//------------------------------//
// 5: Extra Credit 
// Story: Magical Pony Lyrical Twilight StrikerS 
// by PurpleProse 
//------------------------------//

	Scootaloo groaned and rolled onto one side, her wings splayed out behind her as she woke up. The morning sun had just crested the horizon, sending shafts of pale sunlight through the drawn blinds and lighting up the bedroom. Scootaloo grimaced and yawned, then slowly pulled herself free from the sheets. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she sat up, then climbed off the bed.
Ugh, not even mornings feel right here, she thought to herself as she slowly stretched her wings, then raised herself up on the tips of her hooves. She quickly twisted her head, letting out a soft grunt as the vertebrae in her neck let out a satisfying popping noise. She glanced over at the clock on the wall opposite of the bunks, grimacing at the time.
“Hey Spike?” She glanced towards the top bunk. “You up?”
“Mhmm,” came a soft reply. Scootaloo frowned and backed up a bit to get a better look. The purple dragon was seated cross-legged on his bed, his eyes closed and his hands folded on his lap.
“Spike, what in Equestria are you doing?”
“Meditating,” Spike replied, opening one eye to look at her before he shifted slightly and shut it.
“Meditating? How long’ve you been up?”
“Not long,” was Spike’s brief response, his tail flicking across the sheets.
Scootaloo watched him for a moment, then shrugged and walked over to the closet and pulled on her clothes for the day. After dressing, she quickly made her bunk, pulling the sheets up and making sure it was neat and mostly unwrinkled. “Just don’t take too long,” she continued as she smoothed out a few errant creases. “Breakfast’s in about fifteen minutes.”
“Mmf.”
Scootaloo shrugged as she trotted out the door, turning down the hall towards the bathroom. Her ears perked slightly as she heard the sounds of conversation through the door.
Sounds like I’m not the only one who doesn’t like mornings, she thought as she tapped the door button. The door hissed open, allowing her in. Subaru and Teana were already inside; the former standing at the sinks with a toothbrush in her mouth, while the latter was tying her hair up with her black ribbons. “Hey,” she said, trying to at least sound cordial.
“Morning, Scootaloo,” Teana replied, while Subaru waved and muttered a ‘good morning’ through a mouthful of toothpaste.
Scootaloo trotted over to the sinks and grunted, rising up on her hind legs and flapping her wings to stabilize herself. She shook her head at her reflection, reaching over and lifting a comb as best she could with one hoof before running it through her mane.
“Nee shom helf?” Subaru asked, pausing in her brushing.
“Nah,” Scootaloo grimace as her mane settled into its usual upswept, feather-like shape.
“Shlee well?”
“Subaru,” Teana sighed, ”at least rinse your mouth out before talking.”
“Shorry,” Subaru washed off her toothbrush, then leaned down and quickly filled her mouth with water directly from the faucet. The foamy mixture of water and suds hit the drain with a splat before Subaru stood up. “Sleep well?”
“I guess,” Scootaloo replied. “You?”
“Yup! But then again, I can sleep pretty much anywhere.”
Scootaloo could see Teana roll her eyes in the mirror. “That’s not surprising, considering what time you went to bed last night.”
Subaru blushed as Scootaloo looked at her. “Uh… yeah… I kinda stayed up late working on something…”
“How late?”
“Um… about two in the morning?”
Scootaloo’s eyebrows rose. “Seriously? But you look so… perky.”
Subaru laughed nervously. “I’m a… really deep sleeper! Isn‘t that right, Tea?”
The orange-haired mage shrugged. “Trying to wake Subaru up before she wants is like… I dunno, like trying to make a volcano erupt by shouting at it.”
“Still, that’s… what, like four hours of sleep?” Scootaloo quirked her head. “You sure you’re okay?”
Subaru waved a hand. “I’m alright, really. I can function perfectly fine on less.”	
“Well, if you say so,” Scootaloo replied.

---

“… and that’s the situation for now,” Chrono concluded as he poured milk onto his cereal. A few stray drops landed on the table, though Twilight didn’t pay them much mind. The ‘officer’s table’ in the commissary was pretty full, what with her, Chrono, Fate, Yuuno, Trixie and Reinforce all clustered around it.
“So most of the Altenritter will be gone until next week?” Twilight unpeeled her banana as she spoke, taking a bite out of it as Chrono nodded.
“According to Director Gracia, she requested them specifically because their skills would be best suited to dealing with the issue they were having,” Chrono replied.
“Was it another attack?” Yuuno’s worried look grew only more so as Chrono nodded. “That’s the third time this month. They’re getting more aggressive.”
“The Altenritter are best suited to dealing with them, but that’s because they’re used to fighting against opponents with AMF capabilities.” Chrono turned to look at Twilight. “Speaking of which, how’s the time table for our trainees looking?”
“Good. Hopefully, we should be able to stay on schedule.” Twilight frowned slightly. “And in case you were wondering, I was planning on starting them on Counter-AMF strategies next week.”
“Excellent.”
“I’m surprised you and Reinforce didn’t go with them, Trixie,” Fate looked to the blue unicorn curiously. “Aren’t the six of you a unit?”
“Yes, but Trixie must admit that her talents would be… less than helpful in this situation.” Trixie shrugged as she carefully sliced up a strawberry and offered a sliver to Reinforce. 
“My Mistress’s magic focuses on misdirection and conjuration,” Reinforce supplied as she daintily nibbled on the strawberry. “Whereas my spells are more suited for large-scale engagements and heavy bombardment. Neither of us would be particularly helpful against the opponents the Altenritter are likely to face.”
“At least with Reinforce here, she can help Shari,” Twilight added, finishing off her banana. “And if nothing else, I can press Trixie into giving me a helping-hoof with training.”
“Seriously?” Trixie smirked. “Well, I have been considering taking on an apprentice. Maybe I can steal one of your students… kidding!” Trixie raised her hooves as Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Just kidding, Sparkle.”
“Speaking of students,” Yuuno interrupted idly, taking a bite out of a slice of crispy bacon, “we should probably go and get the S4 set up, right Twilight?”
“Yeah.” Twilight rose to her feet and levitated her now-empty tray into the air. “I’ll go on ahead. The rest of you can catch up.”
“I still don’t see how you can eat that stuff,” Trixie grimaced at Yuuno as Twilight walked away. 
“I’m an omnivore that can shape-shift into an obligate carnivore. Meat‘s just part of the diet.” Yuuno grinned, baring his teeth at Trixie with the piece of bacon balancing between his molars like a flat cigar. “Maybe I‘ll try pony next!”
“Eww!” Trixie made a gagging noise, eliciting various chuckles from around the table.
“Yeah, I‘m sure Trixie‘s terrified of you now, fuzz-for-brains,” Chrono smirked, reaching over and ruffling Yuuno’s hair. “Now finish your breakfast like a civilized being so we can all get to work.”

