pulsing for a few seconds before returning to its invisible state. “Well that went well.” … Clarence sighed, leaning back against the giant oak and sliding down the bark to sit on his heels. He hated waiting, too many bad things happened to soldiers while waiting in the field. He was no different from the others, despite not being a lifer. In the years he had served, Clarence had been blown up, shot, tossed from a Humvee, fallen out of a chopper and caught three fragments of shrapnel; all while waiting for orders in the field. He sighed and clutched his helmet, pulling it over his eyes, trying to close out the worry that was filling his head. ‘Calm down,’ he thought, taking several deep breaths. ‘Just keep cool and you’ll be fine.’ He lifted the edge of his helmet, finding nothing out of the ordinary, aside from not being on earth. “You ok,” a pony beside him asked, nudging his leg with a hoof. Clarence looked over at the pony, nodding weakly. “No you’re not. You reek of fear.” Clarence hid his surprise that he pony could smell his fear, sighing once and rubbing his face. “Ain’t nothing out here to be afraid of, you know? Well, besides the carnivorous wildlife and Changelings that I’m sure are hiding in this grass somewhere. Other than that we are perfectly safe.” The pony smiled at him dumbly, getting a scoff of laughter from Clarence. “You certainly have a way of looking at a bad situation,” he replied. Leaning forward and moving his rifle from behind him, holding it muzzle up between his knees. The pony shrugged, adjusting his hold on the weapon in his hooves. “Yeah, well it’s like my pops always said,” he stopped, putting on an impersonation of someone old. “Stop playing with my darned matches youngun! You’ll burn the house down!” The pony stopped, tapping his chin with a hoof. “No, that’s not it…” Clarence laughed at him, getting a smile out of the stallion. “But really, we’re safe here. We got two mages in the tree and four scanning the fields for life signs. Nothing’s going to sneak up on us.” Clarence nodded, standing and holding his rifle by the grip. “I'm gonna go take a leak then,” he said. “Hold down the fort for me. Kevin would kill me if he knew I left the squad, no matter the reason.” The pony nodded, rising from his seat and taking watch. Clarence turned towards the woods, walking across the grass. The journey took a few minutes, but soon he was secluded in the Everfree Forest. He was close enough to the edge that he could see the fields beyond, but far enough in that he would not be seen. He sighed, unbuttoning his pants and relieving himself. As he did his business, a feeling of dread began to creep up his spine. The hair on the back of his neck prickled, standing on end as he cut the stream, packing it away and buttoning his fly again. He dug into his pocket, pulling out a cigarette pack. He stood there with the death stick in his lips, searching his person for a lighter. “Dammit...” he said, pulling the pack back out as he realized he had no source of fire on his person. “Here,” a smooth voice said, a green flame appearing and lighting the cigarette. Clarence withheld a shudder, pulling his knife from his vest and turning on the intruder. “Hello,” the pony he faced said. The pony was jet black, fleshy wings like a bat and green eyes that adorned their head, perched above a toothy and unsettling grin. “No need for that violence,” the pony said. “I only wanted to help you out. Let me introduce myself.” The pony, a stallion by the depth of their voice, laid aside a green crystal lined staff. “I am Bloodmoon, Thestrel. I have been chased by Changelings for the past week and I just lost them. I need your help getting somewhere safe.” Clarence rose from his crouch, still keeping his knife ready. “How do you know I can help you,” he asked. “And I'm not saying that I can, but what makes you think that?” Bloodmoon pointed with a hoof out of the forest, indicating both the oak in the distance and the fallen manticore. “I know the other of your kind killed that beast on his own,” he said. “I also know that you left this wood with seven unicorns. I am not asking for much, just for you to get me away from this forest. I was thinking that maybe your mages could send me to the west. I hear tell it is the only place the Changelings haven’t conquered.” Clarence debated the risks of exposing the operation, figuring the amount of flack he would catch for doing this. “Alright,” he relented, his conscious getting the best of him. “You get one free ride. After this, don’t expect any help.” Bloodmoon nodded once, smiling his unsettling, wolfish grin again as he was led from the trees and into the fields. “I really appreciate the help… I'm sorry I didn’t catch your name?” “Lightbulb, call me that, everyone else does.” Clarence shifted his hold on his rifle. “Well Lightbulb, thank you.” Clarence nodded blankly, his eyes catching something