//------------------------------//
// Chapter 31. Life... and Death... on the Farm 
// Story: Dust on the Wind 
// by Sparky Brony 
//------------------------------//

***Montana***

"Know my name, I am Irony Shieldbreaker and I shall destroy you and yours utterly" The speakers on the computer say, then the video shifts to hand held video. Showing the lab. Body's are zoomed up on, showing injuries that look like magical blasts, and others from Irony's great mace. The blood is vividly shown. Finally the video devolves to a well dressed human. We know this human. He opens his mouth to speak. And Irony slams the computer closed. Mindy gives Irony a reproachful look.

"And so, the war has started. But it's started in more ways than one." Irony growls.

Mindy nods. She looks at the rest of the team, "That video has over sixty thousand views. I've reported it for graphic content, and it likely will be taken down. But the damage is done."

"We should make a video, showing more of what happened in that video." Irony pipes up, only to be silenced by an uncharacteristic glare from Mindy.

"Oh, I will be presenting our case. But there is no guarantee that we will be listened to. This part of the war is all about emotions. And he seems to be presenting the case that we are dangerous. I've already gotten emails from our client cities. And I've been able to soothe their ruffled feathers by showing them what really happened."

"I'm going to fulfill my promise. I'm going to find that man, and wring his skinny little neck." Irony promises.

Mindy smiles at her friend, "I know, and I'm not saying stop. But I'm thinking you need to be a bit less public about your destruction. No more facilities around here destroyed, for the moment. We need to figure out how to show the world that this asshole is the asshole he is. But you notice that his little drug running operation wasn't shown. So as far as I'm concerned, open season, no bag limit."

"But how are we going to show that, Mindy?" Moon Shadow pipes up, after being silent since they entered Mindy's office.

"I don't know yet, Moon. But I will find a way. We've already been showing how we can help humanity. But videos of earth ponies making plants grow, and pegasi moving clouds aren't going to cut it." She stops and giggles, "But new tourism videos from Los Angeles are helping. They haven't had a day of smog in over a month now. And the long standing drought has been eased, and I've talked to the weather manager there. The weather is responding better than expected. Many reservoirs are at or nearing capacity. Two hundred pegasi have been working out there. And they've been sending ponies here as well. Ones they find. We've found fifteen griffons, five hippogryphs, even a few minotaur. They have been hiding as best as they can. Their size and their look scares most humans."

Irony frowns, "So, we are flourishing, but this crap can cause it all to fall on our heads?"

Mindy smiles brightly, "Yes, exactly."

Irony brightens, "I have an idea. We need to watch for illegal operations from them, this will only work until he figures out we are behind it, but we need to alert the authorities and have them come down on him like a ton of bricks. We haven't been able to connect the dots with his drug operations, but he's got to launder the money he's making on that. We need to attack that. And we need to find ways to show that he's violated his contracts with the government. The President would have to act then."

Mindy bounces, "If the government cancels contracts with him, he will be hurting for money, and he will rely on his illegal sources of income then."

Moon smiles, "And we squeeze those off as we find them."

Irony smiles, "And we will finish off The Spectrum Group before I lay a hand on him."

They all nod.

Irony strides outside. Relishing the setting sun. She loves the warmth of this time, just before actual sunset, and with fall rapidly approaching, she knows that those warm days are nearly over with. She moves over to the 442. As she opens the door a low wail starts to build. The sound comes from everywhere. She looks around. Ponies are running around. A real sense of urgency to their movements. She looks at the ponies, they were guard's mares. She turns and looks at the armory that was just erected. Ponies are streaming in unarmed, and emerging with weapons and armor.

"Oh no." Irony breathes. She runs to the back of the car, and in moments has her armor donned. Moon Shadow comes up, and her armor assembles itself around her.

"Makes me feel like Iron Man." She smiles, "but I have magic, which is better."

Together they follow the rest of the ponies, the pop of gunfire is becoming more evident as they get closer. Sparkler is there, calling orders to the earth ponies in armor. Pegasi are swarming into the air. Some with new pony designed firearms. Return fire is starting. Irony watches the fighting in the distance.

"Surely they don't mean a frontal assault on a prepared position." Her ears fall, "They aren't. This is a distraction."

Sparkler growls at Irony, "They have to be too smart for that. I've got a reserve force of pegasi with pony firearms. They are yours. I'll handle the assault group. You get the rest." She calls out, and a dozen pegasi land in formation.

"Blaze Star, you get your orders from Irony." Sparkler calls as she heads out towards the advancing  humans. The gunfire is getting hot and heavy now. 