---

The morning sun glittered on the waters of the bay, just beyond the S4’s containment barrier. Teana peered down at the ruined cityscape below from her perch atop the skyscraper, a gentle breeze stirring her pigtails as she narrowed her eyes.
“Right,” she muttered to herself as she turned back to her squad-mates. “Special Instructor Sparkle’s putting us through the same exercise as last time. Let’s see if we can get this right this time, okay?”
Scootaloo grunted as she slowly stretched her hind legs. “Sure, no problem. Just try not to be such a big jerk about things like last time.”
Teana’s eye twitched, just before she took a slow, deep breath. “If you actually follow the plan, then we shouldn’t have any problems.”
“So what’s the plan, genius?” Scootaloo cocked her head to the side as she took a seat on the sun-warmed surface of the skyscraper.
“Just like last time,” Teana replied as she drew her Anchor Gun. “I set up a sniping position on the route the drone takes, and you guys try to herd it in my direction so I can get a clean shot.”
Scootaloo‘s eyes narrowed. “Seriously? That’s your big plan? Try the same thing and hope it goes better this time?”
Teana met the pony’s glare with one of her own, then closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. As much as she wanted to snap at the pegasus, she knew that Special Instructor Sparkle was probably watching them. The last thing she needed was to get her team in trouble. Again.
“Fine,” Teana replied curtly. “If you’ve got something better in mind, then let’s hear it.”
Scootaloo blinked. “Seriously? Well, that‘s a shock…”
“Unlike some… individuals, I’m capable of learning from my mistakes.” Teana crossed her arms before her and tapped her foot. “Now, do you have something to add, or not?”
Scootaloo smirked. “Yeah, I do. The whole problem is that this exercise is all about chasing the target, right?”
“Yes,” Teana replied. “We’ve been over the objective, remember?”
“Well duh, but let me finish!” Scootaloo stomped a hoof. “Before, we had to match our speed with the drone so we could herd it, right? But that didn’t work. So why don’t we try something else? With my speed, I can get ahead of the thing easily, and we can pincer it in-between us…”
“The problem is that the drone’s set up so that it can avoid any attack you or Subaru can shoot at it. I’m the only one that can hit it, and if you haven‘t noticed I‘m not exactly fast.”
“Well, there‘s a way around that.” Scootaloo looked over at Subaru. “How do you feel about doing something stupid and reckless?”
Teana blinked, then looked at Subaru. The blue-haired mage blinked and glanced between the two. “What? Why‘re you two looking at me like that?”
Teana looked back at Scootaloo as realization dawned. “You’re joking.”
“Nope.”
“That‘s crazy. You‘re expecting me to shoot from that position? I could hit a stationary target, but-”
“Hey,” Scootaloo shrugged, an oddly human gesture for the pony. “If you don‘t think you‘re a good enough shot, miss sharp-shooter…”
Teana kept her expression neutral, though her teeth gritted tightly behind her lips. “Fine. But if this doesn’t work, we try it my way, alright?”
“Sure.”
“Uh,” Subaru slowly raised a hand. “Just so we’re clear… what’re we doing?”

---

“So they’re going through the exercise again?”
Twilight nodded to Yuuno as she watched the hovering holographic monitors. “I’m not going to let them get away with yesterday’s lackluster performance. I figured I’d give them a second shot… and from the sound of it, I think they might’ve learned their lesson.”
“Hmm… I wonder how they’d react if they knew you were listening in on them.”
Twilight glanced up at him. “You mean during training, or elsewhere?”
Yuuno shrugged. “Both. You have to admit Twilight, constantly monitoring their every waking moment might be a bit excessive.”
“It’s for their own good,” Twilight replied, flicking her tail. “It‘s just like how the Princesses monitor the goings-on in Equestria. You don‘t seem too worried about that.”
“Maybe, but this isn’t Equestria. Not everyone is used to having a pair of princesses monitoring their daily activities.”
“I have to admit,” Fate spoke up, looking away from her own monitors, “Yuuno does have a point…”
Twilight huffed. “I already cleared it with Chrono. Besides, I’m not constantly watching them. I just record their interactions so I can better understand their squad dynamics. Audio only, of course. Besides, Raising Heart deletes the recordings at the end of the day, so it’s not like I’m stocking up blackmail material or something…”
Yuuno raised his hands defensively. “Hey, no need to get defensive Twilight…”
Twilight sighed. “Sorry. I get what you‘re saying, it’s just…”
“You want to be just like Princess Celestia,” Fate offered, “which includes the seeming omniscience?”
Twilight glanced over at Fate, her cheeks turning pink. “Well… maybe?”
Fate sighed softly. “Twilight. Sis. I love you, but you can be so…”
“Hold that thought,” Twilight quickly turned back to her monitor. “Stars Squad is starting their run…”
Twilight watched as the drone darted down the pre-determined path, the silver sphere humming along at high speed, as per its programming. It wasn’t long, however, before a familiar orange pegasus darted after it. Scootaloo’s wings were a pair of blurs as she coursed after the drone, quickly matching the machine’s speed before slowly overtaking it. The drone darted and swerved, but Scootaloo managed to stay ahead of it, if only just.
In position! Scootaloo’s telepathic voice chimed over the communication link. You two’d better be ready!
We’re ready! Subaru’s reply was curt, but excited.
“And here they come,” Twilight said to nobody in particular as a long blue ribbon of light swept down through the sky, the leading edge sizzling as it formed. Subaru was rocketing along the road of light, her legs spread wide for stability. Teana was riding on her back, her legs tight around Subaru’s waist and one arm pulled around her neck.
“I have to admit,” Yuuno said as he watched the display, his lips quivering as he fought back a chuckle, “that’s definitely something you don’t see every day. Hey Fate, do the Shadowbolts have any exercises involving piggy-back rides?”
Twilight tried to ignore Yuuno’s comment as she watched her squad intently. She had to admit, the strategy was a bit unorthodox. It did, however, more than make up for Teana’s current lack of mobility. Not to mention attacking from the side meant that the drone wouldn’t be able to evade as easily.
Scootaloo, Teana called over telepathy, don’t get too close to the drone! I can‘t get a clean shot if you‘re in the way!
If I don’t get close, I won’t be able to slow it down enough! Just shoot the stupid ball already!
Twilight watched as Teana’s aim wavered slightly, the gunslinger’s eyes squinting as she drew a bead on the drone. Scootaloo swerved and weaved just ahead of the drone, glancing back with a flick of her head every so often to watch the drone in her peripheral vision. 
Guys, Subaru’s voice cut in urgently, there’s a pretty sharp turn up ahead…
A sphere of orange light and mana formed at the tip of Teana’s gun.
Guys?! GUYS!
Teana pulled the trigger. The projectile flashed forth as Scootaloo  banked sharply, slamming into the drone’s side. Subaru turned as well, her Wing Road rising and tilting as she turned the corner. Meanwhile, the damaged drone continued going straight and slammed headlong into the side of a building, sparks spurting from it as it fell to the ground.
Twilight smiled in satisfaction.