at the edge of the forest before him. He checked closer, directing his eyes to the object of interest. He turned away from his chosen path, crouching near the corpse of a pony. It was jet black and had the wings of a bat, just like… A searing pain filled his chest, his breath catching before he looked down. From the center of his vest protruded a hoof, ridden with holes and gleaming with its own black sheen. The end was shaped like a dagger, pointed like a spear and a steely shine in the moonlight. “However, as you can see I am dead,” The voice was less than smooth now, sounding like a cockroach’s hiss mixed with the sound of sand shifting over thin metal. It flowed like bitter honey, reaching his ears many times before ending slowly. “So I thought I could just, borrow you for a few minutes.” The changeling placed his emphasis with both words and a twist of his jagged hoof, his appendage shredding his lungs and nearly touching his heart. “Hmm… Do you taste that,” The bug asked, leaning in and licking the air beside Clarence’s field of narrowing vision. “Pain, Fear, Regret; such a delectable mix of emotions. Whom did you leave behind without telling them something huh? A female you loved, your parents perhaps? Such a shame you will never see them again. You are too trusting Lightbulb, so naïve and childish.” The bug pulled its hoof free of Clarence's chest, shredding his heart on the way through. “Good bye,” The bug said, rolling him over the reveal himself, smiling and smoking a cigarette. “And thanks for the smoke.” Clarence latched onto the impostor’s collar as he insulted him with his own voice, silently snarling through clenched teeth as he pulled himself up from the ground. “You won’t last the night,” he said silently, mouthing the words. “I hope you take one to the gut and get left to rot in the sun.” The bug smirked, blowing smoke in the man’s face before brushing his fist from his collar. “Yes, that’s all well and good,” he said, turning and locating the rifle he was supposed to be carrying. “But I highly doubt your friends will catch one of the most well trained espionage agents the Queen has.” He tipped his helmet, putting on the goofy grin Clarence used. “Good bye.” … Earth, REDACTED, REDACTED County Taiwan, February 20, 2022… Wraith Commander Thomas Malory, Five foot eleven, Two hundred pounds and soaking wet, stalked silently through the dense forest of the Asian countryside, his wetsuit and BPV soaked throughout. In his hands was a silenced, shortened ACR, a Heartbeat sensor attached to the side rails, a thermal scope on the top rail and finger hovering just off the trigger. He had been following a Chinese weapons dealer for the past six hours, attempting to get a line of sight on the target as he walked through his safe house. He lifted a hand to his throat, pressing the advanced coms system to his larynx. “This is Phantom, I have located Chen. Sending feed to you now.” He pressed a button on his vest, raising his rifle and sighting the thermal silhouette of the target. “Target lit, fire when ready.” “Specter copies Phantom,” the reply came, his teammate a mile away with a Barrette XM500 deployed and loaded, lining up the shot with his advanced targeting computers. “I have the target. Calculating adjustments now...” The five nine man, shrouded in an active camouflage cloak and loaded with hardened, waterproof electronics adjusted his hold on the bullpup rifle, following the display on his monocle to line up the trajectory of the fifty caliber round. He shifted by micrometers. “Taking the shot,” Specter said, squeezing the trigger and met with pressure in his shoulder. The round tracked as it went, Phantom receiving feed of the bullet on his own monocle before it impacted the wooden walls of the house. He watched through his thermals as a white cloud bloomed from the silhouette’s head, the glowing figure falling to the ground. “Solid hit, target eliminated.” Phantom changed channels, hailing the USS McKinley. “This is team three calling Base. Target eliminated, awaiting extraction.” He turned on his heel as the lights blossomed in the house, digging his way through the undergrowth and trees. He would meet up with Specter in a clearing two miles south of the safe house, where upon a Nightingale stealth chopper would pick them up and return them to the McKinley, the most technologically advanced Super Cruiser in the U.S Navy. … Kevin worked his way through the tunnels of the caves, having sent his squadron back through the way they came. He wasn’t alone by choice however; circumstances had forced him to separate; namely the Barrier keeping him on one side of the cavern while his squad was on the opposite side. He stopped at an intersection, looking down each of the three new tunnels. He shone a flashlight down each one, the darkness beyond swallowing the light. ‘Gotta find a way out,’ he thought, pulling his glove off