Ace Combat 04: Angel Rebirth

by Dustchu

Shattered Skies Two: Into the Storm

Two hours had passed since they left the intersection. Mobius had grown tired of running and resorted to walking until a cab passed by. On the other hand Jason was winded long before Mobius had stopped running. He leaned on Mobius' shoulder greedily sucking in gasps of air. "Why do you have to run so fast?" he questioned between light breaths, he was not as fit as he should've been.

Mobius rubbed the back of his head apologetically, shifting slightly as he sheepishly smiled. "I forgot about you being so old, sorry, dude." he chuckled.

Jason patted the ace on the back. "Don't *gasp* sweat it... you ass."

The legend wouldn't have it. Maneuvering over to one of the benches nearby he sat down and motioned for Jason to do the same. "I should probably call a cab or something." he said, looking over at Jason. "So you don't go and have a heart attack, that is." he chuckled lightly, reaching into his pocket for his phone. Jason shook his head.

Down the street Danny was just catching up, like always... he wasn't winded in the slightest. Danny grinned as he looked Jason over. "Hey, you alright old man?" he cackled. "Need me to go getcha an inhaler or somthin'?"

Mobius shot him a look half threatening, half scolding. "Lay off, Danny." he said, fumbling through his pocket. "Damnit, I must have left it at home." he muttered, of all the times to forget, it had to be today. He cursed himself. Must be on the nightstand... ugh. Mobius thought to himself as he rubbed his temples. Maybe Danny has a phone? Just as he was about to ask a scream sounded from nearby.

Not wasting time Mobius shot up from his seat on the bench and ran towards the noise, Jason was about to follow but Danny stopped him. "We'll handle this old man." he told him before darting off after his fighter wing leader.

Jason leaned back on the bench as he saw the sun beginning its descent, with a sigh he stood up and followed both of the pilots. I'll be damned if I'm left out of this, I still got some fight in me.

The alleyway wasn't far from their current position, it only took a minute on foot. They passed by building fronts and other alleys before arriving at the one the scream originated from. Mobius turned a corner, skidding to a stop as he caught sight of several people loitering around. Six men were standing around a prone figure lying on the ground, a woman. The ace saw one of them rooting through her purse, "Where's her wallet?" the purse snatcher questioned, digging deep in the purse.

"Probably doesn't have one," another told him, kicking the woman eliciting a yelp from her. "Fucking Erusian bitch, they never have anything good on em."

Mobius clenched his fists in anger, this was his city! No one messed with his people, let alone beating them up and stealing from them and gets away with it. "Hey!" he called out, walking forward with his eyes directed at the thugs. He hated it when people did this.

The group of thugs turned around looking for the source of the noise, once they spotted the pilot several of them gasped, mostly in fear. "Holy shit..."

"Is that-?"

The leader of the group, a tall lightly skinned tattooed man wearing a thick hoodie watched the Pilot. Wondering who the hell he was.

Mobius stood in the alleyway looking cross, his eyes glaring at the thug in front. "What do you think you're doing?"

The leader of the thugs stepped forward, tossing aside the purse before speaking. "Just teaching this Erusian bitch a lesson-" he started before kicking the woman in the stomach, making him cry out. "-and we figured someone like you might appreciate it~ Considering her kind are the ones who killed so many Oseains, and nuked our cities!" Some murmurs of agreement sounded throughout the group as the young woman looked at Mobius one, her eyes showing fear and pain. Fear, because of who Mobius was, and pain because of what she was forced to go through just now.

The pilot stared at them before Danny and Jason appeared from behind him. Danny still grinning madly as he walked forward, fists cracking while Jason looked out of breath. "What's going on here?~" Danny asked, putting his hands into his pockets as he looked at the group standing over the injured civilian. Despite seeing someone in that position his grin never left, unverving them greatly.

Mobius said nothing as he walked over to the group. "This isn't what I would appreciate at all." he stated calmly, looking down at the girl before redirecting his eyes back at the group. "I didn't spend months of my life fighting against tyrants like Gerard and Detihard so that Oseains could continue berating Erusians." he took another step forward, staring down the leader.

"H-hey look, I mean s-she's a-" the lead thug stammered, trying to avert his eyes. But he couldn't, the bright blue eyes of the famed pilot burned into his own. The thug could almost feel the anger radiating from him.