---

The sun was nearing its zenith when Twilight called an end to the morning’s practice. The trainees were lined up at parade rest as the S4’s constructs dissolved around them. Subaru felt the sunlight pouring down on her from above as the group’s instructors approached.
Twilight was smiling as she approached the six alongside Yuuno and Fate. “Good work this morning everyone. We’ll cover the specifics in the briefing later, but let’s just say that we’re much happier with your performance as a whole.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” Subaru replied in unison with the others.
“We’re done for the morning’s session, so I’d like everyone to head back to the barracks to clean up. Debriefing will be in thirty minutes in Briefing Room One, understood?”
“Ma’am, yes ma’am!”
“Good. Dismissed!”
Subaru quickly snapped a salute before she fell out of parade rest, quickly exhaling as she bent forward, her muscles burning slightly from the morning’s exercises.
“Private Scootaloo, please wait here for a moment. Private Nakajima, may I have a word?”
Subaru quickly stood straight up as she heard Twilight address her. The unicorn gestured for her to follow, then turned and walked off. Subaru slowly skated after her, breaking away from the other trainees.
“I’ve spoken to Captain Harlaown about your request,” Twilight said as she came to a halt, turning and looking up at her. Subaru fought the urge to snap to attention under Twilight’s gaze. 
“Yes ma’am?”
“Captain Harlaown said he’s said he’s fine with it-”
“R-really?” Subaru grinned eagerly. “That’s great! I-”
“Let me finish first, please?”
Subaru winced, but nodded quickly. “S-sorry ma’am.”
“Now as I was saying, Captain Harlaown has approved your special training with Scootaloo, provided that I oversee it. After all, someone has to be around in case something happens. Any objections to that?”
“No ma’am!”
“Good.” Twilight glanced over towards the orange pegasus. “Private Scootaloo, come over here, please?”
There was a soft rolling noise as Scootaloo skated over. “Yes, ma’am? Did you two need something?”
“Actually, yes.” Twilight glanced to Subaru, then gestured towards Scootaloo. “Private Nakajima, if you don’t mind?”
“Um…” Subaru scratched the back of her neck and smiled nervously. “I put in a request for some special training… for the two of us.”
Scootaloo‘s ears flattened. “More training? What, I’m not-”
“No! No, no, no!” Subaru waved her hands quickly, shaking her head. “You’re fine. I just… um… you know that Wing Road spell I used during our exercises? The one I skate on?”
Scootaloo blinked. “Uh… yeah? What about it?”
“Well… would you mind if I taught it to you?”
Scootaloo’s ears slowly swiveled back up and perked forward, her tail swishing. “Seriously? You can do something like that?”
Subaru nodded quickly. “Yeah! I mean, I can try. If you want to, that is.”
Scootaloo glanced over at Twilight, then up at Subaru with a curious expression. The look quickly faded as she huffed softly and ruffled her feathers. “Eh… I guess I could give it a shot? I mean, if you’re going to go to all that trou-”
“Oh no! It’s no trouble at all! Really! Come on, I’ll show you when we get back to the barracks!”
“Well, you two better be off, then,” Twilight smiled, trotting around them before glancing back over her withers. “You don’t want to be late for the debrief, after all…”
Subaru quickly nodded and skated off. Scootaloo fell in beside her, her wings buzzing softly.
“So,“ Scootaloo asked, looking up at Subaru as they rolled along, “what brought this on?”
“Huh?” Subaru blinked. “What’d you mean?”
“It’s just… eh, forget it.” Scootaloo huffed, ducking her head.
“I‘m not sure I-”
“I said forget it, okay?” Scootaloo grumped. “Let’s just get back to the barracks.”
Subaru shrugged and continued skating. The pair quickly crossed over to the pier, and then turned and headed towards the barracks, stopping when they reached the stairs leading up to the front door. Subaru crouched down and took a seat, quickly pulling off her skates and wiggling her toes.
“You can go ahead and hit the showers,” Scootaloo groaned as she pulled one hind leg free of her skates. “I’ll be there in a second.”
“Sure.” Subaru nodded, then picked up her skates and walked into the barracks. She took the stairs to the upper level two at a time, then quickly walked into her room. She grimaced as she looked at the desk, her eyes quickly scanning over the books on the shelf above.
“Where did I put… aha!” She smirked as she found her targets, quickly pulling the books from their resting spots. First came The Translated Equestrian Magical Lexicon, followed by Across the Divide: Thaumaturgy and Theory Between The Species and Applications and Principles Behind Pony Magic. All three books had dozens of bright blue, heavily annotated post-it notes protruding from between their pages.
“Alright,” Subaru murmured to herself as she ran her thumb across some of the protruding notes. “That’s the books… now where did I put the calculation sheet?”
There was a soft hiss as the door opened. Teana stepped into the room, one towel wrapped about her middle while she ruffled her hair with a second one.
“Wha… Subaru! You haven’t even changed out of your workout clothes yet?”
Subaru blinked owlishly, then blushed. “Sorry Tea. I just got distracted…”
“As usual,” Tea threw the towel at Subaru’s head. The blue-haired mage’s hand whipped up, catching it on reflex. “Get your sorry butt cleaned up, Subaru. No use going to the debrief all sweaty and nasty.”
“Okay, okay! I’m going!” Subaru giggled as she set her books down. She paused as she walked past Teana, slowly twisting the damp towel. “Hey, Tea…”
“What is it, Subaru?” Teana wasn’t paying attention as she reached into the desk and pulled out her comb.
Subaru took aim, then struck. There was a loud snap as the towel’s tip cracked just behind Teana’s rear, causing the other mage to squeal and jump.
“Gotcha!” Subaru grinned, then quickly bolted for the door. She could hear Teana’s enraged shrieking as she ran down the hall, laughing merrily as she went.