and coating a finger in saliva. He held it before each tunnel, hoping to catch a lick of fresh air from one. This plan had helped lead him to this intersection, like so many before, following the wind. This time was different however, the air refusing to aid his navigation. “Well shit,” he said flatly, a bemused expression on his face. He took off his cap, rubbing his head and blowing air through his lips. “I’m lost…” He put his cap back on, staring at the tunnels in turn. Minutes passed like this, Claustrophobia settling into the back of his head. He was fidgeting, chewing his lip, scratching his arm, bouncing his heel off the floor... all the signs of a mental break coming on. “Gotta get outta here, gotta get outta here…” He repeated the phrase like a mantra, the words not helping his situation as he continued to turn around in the three by three intersection. He stopped, staring down a tunnel into the black at the end. Slowly he calmed, his breathing relaxing, ticks and twitches ceasing as a sweet and melodic tune filled his ears. It seemed to be coming from his own skull, the sound familiar but also alien. He went to step, stopping himself in hesitation of what lay beyond before the sound doubled in volume, bolstering his confidence and urging him forward. … Latitude REDACTED, Longitude REDACTED, Sea of China. “McKinley, this is Nightingale two, on approach.” “Nightingale two, McKinley. Approach verified, you have the deck.” “Rodger McKinley, my deck.” Phantom looked up from the floor of the Nightingale’s bay, watching out of the windshield as the tower of the McKinley came into view. The ship was massive, the largest in the world. It was an Aircraft carrier for STOVL jet aircraft, Ospreys and Choppers like Seahawks and Nightingales. However, the reason it was massive was hidden below deck. Below and behind the seventeen inches of armored plating and four separate hulls lay 36 inch guns, enough Nuclear ICBMs to level the world, Cruise Missiles that could flatten New York state and enough Sailors and Marines to invade all of Asia. “Welcome home boys,” The pilot shouted over his shoulder. “It is oh-three-hundred on the pacific coast back home. Chow is being laid out in the mess as we speak, so if you want a hot meal, you might want to pass up your shower until you eat. Also, today is my daughters seventh birthday! I just thought I would put that out there.” Phantom nodded once, gripping the hand guard of his ACR tight, the rails pressing grooves into his palms. Landings always did this to him, increased blood pressure, elevated heart rate, muscle ticks and nearly uncontrollable shaking. It was odd, the Elite of the Elite, a Commander of Wraith, the US black operations group, had a fear of flying. “Nightingale two, McKinley. We have a thirty-mile per hour wind shear on the deck. Correct before landing.” The pilot sighed, making the manual adjustments. He was cool as ice in his maneuver, his faith in the bird based off the advanced avionics the stealth craft possessed. “Hey Thomas,” Specter said, waving him over to the open port door. “Come take a look at this.” Phantom stood in the craft, remaining hunched over as he navigated the maze of overhead handles and fluid pipes in the five-foot high bay. “Something’s up with her deck.” Phantom held onto a handle above the door, leaning out and looking directly down. The deck below them was as black as usual, the floodlights shining off the sheeting water the rain that drenched the McKinley in. However, Specter was right. While the water sheeting toward the drains was shining with the floodlights, there was too much ambiance. The light had no real direction, seeming not to be reflected, instead being emitted from the water. “Nightingale two, wave off! EM reading, expecting massive pulse! Wave off, Wave off!” The pilot pulled up on the altitude control hard, jinking up and right to avoid the tower and put some distance between them and the ship. Phantom clenched his hand around the handle, tensing his body subconsciously as he felt gravity pull him to the left, inertia trying to throw him from the open door. “Captain, EM reading has peaked. Burst in three!” “All hands brace for list!” “EMP is on us sir!” A bright green flash filled the area, the McKinley vanishing behind the blinding light as Phantom covered his eyes with his left hand, the silencer on his rifle banging against the ceiling of the chopper bay. Minutes passed like this, the sensation of the chopper climbing higher and turning about, moving forward at full speed. The light continued to bleed through his closed eyes, the glaring red nearly blinding him through his natural shutters. As the light faded, Phantom risked opening his eyes, tentatively lowering his arm. His jaw dropped slightly as he beheld the area around and below them, the open and roiling ocean having been replaced with a range of mountains, the violet stone capped