"I didn't spend my entire career fighting against evil, so that the innocent could be attacked and despised... I fought so that peace could reign, and people could live without having to wonder if someone was going to attack them on the streets, or if a warring country was going to nuke them." Mobius stepped forward again, he stood only a foot away now. "And to see you attacking an innocent person... in my city..." he shook his head. "Despicable."

The leader turned his head to look at this band of thugs, some of them seemed to be snickering at him. This guy was making fun of him.. in front of his crew no less! You little punk! he thought before swinging a punch. "Fucking Erusian loving punk!"

Danny chuckled to himself as he watched Mobius effortlessly dodge the punch. This is gon be gud.

Once the thug stumbled forward leaving his back open, Mobius lifted his arm and dropped his elbow down striking the thug hard sending him sprawling into a dumpster.

"You punkass!" Ted (Let's call him Ted for the sake of not repeating the same word over and over) shook his head before charging at Mobius. Once he was close enough he swung his leg right in a wide arc, aiming at his side. Mobius saw it coming out of the corner of his eye and blocked his with his forearm before sweeping his own leg under Ted's other making him fall to the ground. Mobius quickly got onto his back pulling one of his arms behind him before pinning him in place.

"Danny... Get your phone out and call the police." he ordered, Danny wasted no time pulling out his cell and phoning the cops. Hitting Five-O on his speed dial as Jason pulled out a pair of handcuffs. He grabbed Ted's other arm and with the help of Mobius they handcuffed him. Mobius looked up at the others, several of them cowered under his stern gaze.

Ted, enraged at what just happened yelled. "What are you waiting for you pricks! Get the punk!" Ted ordered, fuming as he tried to escape the restraints.

"Dude, no way!" one of them yelled.

Another one of them pointed at the pilot, "Dat's the freakin' Grim Reaper man, now way am I tangling wit him!"

"He's one guy!" a thug donning parachute pants and a tank top muttered gleefully. "Come on! We got the numbers!"

That seemed to get everyone willing to fight, realizing they outnumbered the pilot five to one.

Ted's eyes went wide as he looked up at said pilot. Oh shit... they don't know who they're fucking with.

"You're all going to pay the price, just so you know." Mobius growled, stepping forward, clenching his fists and cracking his knuckles.

Danny cackled as one of them ran at him, he weaved out of the way and clotheslined him, sending him sprawling to the ground. "Let's play~" He hissed.

What shortly followed... was a torrent of very unmanly screams of terror... and a sporadic fart from the next building over.

Standing over the downed thugs stood the pilot, somewhat winded from the 'fight' they all put up. He wiped at his chin with his knuckles, thugs. he thought as he looked over at the injured Erusian woman they had beaten up. She was curled up in the fetal position and from what he could hear... she was crying softly. Sighing he walked over to her before kneeling down next to her. Mobius saw her clothes were torn up and he could see blood staining the collar of her shirt. Poor thing...

The girl sensed someone was standing over her, and once her bloodshot eyes opened she saw the Grim Reaper himself Kneeling over her. He was every ounce as terrifying as the rumors she heard about were. The eyes stood out the most, a bright menacing blue that seemed to have a slight glow to them. She tried to crawl away from him but lacked the physical and mental strength to do so coming face to face with the legend himself was hard to stomach, let alone escape from.

Then he spoke. "Its okay." his voice not unlike a parent consoling a child who was injured. He reached out and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, she tensed under his touch. "I'm not going to hurt you." Mobius spoke softly, helping her to her feet. She had naught the strength or willpower to cry out or push him away. She could only watch him with weary tear filled eyes as he helped her to her feet and walked her away from the thugs who minutes prior to Mobius' arrival beat them to a pulp.

Danny, as always watched everything with a massive grin on his face. Jason snagged his phone and called a ambulance and a cab, not wanting to walk all the way back to base or listen to Danny's explanation for wanting a lift to one of the most secure military bases on the planet... no doubt it would be something sarcastic or asinine.

"She alright?" Jason asked as his eyes took in the extent of the woman's injuries. She looked pretty bad in his eyes, but he wasn't a physician so he couldn't be one hundred percent sure.

Mobius shrugged. "I'm not sure, but I would recommend going to the hospital anyway, she's pretty shaken up." Mobius replied as the sound of sirens filled the air not too far away. Eventually several police cruisers and an ambulance drove up from around a corner, they spotted a waving Jason and parked up near the alley entrance before several officers got out along with a couple of EMT's.