---

“…and since Private Lanster isn’t used to the system, I decided that the ‘94 would be better, since the integrated buffers prevent excess mana feedback.” Shari nervously adjusted her glasses as she stood at the workbench, the holographic schematics hovering before her and her guest.
“I see,” Reinforce nodded. “So that’s why you’re using the CVK-794 model instead of the CVK-793 for this design.”
Shari nodded quickly, trying not to jostle the alicorn on her shoulder. “There’s a loss in power, but I think the stability for prolonged use makes up for it. Better than risking overload and feedback like with the older models.”
“Indeed. I’m sure Captain Harlaown could attest to that.”
Shari shook her head. “Honestly, whoever approved him to use the ‘92 system should be fired. A young and untrained user armed with something as volatile as that? No wonder his body’s so worn out… not to demean his work, of course…”
“Hindsight is always crystal clear, Ms. Finieno,” Reinforce replied from her perch. “From what I gathered, the CVK-792 system was closely based on the original Belkan designs still in use by the Saint Church, was it not?”
“Hence why it’s so unstable. Thankfully it’s been phased out for the ‘93 models, like the one on Nakajima’s Revolver Knuckle.” Shari reached up, her fingers fidgeting with a small piece of the hovering hologram. She quickly set it aside when the alicorn took to the air, hovering before her.. “But you think the design for Private Lanster’s Device is workable? Please, be honest with me. I can take the criticism.”
The tiny alicorn nodded. “I would have gone with something more simplistic, but your existing designs are… adequate, given that the Device contains four separate modes.”
Shari let out a loud, relieved sigh, causing Reinforce to quirk an eyebrow. “Does my opinion mean that much to you, Corporal Finieno?”
“Uh… well…” Shari ruffled her hair and blushed. “Kinda… I mean, it’s always nice to have a second opinion on something like this. Fresh set of eyes and all that. But… um… you’re… well, you’re you.”
Reinforce sighed. “You have no need to prove your expertise to me. Captain Harlaown would not have brought you on if you lacked the necessary skills. Have some confidence in yourself.”
“Um… th-thanks.“ Shari’s cheeks turned pink as she glanced aside. However, she started as she heard a loud chirp from the room’s computer system. A glowing communication panel winked in over the workbench.
Shari quickly pressed the answer button when she saw the name. “Yes, Griffith?”
Griffith’s face promptly filled the view screen. “I hope I’m not interrupting you, Corporal.”
“No, no! I’m just discussing something with Reinforce. What’s up?”
Griffith reached up and gently pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose with one finger. “There’s a trans-dimensional communication line to Equestria open right now. Princess Luna wishes to speak with you.”
Shari froze. “D-did you say ‘Princess Luna?’ As in that Princess Luna?”
“Unless you know someone else by that name, yes. Her Royal Highness, Princess Luna of Equestria, is currently on the line.”
Shari stared at the screen uncomprehendingly. “Did…she say why?”
“Apparently, Special Instructor Sparkle contacted her last night to ask if she would offer a consult on your Device designs for the trainees…” Griffith paused as Shari let out a small, panicked squeak. “Um… Corporal? Are you okay?”
Shari shook her head weakly.
“Do you need a moment?”
Shari nodded rapidly.
“Alright. Please hold.”
Shari quickly turned away from the screen and tried not to hyperventilate. When Twilight had made the offer yesterday, Shari had expected it’d take a while to get the Princess’s attention. She hadn’t expected Twilight to call the Princess in for an actual consult so soon. And she definitely wasn’t expecting a response today.
Okay… okay Shari, just relax. She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself. Treat this like when you were working with Meister Atenza. Just… ignore the fact that you’re going to be talking to someone who’s likely had several lifetimes worth of experience in your field and could probably design circles around you in her sleep! And you’re going to show your schematics to her. Great! No problem! None what-so-ever… Oh sweet Kaiser, I think I’m going to-
“You‘ve nothing to fear, you know.”
Shari jerked and spun around, looking at Reinforce. The tiny pony stood on the workbench, her expression somewhat concerned. “While my creator can be rather… imposing in person, the effect of her presence doesn‘t carry over a comm-line. And if Twilight spoke well of you, which she likely did, Luna will no doubt be quite cordial with you.”
“Oh… wonderful… g-good to know.” Shari did her best to smile. She must not have done a good job of it, as Reinforce sighed.
“It would be best if you just dove right in,” Reinforce suggested gently. “Stewing in your own dread will just make things worse. Though you might want to wipe the sweat off your face before you speak to her.”
Shari nodded weakly, quickly reaching up and swiping a hand over her forehead with her sleeve as she fought to compose herself. Yeah… this is no way to greet royalty…
“Ready?” Reinforce floated up to her shoulder and landed daintily.
“Y-yeah.” Shari inhaled, quickly running her fingers through her hair to smooth it down. “Griffith? Go ahead and open the line.”
“Right. One second.”
The holographic screen shimmered and went briefly out of focus before it changed. A pony stared back at her now. Her coat and horn were deep midnight blue, while her flowing mane was a flowing banner of sapphire blue light filled with glittering stars. Her cyan eyes seemed to glow, while a black crown perched atop her brow behind her long, sharply-pointed horn.
“Meister Finieno, I presume?” Her voice was even and measured, her lips pulled down in a slight frown.
“Um… yes. H-hello, your Highness. It’s… it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Ah. Good. A pleasure to meet you as well.” Luna inclined her head politely to her. “I do apologize for the sudden call. Twilight Sparkle advised that I should contact you when I had a free moment.”
“Oh! Um… t-that’s fine your Highness. I just… didn’t expect you to call this quickly. If I’d known, I would’ve freshened up a bit. Wouldn‘t want to make a bad first impression, right?” 
Shari laughed nervously, which elicited a soft sigh from Luna.
“You need not concern yourself with outward appearances. Twilight has vouched for your competence, which means more to me than a well-polished exterior.” The alicorn’s attention shifted slightly, her gaze slipping to Shari’s shoulder. “Well met, Reinforce. It has been a while since we last spoke.”
“Yes, it has.” Reinforce replied formally. “Well met to you as well, Princess Luna.”
Okay… this is awkward, Shari thought to herself as the two alicorns looked at each other. She shuffled slightly, then coughed quietly into her hand. “Um… Reinforce was giving me some feedback on my Device designs, your Highness.”
“Ah. Good.” Luna turned her attention back to Shari. “And has she been helpful?”
“Very,” Shari replied quickly. “But, really, I don’t mind consulting with you… if you’re willing. Twilight said you’re designing a Device for Spike. I thought that we could collaborate…t-though I’m not saying you need help! I mean-”
“I see no reason why we cannot work with one-another,” Luna replied, interrupting her smoothly. “If you would be so kind as to transmit the schematics from your terminal to mine, I would be most appreciative.”
“Your terminal?” Shari blinked.
“Yes. How else would I be speaking to you?”
“Oh! R-right! Sorry, I just… never mind.” Shari’s hands quickly sprang to a nearby keyboard, quickly tapping in the commands. “I’ll be sending the data in just a moment. It might take a little while to transfer, considering the fact this is a trans-dimensional connection…”
“That’s fine. I can wait.”

