//------------------------------//
// 10: Practical Exam 
// Story: Magical Pony Lyrical Twilight StrikerS 
// by PurpleProse 
//------------------------------//

	Twilight was a pony of routine. Though she’d mostly outgrown the obsessive need to craft endless checklists for every facet of her life, she still liked it when things went according to plan. That way when something deviated from the routine, she’d at least have some warning in case the rest of the day went awry. Which it tended to do with almost unnatural regularity.
That was why alarm bells were ringing in her head when, after showering, brushing her mane and generally preparing for her morning, she’d met Chrono and Yuuno on their way out of the main building rather than on the way to the commissary like she normally did.
“Where’re you two going this early?” Twilight frowned up at the pair, her not-quite-functional brain registering a discrepancy in the morning routine. “Is there something wrong? ”
Chrono shook his head. “Nothing’s wrong, Twilight. We’re just taking a trip up north, that’s all. Director Gracia’s requested my presence in person.”
Twilight’s metaphorical gears spun up to speed. “Director Gracia? As in the head of the Saint Church?”
“She catches on quick, doesn’t she?” Chrono quipped to Yuuno, who rolled his eyes.
“I haven’t had my morning dose of caffeine, Chrono.” Twilight’s grousing carried a hint of a warning. “And sass isn’t a good substitute. Keep it up, and I might turn you into a carrot.”
“Relax, Twilight,” Yuuno said reassuringly. “It’s nothing major. Director Gracia just wants an update on RIOT Force’s status, that’s all. We should be back this afternoon, assuming all goes well.”
“We?”
“Chrono dragooned me into being his driver.” Yuuno gave his superior officer a smirk.
“I’d rather not try to drive all that way with one arm, thank you very much,” Chrono replied.
Twilight exhaled. “Did you two at least have breakfast?”
“Yes, mother,” Chrono teased. “We’ve already eaten. Our tummies are full and our lunchboxes are packed, and we‘re off to greet the day like good little schoolboys.”
Twilight grumbled. “You know, I take it back. A carrot’s too good for you. I’ll turn you into a cactus. A small cactus. It‘d suit you.”
“Then I’d only be half as prickly as you, Twilight,” Chrono replied cheerfully.
“You’d still be a pr-”
“Go get some coffee, Twilight.” Yuuno reached over and gently rubbed Twilight behind one of her ears. Twilight closed her eyes, her ears folding as she relaxed. “We’ll see you later.”
“Alright. I’ll just send the reports to your desk later then,” Twilight muttered, giving Yuuno a gentle nuzzle on his hand before the pair walked off. She watched them leave, her tail swishing slowly.
I wonder why they’re going all the way up to see Director Gracia? Surely they could’ve handled this over comms. Unless… Twilight frowned. Unless this is something that they can’t talk about publicly, even over official Bureau channels…
Part of her wanted to dismiss that line of thought as simple paranoia. But Twilight knew better. She exhaled slowly, turning slightly as the elevator chimed and Fate stepped out. Much to Twilight’s irritation, Fate looked perfectly coiffed and as fresh as a daisy.
She must’ve been getting tips from Rarity. That’s the only explanation…
Fate glanced at her. “Something wrong, Twilight?”
“Chrono and Yuuno are heading to the Saint Church. Looks like it’s just the rest of us for breakfast and practice today.”
“Ah.” Fate nodded, then trotted closer and gently nuzzled her neck. “Come on, sis. Let’s get some coffee in you.”
“I’m not sure that’ll help,” Twilight replied. The alarm bells were still going off.

---

“You know,” Yuuno commented as he turned the steering wheel, the sleek, navy blue body of Chrono’s car glinting in the morning sun as he turned onto the highway leading away from the base, “if I didn’t know better, Chrono, I’d say you were having a mid-life crisis. This is the exact sort of car some balding, middle-aged salary-man would buy.”
“Amy bought it for me,” Chrono replied a bit defensively, slipping a bit lower into the leather seat. “First wedding anniversary. Comes with all the extras: heated seats, navigation system, auto-drive…”
“So if it‘s got auto-drive, then why am Idriving instead of you?” Yuuno replied, shifting gears as he got up to cruising speed.
“Because if the auto-drive system goes out, I‘ll be stuck trying to work both a manual gear-shift and a steering wheel with one functioning arm.” Chrono reclined in his chair with a smirk. “Besides, I’m your boss. The boss never drives.”
“Keep that attitude up, and I might just leave you on the side of the road.” Yuuno countered before turning his attention back to the road. “Ever consider selling it? If it‘s so much trouble to drive, maybe you could…”
Chrono closed his eye. “I… considered selling it once…”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. It was after I got out of rehab. I was in a pretty bad place, even with all the support I had.” He shook his head. “I talked with Amy about it, even put up a listing for it. But after I thought about it for a while, selling it would’ve been like admitting that I was still… you know… broken.”
Yuuno winced as Chrono glanced over at him. “I know it’s stupid and irrational, but it made sense at the time. Maybe I’ll sell it eventually, but for now I‘ll just keep it around. At least it‘s cozier than the train.”
“Got that right,” Yuuno quickly replied.
They drove in silence for a while, Chrono quietly staring out the window. Eventually, the silence became a bit too much, even for Yuuno.
“I’m surprised Director Gracia requested your presence in person “ Yuuno said a little too loudly. “Whatever she wants, it’s probably really important, right?”
Chrono nodded absentmindedly. “If Carim’s calling me in, then yes, it probably is. Hopefully it’s got something to do with the JS Case.”
Yuuno glanced over at Chrono. “Carim? I didn’t expect you’d be on first-name-basis with her…”
“She’s not really one for formalities,” Chrono turned back towards him, giving him his attention. “Even if she’s one of our sponsors. That’s probably why the laity of the church is pretty fond of her.”
“Among other reasons.”
Chrono snorted softly at that. 
“What?” Yuuno arched an eyebrow. “Director Gracia’s a skilled Knight and a capable administrator, not to mention she‘s quite attractive. It makes sense she’s popular. Then there‘s that Rare Skill she has…”
“I’m just glad we have her on our side. Even if it was her idea to set something like RIOT Force up to begin with.”
“Let’s just hope it stays that way,” Yuuno replied.
“Amen.” Chrono glanced out the window again as the hills rolled past. “Heh… cactus. Hilarious.”
Yuuno snickered. “You think Twilight was joking? Even I know better than to mess with Twilight before she’s fully awake.”
“Oh come on Yuuno, you really think she’d turn me into a cactus? Or a carrot?”
Yuuno remained silent, a faint smile spreading along his lips.
Chrono looked at him curiously, his frown slowly deepening. “You know, Yuuno, this is the point where you reassure me. Something like, ‘no, Chrono, she‘d never do that.’ Like that.”
“I’m not saying anything, Chrono.”
“I know, and that makes me nervous.”
“Just so you know,” Yuuno continued comfortingly, “I’d happily water you and keep the bugs away until the spell wore off. Or Twilight turned you back. Whichever.”
“You know, you really suck at this whole ‘reassuring’ thing.”
“Well,” Yuuno replied airily, “we all have our failings.”

---

Scootaloo was unhappy. This wasn’t a strange occurrence, but this time she thought she had a pretty good reason to be unhappy. She was quietly glaring at her practice target, her ears folded back against her mane.
The practice target was taunting her, hovering within its own private AMF bubble. After the initial introduction to the so-called ‘Gadget Drones,’ Twilight had switched the morning individual practice over to refining their counter-AMF combat strategies. Sadly, of the six of them, Scootaloo was lagging behind; a fact that irked her to no end.
Scootaloo slowly skated around the target, her eyes narrowed in contemplation. There had to be some way she could kill the stupid thing, but her options were running dry.
I don’t have enough power to just punch through their AMF like Twilight does, she thought, and I don’t have the muscle power like Subaru. Teana’s little trick with her magic bullets gives me a headache when she explains it, and I can’t breathe fire like Spike or Caro’s little dragon…
“Rrrgh…” She sat down in irritation and pressed her front hooves to her temples.. “What’s the rutting answer?”
“I see you’re having problems,” a gruff voice replied.
Scootaloo blinked as a large shadow fell over her. She glanced up and over her withers at the enormous blue-haired wolf-man that loomed over her. “Oh… hey Zafira. What‘re you doing here? Shouldn‘t you be punching Spike or something?”
Zafira grunted softly and crouched down beside her. “The little dragon is currently practicing with your squad mate under Vita’s watchful eye. Twilight asked me to speak with you while they were occupied.”
“She did?” Scootaloo’s ears folded back. She tried not to look disappointed.
Zafira nodded calmly. “So, are you having problems?”
“No. Just… running out of ideas, that’s all.” Scootaloo huffed loudly and glanced away as Zafira arched an eyebrow. “It’s just… I can’t fight these stupid AMF things like the others can and it’s driving me crazy.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah.” Scootaloo grimaced as her Device’s gems flickered, a pair of small, curved blades extending from one set of skates. “My magic’s all about compressing air and running magic through it to make it super hard. But the AMF thing stops the magic, so that just leaves me with air. All I end up doing is blowing them around, not cutting them like I should.”
Zafira nodded. “What else have you tried?”
“Lots of stuff,” Scootaloo grumbled, flicking the up-turned tuft of her mane. “Tried increasing the mana power and tweaking the concentration like Twilight suggested… but I can’t hit her levels. I tried getting Teana to explain that whole field-wrappy thing she does with her bullets, but I can’t make heads or tails of it.” Not to mention she always gets that smug smirk on her face when she explains it… “I’ve tried muscle power, but all that does is just dent them. I don’t got enough ’omph’ to smash them like Subs does.”
“Mm.”
Scootaloo quirked an eyebrow at Zafira’s neutral expression. “So if you’ve got a better idea, I’d love to hear it.”
“It seems,” Zafira replied, “that you’re trying to be something other than yourself.”
“…Huh?”
Zafira took a seat, folding his legs beneath him in a lotus position, his tail curled behind him. “What are your talents, Scootaloo?”
“Going fast,” Scootaloo replied. “But I’m different from Erio. He’s got a spear with rockets on it. How can I match-”
Zafira snapped his fingers to interrupt her. “I did not ask you for a comparison,” he growled. “I asked what your talents are.”
Scootaloo huffed. “I’m fast. I’m light on my hooves. I’m acrobatic. I can hit fast and repeatedly. I can jump really far, stand on clouds and kick air at people.”
Zafira nodded, but didn’t say anything. He simply watched her with those crimson eyes, his tail slowly swishing.
“So… what?” Scootaloo gestured a hoof before her. “I’m fast. I’m not strong, I’m not accurate, and I’m not magically powerful. If I can’t take these things down in a single hit, then what rutting good am I?”
“Who said you need a single hit?”
Scootaloo blinked. “Huh?”
Zafira shrugged. “You said it yourself; you hit fast and repeatedly. You lack Subaru’s brute strength and Teana’s precision, and will likely never reach their levels.”
“Gee, thanks,” Scootaloo groused.
Zafira snorted. “It’s a fact. But you are not them. You are you. Embrace that.”
“So, what? Just keep hitting them?”
“Precisely,” Zafira replied. And with a quick motion, he reached out and flicked Scootaloo right in the middle of her forehead.
She pulled her head back. “The heck was that for?”
“A demonstration.” Zafira replied. His arm snapped forward again, his index finger flicking Scootaloo on the same spot, even though she jerked her head away.
“Of what? If I wanted to get thumped like this I’d have stayed with Radi, ow!” Scootaloo rubbed her forehead. “Quit tha- ow!”
“Each strike hurts worse than the last, does it not?” Zafira quirked an eyebrow curiously.
“Well duh,” Scootaloo snarled. “That’s because you’re hitting the same spot!”
“Exactly.”
Scootaloo opened her mouth to reply, then paused for a second or two, which elicited a small nod from Zafira.
“You grasp it now?” Zafira crossed his arms. “Subaru’s blows are like wrecking balls; they crush and smash with overwhelming force. Teana’s gun is a scalpel; quick, clean and precise. You are neither of these things. But you can do what they cannot; you don’t crush or pierce. Instead, you overwhelm.”
“Overwhelm?”
Zafira nodded. “If a single blow cannot defeat the target, then strike again. Five times, ten times, a hundred times, it matters not. If those blows are concentrated in a small space, the cumulative force will bring your foe to his knees.”
“So… a jackhammer then?” Scootaloo rubbed her forehead. “But my Peregrine Claw trick isn’t designed for that…”
“Then you must improvise,” Zafira countered before he stood up. “Come, let’s see what you can come up with.”
Scootaloo huffed. Exchange one cryptic old mentor for another, why don’t we?

