//------------------------------// // 5 // Story: hard times // by spartianfox //------------------------------// A bit of time passed, and they had only just cleared the cloud cover when they noticed the scene of chaos down below. The sounds of battle could be heard. Gunshots, swordplay, and hoof to hoof combat. The center of the fight however seemed to come from sugar cube corner. Gunfire could be seen flying out of the windows, and it was being shot in return. "Well, it seems that your loved ones are alive. Well, at least some." Fir said looking down a sighting scope "Um-mm… don't you think we should find a safer way dow-" Flutter shy was cut off when several shots flew through the basket, and into the balloon. "Commander! Do you have some kind of bullet proof shield?" spike called out draping himself around Rarity. "Yes, why do you ask?" "Toss it here!" Spike yelled holding out his hands. Fir pulled a small rod out of his bag, pressed the button, and it extended into a circular metal disc. He handed it to spike, and he mounded on his arm, braced his assault rifle and jumped over the edge of the basket. "Spike! What are you doing?!?" twilight cried running to the edge. They all looked over to see spike falling head first with the shield in front of him. Moments of falling later, the back of his vest ripped as a pair of green and purple wings spread out, allowing him to maneuver and glide shielding and shooting all the way down. He had plenty of time falling to spot several targets, and cap several rounds steadily and accurately. A moment later the clip emptied, and he re-loaded just before reducing his speed and landing with a boom. What he found upon landing was horrifying: ponies had made makeshift hiding spots around town shielding themselves from the gunfire. Some, however weren't as lucky, for mane street was littered with dead and injured ponies, whom had been victims of the surprise attack. In is awe, he was reluctant to spot all of the enemies, and a laser sight crawled up his shoulder. Before he had time to react a shot rang out, and spike fell to the ground. "NO!" rarity cried out looking down a pair of binoculars the commander had given her. Spike sat up holding his arm limp from the pain, and looked to his shoulder. The bullet was lodged in his scales; half cracked and disarrayed, but not penetrated. Realizing he was properly hardened from his diet of gems, he held the shield leaving only the area of his eyes exposed, and charged the small group of ponies with the guns. They all turned to the sound of his battle cry, and opened fire. The spray of bullets jarred him, and made his run off balance, but even when they hit his arms and legs, he only ran faster. When he was about twenty feet away, he jumped with a boost from his wings and fired. The recoil blew his arm back with every shot, but It fit just right somehow. The ponies jarred from being shot, and in shock, they fell. When he landed, he himself was a little shocked to see that he had just killed four ponies. But upon further inspection, he saw that one was only shot in the neck, and was rolling about choking and sputtering. Spike knelt and with his kind heart held out his hand to help, but the colt met his hand, and stopped him. He pushed spike`s hand back, and pointed to spike`s waist. "FIN…FIN…FINISH…" he managed to choke out. Spike looked where he was pointing: His pistol. Spike thought for a moment, and slowly drew his side arm, and put it to the colt`s head. The colt slowly rested his head at the oncoming relief, and spike looked away. Suddenly he felt a hoof on his shoulder; Fir had caught up to him, and took off his glasses. "you aren't ready young one. Give it here. Spike handed him the pistol, and he walked away, toward where the balloon landed. A few steps later he heard the shot, and cringed as he got closer to the balloon. The ladies had setup a small base like area with the crates and metal panels from the balloon, and where setting up a MG. "SPIKE! That was amazing! I didn't know you had grown wings! Oh darling please tells me you are all right!" Rarity cried out running to spike, and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Rarity… are you crying?" he asked unsure what to think about his current situation. "Oh um… no, I am just adjusting from the altitude change." She said still holding him close. He smiled as he looked into her teary eyes, and saw that even though her love had been killed, didn't mean it wasn't the only one. Fir made his way over, wiping spike`s gun clean. "Commander, when I shot the rifle, it seemed like I was able to aim it even though I wasn't looking down the sights. Almost like, I was connected to it." "That's because it's a dragon's weapon. This belonged to my son. I never changed it in any way, no matter what dimension we were in, because it is a soul weapon. See those orange flame designs winding up the handle? Every time he made a kill, the gun developed with him further and further, and the design of his personality and mind was laid out on the gun. And now he guides the gun, whilst you bond with it, because you are a dragon. See the tips of those flames?" Fir said pointing to the tips of the designs. "Yeah, they're purple!" "That's you. You have already begun to bond with it." Suddenly as they were talking, shadow popped up out of the ground startling the group. "Hey! We are holding out at the sugar cube corner! We need to get all of the wounded there, and plan our next move!" "Exactly what I was planning Hooves. Ok Sam, get some stretchers, and pick up what wounded you can find. Miss Shy, Spike, go with her. She could use