---

Yuuno was seated cross-legged on the S4’s surface, his hands resting on his lap as he looked at Caro, Friedrich and Spike. He’d discarded his regular suit and tie, and had instead switched over to his Barrier Jacket. His dark green cloak was folded on the ground underneath him, leaving him only in his cream-and-green tunic and pants. His Device, Oculus, rested against his chest on its chain and glittered in the afternoon sunlight.
“I’m sure you’re both familiar with the basics of defensive spells,” Yuuno began, slipping into his scholarly tone, “but I’d like to do a quick review. Could one of you tell me about the three separate types of spells that make up the Defense category?”
Spike’s hand quickly shot up. Yuuno gestured to him. “Spike?”
“Shield, Barrier, and Field type spells,” Spike rattled off.
“Good.” Yuuno smiled as he held up his hands before him. “Each spell type has its own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to defending.”
He flicked his left hand, conjuring a small, Mid-Childan spell circle in front of him. “First is the Shield. Shields work by repelling incoming force and energy, much like a wall would. They‘re typically the most focused and sturdy type of defense. However, they only cover the caster’s front, leaving them open elsewhere.”
He flicked his right hand, conjuring a swirling green dome of light in front of it. “The second type is the Barrier. Caro, can you tell me why a Barrier is different from a Shield?”
Caro started slightly at his request, then nodded. “Um… Barriers absorb energy, and cover a larger area than Shields do?”
“Yes, very good. Barriers tend to encompass the caster, providing wider areas of protection. However, they also tend to be more fragile than Shields, making them easier to break through.”
“Finally, there are Field spells.” Yuuno dismissed the Barrier and Shield before clasping his hands together. A pale green aura of light flowed up around his body, fully encompassing him. “Field spells negate, rather than repel or absorb. They can also be tuned to resist specific things like heat or electricity, making them more effective against environmental hazards. However, Field spells can be overpowered with enough energy, and most require a lot of energy and concentration for continuous use.”
“Now,” Yuuno continued as he dismissed the glowing aura, “because this type of magic is a necessity in combat, Twilight’s asked me to gauge your respective skills.”
“It’s especially important for the both of you.“ Yuuno gestured between the two of them. “Spike, your skill in Defense magic will allow you to take hits your body wouldn’t otherwise handle. And Caro, Defense magic is a necessary part of your role as a support mage; it allows you to protect your allies when they‘re distracted or pinned down.”
Caro nodded nervously, eliciting a chirp from Friedrich as the little dragon lounged across her shoulder. Spike crossed his arms, his tail swaying behind him, his expression slightly bored.
“Well, it‘s probably time I stop lecturing.” Yuuno chuckled, running his fingers through his hair, then climbed to his feet. “Let’s get to work, shall we?”
“Finally,” Spike grunted, pulling himself to his feet and stretching. He glanced over at Caro and offered her a clawed hand.
Caro looked at his hand, then slowly reached over towards it. This elicited an angry hiss from Friedrich, causing her to pull back slightly. “I… think I’ll be fine.”
Spike huffed and glared at the silvery-white dragon as Caro stood up. Friedrich chirped irritably and took wing, hovering between Caro and Spike. Yuuno watched the three quietly as Spike stepped a little ways away from Caro and Friedrich.
“Alright,” Yuuno began as he looked over his students. “Why don’t we start with Shields? Spike, would you mind going first?”
“Sure.” Spike nodded, then extended his hand. His bracelet Device glittered as he took a step back, the gem glowing as he focused. A shimmering green Belkan triangle sprang into existence before him, slowly rotating as he held his position.
“Oculus,” Yuuno tilted his head down to look at his Device, “would you mind bringing up the readouts from the S4’s sensors?”
“YES, SIR.” The Device chimed softly as several holographic screens popped up, the scanners focused on the purple drake.
Wow, Yuuno thought to himself as he eyed the scan’s results. His Panzerschild‘s like a stone wall. Then again, I’d expect nothing less from someone taught by Zafira. If anything, Spike’s shield may trump Zafira’s… heck, it’s nearly as powerful as mine!
“Very good,” Yuuno said aloud, refocusing the sensors. “Your turn Caro.”
“R-right.” Caro inhaled and raised both her hands. A pink Mid-Childan circle formed in front of her, glowing brightly as the spell completed itself.
“Good, just like that.” Yuuno glanced over at the readouts. Not bad for her age… wait… His eyes narrowed as he watched the read-outs. Her power output’s fluctuating. Is she having problems with focusing? Let’s see if it carries over to the other spell types…
“That’s good.” Yuuno turned to Caro, smiling pleasantly. “Now, let’s try Barriers. Just like before, please.”
He turned back to the screens. The readouts told the same story; Spike’s output and control were rock solid, while Caro’s fluctuated in spits and spurts.
Odd… Yuuno glanced over toward Caro. The young girl stood firm behind the swirling pink dome of light she was projecting, her Device glowing softly and her brow furrowed in concentration. Friedrich, meanwhile, hovered at her side, watching her quietly and letting out a soft trilling noise.
“Alright, lower your spells please.” Yuuno walked over towards his students, the holographic monitors floating behind him. “You’re both doing very well. However, I do have some concerns, Caro.”
Caro blinked up at him. “Y-yes?”
Yuuno crouched down, getting closer to her height. “Your readings are fluctuating quite a bit. I’m not sure if it’s because of your Device, inexperience, or what, but I’d like to see if we can get a handle on it before we move on. Is that alright?”
“Y-yes, sir.” Caro glanced down and shuffled her feet nervously. “Sorry…”
“Hey, don’t look like that,” Yuuno chided gently. “You didn’t do anything wrong. You just need to work a little harder, alright? Not everyone has the same level of skill. For example, I can’t cast Offensive magic to save my life…”
“Oh?” Caro peeked up at him through her pink bangs. 
Yuuno nodded. “We’re all here to improve, remember? Don’t worry if you’re not as good as everyone else. I’ll be happy to help. And I’m sure Spike wouldn’t mind lending a hand, right?”
Spike nodded. “Sure… at least, as long as the silver chicken over there cooperates.”
Friedrich let out a hiss at Spike, then flitted over and landed atop Caro’s head. The little dragon glared at Yuuno, thin wisps of smoke drifting from his nostrils.
“He’s worse than that stupid rabbit,” Spike muttered under his breath.
No kidding, Yuuno thought in agreement.

---

-	“Alright you two, let‘s go at this again. Launching Target Types Three and Four!”
Red and green spheres shot upwards, sizzling as they ascended. Teana stood beside Scootaloo, her Anchor Gun raised high and her stance stable. Her eyes tracked the red spheres, watching them jerk sharply left and right amidst the wide, lazy vertical swings of the green spheres.
Teana opened fire, bolts of orange-colored mana streaking upward as she fired. Her targets vanished one by one, each shot hitting its target.
And then, one of her targets was struck by a crescent-shaped blast. Teana’s teeth clenched as she heard her ‘partner’s’ movements, the clicking of her roller skates almost obnoxiously loud to her ears. A cloud of the purple projectiles shot upwards, only half of them hitting their targets.
Teana did her best to ignore the sounds and focused on her firing… at least until one of Scootaloo’s shots intercepted one of her own.
“Rrrgh… Scootaloo!” Teana quickly turned towards the pegasus, her Device pointed upwards and level with her shoulder, as per trigger discipline. “Are you doing that on purpose or what?!”
The pegasus huffed, her roller skates on her front hooves clicking as they landed on the ground. “Doing what? I‘m doing just fine, thank you!”
“Fine? You keep hitting my targets and blocking my shots! This is the third round of target practice we’ve gone though, and you keep. On. Doing it! You-”
“Okay, that’s enough you two,” Twilight said firmly as she approached the pair. “What did I say about fighting?”
Teana grimaced, holstering her Anchor Gun and crossing her arms. “Sorry, Special Instructor Sparkle.”
“Sorry, Tw- Special Instructor Sparkle,” Scootaloo replied, glancing away.
Twilight sighed heavily. “I understand that working together like this isn’t exactly pleasant, but at least make an effort to get along, alright?”
“I am, Special Instructor, but my criticism still stands.” Teana looked pointedly at Scootaloo. “Scootaloo’s attacks are too wild and inaccurate, which makes it difficult for me to hit with my shots.”
“Hey, some of us don’t have handy little toys to point and shoot,” Scootaloo replied. The jewel on her earring glittered as she swung a front hoof in demonstration. “I have to swing like that to generate the necessary air movement to cast my spell. The bigger the swing, the better the attack.”
“There’s a difference between ‘swinging’ and ‘flailing wildly,’ Scootaloo. Maybe you should learn the difference before-”
“Ahem!” Twilight cleared her throat loudly, silencing the two of them. “Are you two done?” She glanced between the pair, watching them slowly nod. “Good. Now, Scootaloo, Teana has a point. You could stand to work on your accuracy.”
Teana smirked triumphantly.
“However,” Twilight turned to Teana, “I’d expect you of all people to understand the strategic value of different attack styles, Private Lanster, even if you don’t approve of how they‘re executed.”
Teana began to speak, but paused as Twilight arched an expectant eyebrow. “Yes, Private Lanster?”
“N-nothing, ma’am,” Teana replied brusquely.
Twilight exhaled. “Perhaps I should elaborate.” Twilight took a seat and closed her eyes, her horn glowing with a magenta aura. A small window of light formed beside her, a stick-figure silhouette appearing on its surface.
“Each member of Stars Squad has their own approach to ranged combat,” Twilight explained as the stick figure drew a small ‘gun’ of its own and took aim. “Your approach focuses on precision and accuracy. What was the motto you said yesterday? ‘The bullets of a Lanster never miss their mark?’”
“Yes ma’am,” Teana replied.
“Meanwhile, Subaru has her own style.” The stick figure lost its gun, then leapt into the air and threw a punch. “Her style focuses on crushing a target with raw, overwhelming force. It’s hardly a subtle approach, but it’s effective nonetheless, wouldn’t you agree?”
Teana nodded.
“Finally, we have Scootaloo.” Twilight gestured to the mare in question as the stick figure human was replaced with a stick figure pegasus. “Rather than precision and power, Scootaloo’s attacks focus on overwhelming the target with rate of fire. The individual attacks may not be as powerful as Subaru’s, or as accurate as yours, but they make up for it in sheer volume.”
“Now Teana,” Twilight concluded, two human stick figures joining the pony on the screen, “can you perhaps tell me how each of these three styles can work together?”
Teana frowned and crossed her arms, closing her eyes as she thought. “Well… suppressive fire comes to mind. Scootaloo’s firing rate can easily pin targets down while Subaru or I can get a better shot.”
“Good thinking. And you, Scootaloo?”
“Um…” Scootaloo’s scratched one ear, her earring swaying gently. “Well, between the three of us we could probably shoot, like, regular spells down real easy, right?”
Twilight nodded and smiled. “See? Maybe instead of focusing on your differences and bickering about who’s doing what wrong, you should try to see how you can work together. Think you two can manage that, at least?”
Teana looked at Scootaloo. Scootaloo looked back at Teana.
“Sure…” Scootaloo said cautiously.
“If it’s for the team, then yes.” Teana replied.
Twilight looked between the two of them, then sighed and nodded. “I’ll accept that for now… but we’re going to have to have a talk later about this, understood?”
“Yes, ma’am,” they both responded.
“Good. Now, let’s get back to work. Scootaloo, you’re up. Let’s see if we can’t tighten up your accuracy a bit, shall we?”