---

BAM!
“Uwaaah!” Subaru felt Mach Caliber’s wheels skid along the ground as the force of Vita’s hammer sent her sliding backwards. Her Barrier spell had several shimmering radial fractures running along it, but the swirling hemisphere of blue light was still intact.
“Alright Subaru!” She could hear Spike cheering her on as she regained her footing. “That’s more like it!”
Subaru tried to laugh, but the thrumming of her defense spell worried her. Vita really hadn’t held back that time.
Vita nodded slightly as she rested her mallet against one shoulder, the silver head gleaming in the morning sunlight. “Alright kid, get back over here so we can try again.”
“Yes ma’am!” Subaru quickly lowered her barrier and skated back to Vita. “Was that better, ma’am?”
“Well, your barrier held, so I’ll give you that,” Vita replied as she shook a finger at her. “But your stance was still crap. I don’t care if you’ve got wheels on your feet or not, there’s no excuse for letting a hit blow you back like that.”
“Yes ma’am. Sorry ma’am!”
“Don’t be sorry,” Vita snapped, “be right! Getting pushed around in a fight can put you and your teammates at risk. What if you get knocked off your Wing Road, or break a defensive line, or get pushed into someone’s line of fire? Hell, just getting moved would send you off balance, leaving you open for a follow-up! The second you see an attack coming, you have to be ready to hold your ground, and you can‘t always rely on your forward momentum to pick up the slack!”
Subaru nodded quickly as Vita snapped her fingers at Spike. “Oi, knappe, get over here and show little-miss-skater-girl how it’s done.”
“Right!” Spike hopped to his feet, popping his knuckles as he strode over. He quickly gestured for Subaru to move out of the way before he took his own stance.
Subaru skated back, keeping her eyes on the pair. Vita swung her hammer back, gripping it with both hands. Spike extended his right hand, his fingers splayed wide and his scarf fluttering in the breeze.
Then Vita struck. Graf Eisen whistled through the air toward Spike as the dragon summoned a Barrier of his own. His stance shifted ever so slightly, his legs bending slightly and one foot sliding back just a bit to redistribute his weight. His toes dug in, his eyes narrowed in concentration. Vita’s hammer struck the barrier with a crash of steel on energy that sent a spray of mana in all directions, but Spike didn’t budge.
“See?” Vita pulled her mallet back as she looked at Subaru. “Center yourself. Plant your feet and don’t let the opponent move you. If you can’t dodge, then you better be ready to take the strike head-on, got that?”
“Yes ma’am,” both Spike and Subaru said in unison.
Vita smirked at them. “Now that we’ve done the warm up, let’s get down to the real work. Unless either of you wants to get a mallet to the gut, you better make sure your defense spells are damn solid, got that?!”
“Yes ma’am!”

---

The cracks of Teana’s shots echoed in the air as she went through the targets one by one. Each bullet sizzled through the air as they flew, the Variable Barrets slicing cleanly through their target’s AMF and putting large holes in their casing.
“Excellent work as usual, Teana,” Twilight said as the last target went down. “Another perfect score. Looks like that new spell of yours is really effective against their AMF.”
Teana nodded, doing a quick mental check of Cross Mirage’s remaining cartridges. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“I’m hardly one to thank, Teana,” Twilight replied. “You figured out the solution yourself, after all. I’m just impressed you’ve managed to refine it so quickly. You seem to be casting it much quicker than before, and with much less mana.”
Teana smiled, allowing herself a brief moment of preening. True, she was casting it quicker because she was allowing Cross Mirage to handle the spell calculations, and she’d managed to simplify the spell matrix with a little help from Subaru… 
Still, I’m the one that figured out the fundamental basis of the trick, she thought to herself.
“Of course,” Twilight continued, unaware of her inner monologue, “I’m sure you won’t mind sharing your insights with the other members of your squad. Something like this would definitely help them, don’t you think?”
And just like that, the preening was over. A hint of irritation mixed with nervousness took its place. “Of course, Special Instructor Sparkle,” Teana replied. “I’d be happy to.”
“Oh really?”
Teana tried not to swallow as Twilight quirked an eyebrow at her, those two words stated with a distinct, knowing tone. “Yes ma’am,” she replied quickly. “I’ve tried teaching it to Scootaloo but, well… I’m not really all that good at explaining things.”
“True,” Twilight conceded. “Not everyone is meant to be an instructor. Still, I’m surprised you haven’t enlisted Subaru’s help in teaching your squad-mate. She does have a talent for systematic analysis.”
“I… didn‘t think to, ma’am.” The excuse limped out from Teana’s lips like a wounded deer, waiting to be shot down.
“I’m sure it was just a minor oversight,” Twilight replied, her tone artificially light and cheerful. “Just a mistake. I’m sure you’ll fix it soon enough, right?”
“Right,” Teana replied softly, taking note of the stress on that last word.
“Good.” Twilight trotted closer, her horn lighting up as she went. “Now, let’s move on. I’d like to see you work in dual-gun mode this time.”
“Yes ma’am.” Teana replied, summoning her off-hand pistol with a mental command to Cross Mirage.
Okay, she thought quietly, did she just get a lucky guess? Did one of the other two complain to her about this? I mean, I did at least make an effort… kinda…
She shook her head quickly. No time for that, Teana. Focus on the task at hand. Worry about the chicken later.

---

The Grand Cathedral
Saint Church Self-Administrated Territory
Northern Mid-Childa

Outwardly, the Grand Cathedral of The Saint Church resembled an old-fashioned  fortress out of some fantasy story. The Cathedral was perched in the valley between two mountains near a great, spring-fed lake that shimmered in the sun’s light. The entire edifice, from the sweeping bridge that lead up to the central gate to the high outer battlements to the great, many-winged central keep was built of great blocks of smooth, sandy-gold stone, fit together so tightly that there were no visible seams or creases. The sharply sloping roofs and pointed towers were covered in green tiles, while the entranceways and walkways were marked with high-peaked arches. Tall trees peaked out from various spots of the Cathedral’s wards, many of which bore summer-ripening apples and plums.
Chrono and Yuuno entered the Cathedral through the front gate, just as any pilgrim would. As usual, the Grand Cathedral was abuzz with activity, as worshipers and congregants milled about the courtyard, while Knights and priests clad in black cassocks went about their business. Chrono had left his uniform coat in the car, having exchanged it for a simple gray jacket that hung past his waist. After all, there was no need to alert anyone to his rank here.
Yuuno sniffed, then exhaled in satisfaction at the smell of fruit in the air. “Looks like they’ll have a good harvest this year.”
“That should keep the novices busy,” Chrono replied as he glanced around. “Do you see her here?”
“Not yet,”  Yuuno replied, rising up on his tip-toes a little. “Then again, we’re a little early… wait, there she is!”
Chrono followed Yuuno’s pointing hand, then quickly strode off towards his objective. Said objective was a tall woman with dark pinkish hair and rose-pink eyes. She was dressed in a simple black dress that came down to her ankles, with a short, crimson-trimmed white shoulder-cape held in place by a red and gold ribbon. “Over here, Dame Schach,” he called.
Schach paused, then quickly turned to face him. “Ah, Mister Harlaown, Mister Scrya. Good to see you. I hope the trip wasn’t too much of a problem for you…”
“Not really,” Chrono extended his good hand, which Schach quickly shook.
“Says the one who wasn’t driving all the way here,” Yuuno teased, clasping hands with Schach as well.
Chrono smirked at Yuuno, then looked back to Schach. “Is Carim ready to see us, or are you going to stick us somewhere where we won’t cause too much trouble?”
“Lady Gracia is in a teleconference right now,” Carim replied quietly. “It shouldn’t take too long, though. Follow me, please.”
Chrono fell into step behind Schach alongside Yuuno as they entered the Cathedral proper. The inside was just as old-fashioned in appearance as the outside, with high-ceilinged hallways and tall, sleek buttresses that supported the walls. The faint scent of woody incense clung to the long, brilliant red carpets that lined the halls.
Chrono’s mind wasn’t on that, though. He was more concerned with the itching sensation in the back of his head. The sheer number of wards and protective spells around this place rivals the Central Command building in Cranagan. Just wish they’d tune them back a little bit…
Schach paused, gesturing for them to enter the nearby waiting room. “I’ll inform Lady Gracia you’ve arrived. Go ahead and have a seat if you like.”
“Thank you,” Chrono nodded as Schach stepped out of sight.
Yuuno, meanwhile, walked over to one of the stone walls and gently ran his fingers over it. “You know, this place never fails to impress me. It’s like they transplanted a castle directly from the ancient Belkan home world.”
“Didn’t know you were a fan of architecture, Yuuno,” Chrono quipped as he took a seat.
“I’m an archeologist. Comes with the territory.” Yuuno chuckled, adjusting his glasses as he turned back to Chrono. “It’s built in the Late Imperial style. You can tell by the peaked archways and the clean, minimal lines of the architecture.”
“See, this is why I like having you around,” Chrono teased. “You’re like a walking, talking guidebook.”
“Force of habit.” Yuuno took a seat. “If nothing else, lecturing is a nice way to pass the time. Some of my colleagues enjoy it more than others.”
“Like Twilight?”
“Like Twilight.” Yuuno chuckled. “I remember when I first took her to a site outside of Equestria. It was the ruins of the floating war-palace on Lamorak, the one that got bombarded during the Unification War. She just kept asking me question after question. It felt… kind of nice, being the teacher for once.”
“And that’s probably why you joined RETA, eh?”
Yuuno blushed. “Well, I’ll admit, the offer from Princess Celestia was pretty nice as well. Not to mention that it was an entirely untapped scholarly resource that I had near-exclusive access to… but yeah, being a teacher and having all that acclaim wasn’t too shabby, either.”
“Well then, professor, let me ask you a question.” Chrono leaned forward slowly. “How do you think Twilight’s handling her duties at RIOT Force?”
Yuuno blinked. “I think she’s doing rather well. True, she’s not exactly the most military-minded individual, but she knows how to fight and she’s very good at teaching people with… personality quirks.”
“Mmf.”
Yuuno quirked an eyebrow. “Is there something I should be concerned about?”
“Not exactly. I’m just making sure all my bases are covered, just in case…”
“Just in case of what?”
“Just in case something goes wrong.”
Yuuno blinked, eliciting a sigh from Chrono. “We’ve got a lot of unfriendly eyes on us, Yuuno. We’re reaching a point where the kids will be ready for light deployment. If they’re not up to snuff, then that’s going to be on Twilight’s head…”
“You think they’re not good enough?” Yuuno frowned deeply. “I’d have thought you’d have more confidence-”
Chrono waved his good hand, cutting Yuuno off. “I have every confidence in the kids, and Twilight and the other instructors. But if there’s a screw up on their end…”
“Right. I see your point.” Yuuno rubbed his chin. “Maybe you’re just overreacting?”
Chrono snorted. “You’re not paranoid if someone’s really out to get you.”
“Fair point…”
There was a gentle knock on the door, which pulled Chrono and Yuuno’s attention away from each other. Schach was standing in the doorway, leaning nonchalantly against the frame.
“Lady Gracia will see you now,” she said simply.