your expertise. The rest of you with me, we are going to make our way to the sugar cube corner. Grab your gear and check your corners. I will watch for the snipers. MOVE OUT." And with Fir in the lead, they made their advance for the bakery ---- . About five minutes in, they hadn't encountered any resistance. everypony was nervous. "I don't like this… there isn't anyone trying to stop us…" Twilight said scanning a back alley with her gun as they walked. Suddenly there was a THIP noise, as Fir threw his head back and fell in a spray of blood. "Commander! Oh Celestia! someone check him! And set up some cover!" twilight yelled as guns started blazing from all directions. Grabbing shopping stalls and nearby crates, they made a makeshift attack point. "Hooves! Can you find out where those shooters are? I think Apple jack could eliminate them with her grenade launcher, if she knew where they where!" "What about John!?!" "Who?!?" "Oh… uh, the commander! Check him while I scan! Make sure he's ok!" he shouted as he held a green visor over the edge of the cart he was hiding behind. Twilight saw that Fir was in the middle of the street, where the cross fire was heavy, so she used a spell to drag him to her. "Commander! Can you hear me?" she yelled over the gunshots, hoping that he was only wounded. Suddenly, he slowly sat up holding his head, which was covered in blood. "DAMMIT! Are you kidding me!?! AGAIN?" he yelled holding his hoof to his ear. "what? What happened?" "EVERY FRIGGIN TIME! AAH! "Fir yelled as shadow rolled across the street, to where he was. "HAHA! Again! Oho! That's a laugh! Every time we come to a new dimension, and get a new body, he always manages to get his ear blown off! It never fails!" "So… he's ok?" twilight asked examining his head. "A head shot, but not lethal my dear. Now, Shadow! Do you have the specs?" Fir asked getting back upright. "Umm… got it! Three tangos, twelve o clock… one at two… two in the second floor at ten… and three at both our nine and three o clock." "Ok… Spike, what's your local?" he called into his radio. A moment assed and spike responded. "Umm… just a block west of you Commander… we are pinned down too. We have several of the civilians with us, and we can't seem to get the snipers, and they have us trapped in an alleyway! Fir took the schematics that shadow was holding, and plugged them into applejack`s visor "Oh… well that's mighty handy!" she said now that she could see all of the hostile signatures through the cover. "Spike! When I give the signal, you fly up in the air, and cause a distraction, and see if you can eliminate those snipers. Miss apple, you use your grenade attachment to rid us of our problem ok? Everyone ready?" he said propping himself aganst a fruit stand. "Eeyup!" "Yeah whenever you are!" "ok… NOW!" Fir yelled into the radio, as applejack readied her M32 in the correct direction. A few seconds passed, and then they could hear the sounds of gunfire down the block, and then the firing was no longer directed at them. "Now miss Apple!" Fir shouted as Applejack started firing her grenades. In five shots, the enemies on their street where wiped out, and one of the buildings had collapsed. "Ok, Miss Sparkle go check the attack sites, and give me the clear. Spike? How are things on your end?" Fir said checking down his scope. "I'm ok, but you had better get over here… like now!" "Affirmative. On our way now. Miss sparkle! Change of plan! We need to move out!" he said putting an ammo box in his bag. They moved down the street scanning as they went. "Over here!" spike shouted waving his gun above his head. They all ran to where he was, and saw that there were a lot of wounded, but the one Fluttershy was tending to at the moment was a very large red stallion, lying on a cart that they had found. When they got closer, anyone who had lived in ponyville more than a week knew who it was when they removed a heavy wooden yolk. "BIG MAC!" applejack cried out running to him. There was a group of ponies around him, and a larger group that was standing back, some crying, and some in disbelief of what was happening. When she got there a younger colt ran to applejack. "Ant Jackie! I so glad you're ok!... wait… how do you have those things? Do you know what's going on?" he asked pointing to the guns strapped to her sides. "I'll explain later… what happened here?" "well me and dad came into town, but we heard loud noises and screaming… he saw a couple of ponies hiding, and he ran to them… but then these two stallions wearing black grabbed a mare, and he ran to help her… but when they saw him running…they…" "Go on. It's ok Greens." "There was a bang… and dad fell back. He looked down and he was bleeding… then he just charged! He ran at them and they held up those weird things, and then it got noisy! A second later I heard more screaming, and the two stallions were lying down, and dad had picked up the weird thing and told me to hide. And then after a while the noises where nonstop… and then you guys showed up… is he going to be ok?" "I don't know Greens… I don't know… Big Mac? Can you hear me?" Applejack asked picking up her brother's hoof. He slowly nodded, even though his eyes were closed. "I have an expert here who might be able to help you ok? Hold on! Can you help him commander?" she asked moving aside. "Well… I don't know… it's not like miss dash, she had only been grazed, where in this case I see multiple bullets in him. He may be poisoned already. I don't know if I can save him…" "Well, if its yer time brother... I want you to know that I love you.... You know that?" She said sobbing, holding his hoof as