"You the ones who called out?" a tall looking officer questioned. Eyeing Jason and the rest, his eyes lingering on the woman Mobius was holding up before going to the pile of knocked out thugs.

"Yep!" Danny cackled out before anyone could say anything. He gestured to the thugs and said. "Go arrest em, my boys in blue!" Danny pointed into the alley with an outstretched arm and finger, shaking his arm wildly.

"Danny..." Jason face palmed, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

Mobius spoke up, deciding to get things going before Danny could continue his antics. "Those men back there assaulted this woman," he informed them, gesturing to the girl he was holding up. "She's injured and requires medical attention." when two EMT's came over he handed her over to them, she cowered slightly at the sight. "Don't worry, they're going to help you." Mobius whispered to her soothingly, urging her to go with them.

Despite her fear of the pilot she found comfort in his words as she was slightly pushed forward into the hands of the EMT who took her hand, and led her to the waiting ambulance that took her to the hospital. The officers quickly moved onto the thugs and one by one cuffed them and led them to the police cruisers, locking them inside before getting the story from the three pilots, they were surprised ot hear Mobius took them on alone but given his reputation... Afterwards they bid the police farewell and awaited their cab.

"Did ya have fun?" Danny turned to face Mobius, eyeing him with a sadistic glee.

The ace looked over at Danny, a slight frown etched onto his features. "Define fun."

"Definition of Fun, to kick ass, forget names, and kick more ass!" Danny declared, his sadistic grin still plastered on his face.

Jason shook his head in amusement. Danny Cho, the epitome of ridiculousness. Eventually their cab arrived, appearing around the corner and stopping in front of them. As they got in Jason turned to Mobius. "What do you expect from the Erusian forces?"

Mobius tilted his head down in thought, closing his eyes as he remembered the war. Flashbacks of the fire, missiles strafing past him, massive explosions and jets flying past all came back to him in a torrent of memories. "I think... they have something planned... what that is I do not know... but it can't be good."

"Heya Twi, whatcha up to?" an almost scratchy voice asked, jarring Twilight out of her reading trance.

Twilight looked up and spotted her friend, Rainbow Dash. A cyan blue pegasus with a thundercloud firing a rainbow colored thunderbolt for a cutie mark. Bright magenta eyes scanned the book Twilight was reading curiously. "I'm just reading an old book written by Starswirl The Bearded," she told Rainbow, closing the book and gesturing to the cover which depicted a picture of the wizard himself.

Rainbow 'pfft'd' before flopping down next to her, fluttering her wings before saying. "I'm bored..."

A sigh escaped Twilight. Rainbow, you're always bored. she shook her head before a thought made itself known. "Hmm... Hey Rainbow."

"Yeah twi?"

"Think you'd be up for helping me out with something?"

"It doesn't involve me getting turned into a banana again does it?" the cyan pegasus deadpanned, remembering when Twilight asked her to help her with something. Long story short, she ended up turning into a banana with eyes and wings... needless to say she doesn't like bananas anymore.

Twilight broke a sweat before laughing nervously, rubbing the back of her head. "That was a total accident!"

"Mmhmm, sure it was."

"Anyway!" Twilight started. "I need your help with the problem that's going on in the changeling lands."

Rainbow shot up from her place and took on a dramatic pose in front of Twilight, puffing out her chest and saying. "Of course Twi! What? do you need me to pummel some of those lame Changelings?" she asked as she got up on her hind legs and started punching the air with her forehooves. "Or do you want me to do some recon!" she then crouched as low as possible and crept around a pile of books on the table, trying to make herself inconspicuous as possible.

The lavender alicorn giggled at her friend's antics. She shook her head once more. "something like recon, I suppose." she stood up from where she was sitting and walked over to a map. Rainbow crept up to it, still in recon more as it were. "I need to know more about this Magicae Fracturam."

"Magi-wat now?" Rainbow asked, tilting her head. "The heck is a Magisis Fart? Sounds gross. Is that what you get when you can't do a spell right?" she laughed, holding a hoof in front of her mouth.

Twilight Facehooved. "Magicae Fracturam Rainbow, not... whatever it was you said." she pointed to the changeling lands and the location of the small town over the sea. "This is where it is at, I want you to take a device of mine used to measure magical frequencies and measurements."

"... wat?"