in white, rain sheeting down on the bird as if nothing had changed. “Where are we,” he asked aloud. Specter shook his head, staring dumbstruck out the bay door as the range opened into rolling hills. … Kevin exited the tunnel into another cavern like the last, halting his progress mere inches from the tunnel. He pulled a ball from his pocket, tossing it forward with a backwards spin; he was in no hurry to be thrown and trapped again. The ball sailed on its arc, firing back with twice the force it had been thrown with and nailing him in the chest. “Interesting,” he said, walking to the barrier and laying his gloved hand on it. The force field was warm, sending a tingling sensation through his skin and up his arm. The tingling rested in his chest, making each breath odd but not uncomfortable. “How do I get past you…” He muttered, looking around the area. “You don’t,” a regal and firm voice said from the other side, startling Kevin and causing him to back away, raising his rifle. “Calm yourself,” the voice said, a shadow twitching beyond the barrier, taking the form of a thin and tall unicorn. The shadow moved, wings appearing on its back before the darkness turned to smoke, writhing over the figure, floating down its slim body and lithe legs before color graced its form. Eyes formed on its head, glowing a bright azure set sternly in the midnight blue of its coat. Upon its breast was a cuirass of black, translucent metal, a crescent moon emblazoned in the purest silver set into the center of the plates. Upon its hooves were silver, ankle high shoes, the articles covering the winged unicorn’s hooves completely before tapering off into Fleur-de-lis and stars. “Welcome to my shelter, my hide. I am Luna, brave soldier. Tell us of thine name and title.” Kevin slowly lowered his rifle, his amaze hidden behind a passive and hardened face. “Corporal Kevin J Green of the United States 75th Ranger Battalion,” He said with a sense of professionalism, keeping the desire to squeak at meeting Luna hidden away. “I’m here to get you out of the caves and back to a secure and hidden bunker some miles away. There is a Resistance force fighting to restore you and your sister to the throne, and overthrow-“ “Yes yes, we already know this,” She said, using the royal tense. “We wish to know now why it is you, Kevin Green, have come to meet our call. We sent our signal of distress to another, one whose mind was blank.” “Alison,” he said, cutting her off. At this point, he didn’t care about the story. She was the High Value Target, and he had to get her out. “She woke up and told Silvermane about your hiding place. Come on, I have to get you out of here and back to the bunker.” Luna put on a blank face, nodding once before stepping out of her protective bubble. Kevin took his place before her, acting like a living shield if anything came at them. “Stay behind me, stay low, stay quiet.” … “What took you so long,” A unicorn asked as the changeling in Clarence’s body walked close to the tree. “You took your sweet time to take a simple piss.” The imposter waved a hand at him, dismissing him. “I went too far back into the trees,” He said, hoping his information on the body he possessed was good enough to brush past unnoticed. “Got turned around on my way out.” The unicorn stared at him for a moment, shrugging before looking away and resuming his watch. The imposter smirked after he was past the guard, observing every detail of the area. In the shade below the tree were four ponies; three unicorns and an earth pony. Inconspicuously, he turned his view to the branches, finding two more unicorns in the tree, staring out over the rolling hills, heads panning from side to side as they kept their own midnight vigil. “What are you looking at Lightbulb?” The changeling turned his head toward the new voice, an Earth Pony stood nearby, gaze fitted upward. “See something?” The imposter shook his head. “No, just… Looking up I guess.” The pony nodded, looking back at the imposter. “When I told you to look up more often, I didn’t mean literally,” The pony smiled kindly, the changeling responding in kind. “What kept you? Have trouble getting the stream flowing?” “I got turned around in the trees,” He responded, using the believable lie. “I went too far in and forgot how to get out for a moment or two. Any word from the others?” He had no idea what was going on, but he knew it had to do with those in the caves. “Not yet,” The pony said, shaking his head. “It’s been a few hours, so I'm starting to worry. I heard a gunshot, but that was it, so they weren’t attacked.” The pony looked back at the cave, the tree out of the sight from beyond the mouth of the hole in the mountainside. “They might have gotten turned around and lost though. This might have gone wrong too easily.” The changeling nodded, stealthily checking the weapon he was holding. The device was different from the usual