---

The double-doors leading to the office opened with a soft swish as Chrono followed Schach in. The office behind them was large and spacious, almost entirely lit by a quartet of narrow, arched windows that overlooked the main courtyard, spilling sunlight across the rich purple carpet and the ancient wooden desk with its ink blotter and quill pen. The place smelled faintly of old books and rosehip tea.
“Your guests, Lady Gracia,” Schach announced to the petite woman seated behind the desk.
“Ah, excellent!” Lady Carim Gracia, Kardinal-Ritter, Protector of the Saint Church and member of the TSAB’s Board of Directors, rose from her seat and approached them. She was a petite woman, a head shorter than Chrono, and had a slim build. Her hair was a rich blonde, and hung down to her mid back in a long, straight cut held back by a violet hair band. Her eyes were a dark purple-blue, her face rounded and her skin fair. She was dressed in a much more elaborate uniform than Schach’s more simplistic black cassock. The shoulders of her dress puffed out slightly, while the sleeves were long and opened wide at the cuffs. A wide purple sash trimmed with gold encircled her waist, while her skirt was ankle-length, widely-gored and trimmed with violet silk. She walked quickly, her footsteps light and efficient as she extended a hand to Chrono.
“Always nice to see you, Carim.” Chrono clasped Carim’s hand, hiding the wince as she squeezed it. She might have been small, but she was still a Knight. The rough calluses on her palm and fingers and the strength of her grip were testament to that.
“Likewise,” Carim replied cheerfully, before turning to Yuuno. “Dr. Scrya, always a pleasure.”
“Director Gracia,” Yuuno replied respectfully as he took her hand.
“Carim, please. We’re not at an official function right now.” Carim smiled, gently patting his still-clasped hand before looking at Schach. “Schach, could you fetch some refreshments?”
“Of course, milady,” Schach bowed slightly. “The usual, I presume?”
“Mmm… actually, bring the new blend. The one we received from Her Majesty. And don‘t forget the cookies.”
“Of course. Right away.”
Figures, Chrono thought to himself in amusement. If there was one way Celestia could charm Carim, it’d be through a good pot of tea.
“Please, sit, sit.” Carim gently shooed Chrono and Yuuno over to the table. “I’d imagine you haven’t had anything to eat yet.”
“I wouldn’t mind a snack, personally,” Chrono said as he took a seat. “I hope we weren’t interrupting anything important. Schach did say you were in a conference call.”
Carim sighed. “More problems with our brethren in Equestria.”
Yuuno blinked. “More problems? I thought most of the issues with the church’s holdings there were already settled.”
“Well, yes.” Carim nodded, folding her hands in her lap. “Thanks to the royal investiture, the Saint Church does have an official posting in Canterlot. We’ve also recently constructed a chapel in the Crystal Empire as well, since there’s a lot of traffic between it and Mid-Childa.  But that’s not the problem this time.”
“Oh?”
Carim nodded with a soft sigh. “We’ve been trying to keep it quiet, but you’ll likely be hearing about it eventually. There’s been rumors about a possible…heterodoxy.”
“Heterodoxy?” Chrono blinked. That was new. From what he knew about the Saint Church, the faith always seemed rather liberal, though their worship of the deified Sankt Kaiser could be a bit off-putting.
“There are some of our brethren who are claiming that the Equestrian Princesses, Celestia and Luna in particular, fit the established characteristics of the Saint King,” Carim replied morosely. “As you can tell, this isn’t exactly a popular opinion with some of the elder members of the church.”
“I can imagine,” Yuuno said. “This is the first I’ve heard of it, though.”
“Like I said,” Carim replied. “we’ve been trying to keep this quiet.”
“What’re Celestia and Luna’s opinion of this?”
“Politely reserved.” Carim steepled her fingers in her lap as she spoke. “ Officially, Equestria does not have a state faith or religion. Furthermore, the Equestrian Diarchs have a long-standing declaration that neither of them are deities. Of course, they can’t control how their subjects view them, but public worship of them is not so much outlawed as… politely discouraged.”
“And now they’ve got a bunch of foreigners declaring them as savior figures,” Chrono said flatly. “Terrific.”
Carim nodded. “You can see the problem. Now, the Saint Church has long considered itself an ecumenical organization. Between that, our respect for local faiths and traditions, and our support work we’ve managed to maintain good standing. However, there’s only so far that can stretch. I guess we never expected an actual Saint King to pop up, much less a host of them.”
There was a soft click as the office doors opened. Schach entered, carrying the tea service and two plates of cookies.
“Thank you Schach,” Carim said as the pink-haired knight poured the tea. “I think that’ll be all for now. Please make sure we‘re not disturbed, if you don‘t mind.”
“Of course, milady,” Schach replied, bowing before she stepped out.
“But enough of that,” Carim said as she stirred a spoonful of sugar into her cup. “You’re not here to listen to my problems. How has RIOT Force been faring? The reports I’ve been receiving from Trixie suggest that things are going smoothly.”
“Well enough,” Chrono picked up his tea cup and sipped the contents.

---

Golden sparks flew in an arc as Bardiche and Strada clashed. Fate smiled as Erio stepped towards her, turning his spear and clashing shaft-to-shaft against her. Caro stood just past him, her hands upraised and her Device’s jewels glowing gently.
Fate pulled Bardiche back, flicking the spiked butt at Erio as she did so. The smaller Knight danced out of the way, once again falling back into a defensive posture. Fate, however, moved in again, trying to circle around Erio. Erio, however, moved to block, the crackling blade of his spear leveled at her and keeping her at bay.
Excellent, Erio. Just like that… She pulled back a little, leaving a clear opening for him to strike. It was a trap, of course. The question was, however, if he would fall for it.
Erio lunged forward, thrusting Strada at her.
That answers that, she thought as she parried the thrust, catching the shaft with the crook of her axe’s blade and pulling it out of balance. Erio stumbled, then let out a loud cry as she promptly body-checked him. Fate slid her right fore-hoof between his legs and behind his right ankle to trip him. He landed with a heavy thud, then rolled backwards and sprang to his feet, hands in a Strike Arts stance as she dropped Strada to the ground beside her.
“You did it again, Erio,” Fate scolded gently as she slid Strada over to him. “You got over-eager.”
“Sorry, ma’am,” he replied, inhaling deeply as he caught his breath.
“I’m not the one you should apologize to,” Fate replied, glancing past him at Caro. “The point of this exercise is to focus on defense.”
“But I saw an opening…”
“An intentional opening,” Fate countered. “One designed to pull you off-balance.”
Erio grumbled softly, then glanced back as Caro walked over and gently rested a hand on his shoulder. 
Fate shook her head. “Being aggressive is all well and good, but it’s not the only option. Sometimes you have to hold back.”
Erios sighed heavily, then leaned down and picked up his spear. “I understand, ma’am.”
“I certainly hope so,” Fate replied. “Now, let’s try this again…”

---

“So,” Carim concluded as she set down her tea cup, “you believe your trainees are ready for the field?”
Chrono nodded as Yuuno helped himself to another cookie. “They’re a little green, but they should perform well enough right now. We’ve been working them hard, and they seem to be picking up on counter-AMF strategies pretty quick.”
“Good.” Carim reached up and flexed her fingers gently. A small, amethyst ring on her left ring finger glinted gently, summoning up a hovering holographic console. The lady tapped on a few buttons, causing the curtains to fold down over the windows and dimming the ambient light.
Ah, here we go, Chrono thought to himself. I knew there was more to this meeting than a status update.
There was a soft chirp as several holographic monitors winked into existence on one wall, rapidly filling with images and data. Chrono’s eye scanned over the information, frowning as he did so.
“As you can see,” Carim said, gesturing to the monitors, “we’ve been a bit busy. There’s been recent reports of new drone sightings.”
“New drones?” Yuuno adjusted his glasses. “As in a new type?”
Carim nodded and gestured, drawing a screen forward. The screen depicted what appeared to be a sleek, wedge-shaped machine. Its body was almost entirely aerofoil, save for the distinctive golden eye at the front and a pair of rectangular nozzles that protruded from beneath. “This new type seems to be built for interceptor work. Its AMF capabilities are weaker than the ones we’ve encountered before, but it makes up for it in flight speed and weaponry. It carries two high-powered beam emitters with a long engagement range, and some of them even carry mass-based anti-air and anti-ground missiles.”
Chrono grimaced. “Trust JS to pack his toys with all sorts of illegal goodies.”
“If JS is equipping his Gadget Drones with mass-based weaponry, then he has to have some sort of supplier,” Yuuno mused. “Most companies that produce chemical explosives are tightly regulated by the Bureau. Even if he’s got a black market source, that still limits his suppliers.”
“Good point, Yuuno,” Chrono replied, before he turned to look at Carim. “I assume you encountered these new drones somewhere already?”
Carim nodded. “Some of my Knights met them while they were acquiring this.” She flicked her hand and pulled another screen forward. This one showed a distinctive gray octagonal metal case, tightly sealed and secured.
Chrono’s eye widened. “Another Relic?”
“We believe so,” Carim replied calmly. “We’ve yet to identify it, but we suspect it is indeed a Relic. We found it in the custody of a group of black market salvagers. They were raiding some form of ruined structure that we believe may have been an illegal laboratory.”
“Where’s the Relic now?”
“It’s being transported to a safe site via one of the Church’s reliquary containment trains,” Carim replied.
“Have you reported this to Central Command?”
“Not yet,” Carim replied. “Given the situation with General Gais, we thought it best to keep this information quiet.”
“Makes sense,” Yuuno crossed his arms and nodded. “If Gais knew about a Lost Logia like the Relic was being transported on Mid-Childan soil, he’d probably try to claim it and get it away from the Church.”
Carim grimaced. “The Lieutenant General has an unfortunate habit of trying to step on our authority, yes. And given what has been written in the Prophetin Schriften, we can’t afford to take any chances.”
Chrono nodded. If Gais knew that RIOT Force was put together in response to one of Carim’s infamous prophecies, he’d probably try to have me court-martialed on general principle.
“I assume you’ll want me to analyze the Relic once it’s secured, Carim?” Yuuno looked eagerly at Carim.
“I would, yes,” Carim replied. “Maybe now that we have more than just a single Relic, we might be able to get somewhere. Kaiser knows the one the Bureau has isn‘t helping much.”