---

The sun had begun to set as the trainees began to make their way across the bridge towards the base proper.
Scootaloo grimaced as she drifted along on her skates, the wheels rumbling softly as she rolled across the cement surface of the bridge. It’d been a long afternoon, especially after dealing with Teana all day.
I swear, I don’t know which is worse, she thought to herself irritably, her constant nagging or the fact she acts like I’m some kinda poorly house-trained dog.
“It’s just some special training Tea, nothing fancy.”
Scootaloo’s ears perked forward as she came to a stop. Teana and Subaru were near the end of the bridge. Teana was her usual irritated self; her arms were crossed, the fingers of her left hand drumming on her right bicep and a scowl etched on her lips. Subaru was leaning against the bridge support, a large duffle bag hanging loosely from one hand.
“And like I said, that’s fine,” Teana replied stiffly. “But what I want to know is why I shouldn’t be a part of it. If you’re going to be tutoring your little pegasus friend, then we should be doing it as a unit.”
Subaru sighed. “It’s not that kind of tutoring. Besides, it’s not in a type of magic you’re good at.”
That seemed to irritate Teana further. “So you’re saying I’m not good enough?”
“No! It’s just… well… you and her…” Subaru’s words came out in a hurried jumble.
Teana sighed heavily and shook her head. “Fine. Whatever. Just… don’t stay out too late. If you two end up sleep-deprived it’ll show poorly on our squad.”
“Okay… Tea…”
And with that, Teana turned on her heel and walked off, her pigtails swaying behind her. Subaru watched her leave, then slumped a bit further down the support.
Scootaloo grimaced, then skated towards Subaru. “Is she always like that?”
Subaru jerked, then quickly put a smile on her face. “Huh? Oh… not always. She’s probably just tired. She always gets super cranky when she’s tired…”
“Uh huh…” Scootaloo quirked an eyebrow, but didn’t continue. “So… you feel up to doing that special training thing?”
“Mmhmm!” Subaru quickly nodded, then crouched down and opened her duffle bag. “I got all the stuff right here…”
“Well, I see someone’s eager to get started.”
Scootaloo turned, quickly drawing herself to attention as Twilight, Fate and Yuuno walked down the bridge towards them. Fate nodded to Subaru and Scootaloo, then continued trotting on, heading in the direction of the base’s central building.
“I’d have figured you’d like to get some dinner first,” Twilight continued. “No use in practicing on an empty stomach, right?”
Amen to that, Scootaloo thought to herself.
“Well… um…” Subaru blushed, scratching the back of her neck from her crouched position, “if that’s what you’d prefer. I mean, I was going to just go over the basics first, ma’am.”
“The basics?” Twilight and Scootaloo said in unison as Subaru produced a stack of books from her duffle bag.
“Well, yes.” Subaru stood up, the books clutched to her chest. “After all, we’re talking about translating a Modern Belkan spell into something a non-unicorn Equestrian style practitioner can use.” She shuffled the books around, then quickly produced a sheet of paper from one and presented it to Twilight. “I went through what I had and I think I’ve translated the equations properly… t-though I wouldn’t mind if you checked them for mistakes, ma’am.”
Twilight gently levitated the sheet of paper from Subaru’s hand. Scootaloo craned her head around to peer at it, then blinked. The sheet was almost entirely covered with neatly written formulas and magical glyphs, some of which Scootaloo didn’t even recognize.
And this is what she considers the basics? Scootaloo squinted as she read some of the smaller equations. Sheesh… some of this stuff makes my head hurt just looking at it…
Twilight, however, was studying the sheet very intently, her eyes narrowed as they flicked over the equations. Yuuno leaned down, adjusting his glasses as he read as well. His eyes slowly went wide as Twilight glanced at him, then over at Subaru. “Um… Subaru,” Yuuno asked gingerly, “can I ask you a question?”
“Yes, sir?”
“Did you… happen to have any help on this?”
Subaru looked slightly confused. “Uh… no? I mean, aside from the books I had. Why?”
“Because,” Yuuno replied, “this is probably one of the most comprehensive spell translations I’ve seen.”
Subaru blushed. “Um… t-thank you, sir.”
“True, it’s quite impressive,” Twilight added, lowering the sheet of paper, “but it’s a little… high-level for our purposes.”
“Huh?”
Twilight nodded and offered the sheet to Scootaloo. “Scootaloo, can you understand what this says?”
“Uh…” Scootaloo peered at the paper again, then shook her head. “Not a clue. I mean, I see there‘s lots of numbers and squiggly lines and stuff, but… yeah, no idea.”
Twilight nodded and looked up at Subaru. “While your work is impressive and clearly demonstrates a mastery of the material, your… presentation needs some work. There’s a difference between explaining it for somepony like me who’s well versed in cross-style magical theory and somepony like Scootaloo.”
“O-oh…” Subaru shuffled her feet and glanced down at the ground, looking like a puppy that’d just wet the carpet.
“H-hey, it’s not that bad,” Scootaloo offered, skating over and bumping her gently. “I mean, you just did your thing, right? Not your fault I’m not good at the whole mathematics stuff.”
“No… I mean…” Subaru sighed. “Sorry. I guess… I just thought… I screwed up, didn‘t I?”
“Hardly,” Twilight said, smiling up at Subaru. “Your work is an excellent starting place for helping me understand that spell of yours. It’s much more in depth than the TSAB spell archive entry had. Plus, your translations should give us a good head-start on adapting it for Scootaloo’s use.”
“R-really?” Subaru seemed to perk up at that.
Twilight nodded, then glanced over at Scootaloo as the pegasus’ stomach let out a growl. “Hehe… maybe we should continue this over dinner…”
“Eh-heh… yeah.” Scootaloo grinned weakly as Subaru nodded.
“Yes ma’am. Come on Scoots, let’s get going!”
“Way ahead of you, Subaru,” Scootaloo replied as she skated off.