rifles, being suited for the body he now wore, though the mechanisms were the same. There was a bolt, a receiver, an odd handle on the front rails and a strange type of optical aid on the top. On the muzzle was a long cylinder, but its purpose the changeling could not deduce. All of this information processed in a fraction of a second, quickly enough for him to return his view to the caves and not be suspected of odd activity. “Anything in the trees? I thought I heard something, but I wasn’t sure.” The changeling’s blood went colder than usual, fearing he had been found out. He shifted his free hand to his waist, finding the handle of a knife there. “No, I did however get somewhat frightened by the corpses left behind. Odd how things change in the dark, eh?” The pony raised an eyebrow, giving him a suspicious look. ‘Rectal Excrement,’ the changeling thought. ‘He’ll start to talk with the others. Time to act fast.’ “Yeah…” the pony said curiously. “I also didn’t know you possessed such a broad vocabulary. But whatever. I'm gonna go check up on the other watches.” The changeling nodded once, the pony turning around. In an instant, the changeling drew the knife, quickly lunging and planting the blade into the pony’s temple. The pony shuddered once, jaw clamping shut before falling to its knees, kicking out its back hooves and releasing a long and wet sigh, lying on the ground, dead. The changeling held a horrifically gleeful face, drawing the blade and smearing the side across his face, coating the white skin in red. “What the…” The changeling turned around, throwing the knife and embedding it between the eyes of a unicorn, directly below his horn. The process was quick, the unicorn kicking once and flipping over onto his back, tumbling once before ceasing to move. The changeling drew the blade from the unicorn’s skull, looking to the left to see another unicorn staring at him in fear and surprise. The changeling lifted his rifle in the unicorn’s direction, pulling the trigger. The rifle expelled ten shots before he released his grip on the trigger, joyously surprised by the fact he was faced with. ‘Automatic firing mechanisms,’ he thought happily. ‘These beings are quite advanced.’ he looked up as a pony gasped, having heard the sound of the round casings clattering on the ground. “Changeling, Changeling in Lightbulb’s skin!” The changeling dropped the knife, wrapping his hand around the vertical grip and taking precise aim at the unicorn, firing three rounds into his chest. The unicorn fell from the branch he was on, the changeling spying a green ball of energy directed at him; he rolled to the right, dodging the projectile, firing from the ground at the last remaining unicorn. He emptied the remaining seventeen rounds into the unicorn, the branch snapping and falling with the corpse upon it. The changeling searched his person, finding no bullets. There were several items that resembled the box attached to the receiver of the rifle, but he knew they were not the same. … Location: UNKNOWN. Time: UNKNOWN. Altitude: 2500 METERS AND DECREASING. “Suit up boys,” The pilot said over his radio, getting Specter and Phantom’s attentions. “I’m putting her down for a moment. I need to run a diagnostic to make sure we missed that EMP.” Specter and Phantom nodded, each lifting a gasmask with round goggles and placing it on their heads. Over this, they placed their helmets, covering those with Reactive Camouflage hoods. They did a quick systems check, making sure their heads up displays projected right on the goggles and their reactive camo was fully functional. “Green across the board for us,” Specter said, giving the pilot a thumbs-up. “Put her down when you find a good spot. We’ll make a perimeter of one click in all directions for you.” The pilot circled the area once, finding a flat plot of land, a depression in the center of a ring of hills. He operated the altitude controls, adjusting the stick as the craft descended, maneuvering through the sheers its rotors kicked up against the hills. Phantom released the latch on the door, Specter sliding it back and readying his M110, holding it off to the side. The craft touched down, the wheels rising on the suspension. Phantom and Specter stepped out, scanning the area as they enforced a perimeter if the hill tops around them. “Current area clear. Moving to enforce full kilometer radius now.” Specter nodded to Phantom, the pair setting off in different directions. … Kevin looked around the junction, checking the walls for the chalk marks the teams were placing as they went. There was one arrow, pointing into a tunnel. “So they did listen. Good,” He touched the chalk design, turning his head back and motioning with his neck for Luna to follow him. She nodded once, following as he stepped off into the tunnel. “How did you end up in here,” he asked, his goggles giving of their minute eerie glow as they enhanced