he slowly nodded. "Wait… wait a moment! If magic works here like it did in the 234th dimension…" he said looking through a little note book he pulled out of his shoulder band. "Then spike can save Big Mac!" Sam said finishing his sentence. "Spike would you be willing to give us your breastplate to save him?" "What?" Spike said putting his hand to his chest. Fir stepped over to him and tore open spikes vest, and knocked on it with his hoof. "Hmm… yes this should do. Would you let us have your breast plate to save mister Macintosh?" "Oh… well… yeah… I guess." He said looking down at his green plates. "Dad you've got to hurry! His vitals are failing!" Sam said putting a stethoscope to Mac`s chest. Fir took out a knife, and slowly began to separate the thick plate from Spike`s chest. It pryed of like metal plating on a kitchen appliance, and they could then se his softer belly scales underneath. Fir moved quickly to make up for lost time. He slowly placed it over Macintosh`s chest, and got out two chest paddles. "CLEAR!" Fir shouted as he gave a jolt of electricity to the device, and Mac`s body seized for a second, and then laid back onto the table. "Again! It's not complete! CLEAR" and again Mac`s body seized and fell. "Anything?" Sam asked checking his signs. "I think it worked. Now for step two." Fir said picking up the plate. When he turned it over, the metal slugs that where embedded in Mac`s chest, were now stuck to it. "Amazing…" twilight said examining the green scale plate. Fir set it on the ground, aimed his hoof, and stomped right in the center, breaking it in three pieces. The middle piece was long and thin, while the other two were almost perfectly triangle shaped. "Miss apple, you might want to take the colt elsewhere." Fir said preparing his surgeon`s kit. "Oh um… come on Greens, let's fetch you a gun…" Applejack said taking Greens to their supply area. Fir took the long shard and handed it to spike. "You need to stab this into his heart, and I will sew it up. This will tune your heart to his. It's the only way." Spike looked at the small blade made of scale, and knelt at Macintosh`s side "you need to do it now! He's almost gone!" Cried Sam checking his pulse. Spike hesitated for only a moment longer, and then plunged the blade in between Macs ribs, hitting the heart. Big Mac's eyes dialated for moment as another second passed, and the heart monitor went into a single long beep as his heart stopped. Twilight and the other girls who had known him wept, as his hoof slowly slipped from Sam's grip. everypony turned crying, as spike look3ed on in disbelief. Fir put his hoof on spikes shoulder. "You tried young one. thats all you could do." Another moment passed and suddenly his eyes opened, and he gasped deeply as the color of his eyes slowly turned purple. "Land sakes child! That REALLY hurt!" big Mac said holding his side. Applejack and Little Greens came running back to the cart and hugged him. "Oh my lands! You saved him Commander! Thank you deeply!" "Actually it was spike that saved him. I just gave instructions." "Well in any case, thank ya both. My brother was all I had for the longest time… I don't think I could have lost him." "Not at all miss Apple. Now we need to get to the sugar cube corner immediately. I don't know how much longer they can last. Let's form up and move out! Spike, finish sewing him up, and then you can create armor for Mister Macintosh to use. He will need it. Remember, if one of your hearts stop beating, so does the other. You are brothers now." Fir said putting on his glasses, picking up an ammo box. ---- They had been moving for only a few minuites when Sam spotted two more shooters on the right. "Contacts nine o clock!" she yelled as everyone started shooting. But Fir saw them and noticed something more. "HOLD! HOLD YOUR FIRE! EVERYONE STOP!" "Commander what is it?" twilight asked lowering her gun. "These colts are unarmed! Cover me!" he yelled as he and Sam moved in cautiously. "HOOVES ABOVE YOUR HEAD NOW!" Fir yelled and they complied. He secured them with zip ties and drug them over to a safe area. "All right let's take off these masks and talk to these fellows face to face." He said pulling off their masks. As the identities of the two shooters were revealed, everyone gasped. "Snips and Snails! Why am I not surprised?" twilight said rolling her eyes. "Well… when that weird looking pony found us, she said that we would be given the ability to do magic as well as you! But we thought we were hunting a Hydra. That's what she told us anyway. And then she brought us to town and gave us a choice: do as she said, and earn our magic, or die. So we hid, and then the battle started. Were really sorry!" "Honest mistake boys. You didn't hurt anyone did you?" Twilight said in a stern voice. "No, we found someone who was shot, but he didn't live long. We tried everything but he just didn't make it." "It's all right boys. Now this strange pony, what did she look like?" Fir asked holding up a flat screen device. She was dark green with rust colored stripes running down her back. Like nothing we had ever seen!" "Raptor." Fir and Sam said in unison. "Who is raptor anyway? You mentioned her earlier." Twilight asked looking to Fir. "Just one of nine barbarians I brought with me. If she is here, then your children are in grave danger! We must get to the sugar cube post haste! Sam, stay with the wounded, everyone else come with me! Macintosh are you equipped?" Fir asked packing to go. "might ready as ill ever be!" He said checking his new dragon scale armor. "all right then, move out!" he yelled heading for the center of town.