//------------------------------// // Exploration - Ultra1437 - Jan. 17, 2015 // Story: The Sun and Stars: Lightning Round // by JKinsley //------------------------------// By Ultra1437 Ramping off a large lunar rock, Applejack leapt powerfully from her sparrow’s back, reaching heights normally reserved for pegasi and other flying creatures. As she watched her sprite transmat the sparrow to safety, she spied everything below her for a few seconds before settling on a target. A trio of Fallen Captains clustered together back to back, fighting off a Hive Thrall horde closing in quickly, completely disregarding the rocks and littered spaceship debris as obstacles. Deciding to make her battlefield entry an impressionable one, she activated her Hooves of Thunder ability, her helmet modifying the ability to allow her a targeted aerial drop. Her armor was instantly sheathed in electrical arcs, bouncing about randomly. It activated and she shot forward, arcing to let gravity assist her fall. With a battlecry rivaling a Fallen Captain itself she hurtled at them. Only one had the time to turn before she slammed hooves first into the ground. The three Captains vanished into ash as the electricity discharged into the area and as the wave expanded, the first two ranks of Thralls were consumed as well. Most of the Thralls stopped, recognizing the danger this new foe presented. Several consumed pony Thralls cautiously approached and each dropped before reaching within a yard of Applejack, a single bullet slamming into their skulls. “Thanks for the coverin’ fire, Tia. Twi, you comin’ over’r not?” Applejack spoke into her helmet’s radio. She looked to her sides and made sure her weapons were loaded. A moment later, another pony touched down next to her. “I’m already here, AJ. Tia, love, can you come on over? Let’s dance,” Twilight spoke so sweetly that AJ thought her radio would turn into cotton candy. “Alright, but only because you asked so nicely.” A dust cloud kicked up and the final pony, ex-princess Celestia, in their fireteam settled into position as the spear. She craned her neck around and looked between her two comrades. “Shall we show them the one-two step? I cannot imagine that it would be out of their skill to learn.” Twilight nodded, telekinetically lifting her fusion rifle. “I’m sure we can help them learn.” Applejack nodded, pawing at the lunar dirt once. Celestia launched into a charge, her horn levelled at the first Thrall she found, Applejack and Twilight in tow. She lifted her long-ranged scout rifle in her magic as she closed the remaining few yards. She crashed through their line like a juggernaut, trampling those directly in front of her path. Twilight took to the skies, easily soaring over the ground-bound Thralls as she rained fire down on them. Occasionally, she’d pick up on a Thrall acting particularly troublesome and dive-bomb it, destroying its body with her speed and armor’s weight. Applejack blurred as did what she did best against the Hive: punch, buck, and wrestle. Every Thrall that went into the whirlwind that AJ kicked up came out in pieces as it dissolved. After a minute, only Applejack, Celestia, and Twilight remained, the surviving members of the horde broken and retreating, or dissolved to just pieces of armor and strewn about the battlefield. Twilight set down next to Celestia, who panted heavily into her helmet. “That was fun, Twi. It’s been quite a while since I had last danced, thank you.” Celestia leaned down and nuzzled her helmet against Twilight’s, the armor not impeding the romantic gesture’s intent in the least. “No problem, Tia. I know I can’t dance, but I still love to watch you.” Twilight surveyed their surroundings and spotted the downed ship. “I hope the cache is still inside. It wouldn’t be fun to have to track it down again.” She and Celestia made their way to the ship as Applejack kept an eye out for more Hive or Fallen. The spaceship’s fuselage was still mostly intact, with only a few pony-sized holes blown into one side. Twilight hopped down into the trench that it had dug when it crash-landed, immediately followed by Celestia. Celestia spotted the cargo-hold’s emergency release hatch first and with a flick of her horn, popped the door’s seals loose. The door immediately dropped open and out tumbled a massive, armored crate. Two Knights tumbled out the hatch as a Wizard floated out behind them. “We got trouble!” Celestia yelled. That was all it took to get Applejack turned and sprinting to the ship. Before she could reach them, the Wizard flew up and straight past her, a scream on its lips. She prioritized and turned back around, intent on making short work of the magic-wielder. The two Knights reasserted themselves and drew their massive blades as they stared down at the ponies in front of them, easily as long as Big Macintosh was tall. With a resounding warcry that shook the ship to its plating, they charged a pony each. Twilight deftly dodged as she took to the air, peppering her Knight with her semi-automatic scout rifle. Celestia dodged her Knight’s overhead strike with a sidestep, sheathing her own armor in electricity and activating her own ability. Unlike Applejack’s ability that released its charge all at once, her armor allowed her to create a weapon. She dodged and ducked as a sword, literally made of the electricity coursing off her armor, materialized in the empty scabbard she kept. Once it was fully formed, she drew the blade magically. She knew it wouldn’t last more than a minute, but it would be enough. As it drew, a sharp crackling gave the knight pause. The sword matched the Knight’s for length, but wasn’t as physically bulky. Whipping the blade once, she drew it back and set into a defensive stance. The Knight pointed at her with its blade before charging. It threw another vicious overhead strike once it was in range, but Celestia angled her blade and deflected the blow to the side. The Knight’s blade dug into the ground and was left vulnerable. Celestia used the momentary advantage and thrust her own blade into the Knight’s chest. It screamed in pain as a dark smoke poured from the wound and wrenched its blade from the ground. The Knight’s free hand came up and knocked the side of Celestia’s head, his bulk throwing her backwards. Wheeling about, Celestia charged, her sword ready. The Knight drew into a defensive stance as she closed. Feinting left, Celestia flapped her wings once and sidestepped the Knight’s guard. Bringing her blade down, it cut through the Knight’s armored helm like it was nothing, continuing on to bisect the enemy vertically. Twilight had dispatched her own Knight with a pair of grenades, sending its soul screaming back to the Hive’s chambers. She whistled appreciatively at Celestia’s moves. “Wow, Tia. I knew you could dance, but you played him like a fiddle!” “Thanks, Twi. It’s good to hear I’ve still got it after all these years. Now, let’s go return this cache.” Under her helmet, Celestia blushed. Applejack slid down into the trench and caught up with the two. All three ponies looked at the crate. It bore the Vanguards’ seal. “Well, that was easy. We even know who it goes to. Let’s get it home.”