We crossed Ponyville in record time as Twilight, AJ and I made our way to Fluttershy's Cottage.
"There's Mu" I said as I pointed to the small drone. He was waiting for us in front of the house.
"Then what's that?" Twilight asked. Behind the robot, I could see a shadow moving. I tried to warn him.
"MU! MOVE!" I shouted as we ran to his aid.
We weren't fast enough. The shadow turned out to be a bear, who was standing on his back legs, looming over the now terrified machine. The bear grabbed him and held him over his head, roaring loudly. I drew my rifle and readied the shotgun mounted under the barrel. Still loaded with Dragon's Breath rounds from earlier, I fired the shell into the air, producing the signature stream of fire which startled the bear and caused him to throw Mu at us.
"I got him" Twilight said as she charged her horn, enveloping Mu in her lavender energy.
I charged at the bear, weapon ready, and fired the last round right over the bear's head. The smell of the burnt magnesium combined with the fear of being set on fire forced the bear to flee.
"Didja stick a dragon on that thing, Captain?"
"No, it's a special shell that ignites when fired, apply named Dragon's Breath"
"Uh, Captain? Could you get this guy off me?" Twilight asked. Mu was so thankful that Twilight had caught him that he was currently hanging off her neck. I couldn't help but laugh.
"Mu, let her go" I ordered. He complied
"Why don't you head back to Firestorm and help out there" I offered
The monowheel bolted for the safety of the base.
"OK, let's get inside and save Fluttershy"
"It's locked" Twilight said as she tried the door
"We don't have time for this" Applejack said "Ah'll git it open"
She took her position in front of the door. She then reared up on her front legs and kicked out her back ones, bashing the door with ridiculous force. We all stared in awe as the door remained standing.
"What'n tarnation? Ah've felled trees with bucks like that!"
"That's one thing I like about you ponies: you build things to last" I said as I examined the door "Fluttershy must have had this thing reinforced to stop powerful animals"
"Then what do we do?"
"We attack the weak points" I said as I rummaged trough my ammo pouch "Ever door is weak in two places: the hinges and the lock"
I found what I was looking for, a pair of black 12-guage shotgun shells
"Wait, I thought those bullets were suppose to be red" Twilight pointed out
"Each color corresponds to a different payload: red is standard shot, orange is Dragon's Breath, and black is breaching" I explained as I loaded the shells into the Masterkey.
I chambered the first round and placed the barrel over the upper hinge.
BOOM
shick shick
BOOM
"Aaaaand open" I said as the door fell to the ground. We then barged into the house, looking for any sign of the Pegasus.
"You sure know how to make an entrance" Twilight said as she looked around the room
"Just one of my many talents" I boasted. I was caught off-guard by a sudden impact into my back.
"HY-AH!" A voice screamed as I was knocked onto the ground
"What the hell?" I said as I rolled over. I came face to face with my attacker: Fluttershy.
"Back to try and strangle me again?" she hissed as she reared up on her hind legs"I don't think so"
"Not so fast, sugercube" AJ said as she cast her lasso (where the hell...oh never mind) and caught Fluttershy's forelegs. with one yank, she dragged the enraged Pegasus off of me and proceeded to hogtie her in record time.
"Thanks for the assist, AJ" I said as I stood back up "I did not see that coming"
"LET ME GO!" Fluttershy demanded as she struggled against AJ's rope.
"Here we go" Twilight said as she applied the Memory Spell to Fluttershy. Once again, the wave of purifying magic flooded over the mare. AJ released the bindings and Fluttershy stood back up.
"Oh my goodness" she said in her familiar soft voice "I had the most awful dream. There was Discord and we were all fighting and then the Captain tried to hurt me, it was just awful"
"I hate to break it to you, but that was no dream" Twilight said causing Fluttershy to look back at me.
"So...you actually..." she tried to say but was overcome with fear
"This isn't his fault Fluttershy" Twilight said "When Discord messed with your minds, he cause you to become mean and Archangel became violent"
"I would never have done that on my own Fluttershy" I said dripping with guilt "I am so sorry"
"H-he's not controlling you any more, is he?" she asked
"Let me check" I said as I ran a quick diagnostic "Nope"
Her look of fear changed to a warm smile.
"Then I forgive you"
"Thanks Fluttershy"
We then spent a few minutes explaining to Fluttershy what had been going on.
"But how will we find them?" the yellow Pegasus asked
"Way ahead of you" I replied as I checked in again.
Archangel requesting progress report
Guardian reporting in: no sign of Pinkie Pie, continuing search
Firestorm Reporting in: Albatross is being deployed now. Beginning search for Rainbow Dash
Maintenance Droid Designation Phi Reporting: Generosity located. Transmitting Coordinates
"Phi has a lock on Rarity" I said "Let's move out"