//------------------------------// // Making Things Worse // Story: Twilight's Experiments: The War of Mann Co. 2 // by MIKEANTHONY321 //------------------------------// The air was still and quiet. Soft cricket sounds steadily became evident as the night sky loomed overhead. Even the PA system was quiet. In a silent mutual agreement, the fighters began to migrate over to the BLU sewer where the incident had recently occurred. The Announcer, seeing this, still said nothing. Led by Red Sniper and Twilight, the group entered the BLU base, and approached the stairs. Just as they were preparing to descend, they were met by Blue Medic, Blue Engineer, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack. Blue Medic shook his head. “It’s really bad down zere. I’d be careful.” … Pushing past the small mob, the group walked down the stairs to get a glimpse of the scene in the sewer. Red Sniper and Twilight, walking next to each other, were the first ones to catch a view of the aftermath. Immediately upon reaching the bottom, the group could hear soft sobbing coming from the far side of the room. From the stairs, they could see a fallen rocket launcher next to a smoking black mark on the ground. It must’ve been the spot where Blue Soldier got sent away, based on the announcement information. Walking slowly and cautiously, the group approached the source of the sobbing. Once they were past the gas tanker, they saw the rest of the picture. Broken metal shards covered the section of the room. Some of the RED fighters recognized them as pieces of Applejack’s buildings. Blood was also spattered across a couple areas on the floor, as well as against the back corner wall where the teleporter had been. In the middle of the room was Red Medic, hunched over a battered Fluttershy. It became clear that Fluttershy was the source of the crying sound. Audible gasps filled the room as the fighters got a view of this atrocity. The noise alerted Red Medic of their presence. “Go avay! I zought I told you to LEAVE!” He screamed. He didn’t turn around. … “It’s not the BLU guys, Medic. It’s the rest of us. We came to see what happened.” Red Sniper stated calmly. “I don’t care. I vant to be alone vith her…” Red Medic responded. His voice fell, and became a dull whisper. It was nearly drowned out by the sound of Fluttershy crying into his lap. … Blue Spy tapped Rarity lightly in the hip. He leaned down, and whispered, “Couldn’t he just heal her like he does to everyone else?” Rarity shook her head. “Just let this moment reign. I’m sure it’ll all be better soon.” … Red Medic shook his head multiple times. “I…I can’t do zis anymore. I’m sick of zee pain it’s causing me. Vee need to break out of zis life!” All of the fighters gasped once again. Red Sniper stepped forward, and took his hat off. “I think that’s out of the question, mate. Remember the speech you gave me at Mountain Lab? You told ME never to give up, even when my Twily was out of my grasp. And you KNOW that that pony in your lap DEPENDS on you.” “And I FAILED! I couldn’t be zere for her, and now LOOK at her! It’s just not VORTH zee pain anymore!” Red Medic yelled. “That’s not true, doc! I HAD my moment of weakness, you know! I let Blue Spy come between me and Twily, and you TAUGHT me not to give up! I owe all I have to you.” Red Sniper countered. … The group of fighters standing near the back watched these events play out in utter amazement. No one, not even Rainbow Dash, said a word. “I told you I’d be zere for my companion. I can only do so much. I just vant vat’s best for her, and zis vorld CANNOT offer it. Vee need to escape.” Red Medic muttered. “What do you think Fluttershy wants more, mongrel? To be safe and sound away from action like usual, or to be in the arms of the one she CARES about? I’d step out into sentry gun crossfire if it meant saving the life of Twily. You need to ENTITLE yourself to do the same!” Red Sniper demanded. Red Medic was completely silent. Fluttershy stopped sobbing, and looked up sadly at her companion. He looked down into her eyes, and a single tear fell down his cheek. … “Oh Sniper…you’re right. Vat have I been doing…? Zis is not right!” He wailed. “But vat do I do?” Red Sniper smiled. “Just do what you’ve been doing, mate. Be there to love and honor your closest comrade in the rage of war. There is no escaping this, so the best thing to do is to face it together.” Fluttershy held her arms out for Red Medic, and he happily obliged by wrapping her in a deep hug. Time stood still for both of them as they relished in each other’s embrace. …………………………………………… The fighters applauded ecstatically. Just as a perfect moment came into place, a breeze began to blow in the sewer room. It slowly began to intensify, causing the fighters’ clothing to rustle around. In a brief moment describable by the surge of a second, the Announcer appeared in the sewer in another light flash. Everyone stopped in their tracks and turned when they saw the light appear behind them. The Announcer wasted no time once she was in the fighters’ presence. She immediately began to approach them, talking at a rapid pace. “Alright everyone, we’re running out of time. I need the equines to step over here, and I need my hired RED team mercenaries to step over there.” She ordered. “Wait, what’s going –” “No questions! Just hurry up and do as I say! Our alarms are ringing off the hook with reports of an attack developing at Mannhattan and Rottenburg! We need the forces of our humans and our ponies combined!” In a wave of confusion and shock, the targeted fighters began to follow their orders. The group began to scatter as everyone stepped aside to their respective locations. “Vait…Rottenburg? Zat’s vhere I vas born!” Red Medic stated in surprise. “Enough of this! We need our defense teams immediately!” The Announcer demanded. In a fit of frustration and impatience, the Announcer marched over to Fluttershy and Red Medic. She leaned down, grabbed Fluttershy around the waist, and began to pry her out of Red Medic’s grasp. Fluttershy began to scream and kick. “NO! NO! Let go of me! Meeddiicc!!!” “Hey! Give her back, you monster!” Red Medic yelled. “Shut up and get in line, peasant! You don’t want to end up like Blue Soldier, do you?” The Announcer hissed. … Stuck without options, Red Medic growled, and crawled over to his spot by the mercenaries. Tears streamed down Fluttershy’s face in great numbers as she was forcefully carried to her spot by her fellow ponies. Without a chance to fight, she was sent off to her inevitable duty by the snap of the Announcer’s finger. Red Medic buried his face in his hands woefully as the same happened to him. The Announcer clicked on her microphone. “Get the UPGRADE stations ready immediately! The shipments have been made! Tell Gray Mann to send his worst!” To be Continued…