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// House of Stormwing: Thunderers 
// Story: Equestria Divided Tales 
// by Grenazers 
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"The hell is this thing? Hey Shade!"

"What?"

"You know what this is?"

A black coated pegasus stallion with a dark blue mane trotted towards his comrade. His comrade is orange pegasus with red and yellow hair. He was standing in front of a strange device of some kind. Shade took his place next to his friends and inspect the device.

The device is question is a flat equipment. There is a circle with two things from the sides. On one side is a hook like thing, while on the other side it spreads out longer ending with a pair wings. Between the wing is a ball with a pointy rod attached to it.

"Yeah Passionfire, I have no idea. Let's just go ask the quartermaster." Shade picked up the unknown device and carried it to the armory, with Passionfire following from behind.

The two soldiers entered the armory, everywhere weapons are aligned and organized neatly. Among the stack of weapons is a another pony reading from a scroll. This pony is slightly older than the two, his wrinkles showing itself on his blue coat and a little gray in his yellow hair. 

Despite his old age, this elderly stallion's mind is still sharp as the weapons in this room. The old stallion was just reading his checklist of supplies and equipments, when he was interrupted by two familiar ponies.

"Hey gramps, do you know what this thing is?" Shade said to the old pegasus.

The old pony glared at the black stallion. "Shade, how many times I told. Stop calling me gramps, my name is Ravenclaw." he stated.

"Yeah well I prefer to call you gramps." Shade retorted.

Sighing the stallion return his glare to the cocky pegasus. "What is it that you want to show me?" Upon asking his question, the black pegasus used his wings and gave the device to the old pony. Ravenclaw picked up the device and inspected it.

"Oh this thing? this is a Discharger."

"What?" Shade and Paasionfire said in unison.

"Yep the Discharger, a weapon created by those weather masters fellows. This device is able to harness the power of lighting and unleash it upon the enemies." Ravenclaw explained while showing them how to properly hold the device.

"Holy shit, that sounds awesome!" Shade said, excitedly. "Why don't we use more these suckers." he grabbed the device from the old stallion and held it like he did. 

Ravenclaw frown when heard Shade's question. "That's the things boys, we are capable of doing this. But, our commanders refused to employ such weapons."

Both ponies returned their gaze from the device, to the elderly pegasus. "What do you mean sir?" asked Passionfire.

"What I mean is that most of our older commanders, have a dislike for range weaponry. To them a true warrior face foes close and personal, not from afar." the old blue pegasus answered.

"Well that just stupid and close-minded." Shade repied.

"I agree with there, Shade." the old pony agreed.

"Really? I always figure you to be more of a traditionalist."

"Why? cause I'm old? that means I agree with other old ponies as well?"

While those two talked among each other, Passionfire on the other hoof was inspecting the Discharger. He checks it from every angle and held it in his hooves, to feel the weight and grip on the device. It was then that he found two lines coming from the hook part of the weapon.

"Hey Ravenclaw, what are these?' he showed the quartermaster. Ravenclaw stopped his talk with Shade and saw what Passionfire was pointing at. 

"Yeah those connect to a storm cloud."

"Why?"

"For the lighting source Shade." he returned his attention to the black stallion. "You think that device can harness the raw power of electricity?"

Before Shade could say anything, they were interrupted by somepony outside. "Hey guys! The captain wants all of us to gather together for a meeting. Outside his tent." The pony courier then left to spread the word. The three ponies inside immediately exited the armory and headed to the meeting. 

As the three gathered with the other pegasus, they noticed that only thirty were present. Then coming from inside the tent is white coat pegasus with silver gray hair, their leader, Captain Winter. 

"Attention troops!" Winter shouted, silencing the crowd and getting their attention. 

"As you may have noticed that not everypony is here." the crowd of troops nodded their heads in response. "Now some of you already know the answer to that but, I'll answer for those who don't know. Exactly ten hours ago I received orders from command to lend them some of my troops, to reinforce other places. The reason is because our scouts have reported numerous Earthborn forces entering our territory. So to assist the outpost I send some of our troops to them. Unfortunately, this has shrank our force a lot. Even more unfortunate that an Earthborn force is heading to this area. And we are ordered to attack those invaders."

To say that the troops were shocked, would be an understatement. They were expected to take down an Earthborn force which consists of a hundred ponies, with only thirty pegasus troops. Also most of the pegasus here has no combat experience and all just finished boot camp. It also doesn't help that their invaders has just introduced a new weapon, designed specifically to take them down. 