---

Rail Line NE-019 (M1 Section)
Strangreal Mountain Range
Northwestern Mid-Childa

Engineer Hardwick’s job was relatively simple; all he had to do was make sure the train ran on time. That was true for most engineers, but it was especially true for him. After all, he was working on behalf of the Saint Church, and the Church didn’t like it when their people screwed up.
On the plus side, few people got to work on a train like this one. On the outside, the train looked like your standard cargo carrier, about a dozen cars long. Internally, however, it was much more than it let on. Each car’s frame and chassis was magically hardened and reinforced, with heavy, vault-like doors separating each car. This, combined with the state-of-the-art security systems, advanced sensor suite and the on-duty Church Knights made this train one of the most secure transports on the planet. This even extended to the engine; the train could easily run on autopilot, and its internal systems were shielded behind heavy security.
The door to the next car opened behind him, causing him to glance up at the black-clad Knight that had just entered. He was a young one, looking like he’d just barely earned his collar with that bright blue hair and his youthful face. He was carrying a mug of tea.
“Mr. Hardwick, sir,” the young Knight said. “I figured you’d like a drink…”
“Much obliged, kid,” Hardwick replied, taking the mug and sipping.
The young knight glanced at the large windows of the cab as the train rolled along its track, curving along the side of the mountain. “How long until we get to the site?”
“A couple more hours at least,” Hardwick replied, turning back in his chair and looking at the controls. “Got someplace to be?”
The young Knight quickly shook his head. “Oh, no sir. It’s just… well, the cargo we’re carrying is pretty sensitive. I’m just worried. I mean, it’s…”
“Ahp-ep-ep-ep!” Hardwick waved a hand to silence him “I don’t wanna know anything about it, kid. That kind of stuff ain’t my department, you know.”
“Oh. Sorry…”
“No problem, kid.” Hardwick paused. “What’d you say your name was again?”
“Kid, sir,” the blue haired Knight replied. “Squire Kid Berlingo.
Hardwick snickered, despite himself. “First time on this duty?”
Kid nodded. “Yes sir.”
“Well then, you should probably relax,” Hardwick replied breezily. “Take it from an old hand like me; ain‘t nobody going to attack this train. Just enjoy the ride, and we’ll be there before-”
Hardwick was promptly cut off as warning klaxons went off, red bands of light forming across the reinforced windscreen.
“What in the Kaiser’s name-”
“Shit, that’s the proximity alarm!” Hardwick quickly moved to the control panel. A holographic display popped up, showing the surrounding area. He felt the blood drain out of his face as he saw a very, very large number of red arrows bearing down on the icon in the center. “Oh… oh balls…”
“Sir! Get down!”
Hardwick started to object when Kid tackled him to the ground. Suddenly, there was a deafening roar and an explosion as something hit the windscreen, blowing it inward in a fireball. Reinforced glass sprayed across the room as Hardwick’s ears rang. Kid was tensed up like a wound spring, shielding Hardwick with his body.
Hardwick struggled, pulling himself free of Kid’s grip. He couldn’t really hear much through the tinny ring of his ears. He did, however, have the good sense of mind to follow protocol. He quickly moved to the Engineer’s seat and flipped up the cover on a big red button. He slammed his hand down on it, just as a shadow fell across him. He could hear Kid shout something, his voice sounding like it was echoing through water.
Hardwick turned around just in time to see the drone’s energy beam fire. He dove behind the chair as the blue laser sliced a line across the control panels and sheered his chair in half. Two more drones quickly approached him, the black panels on either side of their pill-shaped bodies retracting to reveal a snake’s-nest of thin, dark red manipulator cables.

---

The button that Engineer Hardwick had hit was very important, as it did three things in very rapid sequence.
First, it alerted all personnel aboard the train that the train was under attack.
Second, it activated subroutines in the security system that automatically locked down all cargo containers on the train, sealing the cargo behind heavy, magnetically-locked and magic-reinforced vault doors.
Third, and most importantly, it sent out a distress call and live security feed directly to the Saint Church’s headquarters. The second the Church’s security force got a hold of this signal, they immediately alerted a specific number of people in authority. One of which was Carim Gracia.

---

“So,” Chrono said calmly, all traces of levity gone from his voice. “Scaglietti’s decided to directly attack the transport train.”
Carim was glaring at the feed from the train’s security cameras. “There’s too many drones. Even with their training my Knights will be overwhelmed…”
“In that case, Lady Gracia,” Chrono said as he rose to his feet, “I’d like to offer the services of RIOT Force in resolving this issue.”
Carim looked up at Chrono with a curious eyebrow. “You’re certain that your trainees can handle this, Chrono?”
“RIOT Force was created specifically for this sort of mission, Lady Gracia,” Chrono replied. “Besides, it’d be pretty rude not to make the offer, considering the support you’ve given us so far.”
“I hope you’re right, Chrono.” Carim replied. She glanced back to the monitors before returning to Chrono. “Consider the authorization granted, Captain Harlaown. The Saint Church extends its gratitude for your generous offer of assistance, and gladly accepts it.”
Chrono smartly saluted with his good hand, then reached into his pocket and produced his Device. “S4U, open a channel to Griffith, please. Audio only.”
“YES BOSS. CONNECTING NOW.”
A few seconds later, Griffith’s voice chimed in. “Yes, sir?”
“Griffith, I have been given a mission by Director Gracia. Alert Stars, Lightning and Knight Squadrons and bring the base’s alert status up to Condition Yellow.”
There was a pregnant pause. “Condition Yellow, sir? That‘s for…”
“A combat mission,” Chrono finished “We’re going live. Patch me through to the squads once they’ve been assembled. I’ll handle the briefing from here.”
“Understood. But, sir, what about Gais?”
“Let me handle Gais,” Chrono replied quickly. “Just get everything ready and be waiting for me in the command room.”
“Yes, sir. Understood. Long Arch, out.”
Chrono tucked S4U back into his pocket as he looked over to Yuuno. “Think you can get us back to Long Arch in a single jump?”
Yuuno arched an eyebrow. “So that’s why you had me drive? Just in case an emergency popped up?”
“And for the company,” Chrono replied before looking back to Carim. “Mind if we join you in your command suite, Lady Gracia?”
“Of course, Captain,” Carim said as she rose to her feet. “Though it’ll just be for the briefing. I’d imagine you’d rather call the shots back at your base.”
“And you’d be right, ma’am.”

---

“I told you, Fate,” Twilight groaned as they raced to the briefing room. “It never fails.”
“Twilight,” Fate replied, her braided mane and tail flowing behind her, “just because something goes off-schedule in the morning doesn’t mean…”
“Oh yes it does,” Twilight replied curtly. “Like when the Windigos attacked Neighagra falls? The hotel was out of coffee.”
“An isolated incident.”
“Or the time when Rarity got kidnapped by dragons? I missed breakfast because the stove’s pilot light had gone out.”
“Coincidence.”
“Or the incident in Zebrica? First they run out of hot water in the embassy‘s shower, and next thing you know we end up fighting a crazed shaman and his horde of zombie-hyenas. Or when I ended up almost getting eaten by that tentacle thing summoned by a couple of delinquent foals from Celestia‘s school? Mail didn’t get delivered on time that morning. Or the giant squid that attacked Manehattan that Fluttershy scared off? Ran out of fresh towels. Or…”
“Fine,” Fate conceded. “I think I get the picture.”
Twilight felt a tiny bit of satisfaction as they reached the briefing room. Her horn lit up as she opened the door, letting Fate enter first before she followed suit. All six trainees were there, as were the members of Knight Squad. Griffith was present via a hovering holographic screen.
“Sorry we’re late, Griffith,” Twilight said hurriedly. “We came as fast as we could.”
“No problem, Miss Twilight,” Griffith replied. “Please hold for a moment while I contact Captain Harlaown.”
Twilight took a seat as Chrono’s face popped up in another screen. He looked more than a little stressed.
“I‘ll pass on the formalities right now,” Chrono said quickly. “We have a situation that requires dealing with. This is a direct request from the Saint Church, and requires urgent deployment.”
The trainees glanced at each other nervously as a large screen winked in on the wall, displaying a bird’s-eye view of a train. A twelve-car train was barreling down the tracks, smoke drifting up from the lead car. “This is Saint Church Reliquary Transport Train 019. It was attacked on route by a large group of Gadget Drones, likely seeking to secure the cargo the train was carrying. We’ve lost contact with the personnel on board, so we presume they’ve been captured or incapacitated and the train is under the drones’ control.”
Twilight tried not to swallow nervously as Chrono continued. “As an ally of the Saint Church, I have convinced Director Gracia to allow RIOT Force to intercede. This will be your first official mission. As such, all trainees on Stars and Lightning Squads are hereby designated as Forwards under their captains’ command. Stars, Lightning and Knight Squads will deploy immediately to intercept the train, rescue all personnel on board, secure the cargo and eliminate all Gadget Drones. Understood?”
“Yes, sir!” The group’s reply was only slightly out of unison.
“Griffith will serve as the mission commander until Yuuno and I return,” Chrono continued. “He’ll be providing you with all the necessary recon and strategic data. Twilight, Fate, Trixie… I’m counting on the three of you to keep an eye on things in the field.”
Twilight nodded wordlessly as Fate saluted and Trixie adjusted her hat.
“Make this one count, everyone,” Chrono said, before pointing directly at the screen. “RIOT Force, mobilize!”
“Yes, sir!”
“All Squads,” Griffith announced, “please activate your Devices and report to Landing Pad One for immediate deployment.”
Twilight exhaled and got to her feet quickly, Raising Heart swinging from her neck as she turned to her squad. “You heard Chrono, everyone! Stars Squad, fall in!”
You alright, sis?
Twlight’s ears folded back at Fate’s telepathic whisper. Just nerves, Fate. Performance anxiety. It’s been a while since I was in this position…
You’ll do fine, Twilight. You always do.
I know. But now I’ve got these kids to worry about…
They’re not children, sis. Fate’s voice was gentle, but stern. They’re soldiers. They’ll do fine. Trust them, and trust your training.
Right…