the ambient light from the crystals. “In the fight, we…” she halted, cutting herself off. Her voice fell a few decibels, her tone less authoritarian and kinder. “I was thrown by Chrysalis from the hall of records. I fell to the ground below, crawling into the cave beside me. I had dislocated my foreleg, hip and wing in the landing, so it was no easy feat. Once into the mouth of the cavern, I fixed my injuries. As I recovered for a span, I noticed Changelings flying to the city from the mountain beyond the fields outside. I knew I would be found if I stayed in the opening, so I ventured deeper. I set traps in the larger sanctuaries, meant to trap anypony that wandered in. then I found the cavern you found me in, and sealed it so no pony could get in without my permission. I kept time by singing, each time I finished the song tenfold, I would venture into the caves to see if the traps had ensnared an innocent, or dispatch the hostile seeker. I was two cycles from exiting my sanctuary when you appeared.” Kevin nodded, ducking a low point in the tunnel before reaching another junction. Three of the four tunnels had large X marks on their walls, meaning they had already been followed and backtracked. Kevin took the one that lead out, the chalk arrow pointing up, denoting the sky was that way. “How did you sustain yourself,” Kevin asked, leading her out of the caverns. “The fight of Canterlot was nearly a year ago. As far as I can see, this cave doesn’t grow anything edible.” Luna’s reply was quick, and slightly more joyful than it should have. “Mushrooms,” she said too happily. “The cavern I was in had several varieties that are edible.” Kevin nodded once, thinking she had eaten the wrong ones one too many times. Ahead he could spot the light of the moon, a large blot in the darkness. “Well, princess, we’re almost out of here. We just have to…” a quiet whistling sound caught his ears, the jangle of brass on stone following it. A few yells and a call for help followed them, the ticking of the chamber of an automatic weapon proceeding it. “Oh hell…” Kevin silently ordered Luna to stay put, the princess nodding as he quietly stalked to the edge of the tunnel. In the mouth of the cave were the bodies of the unicorn company he had left as guards, the mute team leader laying on his side, clawing his way slowly toward the tunnels, blood trailing him. Clarence came into view, Kevin crouching back into the shadows as his teammate planted his boot on the unicorn’s neck. “Scream you damned pony,” he said coldly, lifting his rifle and placing the end of the silencer against the unicorn’s horn, firing and breaking it off. The pony winced, heaving air through his mouth. “I said scream you pathetic thing. SCREAM!” he ended the sentence with rage in his voice, getting a cold glare in return. “Suit yourself,” he said, placing two rounds in the unicorn’s chest, effectively ending his life. Clarence looked up from the dead unicorn, looking at the three tunnels. He looked directly at Kevin, changing his view a moment later to another. “That’s two teams. Now, there is the third and fourth…” Kevin watched as Clarence removed the magazine from his rifle, tossing the apparently empty container away and reaching for another. He had to subdue him, and this was his chance, he pulled down his goggles, letting them hang around his neck before charging from the tunnel, he rammed his left shoulder into the insane comrade, knocking him over. “Stand down soldier, that’s an order!” Clarence looked up at him, slightly stunned but recovering quickly. He lifted his legs, planting his hands on the ground behind him and pushing off, kicking out and landing both feet flat on Kevin's chest, knocking him back three feet and too the ground. Kevin rolled back, getting his feet under him and rising to a crouch. “I said stand down Clarence!” Clarence laughed at him, reaching for another magazine and pulling it from his tactical vest. Kevin growled and closed the short distance, punching him full force in the bridge of his nose. He kicked him with the flat of his boot as Clarence staged back, catching him on the collar and knocking him over. Kevin placed his boot on Clarence's chest, keeping him pinned. “What the fuck is wrong with you Lightbulb,” He demanded, pulling his foot off and jumping back as Clarence swiped at him with his knife. This wasn’t just a mental break; Clarence was officially Section Eight. “God dammit, Private… Drop your weapon and you walk out of this alive!” Kevin drew his tomahawk, holding it ready to swing above his shoulder, lowered into a more ready stance. “I’ll be walking out of this anyway,” Clarence said, his voice more throaty and chilling than it had been just hours before. “I'm here to kill all of you, no matter the sacrifice.” He lunged at Kevin, Kevin dodging the stab and bringing his axe down. The blade landed on Clarence's shoulder, severing