Captain Winter dismissed his troops and went back into his tent, planning strategy for the upcoming battle. Shade, Passionfire, and Ravenclaw trotted together. Discussing about the latest news.

"Well this sucks."

"I agree with ya there, Shade." said his orange friend.

"This has to one of the worse order, command ever gave."

As the three continued to trot, Shade suddenly came with an idea. "Hey wait a second!" he said all of a sudden. "Why don't we use that things?"

"What? what thing?" questioned the old pegasus.

"Y'know that Discharger!"

"Shade, hate to break this to ya but, that is only one we have here."

"Oh god dammit!" Shade said in anger.

When all hope seems lost, Passionfire came up with his own ideas. "Hold that thought guys, I may have an idea." The orange pegasus raised his wings and flew into the captain's tent. Passionfire entered, with both Shade and Ravenclaw behind him.

Inside the tent is the white pegasus captain and his lieutenant, Night River. "Corporal Passionfire, what are you doing here?" Their captain demanded.

"Sir I may just come up a idea, that can help us win the upcoming battle." The orange pegasus explained to his commanding officer.

Captain Winter focused his attention on the orange pony at the entrance. "Alright corporal, I'm all ears," he said. Passionfire trotted to the captain, to explained his idea. Shade and Ravenclaw entered as well listening in on their orange friend plan.

Couple Of Hours Later

On the border between the Heartlands and the Northern Expansion, a large forces was coming from the Heartlands and is marching towards the pegasus territory.  Up high in the clouds, a small force of pegasus sat and waited for their signal to attack.

Up ahead of them is Shade wielding the Discharger in his hoof, with a small storm cloud attached to the device. Using his telescope, Shade was able to get a better view of the Earthborn forces. they consist mostly of Ponies-At-Arm, Hoof Cannoneers, Battle Buckers, and a couple of Firespitters. Also with them are series of cannons and their latest anti-air weapon, the Avalanche Arrow Launcher. It's basically the rocket launcher, but instead of rockets its arrows.

Basically it fire a barrage of arrows into the horde of flyers, either killing them or injuring them so their ground forces can finished them off. So far into their introduction, they have proven successful against the Changeling horde. So now they turned this new weapon upon the forces of stormwing.

Unfortunately for these guys, the pegasus has already set up a plan to counter the invading forces. Passionfire suggested sending some rain clouds in the area, so that cannons will ineffective. Then with their superior firepower disabled the pegasus will fly down and strike swiftly.Then they'll retreat back to the clouds and that's where Shade will step in. 

As the Earthborn forces drew closer, the rain clouds have showered the land with water, heavily soaking the earth ponies below. They however were not deterred from the weather, and just pressed forward. Up high in the skies, Captain Winter order his forces to fly down and attack.

Seeing the incoming pegasus, the Earthborn commander ordered the Avalanche Arrow Launcher to be uncovered and fired. However, before they could do anything, a sudden lighting strucked them. Destroying one of their heavy weapons and electrocuting some of them.

With the sudden lighting strike, the Earthborn troops were in disarray, leaving them easy target for the pegasus. They flew towards them, weapons held, slashing or stabbing them.  Captain Winter impaled a pony with his spear, switching to his sabre, he slashed two more.

Lieutenant Night River sliced a somepony's head clean off, Passionfire slashed a couple with his spear, and Ravenclaw chucked his spear at a pony, impaling them. Once they flew pass them, the pegasus retreated back to the air, while another lighting struck the enemies.

While the Captain led his forces against the Earthborn, Shade was waiting for the Discharger to charge in between shots. Once down charging, Shade aimed for a spot to do the most damage. The combination with the rain water, help make this weapon even more devastating.

This went on for a couple of minutes, a cycle with the lighting strike and the pegasus guerrilla like attack. Eventually with the heavy losses they are facing, the surviving Earthborn forces retreated, falling back into the Heartlands.

Watching the invaders retreat, the Stormwing troops cheered in victory. They have successfully driven them off, despite the major disadvantage they have. Suffering to little to no casualties, they all flew back to their outpost. 

Captain Winter wrote in his report about the successful battle and praised Discharger as a recommended weapon. Since it was Passionfire idea that won the battle, he was promoted to a sergeant, meanwhile the black pegasus Shade, was chosen to be the one the first wave of specialized units called Thunderers.