---

Teana did her best to ignore the twisting feeling inside her gut as she walked in the evening gloom. Her fingers squeezed into the bread of the half-eaten sandwich she carried, the plastic wrapping crinkling slightly as she walked. Truthfully, she didn’t feel very hungry, but that was no excuse not to eat. She had to keep her energy up, after all.
A warm breeze drifted in from the bay, stirring her hair as she slowly circumnavigated the base. She could see the lights of Cranagan twinkling across the water like an abstract mosaic as the city came to life beneath the rising of Mid-Childa’s moons. She paused at the top of the stairs leading down to the motor pool, watching the glittering lights of cars, aircraft and buildings in the distance.
“Pretty, isn’t it?”
The voice jerked Teana out of her reverie. She glanced down the stairs to the man seated on the steps. He lounged against the concrete, idly flipping a playing card between his fingers before flicking it into a small pail a few steps down from him. His flight suit hung halfway off his body, exposing his white under shirt and well-toned arms. An open bottle of milk and a half-eaten chocolate bar kept him company on the steps.
“Have to admit,” he continued, pulling another card from the pack in his other hand, “this place may be out of the way, but the view’s nice. Kinda makes you appreciate it. The city, I mean.” He casually flicked the card toward the pail. It landed in the container without touching the rim.
“But something tells me you’re not out here to appreciate the view,” he glanced back at Teana. His smile was lazy and pleasant, but his eyes were sharp and focused on her.
“You must be Vice Granscenic,” Teana said calmly, leaning against the stair railing.
“The one and only. And you must be Teana. Subaru mentioned you.” Vice smirked as he pulled out another card from the deck. Another toss. Another perfect hit.
“She did, huh?” Teana grunted, then lifted her sandwich up to her lips. She made a point of biting a large chunk out of it, chewing at it without worrying about the taste. Last thing she needed was to talk about Subaru.
“Yup.” Another card. Another toss. Another perfect hit. He reached down and picked up his chocolate bar. “I’d offer you some of my chocolate, but I don’t know if you’d like it. It’s pretty bitter. Plus, I’d feel weird, offering candy to little girls.”
Teana grunted in reply around her sandwich.
“Guess you’re not feeling real social.” Vice broke off a small piece of the chocolate. “That’s cool. Feel free to ignore me if you like. I’m just taking a break, watching the lights.”
“Weird thing for a pilot to do, don’t you think?” Teana frowned as Vice nibbled at the chocolate. “Sitting out here in the dark, playing with a deck of cards?”
“Hmm? Nah,” Vice pulled out another card. A breeze kicked up as he drew back his hand, his hair stirring before his eyes. He arced his toss into the wind, causing it to land in the pail. “I could say the same for you. Shouldn’t you be with your squad getting some chow?”
“Like you said, I’m not feeling very social,” Teana replied, watching him curiously. That pack of cards is about half empty… I wonder how many are in that pot of his…
“Having trouble?” Another toss, another perfect landing.
“Would you care if I was?” Teana shifted slightly, pushing a few wayward strands of hair out of her eyes.
“Just making conversation.” Vice picked up his bottle of milk as he spoke. “You know, I never did catch your full name.”
“Lanster,” Teana replied as he took a sip. “Teana Lanster.”
“Lanster, huh?” Vice lowered the bottle with a thoughtful expression. “I knew a Lanster once. Capital Air Force, 49th Flight Corps. Any relation?”
“My…” The sandwich squished under Teana’s gripping fingers. “My brother.”
“Oh.” Vice deflated slightly. “Sorry. I didn’t know. He was-”
“Look, I know what you’re probably going to say, but don’t, alright?” Teana turned away sharply. “The last thing I need right now is someone else… talking about Tiida.”
Vice sighed softly. “No need to get defensive.” He paused for a moment. Teana could feel his eyes on her back.
“Yeah? Well…” Teana reached up and rubbed her eyes. The passing breeze must have kicked up a little bit of grit. Why else would they be watering like that?
“I didn’t really know him all that well,” Vice continued. Teana’s shoulders tightened as she listened. “We were in different divisions, you know? But what I’ve heard about him, he seemed like a decent guy. Sharp, skilled, friendly… Probably could’ve gone far in the ‘Force, you know?”
Teana’s shoulders slumped. “Yeah… well, not everyone agrees with you on that.”
“I heard what happened to him. Damn shame.” She heard a tinny thump. His card must’ve hit the inside of the pail. “Always sad when someone with that much potential falls in the line of duty. I would‘ve liked to meet-”
There was a hollow clang as Teana’s fist thumped against the railing.
“Right.” Vice sighed. “Sorry. Me and my big mouth. You okay?”
“Yeah… I’m fine.” Teana shook her hand, trying not to let her trembling show. “Thanks, though…”
“Huh?”
Teana turned to glance at him. Vice was looking up at her quizzically.
“For talking about my brother like that… Nice to hear someone say something nice for once.”
Vice nodded solemnly. “Must’ve been hard, losing someone close to you like that.”
“You have no idea.” Teana replied darkly. “Bad enough he’s gone… but knowing one of those… things killed him?”
“Things?” Vice quirked an eyebrow.
“Yeah.” Teana glared down at the ground. “You know, when I was a kid, I thought they were so… pretty. I mean, who wouldn’t? Every little girl wants a pony at some point, right?” 
She looked at her squished sandwich, making a face as some mustard smeared along her fingers. “But they’re not all they seem. All that talk of harmony and friendship? Just a bunch of bullshit…”
“That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?”
Teana glanced down at Vice. The pilot’s eyes were focused on her, his brows furrowed slightly. “No,” she replied, “it’s not. Oh, I know they’re not all like that. Special Instructor Sparkle and Captain Testarossa-Sparkle seem to genuinely believe in that stuff. But you won’t catch me trusting one of them anytime soon, that’s for damn sure.”
Vice didn’t reply. He simply picked up his deck of cards and pulled out another one.
Teana swallowed nervously. “Please don’t mention what I just said to…”
“Hey, my lips are sealed,” Vice replied, flicking the card into the pail. “We all have our issues. Not my place to judge. I mean, I’m no priest, but even I know not to spill a confession like that.”
Teana sighed in relief. “Thanks…”
“No problem. And hey,” Vice glanced over his shoulder at her, “if you need someone to talk to, feel free to drop by.”
“I… might do that.” Teana ran her free hand through her hair and began walking away. “Night.”
“Night, Miss Teana Lanster.” Vice waved one hand lazily as she walked off.