---

When the Yellow Alert went out, Long Arch sprang into a flurry of activity. Staff quickly scurried about, preparing for the imminent mobilization of the base’s training squads and their eventual returns. Outside on Landing Pad One, Vice Granscenic’s helicopter was undergoing its final checks by the flight crew as the pilot quickly entered the helicopter, taking his position in the pilot’s seat.
“Alright, Storm Raider,” he said to his ‘co-pilot’ as he buckled his flight harness, “are you ready for some action?”
“YES, SIR,” the AI chimed in reply.
“’Atta girl,” he replied with a chuckle. He closed his eyes, then kissed his fingers before gently pressing them onto the cockpit’s dash. “Off into the breach, just like old times.”
“Riot Flight Zero-One, this is Long Arch Command,” a feminine voice announced over the communications link. “Do you copy, over?”
“Loud and clear,” Vice replied, then paused. “That you, Lucino? When did they let you on the comms?”
“I’m on the command staff, Vice,” the voice replied archly. “I’m just talking to you until Alto and Shari get here.”
“Sheesh. Three girls, huh?” Vice chuckled. “The Captain’s pretty damn lucky, getting to hang with so many ladies.”
“Vice!” Lucino sounded scandalized. “Captain Harlaown’s married.”
Vice rolled his eyes as he ran through the pre-flight checks. “Oh. Right. Well, then it’s probably just for Griffith, then.”
“You know,” Griffith’s voice interrupted smoothly, though there was a hint of dry amusement in his tone, “I’m standing right here, Master Sergeant Granscenic.”
“Of course you were, sir,” Vice continued airily. “And I’m sure you were enjoying the company.”
“As amusing as this little exchange is,” Griffith replied, “I think it’d be best to stick to business while on official channels, don’t you?”
“Yes, sir. All business, sir.” Vice saluted to the empty air as he saw his passengers quickly approaching his helicopter.
“I’m uploading coordinates and flight path data to Storm Raider,” Lucino continued. “Proceed on flight path Green-One-Three once you’re in the air. You and your escorts have been cleared with Cent-Com, so don’t worry about air traffic.”
“Understood, Long Arch Command. Riot Flight out.” Vice glanced out of the window at the approaching mix of ponies, kids, and various other beings.
Look at them, he thought to himself, his eyes landing on the trainees. The pink-haired girl paused, glancing nervously at Fate as the golden mare gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder. Heading off to fight. I wonder if they think they’ll win. Or are they thinking of what could go wrong…
“Riot Flight, this is Stars Actual,” a new voice crackled over the communications net. “Vice, do you read me?”
“Loud and clear, Twilight,” Vice shook the cobwebs free. “What’s up?”
“Signum, Fate and I will be serving as your escort flight to the operation area,” Twilight continued. “We’ll make sure you get to the train unmolested.”
“That’s awfully kind of you,” Vice joked.
“Kind’s got nothing to do with it,” Twilight replied firmly. “You’ve got my students on board. I’d be a terrible instructor if I didn’t make sure they got to their mission safely.”
“Don’t worry about it, Twilight,” Vice replied. “I’m one of the best pilots you could ask for. You let me handle the delivery, alright?”
“Right. I’m trusting you on this, Mr. Granscenic.”
“Don‘t worry,” Vice chuckled, “your kids are in good hands.”
“Oh, she‘ll still be worried” a new voice said, this time not over the link. “She always worries.”
Vice glanced back as a familiar blue unicorn trotted up and took a seat. “Miss Trixie, to what do I owe the pleasure?”
“I’m riding up here with you,” Trixie replied as she climbed into one of the seats, her horn lighting up as she clicked the harness into place over her white Knight’s Clothing. “Just in case our purple and gold friends get distracted.”
“Well, good to have you,” Vice replied cheerfully. “Decided to get the best seat in the house?”
Trixie snorted and rolled her eyes.
“Riot Flight,” a new voice spoke up in Vice’s headset, “this is Long Arch Command. You are clear for take-off. I repeat, you are clear for take-off.”
“Roger that, Long Arch. Riot Flight departing now.” Vice reached over and flicked a few switches as the helicopter’s rotors spun up to speed. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, addressing his passengers in the back, “this is your pilot speaking. We’re now departing Long Arch. Make sure you’re all strapped in and secure, and enjoy the ride.”
There was a soft thrum as the rotors sped up. Vice took the controls and eased the transport skyward, guiding it along the prearranged flight path. A green holographic HUD spread out over the canopy, displaying readouts and the projected flight path.
As he flew over the base, Vice noticed a bright green flash down on the road below. A dark blue car emerged from the bloom of light and turned in towards the base’s parking garage.

---

Chrono and Yuuno strode into the command room, the former pulling off his jacket as he walked. Griffith met them at the door, reaching out and accepting Chrono’s garment as he passed by.
“What’s our status, everyone?” Chrono took his seat at the head of the command room, behind his desk. Long Arch’s command room was a strictly functional room. The walls of the rectangular room were unadorned, save for glowing status monitors. A few steps below his desk was the rest of his crew at their work stations, all situated before a wide general display screen.
“Communication channels with all Forward units are clear,” Private  First Class Alto Krauetta announced, her short, dark blonde hair a few shades lighter thanks to the light of the monitors surrounding her. “The link with Riot Flight is stable. No anomalies detected.”
“Scrying sensor uplink with all Devices has been confirmed,” Private First Class Lucino Lillie announced. Her uniform jacket was folded over the back of her chair, and she was bent forwards over her display. “Currently linking to Long-Range Observation Satellites in orbit for area scans.”
“All Devices reporting green,” Shari stated from her position between Lucino and Alto. The Device Meister pushed her glasses up her nose with a finger. “I just received the data from the Saint Church’s command staff.”
“Excellent,” Chrono noted as Griffith and Yuuno took up positions flanking his chair. “Any word from Cent-Com?”
“Central Command’s already been notified of our alert status and has given authorization,” Griffith replied. “Though there’ll likely be some questions as to the nature of our mission later.”
“We’ll handle that once we’ve finished the after-action reports,” Chrono replied brusquely. He really wasn’t looking forward to talking to Gais about this. “Until then, let’s focus. Lucino, do we have an aerial view of the mission site?”
“Aye, sir. Bringing it up on screen now.”
Chrono nodded. The large screen on the wall was promptly filled with a top-down view of the train, its route and the surrounding environment for about fifty kilometers in all directions. Holographic overlays sprang up as a smaller version popped up on Chrono’s desk.
Chrono frowned, his hand reaching over as he zoomed in on the train. “Looks like there’s some pretty heavy damage to the train. They must’ve attacked multiple cars to create insertion points. We can probably use those to our advantage.”
“Probably,” Shari spoke up. “The Saint Church’s transport trains are notoriously hard to invade. You’d actually have to break through their armor to get inside once the train’s on route.”
“I just hope the people inside are alright,” Yuuno said as he leaned over the map.
“Sir,” Lucino called out, “The sensors are picking up multiple fliers in the area. I count at least thirty six airborne targets…”
“Those must be the new drones Carim told us about.” Yuuno winced. “And with all that open space, getting to the train from the air will be a nightmare.”
“Right.” Chrono glanced at Yuuno. “You’re the teleporting whiz. If you were to transit into the area, where would you go?”
“Hmm.” Yuuno reached over and flicked the map about, following the train tracks. He paused, then tapped the holographic map. “Here. This ridge should help limit the angles of attack, allowing Twilight, Fate and Signum to cover their approach.”
“Right.” Chrono tapped on the display and quickly drew a blue circle on the holographic screen. “Tactical teleport here, and then insertion when the train rolls by while the others cover the airspace. Lucino, send the data to Trixie and Reinforce. Alto, put me through to Riot Flight on a general transmission to all squad members.”

---

“…and once you meet up with the train, you will perform an immediate insertion while Stars Leader, Lightning Leader and Knight One engage any airborne drones. Stars Forwards will enter the train through the opening in Car Three, while Lightning Forwards will enter through the hole in Car Ten. Both Forward squads will make their way towards the middle of the train, clearing out any drones en route. Knight Two and Three, meanwhile, will enter the lead car and attempt to regain control of the train. Understood?”
There was a general consensus from the assembled squads and their leaders as Chrono addressed them, his face surrounded by several hovering monitors and tactical maps.
“Excellent. I’ve uploaded the necessary data to your individual Devices. Good luck. Long Arch, out.”
Caro glanced around nervously as the communications window winked out, her fingers fidgeting with her cloak as she listened to the briefing. Subaru and Scootaloo reached over and quietly bumped skate-to-gauntlet, which elicited an eye-roll from Teana. Zafira sat quietly with crossed arms, though his tail was twitching on the seat beside him.
Everyone looks so… excited. She swallowed slightly, wishing she had something to settle her stomach. Am I the only one here that’s nervous?
Friedrich glanced up at her, letting out a soft, concerned trill. She reached down, gently running her finger along his crest. She paused as Vita coughed loudly and rose to her feet.
“Alright ladies and gentlemen,” she said loudly and clearly, “make no mistake. This is not a training exercise. This is the real deal. While your instructors and we of Knight Squad will be in the field with you, we will not be holding your hand! This is what you’ve trained for! You kids are mages of the Bureau, and by the Kaiser, you will pull your own weight and kick righteous amounts of ass! Am I clear?!”
“Yes ma’am!”
Vita cupped one hand around her ear. “I didn’t hear you!”
“YES MA’AM!”
“Better! Get ready to mobilize, kids. I want you ready to deploy the second we come out of warp!”
Caro swallowed and shivered slightly. She felt Friedrich trill softly and nuzzle her chest, but that didn’t help.
Suddenly, she heard a gentle voice echo in her head. Caro?
She paused, then blinked. S…Special Instructor Twilight?
Mhmm. Are you alright?
I… I don’t know…
Let me guess. You’re scared?
I…
Terrified? Panicked?
Um… L-let’s go with ‘scared.’
Twilight’s mental voice chuckled softly. I know how you feel. Trust me Caro; it’s alright to be scared. I’m scared too.
You’re scared? But… you’re Twilight Sparkle, the Alicorn Ace. How are you scared?
Trust me, Caro, just because I’m the so-called ‘Alicorn Ace’ doesn’t preclude me from being scared. I know how it feels to be frightened out of your wits. I’ve been that way a lot of times. I’ve had to face a lot of scary folks over the years, and I was always frightened.
You… you were?
Yes. But here’s the thing, Caro; fear isn’t bad. It’s only when you let your fear get the best of you that things go wrong.
But…
Caro, Twilight’s voice was gentle. Spike, Erio and Friedrich are with you, right?
Caro, despite herself, nodded in reply.
If you’re scared, then lean on them. Those three boys are more than just your squad mates. They’re your friends. And not just them; you’ve also got all of Stars Squad with you, not to mention Knight Squad, Fate and myself. So whenever you feel scared or alone, just remember; you’re not alone. Reach out to your friends, and let them support you. Trust them. Let them lend you their power. 
R-right… I’ll try. Caro exhaled slowly.
“All squads,” a voice that Caro recognized as Reinforce announced over the loudspeakers, “prepare for teleportation in twenty seconds…”
“Hey, Caro?”
“Huh?” She quickly looked up at the large purple dragon seated beside her.
Spike smirked, then extended an open, gauntleted hand onto her lap. “It’s going to be alright, Caro. We’ll be fine.”
Caro glanced at the hand, then rested her own in it. Friedrich let out an irritated hiss, glaring up at Spike before chirping and turning away.
Erio glanced over as well, then looked at Caro. He slowly offered his hand as well, which Caro quickly took.
“Teleporting now! Brace for transition!”
Then the world flashed white.