Irony gestures for the pegasi to follow, she has a single pegasus stay airborne to keep an eye out. On a hunch, Irony heads north from the farmhouse. Her instincts saying that would be the best place to assault rather than from the west like these humans are. Her instincts are proven right when the airborne pegasus whistles. Irony points at two other pegasi who leap into the air. In moments they hear the roar of a helicopter. Irony watches as the three pegasi swarm the helicopter,  a few flashes and the aircraft is a ballistic object. Irony grins, but she knows that's not it. Her ears rotate around. Yes, there.

She raises her voice. "CHARGE!" She screams as she lifts her mace and runs toward the engine noises that were being covered by the helicopter. A dozen MRAP's are caught unawares. The dismounted soldiers are dispatched quickly, but the armor of the vehicles prevents the ponies light weapons from penetrating.

"You stupid humans. An attack on ponies in their homes. You cowards!" A voice calls, louder than any vocal cords could ever produce. Causing Irony to flinch. She looks back at Moon Shadow. Her entire body is covered in a dark aura. Not the one of dark magic, but somehow different. At her shout, all the vehicles stop. Everything goes quiet except for the distant pop of gunfire from the battle raging to the west. The aura fades and she smiles brightly. "There, they are taken care of."

Irony shakes her head, "Did you kill them?"

Moon Shadow shakes her head. No, I did far worse, they are now trapped in nightmares of their own worst fears. It will fade, eventually. But they will likely never be able to pick up a weapon without terrible fears." She trots up to one of the MRAP's, her magic wrenches the door open. The human driver is sitting there, completely motionless. She pokes him with a hoof, "See? Now let's get them out of the vehicles and tied up. Then we can help the rest of the ponies.

Nearly an hour later, they make it to the west field. Meeting with a grim Sparkler, she's holding a shoulder. Blood is dripping slowly from her field dressing.

"Those bastards didn't know what hit them."

Irony grimaces as she remembers what Moon Shadow did, "No. No they didn't. But how did it go here?"

"Do you remember reading about the Griffon war from about eighty years before we were banished?"

Irony nods, "I read the accounts of the war. It lasted all of six hours. And the griffons went home thoroughly bloodied. If I remember, Equestrian casualties were very light."

"And it's the same here, we have three dead, and about twenty wounded."

"And you are one of them."

The pink unicorn looks at her shoulder, "It's just a scratch."

Irony's ears flatten, "You are off duty as of right now. Go get yourself seen to by one of the medics."

Sparkler's ears fall, "But, I've got to…" She wilts at the look on Irony's face. "Yes, Irony."

Irony looks at Moon Shadow, "We've bloodied them. Will they attack again?"

Moon Shadow shrugs, "I'm hoping we are too tough of a nut to crack."

Irony looks at the devastation, the ponies herding the human prisoners. "Dear Celestia, I hope so."

Irony turns around and Mindy is bouncing in front of her.

"What is it Mindy?"

She giggles, "He's overplayed his hand. With an attack on our home, we can destroy him in the media. We need to take care of those injured, and the families of those killed. But our adversary has done the most stupid, insane thing he could do. He gave us fodder to attack him back."

Mindy's phone rings, and she answers. Her ears fall, and tears appear in her eyes. "No, is everyone okay?"

On hearing the answer, she breathes a huge sigh. She hangs up and looks at Irony, "The farm wasn't all that was hit."

Irony's ears fall, "No. Dust's home?"

Mindy nods slowly, "But they were taken care of, by Hannah."

Irony only vaugely hears the last, she's running for all she's worth, she's thrown down her armor and relaxed into her normal pony shape for speed.

***

Irony has iron control of the 442 as she speeds towards town. Normally a good ten to fifteen minute drive, Irony makes it in record time. The three sheriff's vehicles paint the two story house on the lake shore in vivid blues and reds with their light bars. Irony screeches to a stop and gallops through the door.

"Helen, Hannah, Dylan." She screams as she slams through the front door. Moon Shadow and Mindy hot on her heels. Irony skids to a stop. Six men are all handcuffed and sitting down, with two watchful deputies standing guard. Irony pushes into the kitchen. Sheriff Connelly is there, Helen is sitting at a stool in the kitchen, her kids sitting next to her. Irony moves forward and is assaulted by hugs from all three of the humans. 

"I had just come down stairs from turning off Hannah's lights in her room. One of them came and grabbed me." Helen sobs into Irony's shoulder. Her entire body trembles as she remembers, "Hannah wasn't asleep yet, so she heard when I screamed. Three of them ran up the stairs. I was being held, he had his hand over my mouth. I couldn't scream anymore." Her body shakes with her sobs, "I hear Hannah shout. But she wasn't screaming. She sounded mad. Then all three of them tumbled down the stairs. Hannah floated down the stairs, her hair was flying all over the place. She was glowing. She pointed her hand at the three of them, and she forced them to sit down on their hands, then they couldn't move. One of the others pulled a gun on her. But before he could do more than pull it, it came apart in his hands, and he was blown back against the wall."