the limb. Clarence stepped back a few paces, holding his stump. “Idiotic creature,” he growled before his stump exploded in a spray of violet, a cylindrical, black protrusion forming before turning into a human arm. Kevin shook off the horror, readying himself to continue the fight. This wasn’t Clarence, this was something parading in his skin and committing atrocities with his name. Clarence lunged at him, provoking a dodge and another swing. He ducked this, spinning to the right and kicking Kevin in the gut, knocking him down and forcing him across the smoothed floor of the cave. Kevin clutched his stomach, the kick having broken one of his floating ribs. “Fuck this…” Kevin drew his side arm, taking aim at Clarence. He pulled the trigger, a hole forming in Clarence’s chest before it reached him, passing through harmlessly. “Dammit…” Kevin lay back down, rolling over and standing up, using a stalactite for leverage. “You think you can kill me with your guns? Bah,” Clarence walked up to the panting and pained soldier, placing his knife against Kevin’s spine. “Any last words before I kill you, human?” Kevin sighed, shaking his head. “Well then, at least you face death with honor.” Kevin braced himself, closing his eyes and waiting for the end. Instead of what he expected, there was a wet sound, a strangled grunt and the sound of a falling body, the clatter of steel on stone following short after. “Sir Kevin, are you alright?” Kevin opened his eyes, turning to find Luna staring concernedly at him. Off to her left was a changeling, a spike of stone protruding from its chest, painted purple with gore. “Sir Kevin, are you whole?” Kevin shook his head, sitting down and holding his knees, the adrenaline bleeding off. “Y-yeah… I'm in one piece…” he located his pistol, placing it shakily back in its holster. “Do you know where my rifle ended up?” He stared at the floor between his feet, the fact that he had been awake for nearly ninety-six hour finally catching up to him. His rifle came into view before him, Luna’s Dark blue aura surrounding it. “Thank you.” He took the weapon from her, the feeling of static crawling over his skin fading as she released it. The sound of flapping wings reached his ears, his action response kicking in, causing him to rise to his knees and take aim at the tunnels. He followed a black Pegasus with his rifle as they flew from the tunnel, lowering his weapon as it turned out to be friendly. “We hear gunfire,” Dash said, landing before him as the remainder of her squad came into view, moments later being followed by his squad, having regrouped in the tunnels and headed out. They gasped as the scene came into view, staring at the corpses of their friends. “What happened?” Kevin held up a hand, trying to stand but being denied by his fatigue. Dash leant him a shoulder, helping him to his feet. “We can cover that later,” he walked to the edge of the cave, leaning against the entrance. “Get their tags, leave the bodies. We can’t carry them back; we’re walking out of here.” … Location: UNKNOWN. Time: UNKNOWN. “Tom,” Specter said over his radio, lying down on a hill, cloaked and focused on something with his riflescope. “I got something here.” Phantom looked up the hill, seeing Specter waving him up. Her jogged up the hill, crouching and activating his active camouflage. “Get your eyes out. You’ll want to see this.” Phantom turned slightly, pulling a pair of enhanced binoculars from a pouch on his belt and lifting them to his eyes. “The cave directly ahead, is that a boot?” He located the cave in question, watching as a human soldier, clad in blacked gear and a pair of night or dark goggles around his neck. Walked haggard from the dark in the cave, leaning against the entrance. Phantom turned on his Infrared light, shining it on the soldier. A patch on his shoulder lit up, revealing an American flag, as well as a Corporal’s patch. “Yeah, he’s clear.” Phantom lowered his binoculars, staring out over the hills. Something was stranger than it should have been. Other than the fact that they were in an area akin to Germany or France instead of over the Sea of China, there was an itch in the back of Phantom’s mind, like something that just did not sit right with the soldier they had found. He raised his binoculars, watching as the soldier plucked a stalk of grass from the ground, chewing on it while fiddling with a flip lighter in his hand, stimulating his oral fixation from smoking. The shadows moved behind him, a small and black horse walking out of the case and into the light of the moon. It seemed to hold itself with an air of intelligence, its head held high and looking around the area like a human would. What surprised Phantom, however, were the wings upon its back. The extensions were around six feet long each, folded against its sides, a strange looking rifle across its back. The horse looked to the soldier, its mouth