---

Twilight felt her body jerk violently as she came out of the teleport. It was hardly the smoothest transition. If anything, it felt like when she’d first discovered the trick during her fight with Nightmare Moon.
Everyone alright? Twilight shook herself, trying to clear her swimming vision.
Alright over here, aside from the headache, Fate replied.
Fine. Signum’s response was brief.
Good… though remind me to give Trixie a few pointers on teleport magic. She really needs to work on the translation from sub-to-real space.
I heard that, Sparkle, Trixie replied irritably over telepathy.
She brushed the thoughts aside as she quickly re-oriented herself. The train tracks were below and to the left, curling around the side of the mountain like a silver snake as they emerged from the woodlands below.
Then she saw it. The train was rapidly approaching their position, thin streamers of smoke trailing up from the lead car‘s windows. The airspace above them was dotted with numerous glittering machines.
Here they come! Twilight took aim as Raising Heart‘s head shifted to Prominence Form, the twin-tined arrowhead glowing as her energy-wings flared out. Vice, maneuver closer to the tracks. We’ll draw their attention away from you.
Right. The helicopter broke formation, quickly swooping away as Twilight focused, her horn glowing.
“LET’S SHOOT THEM,” Raising Heart stated with her normal degree of enthusiasm. A pair of firing loops sprang up at her tip, a large sphere of pink light forming rapidly within the larger of the two. “PROMINENCE BUSTER!”
Twilight narrowed her eyes and took careful aim. “Fire!”
There was a hollow boom as the Bombardment spell launched forth, slicing through the air like a burning blade of pinkish light. The explosions it the beam’s wake suggested her attack had hit at least a few of her targets. The others had dodged out of the way.
“Well, that’s one way to start,” Fate said as she floated over to Twilight’s side. The glittering shapes of the drones began to break away from the train, forming up into flying V’s as they did so.
“You enjoyed that, Sparkle,” Signum observed as she floated over, the pink-haired Knight drawing her sword.
“Huh? No! Well, maybe a little…” Twilight blushed. “Admittedly, there’s a visceral thrill in destructive magic, but…”
“Relax, sis.” There was a loud click as Bardiche’s head rotated upwards into Crescent Form, the long blade of plasma extending outwards with a crackle. Fate’s smile was… eager. “No judgment here.”
“We can argue about this later,” Signum interrupted. “They’re approaching for an attack run.”
Twilight nodded. “Alright girls… let’s get to work.”
There was a glitter of blue light as several dozen blue rays of energy shot towards them. Twilight shot upwards, Signum and Fate scattering left and right respectively as the drones closed to attack. Twilight swerved through the air as the blasts sizzled behind her, two squadrons ascending to engage her.
The world flickered as Twilight teleported, winking into position out of the Drone’s firing arc. She took aim as a ring of pink Corona Shots formed around her, launching out rapidly to strike the passing Drones. To their credit, several of the machines managed to dodge out of the way, though four of them exploded as the Corona Shots struck and blasted holes clean through them.
The remaining fliers turned sharply, their engines glowing as they circled about to face Twilight. Two of the machines took aim, a pair of small hatches opening beneath them as they launched a pair of can-shaped projectiles in her direction, the rockets leaving thin trails of smoke behind them.
“Nice try.” Twilight lowered her horn, focused, and fired. Thin rays of light streaked out from her horn, striking the incoming missiles. Instantly, the projectiles exploded in a puff of daffodil petals as they were transmuted. Twilight swung Raising Heart around, summoning up a barrier as they returned fire.
Flower petals, sis? Fate’s telepathic comment was amused. Now you’re just showing off…
I‘ve had a craving for daffodils, alright? Give me a break… Twilight replied as she winked away, re-emerging from her teleport at speed as she fell in behind one of the machines. Her horn glowed brightly, matching Raising Heart’s core as she reached out for her quarry. A nimbus of magenta light formed around the machine, her telekinesis crackling and sputtering as it fought against the drone’s AMF. She bared her teeth and pulled, tossing the drone off-course and into one of its fellows. Both machines exploded as they crashed, while Twilight swept by harmlessly underneath. The others, however, were quickly turning and circling around her as she flew, blue beams slicing out from their weapons as they tried to shoot her down. 
Twilight had to admit, she was starting to enjoy herself. Just like old times, eh Raising Heart?
Yes, my Master.

---

Caro breathed slowly and deeply as she felt the helicopter dive. She could hear the explosions outside as the older mages fought off the drones that filled the skies, but she did her best to tune them out. Her mind was on other matters.
Voltaire, whose voice shakes the heavens and whose breath is the sun, she prayed, her eyes closed and her hands tight as she held onto Erio and Spike’s hands, lend me, your humble servant, the strength to fight this battle…
Voltaire stirred. She could feel his gaze turn to  her, his attention having shifted to her and her alone. Friedrich could feel it too; the young silver dragon let out a submissive trill as he flattened his body against her lap.
She shivered involuntarily. She felt Erio’s hand tighten a little in response. She kept her breathing steady, trying not to panic.
Trying to be as brave as they said she was.
“Alright kids, show time!”
Caro blinked, Vita’s gleeful shout interrupting her train of thought. She still felt Voltaire’s attention on her as she slowly unbuckled her harness alongside the others, wobbling to her feet as she tried to steady herself.
Caro? Erio’s telepathic message was laden with concern. Are you alright?
Fine… just nerves… I’ll be okay.
“We’re approaching the train. Lightning, prepare for insertion!”
Caro glanced over towards Vita as she shouted out. There was a small flicker as a familiar, tiny alicorn winked into existence beside the small Knight and her lupine companion. Reinforce nodded to her quietly, floating over towards her and her squad mates.
There was a loud hum as the back hatch lowered, the large servos slowly opening and lowering the gate. Wind whipped past as the helicopter kept pace with the train, sending Caro’s hair and cloak fluttering. Before them was their insertion point; a wide, gaping hole in the side of the train. The sides of the hole were bent inwards, like a wrecking ball had struck it.
“Spike, you go first,” Erio shouted over the wind. “We’ll follow you in once you’re secure, alright?!”
“Got it, dude!” Spike saluted, then took a few steps back to ready himself. 
Erio pulled Caro close as the purple drake took a running leap into the train, diving through the hole with ease. Caro glanced at Friedrich, then reached out to the silver dragon. He chirped softly, then flew into her arms, allowing her to hold him tight.
We’re good, Spike sent telepathically. No hostiles here. Come on in.
Caro nodded, then looked to Erio.
“We’ll jump together, alright?” Erio hugged his arm around her waist. “That way we won’t get separated!”
“R-right!”
“You ready?”
Caro swallowed. She could still feel Voltaire’s smoldering gaze on her, but despite that she nodded.
“Right. On three!”
Caro held tight to Erio as he counted down. When he hit three, she ran with him and leapt into the train, her feet only barely clearing the edge of the hole. Her footsteps clicked on the textured floor of the train. She raised her hands in a defensive posture, Friedrich taking wing as Erio readied Strada. There was a loud hum from the helicopter’s rotors as it pulled away, leaving them on their own.
“The hostiles are probably further up in the train,” Erio stated, moving back and checking the last car. “Spike, you take point with me. Caro, you and Friedrich hang back and provide support.”
“R-right,” Caro replied.
“Alright dude,” Spike smirked as he flexed his claws. “Let’s get to work.”

---

“Approaching Car Three,” Vice called out over the intercom. “Stars and Knight Squads, prepare for mobilization!”
“Everyone ready?” Teana readied Cross Mirage in single-gun form.
“Never been more ready, Tea,” Subaru replied excitedly as she glanced over to Scootaloo. “How about you, Scoots?”
“Yeah.” The orange pegasus flapped her wings, her feathers ruffling up as she pulled her goggles down over her eyes.
“Just don‘t get too rambunctious,” Teana said firmly, “We don’t need any friendlies getting caught in our fire, got it?”
“Gotcha,” Scootaloo replied.
Teana nodded as Subaru flashed her a thumbs-up. She inhaled as the train whooshed by through the open gate, coming up to their entrance.
She just barely caught a glimpse of gold and blue as they closed in. The drones in question turned towards the helicopter. 
“Hostile contact!” She crouched, took aim, then fired. Variable Barret shots streaked down, hitting the two drones in view and punching holes straight through them.
“Zafira,” Vita shouted, “give the kids some cover!”
Zafira let out a powerful shout as he stepped forward, thrusting a palm out. A large Panzerhindernis Barrier sprang up, the swirling dome blocking the Drones’ shots.
“Go! Go! Go!” Vita snapped to Teana.
“Stars Squad, move out,” Teana ordered. There was a loud boom as Subaru called up her Wing Road, the blue ribbon shooting down and connecting to the inside of the train. Subaru and Scootaloo rocketed down it, quickly engaging the drones as she followed, running as fast as her legs could carry her.
Teana landed in the midst of the battle, crouching and quickly scanning the area. Subaru and Scootaloo had engaged a group of drones near the back of the car, the narrow confines limiting the drones’ mobility as the pair bore down on them. She quickly moved to a small alcove in the undamaged side of the car, Cross Mirage’s second gun popping into her off-hand.
It wasn’t a moment too soon. The door leading to the second car hissed open and a trio of drones quickly flew past Teana. She paused, then quickly stepped out of cover.
Bang. Bang. Bang. Three shots in rapid succession from her left-hand gun as she kept her right trained on the door. Each shot slammed home, triggering the drone’s self-destruct from the holes Teana had blown in them.
Captain Vita, Teana sent to the Knight still aboard the helicopter, three drones just left Car Two and have been destroyed. All remaining drones in this car have been eliminated.
Good job, Teana. Keep moving back. We’ll handle the front car.
Understood. Teana quickly jogged toward Scootaloo and Subaru. The pair were standing amongst the wreckage of their foes. Subaru looked like she was having a ball, while Scootaloo looked irritated. “You two alright?”
“Didn’t know what hit ‘em,” Subaru said jauntily. “Let’s keep moving, Tea.”
“Right,” Teana replied. “Subaru, you take point. Scootaloo, you’ll be behind me in case any drones from up ahead decide to try and pincer us in, understood?”
“Right…” Scootaloo flicked her tail as she groused.