---
Meanwhile…
---

Saint Church Reliquary Containment Site #4
Vesper Mountain Range, Northern Continent, Vaizen (AW #3)

The night was dark; the moon and stars were hidden by heavy cloud cover as the Knights pursued their prey.
Signum was in the lead, her hat clasped atop her head with one hand as she flew at full speed down the mountainside. Her companions were fanned out on either side; Zafira to the left, Vita to the right, and the others staggered behind.
Her quarry wasn’t far ahead. The lozenge-shaped drones darted down the rock face, their running lights glinting in the gloom like errant yellow fireflies.
Zafira, she commanded telepathically, slow them down.
At once, the Guardian Beast responded. 
There was a flash of blue-white light as blade-like protrusions of energy erupted from the side of the mountain. The drones did their best to avoid the knife-like spikes of solid mana and light, though one or two slammed into the surface of an erupting Steel Yoke blade. Signum shot over the spikes, her eyes focused on the remaining drones.
Vita, she sent to her other companion, get ahead of them.
Already on it! There was a whine of a jet engine as Vita shot ahead, a plume of flame trailing in the wake of her Raketenhammer as she accelerated to a break-neck pace.
That drew the attention of the drones. Thin, bright blue rays of energy streaked out towards them, sizzling through the air as the drones attacked. Signum raised her hand quickly, a Belkan Panzerschild forming before her to block one of the incoming blasts. The reflected blasts carved narrow canyons into the stones around her.
Squad One, remain behind us. Continue defensive maneuvers. Squads Two and Three, flank the targets but do not engage yet.
The other Knights responded with quick telepathic Yes ma’am’s over telepathy as Signum drew her sword. “Burn bright, Laevatein!”
“EXPLOSION!” Her Device’s voice rang out as its Cartridge System triggered with a loud crack. Purple flame erupted in a vortex around Laevatein’s edge. Signum accelerated to attack speed, diving down and swerving around the oncoming Steel Yoke blades as she closed in to melee range. The flames whooshed as she swung, the blade of her sword cleaving through the metallic body of the first target like it was made of butter. The second fell just as quickly.
There was a series of hollow explosions as Signum saw a quartet of glowing spheres streak in, punching holes in the sides of the fleeing drones. Plumes of flame and scattering shards of metal heralded the drones’ destruction as they approached the base of the mountain.
Excellent placement of the Schwalbefliegen, Vita, Signum noted as she swung around, a pale purple contrail following in her wake as she closed with the next drone. The machine’s singular yellow ‘eye’ glowed as it turned to face her, its beam emitters spinning to engage her as a loud, keening hum emitted from its body. Laevatein’s flames guttered, then extinguished like a snuffed-out candle.
“You think that will save you?!“ Signum parried as the beams fired, the blue rays reflecting off the flat of her sword before she ran the machine through. The steel tore like cheap wrapping paper as she ripped her sword upwards, her Knight Clothing absorbing the force of its self-destruct.
“Behind you!”
Signum looked to the side as two drones swerved into view, their beam emitters glowing brightly. Then, just as suddenly, Zafira swept in. The Guardian Beast roared, slamming a palm into the side of one drone. A white spike of light and energy erupted from within the machine, quickly impaling the second. Both drones sizzled, then detonated.
“My thanks, Zafira.” Signum glanced around as she landed at the mountain’s base. The stink of scorched metal, smoke and burning electronics filled the air. 
“No problem, General,” Zafira landed in a crouch, then stood up and brushed a few stray scraps of metal from his shoulder.
There was a thump as Vita landed. Her Device, Graf Eisen, clicked and hissed as it shifted back to its regular croquet-mallet shape. “That was the last of them,” she grimaced, pushing up her broad-brimmed red hat. “We’re lucky we got ‘em before they disappeared into the woods.”
“Indeed.” Signum closed her eyes as she opened another telepathic channel. Schach, this is Signum. All targets destroyed.
Roger that Signum. I’ll have the other squads collect whatever‘s left of them. Maybe we can get something off of these Gadget Drones that can tell us where they’re coming from.
Right. Signum exhaled, then glanced to the other Knights. “Stay vigilant. These machines have been attacking aggressively as of late. There may be another force coming soon.”
“I hope so.” Vita rested her mallet on her shoulder. “That was too easy. More like target practice than a real fight.”
“I’m more concerned about their choice of target,” Zafira grimaced, picking up a chunk of scorched metal. “Why here, of all places? These sites are heavily defended. Do you think they were trying to take something from the containment vaults?”
“Doubtful…” Signum shook her head. “If they were serious about it, they would have attacked in force, or tried something more subtle. Whoever’s controlling these machines has some other agenda in mind.”

---

Hidden Laboratory
Undisclosed Location

Jail Scaglietti hummed a merry little tune as he typed away at his console, the pale yellow light of his laboratory casting curious shadows across his hands and the folds of his white coat. There was so much to do, so much to work on, that nowadays he could hardly sit still.
Those few unlucky souls who met Jail face to face would have thought Jail quite attractive. His facial features were ideally symmetrical, his eyebrows slender and his high cheekbones and pointed chin untouched by facial hair. His shoulder-length mane of purple hair framed his narrow eyes with their glittering gold irises in a rather fetching manner. 
Said eyes rarely matched the cheerful, slightly smug smile he often wore. There was an odd hollowness to his gaze, the sort that suggested that the man wasn’t quite right in the head. One could almost think that Jail wasn’t so much a man as a devil who decided to wear a human body for a lark before becoming a scientist.
“Doctor?”
“Yes, Uno?” Jail glanced up from the hovering holographic monitor towards the communication window. A young woman returned his gaze, all lavender hair and golden eyes and perfect facial features. Uno could have looked just like Jail, were it not for the more feminine cast of her features and the hint of a curl to her hair.
“Gadget Drone Group Number Seven was just destroyed by the Altenritter.”
“Ah! Good!” Jail gave his full attention to his subordinate. “Was the data collection successful?”
“Yes, Doctor. All information gathered from the Gadgets’ sensors was successfully collected and archived for analysis. Should I dispatch another strike group?
“Mmm… yes. The more data we have on them, the better. How effective was the AMF?”
“Below average. The Class One Drones were able to nullify Subject One’s Increase-Type enchantment on her Device. However, no other effects were observed.”
“Hmm.” Jail ran his fingers along his chin. “Interesting, but not unexpected. They’re likely trained to fight under AMF influence without any noticeable loss of lethality. We’ll have to see if we can re-modulate the emitters to make them more effective.”
“Of course, Doctor. Shall I alter the next batch of Drones with this in mind?”
“Absolutely.” Jail smiled. “By the way, what’s the current progress on the Class Fours?”
“On schedule, Doctor. The reverse engineering of the original schematics helped, and the bio-synthetic coating is adhering quite well. We should be able to begin production shortly.”
“Fantastic, my number one assistant.” Jail chuckled to himself softly. “Notify me when anything new occurs”
“Of course, Doctor.”
Jail chuckled again as Uno’s communications window winked out, then turned back to his own monitors. “Now… where was I? Oh yes…”
And with a jaunty little hum, he resumed his work.