moving as if it was speaking. The soldier nodded, saying something in return. The soldier lifted his hand to his chest, activating his radio, which Phantom and Specter heard. “General Silvermane, this is Corporal Green. We have the package, but we have lost our ride out. Anything you can do for us from the bunker?” The radio went silent, another voice returning a moment later, the soldier pressing his headset into his ear to hear more clearly. “Sorry Kevin, but we are blind here. Good work on getting her out. I can send out another mage team, but you are going to have to meet them half way. Any casualties on your side of the territory?” Phantom looked to Specter, both exchanging looks that asked question about why an American soldier was here. “Affirmative. We have lost both teams three and four to a changeling that…” The soldier stopped, placing a hand over his eyes and sitting on the ground. “The damned thing took out Clarence and used his skin and rifle to take them all out. He is on a shoot to kill order now General.” “Roger Wilco. Grab their tags and have any mage’s you still have bury the bodies. They will not be forgotten. RTB when you finish. Silvermane out.” Phantom lowered his binoculars, looking at Specter. “Are we in fucking Wonderland?” Specter shrugged, nodding at the same time for a definite maybe. “You’re thinking of breaking Silence to get an ear on our Yankee.” It wasn’t a question, but Phantom nodded anyway. “It’s your call Phantom. You’re still in charge of this flight.” Phantom nodded again, standing and pulling a flare from his vest, turning on his radio and placing it on an open broadcast channel. “This is Commander Thomas Malory of the United States Wraiths calling out to the American standing before the cave. Direct your view,” he glanced at the compass on his wrist, finding he was east of the cave. “Direct view east for green flare.” He pulled the cap, lighting the stick and holding it high, waving it back and forth over his head slowly, deactivating his camouflage. … “This is Commander Thomas Malory of the United States Wraiths Calling to the American soldier standing before the cave, Direct View east for green flare.” Kevin listened for anything unordinary as the message repeated, turning his head right and spotting the flare, a man in a gasmask and hood waving it slowly. “Commander Sir. How did you end up here?” Kevin tapped Dash on the shoulder, directing her view to the flare. “I’m coming to you sir. I have a guest.” He started off, turning slightly to wave Dash forward. They ran the distance, Kevin out of breath half way, Dash noticed this, taking wing and wrapping her hooves around his chest, doubling her efforts and lifting him from the ground, carrying him the remainder of the way. She slowed as they neared the area, setting Kevin down before landing beside him, Kevin saluting his superior as dictated by protocol and regulations. “Corporal Kevin J Green of the 75th Rangers.” Phantom saluted him back, ordering him at ease. “Kevin Green, that name’s familiar…” He thought on the subject, Specter de-cloaking and lifting himself from the ground. “He’s part of the MIA group in the Blackhawk fiasco out in Afghanistan.” Specter shook Kevin’s hand. “Commander Gregory Hawkins, Wraith sniper.” Kevin nodded, looking past them, spying a Nightingale below them. “You have any idea where we are Corporal? Looks like Hungary or eastern Germany from the geography.” “Not even close sir, but I can’t tell you right now. It’s compartmentalized Tier Zero. I'm not allowed to tell anyone except the President herself.” Phantom gave him a look, wondering what he was at. He had access to anything he needed or wanted to know, and he knew Ranger’s did not get Tier Zero level assignments. “Is your bird operational Sir?” Specter nodded, taking over. “We caught the flanks of an EMP over the Sea of China. Pilot is looking at everything to make sure nothing is damaged. Mind telling me why you have a mythological flying horse with you?” “Hey, if you got a question for me, you can ask me about it.” Phantom and Specter both backed away a few step quickly, raising their weapons at Rainbow Dash. “Did that thing just speak?” Phantom stared at it, keeping his ACR aimed at its eye. “Yeah,” She said, turning toward Phantom and glaring at him. “I can talk, and I'm not a ‘thing’, I'm a pegasus. My name is Rainbow Dash, Commander Rainbow Dash of the Equestrian Resistance Force.” “She’s friendly sir,” Kevin said, pushing the barrel of Phantom’s ACR down, holding up a hand to Specter. “We don’t need another Moscow happening here. Please, put them down.” Phantom looked to Kevin, slowly lowering his rifle away from the pony and nodding to Specter. Specter followed his lead, slinging the M110 across his back and placing his hand on a USP .45 on his hip. “How much weight can that Bird carry? I have fifteen natives to evacuate before they get slaughtered.”