"Did any get away?" Sheriff Connelly asked.

Helen shakes her head, "No."

"There were six of them."

"No, eight."

Irony shakes her head, confused, "But there are only six of them captured. Where are the other two?"

Helen nods, and looks at her daughter, Hannah takes up the story, "The last two pulled knives and jumped at me. The guy with the gun, my magic told me he wasn't a danger without the gun, so I took it apart. But those guys with guns were coming at me. Daddy told me if someone has a weapon and they are coming at you. You use what you have to stop them. He was talking about guns. He said if people come in the house with guns, we are to run into the bedroom, lock the door, and get one of the rifles." She looks at Irony. "Daddy's taught me to shoot since I was six. Anyone comes through that door but a policeman or Mommy or Daddy. I'm to shoot. Well, I didn't have the rifle Daddy bought me last year, but I had my magic. So, I made them go away."

Irony's ears fall, "What? Go away? Are they coming back."

Hannah shakes her head seriously, "No. They are gone. Forever, just like when we shoot a deer. They are gone." Tears well up in her eyes, her face falls, "Did I do right, Mommy?" 

Helen grabs her daughter and holds her tightly, stroking her hair, "No, honey, you did perfect. You protected us."

"Sheriff Connelly, are you going to arrest me for killing them?" The little girl looks at the tall sheriff.

The sheriff looks at Irony, and back at the human family, "No. I couldn't prove that you did anything anyway. But I wouldn't try either. As far as I'm concerned, this is a clear cut case of self defense. One of my boys gathered up the parts of the gun." He points to the living room containing the men, "These fellows are heading to jail." He looks at Irony, "Did things get exciting at your place?"

Irony nods, "We can take them off of your hands. There are too many here for your jail. And we will guard them."

"What will you do with them? What if this is tried again? This was on US soil, and these men were US citizens. What the hell is going on here?"

"I'm willing to bet these men are mercenaries tied to the Spectrum Group. The same people who have Dust."

The sheriff has a sour look, "If they are related to those who did to Dust what you showed me in that video, then have at it."

"I think they are involved. Moon Shadow and others are interrogating those captured at the farm. We will find out what's going on."

He nods, "Good."

Helen moves forward, "Are we in danger of this happening again?"

Irony's ears fold flat, and she nods.

"We are moving out there, to the farm. That is until Dust comes back. I want to be around those that can protect my children."

Irony smiles, "That's easy, everypony loves Dust, and her family is always welcome at the farm."

Helen looks at her kids, "Pack up, we are going tonight."

Both kids disappear upstairs.

Irony looks at Helen, "With this progression in her power over the last few months, I really think that she should be trained by Mindy and Moon and the other teachers we've been able to garner. One of the humans at the farm has also gained some magical ability, he is not as powerful as Hannah is apparently, but he has a talent for magic as well. We will happily train Hannah in what she needs to learn."

Helen sighs, "I'm glad for you Irony, all of you."

***

Irony emerges from the house first thing in the morning just before sunrise. She looks around. After getting the kids and Helen bedded down for the night, she just finally collapsed with Moon Shadow, Helen, Trixie and Flash. They slept well. Irony heads down the stairs from the porch, she gets to the clear area and looks at the sight there. Over a hundred men are sitting on their knees, hands under their knees, and every single one of them is stripped nude. She strides over to the unicorn in charge.

"Why are they like this?"

"After one of them tried to stab his guard with a knife he had concealed, we decided to remove all chance of them hurting a pony."

Irony gestures to the humans vaguely, "But they aren't wearing any clothes."

"So."

Irony facepalms. "There are still humans here, and there are some fillies and colts here."

"Anything wrong with the human form, Irony?"

Irony stops and looks at the unicorn, with her lavender coat and blue hair, and with a pair of hoofcuffs as a cutie mark, she tosses her mane from side to side. "Isn't it a bit inappropriate?"

The unicorn paws the ground, "I was given control of the prisoners, and until we have a place for them to be confined, I'm not going to have it be a like a human prison. They are going to have less rights than those jails in Arizona. These men attacked us, Irony. They were paid to kill ponies. I have zero sympathy for them. We will treat them decently, they are going to stay alive. In fact, our medics are currently treating a few of them that were severely injured. We aren't barbarians. But I was tasked to be in charge of security for the prisoners by Mayor Mare. And I'm going to do my job."

Irony looks at the men kneeling in straight rows. "What happens if one of them moves."