"Ugh," Twilight groaned and turned around to her saddlebag before reaching inside and pulling out something that resembled a megaphone with an antenna on the front, and what looked like a meter on the back. She held it out to Rainbow and said. "I want you, to use this near the Magicae Fracturam. Just turn it on once you're close and it will measure how much power the Magicae Fracturam is expelling, and it might just tell me what we can do about it."

"... Gotcha!" Rainbow nodded, grabbing the devie and tucking it under her wing as Twilight grabbed a few things and put them into her Saddlebag. "So, when do we go?" she asked.

"Right now." with that, she focused her magic into her horn and grabbing Rainbow's hoof, they both teleported away in a flash.

A few hours had passed since Mobius and his two friends Danny and Jason arrived at the November ISAF Base. The facility was large, probably one of the biggest military bases on the planet aside from North Point. A huge Fortress situated by the sea front with a massive fourteen foot three feet thick concrete walls surrounded the base for several miles lined with spikes jutting outward with spirals of barbed wire at the top, guards patrolled the top and every forty feet sat a tower with anti air weaponry and crowd control mechanisms. Several four laned pathways led to a massive steel reinforced gate and two larger towers with GAU-19 tri-guns aimed down at the road. Mobius and crew had walked in, and were greeted with the sight of several buildings spaced a few hundred feet apart, hangers that held a variety of aircraft and several more towers and warehouses each one holding several different types of AFVs.

As they walked inside they appropriated a Jeep Wrangler, it was the kind that had no doors and lacked a roof, but had a roll cage windshield. They drove down the massive concrete field passing several aircraft and other airmen and troops until the arrived at the main building. It stood out the most as it was the tallest tower in the base, a twenty story tall monstrosity colored jet black with the insignia of the ISAF painted on the front. They drove up to the front and and stopped before exiting the jeep, walking up to the entrance and showing their ID's.

"Sirs, General Baptist is expecting you." the guard at the front told them, moving aside and pulling out a keycard before swiping it across a readout and opening the doors with a hiss.

"Baptist?" Jason asked, eyebrow arched. "the General Baptist? what the hell is he doing here?"

Danny shrugged. "This Erusian threat must be big if he came all the way out here to see little ol us~" the man laughed. The guards ust stared at him, after six years they're still disturbed by his never ending grin.

Mobius walked inside, a ponderous look on his face as his eyes caught sight of another one of his pilots. "Storm!" he called out, getting the attention of a woman standing on the far side of the lobby.

Leaning against the wall was one of the female members of Mobius squadron. Mobius 8, Lu 'Storm' Kath. She was a moderately tall woman with long neon blue hair that fell in front of her chest and impossibly bright emerald green eyes that held an almost innocence to them. Lu was a very attractive woman, five foot six, ample chest and a well built figure. She gotten pretty of looks from fellow pilots and guards alike, along with some intense ogling from Danny, and Jason... and Mobius... Lu wore her flight uniform which was light blue with the insignia of Mobius Squadron emblazoned on the shoulders.

"Hey guys," she greeted, her voice was melodic and soft like a singer's. She strode up to Mobius and the other two, arching an eyebrow at Danny who was staring off into the distance. "Danny alright?"

Jason shrugged. "I don't know." he admitted, shrugging his shoulders. He honestly never understood Danny and his ways, but he figured at some point he would learn how Danny's mind worked.

"Do you know anything about why Baptist called us out here?" Mobius asked, crossing his arms. He needed to know what was going on.

Unfortunatly Storm shook her head. "No, not a word. I hear the rest of the squad is upstairs," she turned on her heel, hair swaying as she started for the elevators. "let's go."

Following the twenty something woman they all walked over to the elevators and got inside. It was large, big enough to hold about twenty people and then some. Black metallic and walls, with polished silver hand rails bolted onto the walls. Once they were inside Jason hit the button for the top most floor, and stood beside Mobius. His arms crossed over his chest and his eyes closed, like always when he stood beside his friend and fellow fighter pilot he too on this pose. Why, he wasn't sure.

Ping... ping... ping... ping... ping...

The sounds of the steel crate moving up droned on, it made them antzy. What could be so bad that would involve the 'Terror of the East'? General Baptist was known as such for his... almost demonic battle methods, blatant disregard for all life, and the fact he carries around a massive claymore strapped to his back. Anytime anyone has seen Baptist the first thing that they would lay eyes on, would be his massive six foot long claymore that hung off of his back.