---

“Stars Forward and Lightning Forward have entered the train,” Lucino announced, the little dots of each squad member’s position glowing on the train’s outline. “Knight Actual-B, Two and Three are now entering the lead car. Stars Actual, Lightning Actual, and Knight One are maintaining air superiority.”
“Seems  a bit overkill,” Yuuno joked nervously, “don’t you think so?”
“No such thing as overkill, Yuuno,” Chrono replied, his eye trained intently on the monitors. He watched as the helicopter pulled away from the train. Clouds of colorful smoke exploded out from the helicopter‘s body, throwing up an opaque screen as it vanished from view. Only Long Arch’s scanners could see the transport’s position now. “That must be Trixie’s doing,” he commented.
“Pretty clever,” Griffith noted. “That smoke’s blocking out both optical and thermal scans, so Trixie can make them disappear with an optical camouflage spell.”
“Nice to see she’s getting some use out of her stage magician tricks,” Chrono replied. “Shari! Lucino! How’re the kids doing?”
“Devices are all green,” Shari replied promptly. “All vitals are within predicted levels.”
“Scrying sensors are running smoothly,” Lucino added, “though there’s some interference from the ambient AMF.”
“Continue monitoring.”
“Aye, sir!”
Chrono sighed and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his forehead as he did so. Intellectually, he knew that the kids could handle themselves. True, they were all young (some more than others), but they were all skilled magic users working together in well-coordinated groups. They’d been trained well by some of the best teachers that he could acquire, and they knew how to deal with the opponents they were fighting. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling of worry that had knotted up in his stomach.
I wonder if this is how Genya feels sometimes, he thought solemnly. He sends his kids out into the field too, both Subaru and Ginga. Does he always worry that they might get hurt, or worse?
“Say again, Lightning One? Respond!”
Chrono sat up with a start. “Open Lightning Forward‘s lines, Alto!”
“Aye sir,” Alto quickly tapped on the keys of her workstation.
“-repeat, this is Lightning One!” Erio’s voice was terse over the speakers. “We have encountered an unknown type of drone. It’s hu-”
“Erio! Watch it!” Spike shouted.
“Lucino, where’s our visual?!” Chrono leaned forward.
“We’re trying to get an image with the scrying sensors,” Lucino shouted, “but there’s too much AMF interference! We can‘t get a clear visual!”
“Adjust remote sensor integrity from one-point-four-nine to four-point-seven,” Shari replied tersely. “That should help compensate for the AMF!”
“That’ll drop the image quality significantly! We won‘t be able to-”
“A crap picture is better than being blind,” Chrono pointed out. “Do it, Lucino!”
“Aye, sir!”

---

Caro let out a cry as she was slammed backwards. Spike’s body was pressed against hers, the dragon’s back against her side as he snarled. His hands were grappling with a pair of foot-wide segmented tentacles, the massive, belt-like appendages leading back to the drone they were facing.
Said drone was enormous. Its body was spherical, and about twelve feet in diameter. The thing was made out of the same blue-enameled metal as the smaller drones, but it was darker in hue. A large black band of metal bisected the drone vertically, with a baseball-home-plate-shaped plate in the center, facing them. Three large, yellow camera eyes peered down at them, arranged in a triangular formation, point down. Four emitter nozzles protruded from the faceplate as well, arranged in a diamond formation around the center-most eye. The appendages currently pinning her and Spike to the wall emerged from slots near the top of the sphere, while six thin, red cables extended from the bottom like spindly, vestigial legs.
“Rrrgh… this thing’s… strong!” Spike growled. “You okay… Caro?”
“I’m okay… Friedrich!”
The little dragon let out a shrill scream as orange fire licked around its maw. There was a series of hollow thoomps as the dragon belched out a series of softball-sized fireballs. The blasts sailed across the intervening space, but slammed harmlessly into a shimmering blue barrier surrounding the drone.
“Oh come on,” Spike growled. “The thing’s… got a barrier too?!”
“EXPLOSION! DONNERNDENSPEER!”
There was a rapid series of reports, followed by a loud thunderclap as Erio shot past. Strada surged forward in his hands, its blade sheathed in electricity as he thrust the blade directly into the drone’s barrier. Yellow lightning crackled over the barrier’s surface as thin fracture lines slowly spread out from the spear’s impact point.
Then, just as suddenly, the drone began emitting a loud keening noise. Caro winced at the noise as she felt the hairs on the backs of her arms stand up. The golden lightning guttered and died, snuffed out like a candle’s flame, which caused Erio to stumble back.
The AMF is actually pushing Erio back… Caro’s eyes widened. We’re in trouble…
“Spike,” Erio shouted, “get Caro out of here! I’ll cover you!”
“No… way,” Spike growled as he planted one foot against the wall. “I’m not… leaving you… to fight this thing alone!”
At that point, the drone retracted its arms, pulling Spike forward. The dragon let go and rolled forward as he lost his balance, springing forward and slamming a fist into the drone’s barrier. Naturally, the barrier didn’t give way.
Erio tried to circle around the spherical drone, quickly darting out of the way as the machine tried to slam him with a rapidly telescoping belt-arm. “Don’t be an idiot, Spike!”
“I could say the same for you!” Spike growled as the drone swung at him. He ducked under the swinging limb, then leaped up and dug his claws into the rubbery surface. He inhaled, then breathed a gout of emerald green fire onto the arm at point-blank range, causing the length he breathed on to bubble and sizzle.
That got the machine’s attention. The four emitters glowed as Spike dropped from his clinging spot. The emitters fired, a quartet of blue beams slicing past him and boring holes through the train’s side. The machine quickly turned, the emitters swiveling as it tried to blast both Erio and Spike.
The pair dodged. Erio bolted to the side, still trying to circle the machine. Spike, meanwhile, quickly pulled back, dancing and stumbling as the machine’s lasers lanced all around him.
What do I do? Caro tried to think, even as she felt Voltaire’s eyes still on her. What do I do?! I can’t cast any spells, the AMF will just dispel them, and Friedrich’s fire isn’t strong enough… unless…
Mistress, Friedrich trilled at her. We fight! We fight now! Show them! Show fake dragon our power!
Caro felt her breath quicken. Could she actually do it? The last time she let one of her summons act at full power…
“Caro!”
She looked up as the machine turned towards her. The world seemed to slow to a crawl as the emitters trained on her. Spike charged her on all fours and leapt forwards as the beams opened fire. There was a loud crackle as the beams struck the purple drake in the back. His Knight’s Clothing took the brunt of the blast, but the force sent him sprawling.
“Spike!” Caro knelt down beside him, only to see Erio rush up to her side.
“Grab his arm, Caro!” Erio quickly grabbed Spike’s left wrist. “We need to move!”
Caro nodded dumbly, grabbing the opposite arm and pulling with all her might. There was a loud hiss as the machine lunged its belt-like arms forward,  slamming them into the walls as it dragged itself along, following after them.
“Erio,” Spike groaned as they dragged him into the next car. “The… button.”
Erio swung the butt of his staff into the door’s emergency shutter button, quickly slamming the door shut behind them. He spun to Caro and Spike. “You okay?”
“Fine… ow…” Spike winced as smoke curled up from his back. “That… smarts.”
“I’m sorry…” Caro whispered as she crouched beside Spike. “I… I froze up again…”
“Hey,” Spike smirked weakly. “Stop acting like I’m dying. I’ll be fine. Besides… it’s the duty of a knight to protect a lady…”
“We need to keep moving,” Erio said hurriedly. “That door won’t keep it back for long. We need to get out of range of its AMF…”
A thick beam of blue light sheared through the metal of the door like a scissor through wrapping paper, continuing upwards through the roof of the train car. With a loud creak of metal on metal, the massive drone tore the door open and battered its way through the narrow connecting hallway.
“I don’t think that it’ll let us,” Spike said as he crawled to his feet.
“Caro, fall back to the next car,” Erio said grimly, readying his spear. “Let us handle it.”
“I…” Caro backed up a few steps.
“That’s an order, Caro! Go!”
“Come on, you tin can!” Spike roared, slamming his fists together. “Let’s see what you look like when I open you up!”
Caro turned and began to run, only to hear a loud whizzing noise. She let out a shriek as she felt something wrap around her ankle, then yank her into the air. She flailed about as the machine suspended her upside down.
Friedrich shrieked and battered against the drone’s shield with his fireballs, while Spike and Erio engaged it as well with claw and spear, respectively. None of them caused as much as a scratch against the drone’s barrier. In response, the machine turned and, with a swift swing, sent her flying through the air away from the train.
She felt oddly serene as she began to drop, the wind whipping through her hair as her hat flew away. She couldn’t even muster up the strength to scream. She’d felt like that before, once…

---

What was left of the Lu Lushe tribe were gathered together in a long channel. Caro shivered as she walked, her dirty white cloak dragging behind her as a lonely hide  drum thumped softly behind her. The land was still scarred, the winter-frozen ground having been turned to obsidian after it had cooled.
Every eye was on her; children held close to their parents, gazing at her with fear. The adults looked on stoically, some with hard, hate-filled eyes, some with fear, and some with sadness. She wasn’t a priestess to them anymore. She was a monster.
At the end of the channel were a group of men in uniform. Friedrich hissed angrily at them, but Caro didn’t say anything. Nor did she respond as they led her off, guiding her gently with a hand on either arm.
She was alone… even though she could swear she could hear someone calling out-

---

“Caro! Hang on!”
“Caro!!”
She jolted awake as Erio and Spike leaped towards her, their hands outstretched as they fell. She felt the tingle of the AMF dissipate as she and the others plummeted through the air.
No… no, I’m not alone… Caro’s eyes narrowed. I’m NOT alone. I’m NOT a monster.
“Erio!” She cried out as she drew upon her magic. “Spike!”
“FLOATER FIELD!” Kerykeion’s gems flashed brilliantly as the spell command flashed across their surface.
There was a flash of pink light as a translucent bubble formed around them. Suddenly, their descent slowed to a crawl. Caro turned herself in mid-air and reached out to her squad mates.
“Are you alright?” Erio asked as he grabbed one hand.
“You scared us there for a second,” Spike added, clasping her other hand.
“I know… I’m sorry…” Caro shook her head.
“It’s not your fault, Caro,” Spike began. “It could’ve happened to any of us.”
“I know…” Caro exhaled slowly and steadied herself. “But it happened to me. Because of my mistakes. So I’m the one who has to make it up to you guys.”
Spike blinked. “What?”
Erio’s eyes widened with realization. “You mean… you’re going to…”
“No more running away,” Caro said firmly. “No more freezing up. That thing tried to hurt my friends… and there’s no way I’m going to let that stand.”
She inhaled and whistled. There was a soft screech as Friedrich dove down and hovered before her expectantly. Mistress, he whispered, we fight?
“Yes, Friedrich,” she replied as she released Erio and Spike‘s hands. “We fight. But I’m counting on you to be a good boy and follow my commands. Understood?”
Friedrich trilled. YES! YES, MY MISTRESS! I WILL FIGHT FOR YOU!
Caro inhaled as she felt Voltaire’s gaze intensify. For a brief moment, she swore she felt something akin to satisfaction in her god’s gaze, before he turned away.
“By the ancient contract, I call upon thee!” Caro shouted as she clapped her hands together. Pink sparks sprayed outwards as lines of light spread outwards from Kerykeion’s gems, sliding down her fingers and around her wrist. “I who am your Mistress command thee! Answer now to my call! DRAGON MOUNT SUMMON!”
The world exploded into pink light. A summoning square formed beneath her as Friedrich let out a triumphant shriek, his body imploding into a tiny, egg-shaped ball of light.
“Flash of silver that darts across the azure,” Caro intoned, sweeping her hands about in the old, ritual patterns she had been taught when she was old enough to dance, “become my loyal steed, and carry me across the sky on wings of white! Alok ahrk bo, Faal Boviing Voyuvon Dovah! FRIEDRICH!”
The egg of light rapidly swelled and grew, until a pair of great wings unfurled from it. A mighty roar shook the air as the light resolved itself into a great, silver-and white-scaled beast. Friedrich as no long a tiny dragon. He was a great beast, with a sleek body, a fifty-foot wingspan, a long, graceful neck and a sharp, wedge-tipped tail. His dorsal spines flared out sharply, forming small intake vents along the back of his head , while the single horn at the top of his head had lengthened into a long spike.
Caro landed gracefully atop his neck, then raised her arms before her, hands open. A thin string of pink light extended from either side of his maw like reins and flew to her, which she promptly grabbed. Spike and Erio landed behind her on the dragon’s back as Friedrich flapped his wings.
“Hang on,” Caro said, giving her summon a mental command as she flicked the reins.
“To what?!” Spike cried out as Friedrich’s wings flashed. The Soaring Silver Dragon took flight, streaking off after the train in hot pursuit.