The unicorn smiles, "They've already found out that it’s a mistake to move without express permission. They are currently magically bound to where they are sitting. But a few unicorns are setting up a barrier around the main grounds of the farm, then they will have a binding placed on them. They try to get outside the barrier, and they will be stopped, painfully. And then dragged back to the farmhouse. We won't be torturing them, but they are being interrogated, Mindy has one right now. And in the mood she's in, I actually feel sorry for the poor sot."

Irony watches for a few minutes, then heads inside. She briefly considers bothering Mindy, but that probably wouldn't be a good idea. Too many distractions won't help the bouncy unicorn. Irony grabs some breakfast, and heads out to the forge. It's been too long since she's been able to spend time working with steel.

***

In the early afternoon, Irony is heading back to the forge when a short siren interrupts her thoughts. She sees ponies paying attention to the main gate. Signals abound for the ponies protection. A car with government plates is waiting for admittance. The newly erected gate guard post has the pony in attendance checking out the driver. In moments the gate opens and the car slowly drives through. Soon a parking spot is found, three humans emerge. Irony brightens at seeing one of the faces.

"Hello there Todd." She looks at the other faces, she vaguely remembers one of them, but the other is a mystery.

He rubs the back of his neck, "Well, we've come here because we need your help."

"Our help? Todd, I don't know how a colony of ponies can help you. Unless your home town is growing anything and can use earth pony assistance, or you want weather management. And for that, we can set up a contractual agreement, but I would think Congress would have to authorize that."

He looks at the other two, then back at Irony, "We actually need unicorn help."

Irony looks at him, confused, "What can a unicorn do to help three humans?"

"Train us, in magic, with your memories of Equestria, you can help us." He holds up his hand, another star, different than the others, has appeared on his hand.

"No, it's not a tattoo, Irony."

"And the other two?"

"The same, they are subtly different, but all have some kind of star showing up on our hands."

"You know you aren't the first to have magic manifest like that, but I know you were here, and you." She points to the vaguely familiar human. The then points to the third human, "But I don't know you."

The last human shows up, "I've never been here before. But this started a couple of days ago. And look what I can do." He brings up a hand, a purple aura envelopes his hand, and the car levitates a foot into the air.

Irony turns to the man, "You've been practicing?"

He nods, "I'm Timothy, call me Tim."

Irony extends a hoof, "Irony Shieldbreaker."

Todd takes Irony aside, "I don't know everything about what's going on. What's happening with Dust?"

This causes Irony's ears to fall once again, she spends several minutes apprising Agent Walker with what's been going on. 

"So, you have no clue where Dust is?"

The tears in her eyes are mirrored by his, she nods. 

"I'll make a few calls my friend." He places a hand on her withers. He turns around and almost bumps into a pink unicorn. "Oh, hi Sparkler."

She smiles warmly at the human, "Hello Todd." 

He steps back, "What happened to your shoulder?" He's pointing at her field dressing.

"Humans." 

"From the attack last night?"

She nods.

"I'm going to have to tell your father, you know that."

Her ears fall, "Please, don't."

He kneels down to here, "Honey, I have to, I was specifically ordered to report anything happening to you. I don't have a choice."

Irony nods, "It's better if your father knows what's going on. I don't think we need more security, but maybe with them attacking us at the farm, maybe we can get some real help, maybe accelerate the process of dismantling the Spectrum Group."

She sighs, "You don't know my father."

Irony chuckles, "No, I don't. And with him being told, he'll either be here soon, or we are going to be receiving a very irate phone call. But we will deal with that when it happens, otherwise…" She trails off as a magenta unicorn teleports in front of her.

"Irony, I was able to get a line on some of Spectrums illegal works. The leader of this mercenary group was able to divulge some computer contacts he had, I've gotten through. Here's a map."

Her magic brings out a map and Irony grabs it. "I'll do some scouting, if anything bears fruit, I'll give you a call." 

Irony strides right to her car. Then stops, remembering her armor, and she makes her way back to the armory, where somepony was thoughtful enough to bring her armor after she shed it running to Dust's house. In moments it's safe in the trunk of her car. And she's on her way south.

***

Saul looks at his captive. The pony has amazingly been losing her color. Instead of turquoise, she's light brown, she's kept her blonde main and tail, and that damnable mark on her flank is still there. Though he does laugh as he removes the saddle bags. She's lost her wings. If he didn't know better, he would think she was a small horse. That mark is very vivid though. Though she's still fun when he wants to play with her, she's stopped resisting him. Speaking of. He unzips his pants, another time is just what the doctor ordered, he thinks as he enters her. She only tosses her head and nickers a bit. She's not as fun since she stopped fighting, but he enjoys the lay anyway.