---

“Sweet… merciful…” Griffith whispered.
“It’s amazing, isn‘t it?” Yuuno’s tone was reverential. “Hard to believe that this is Friedrich’s true form. One of the legendary living weapons of Alzas… no wonder they view them as gods.”
“Don’t get too starry-eyed,“ Chrono said stiffly, then looked down at his bridge crew. “Shari, what’s Friedrich’s condition?”
“Summoning matrix stable. Psychic condition and mental stability all green,” Shari replied, her glasses slipping down her nose. “Caro is in control.”
“Good… good…” Chrono slumped back slowly.

---

Caro’s eyes were narrowed against the rushing wind. She could feel Friedrich’s heartbeat quicken as they soared over the train, quickly passing over the dozen or so cars below.
“Friedrich,” she called, “come around for another pass!”
Friedrich roared and turned, his wings fanned wide as he circled back towards the train. She caught sight of Stars Squad below as they passed by; the trio were looking up at them through a hole in the train’s hull.
Then there was a loud, shrill creaking of metal as the huge drone forced its way up through the train car. It turned slowly, scanning the area for them.
“Friedrich,” Caro shouted, pointing a finger, “now!”
A stream of flame erupted from the dragon’s mouth, blasting the drone as they flew past. The fire, however, rolled off the drone’s barrier. It turned its emitters upwards, firing blue beams at them as Friedrich pulled up,
“The barrier’s too powerful,” Erio shouted over the wind as he clung to Caro’s back. “You’ll need to boost Friedrich’s breath to break through!”
“Friedrich won‘t be able to dodge while I‘m casting the spell,” Caro called back. “And I won’t be able to block its shots either!”
“Let me handle that,” Spike shouted, the purple drake clinging on to Friedrich’s back for dear life. “Just be quick! I’m really not digging this whole flying thing!”
What say you, Friedrich? Caro sent to her steed. Do you trust Spike enough to shield you?
Friedrich growled softly, then nodded his head.
Good boy… Caro tugged the reins. “Here we go!”
Friedrich roared, performing a vertical U-turn and rolling through the air before diving at the drone. A bright green Belkan triangle sprang up before them, catching the machine’s blasts and scattering them harmlessly. Caro raised one hand up and slowly drew a circle of pink light before her as she spoke.
“What I ask for,” she said as the circle formed into a Mid-Childan spell matrix, “is a flame that pierces like a lance! Raging heat, burn all to ash! Dragon Flame Boost! BLAST RAY!”
A pink firing loop formed in front of Friedrich’s mouth. The spines along his neck flared, embers drifting up from the vents on his neck as fire gathered in his mouth, waiting for the command.
“FIRE!” Caro slashed her hand downward. Instantly, Friedrich exhaled. The flame blasted through the loop, super-charged by Caro’s magic into a laser-like beam of heat and plasma. The blast slammed into the drone, shattering its barrier, cracking its camera eyes and blackening its hull, as well as the metal surface of the train around it.
“Not quite enough to finish it,” Caro shouted as Friedrich swooped past, the blind machine firing wildly into the air. “The AMF must’ve decreased the spell’s effectiveness!”
“Let me and Spike handle it then,” Erio replied. “Just give us a bit of a boost. We should be able to kill it in one hit!”
“Y-you sure?”
“Y-yeah!” Spike flashed a brief thumbs-up, then squawked as he reclaimed his grip on Friedrich’s back. “We got this!”
Caro nodded, then brought Friedrich around. The silver dragon banked tightly, but came in for a much slower sweep this time, which allowed Spike to scramble to his feet.
“What I ask for,” Caro said as she released the reins and held up one hand, clenched tightly in a fist at eye-level, “are claws of silver that pierce through any field. Tear asunder their defenses and leave the wicked bare.”
“ENCHANTMENT,” Kerykeion responded, “FIELD INVASION!”
“What I ask for,” she continued, crossing her arms at the wrists, “is a blade of steel for this young knight, to slash apart any foe.”
“BOOST UP: STRIKE POWER!”
“Twin Boost!” Caro announced as her hands unclenched to reveal a pair of pink spheres in her palms. “Go!”
“Don’t gotta tell us twice,” Spike replied. “Let’s go, Erio!”
“Roger!”
The pair ran across Friedrich’s wing and leapt into the air, heading straight for the drone. Caro swung her hands forward, releasing the two spells at them. Spike landed first, his claws flashing pink as he lunged. Pink light swirled up through the air as his claws sunk into the air, the enchantment illuminating and tearing away at the drone’s AMF. A small hole appeared in the machine’s last line of defense, shimmering with pink light.
“Erio!” Spike glanced back as he landed. “Do it!”
Erio nodded and raised his spear. “Let’s go, Strada!”
“EXPLOSION!” The spear’s cartridge system fired off its last round, right before a long, pink-and-yellow blade of energy erupted from spear’s blade. “STAHLMESSER!”
Erio let out a battle-cry and lunged towards the machine. The broad blade of energy stabbed through the hole in the drone’s AMF, jabbing right into its central camera eye and deep into it‘s body. Erio growled, then turned and used the leverage of his shoulder to wrench the spear upward, dragging it up through the drone until the blade came free.
The drone let out a loud buzzing noise, then crashed into the train car below, sparks spraying fitfully from the canyon carved into it.
“Alright Erio!” Spike crowed, pumping a fist in the air. “Score a win for Lightning Squad!” The dragon raised a hand up. “High five, bro!”
Erio sighed, then jumped up and high-fived Spike… only for the train to promptly start slowing down as he did so.
“Woah!” Spike jolted slightly, quickly grabbing Erio in mid-air. “Sheesh… guess they managed to get the brakes working…”

---

“Long Arch, this is Stars Actual,” Twilight’s voice came over the base’s intercom. “All airborne targets have been eliminated.”
“Long Arch, this is Stars One,” Teana reported in. “All drones inside the front half of the train have been eliminated. We have wounded personnel, but they’re stable.”
“This is Knight Actual-B,” Reinforce said calmly. “The train has been secured. All hostile intrusions have been erased from the train’s systems.”
“Excellent work, everyone,” Chrono said, relief evident in his voice. “All units, regroup at the train. Make sure the cargo is secured and escort the train to its destination. After that, return to base.”
There was a quick chorus of acknowledgement before the communications windows winked out.	
“Looks like our first operation was a success, sir.” Griffith glanced at Chrono, who nodded and leaned back in his chair.
“Looks like it,” Chrono replied. “Though I have to wonder… why would the drones brazenly attack a Saint Church transport train? How’d they know what it was carrying? Just more questions that need answers…”

---
“Wow! Look at him!” Subaru squealed as she skated up to Friedrich, Scootaloo and Teana close behind. “He’s huge!”
“I know, right?” Spike chuckled. “Who’d have thought that little silver chicken was actually a freaking living fighter jet?”
“Careful, Spike,” Scootaloo teased, “he might eat you for saying that.”
“Nah,” Spike waved a gauntlet-clad claw. “We’re cool now.”
Caro blushed as she slid down from her seat on Friedrich’s neck, then reached up and gave Freidrich a gentle pat. Their transport helicopter hovered overhead as Twilight, Fate and Signum landed.
“Excellent work,” Twilight announced. “Excellent work, all of you! And Caro?
“Um… yes, ma’am?” Caro blinked at the purple unicorn as she smiled wide.
“That goes double for you. I knew you could do it.”
Caro blushed brightly.
“Now,” Twilight continued as she leaned in. “we really, really need to talk about your summoning magic. I didn’t realize you could actually compress Friedrich down that much! Did you-”
Fate sighed and hip-bumped Twilight, causing the purple unicorn to regain her composure. “Um… right,” she coughed softly. “Sorry. We’ll discuss that later. Right now, we have a train to escort. Stars Squad, all aboard the helicopter.”
“Roger!”
“Lightning Squad,” Fate said, addressing her team, “you‘ll remain with the train itself, understood?”
“Yes, ma’am!”
“Hey, uh, Friedrich?” Spike glanced up at the much larger silver dragon as the others moved about. “Uh… we’re cool now, right?”
Friedrich huffed softly, his eyes narrowed slightly before he trilled and glanced away.
Caro giggled. “Be nice, Friedrich. He did shield you while we were going for that attack.”
Friedrich huffed again, then nodded. Not friend of dumb lizard, he whispered to Caro, but will accept. For now.
“He says he’ll consider it,” Caro replied.
“Cool,” Spike chuckled.

---

Meanwhile, several miles away from the train tracks, the squads were being observed in secret.
“Darn,” one observer groused. She was a slim young woman with large, circular-lensed glasses and dark brown hair pulled back in a pair of stiff, braided pig-rails. She wore a long, shimmering and open fronted coat over a two-toned blue bodysuit. The armored collar around her neck was decorated with the symbol ‘IV’ in yellow enamel. “Looks like the drones didn’t win…”
Her companion nodded stiffly. She was slightly taller than her companion, with dark eyes and messy, light brown hair pulled back in a long, stringy ponytail. Her gaze was distant as she focused on her target, a soft clicking coming from one eye. She too wore a two-toned blue body suit, though the collar she wore bore the symbol ‘X,’ also in yellow.
There was a soft chirp as a holographic window popped up beside them. Uno peered at them calmly. “Quattro. Dieci. Report.”
“Operation has failed,” Dieci responded, her voice uninflected and cool. “All Gadget Drones have been destroyed and the Relic remains in Saint Church custody.”
“I see.”
“We managed to get scans of them in action,” Quattro added, clasping her hands together as she smiled winsomely. “I’m uploading them now. Are you happy with the data?”
“Only once I‘ve analyzed it,” Uno replied.
“I have a clear shot,” Dieci stated. “I should be able to eliminate them…”
“Negative,” Uno stated flatly. “This is strictly a recon mission. Do not engage.”
“Yes, sister,” Dieci replied, a twinge of disappointment in her voice.
“You’ll have your chance soon enough,” Uno said consolingly, though it did come off slightly flat. “But for now, return to base. That’s an order.”
“Understood,” the pair said as the communication’s window winked out.
“Aww,” Quattro giggled, “looks like you got shot down, Dieci. How disappointing…”
Dieci grunted, then began walking off. “Come on. We need to get going.”