If the Erusian threat was so bad to warrant Baptist...

Ding.

The elevator finally arrived at the top floor, and the doors opened. Mobius stepped forward into the hall leading his team past several doors to various offices and rooms before coming to a massive double door. Flanked on either side stood a guard armed with a P90 submachine gun, and a 9mm for a sidearm. Both guards stepped aside at the sight of Mobius and allowed him to open the door. Mobius waited a bit before doing so, taking a few breaths before gripping the handles and pushing them to open the door.

The inside of the Combat Information Center (CIC) was large, very large that took up almost the entire top floor. Men and Women alike worked computer consoles and devices around the room, most displaying land coordinates and flight patterns for aircraft and ground troops from the looks of the readouts. MPs stalked the room like hawks, watching out for any possible unwanted intrusions... or traitors in their midst.

Mobius looked ahead at the massive holo table and spotted the rest of his squadron standing around idely, waiting for the rest to show up so they could get the meeting underway. Mobius 2 through 6 stood side by side. Mobius 2 was second when it came to aerial superiority, and was probably the meanest of the bunch, aside from Danny that is. His name was Howard 'Shriek' Thusis. Probably the shortest member at four feet, but he makes up for his lack of height by blowing apart enemies in the sky with little effort, and being rather... 'productive' in other departments *coughcoughhackhack* Cropped brown hair took up residence on his head, with a small patch of white on his chin. He was well built, considering his size. Steely green eyes looked from his sister to Mobius before he nodded.

Standing next to him stood Mobius 3, one of the more 'regal' of the bunch of misfits called a Squadron. Sir Regis 'Prince' Von Baron. Came straight from the royal lands of Usea, of the great and very well known Baron Family. Bit of a prude, obsessed with his looks and perfecting his craft. Despite being rude to most people that he says are 'beneath him' he makes up for it with his vast wealth being pumped into the ISAF's development programs, and the fact he's a genius when it comes to planning a counterattack against enemies mid flight. Sir Regis was tall and lean, probably a solid six feet, just a little shorter than Mobius 1. Blonde curled hair dominated his head, his face clean shaven with nary a blemish on it. Cold purple eyes glared at Mobius from under his black shades.

Next up was Mobius 4, another member and one who is Howard's older brother. Mobius knew him only as 'Screech' Screech was talented as a liar, professional gambler and a pilot all rolled into one neat package. Screech stood at five foot eleven, and was one of the very few that had a strange pigment in his eyes that made his irises a bright pinkish color. He was also a southerner, hailing from the desert rural lands of Aurelia and had a distinct accent that made him quite likeable with the ladies. He watched as his 'cap'n' as he called him strode in.

Sitting in a chair with her hat tilted back was a young woman, Mobius 5. Kari 'Blackfield' Aarons. She was a moderately tall woman with a nice figure and beautiful Yellow almost golden eyes, long brown hair draped across her shoulders and a long scar crisscrossing over her neck. She nodded with a smug smile at Mobius and Jason as they walled in.

And finally Mobius 6. Pete 'Monster' Poiré was his name. He stood an impressive seven foot eight, towering over the others with ease with his massive bulk. It was surprising he could even fit in a jet to begin with. Pete was... well, a monster. Scars covered most of his face, he rarely talked and if he did it was in one word sentences, and had jet black eyes with a shaved head. he crossed his giant arms and grunted at the arrival of his copilots.

"Alright, now that our ace is here." someone said from a conveniently dark corner of the room before stepping out, revealing General Baptist in all his glory. Standing at six feet, two-hundred pounds of pure muscle was the terror of the East himself. His sword strapped to his back as always. "We can begin."

Everyone wasted no time crowding around the table that depicted a world map of Earth. General Baptist took his place on a stand that gave him a better view of the whole table. He looked to each and everyone of the pilots before clearing his throat.

"Now I'm sure you're all wondering why you're here." he said, getting a few tarse nods in response. "Well... there is a group calling them Free Erusia, most likely they are a group of generals and soldiers from the Erusian forces that went into hiding after the war years ago. We've been keeping tabs on the remaining ones but this is the first we've heard of them. And now it looks like they're planning an attack on Osea." he explained to everyone, keeping his face stern.

Danny, being the careful, cautious and respected pilot he is... laughed very loudly. "You're serious? Some fucking twerp Erusians are planning an attack on us?" he laughed some more, getting a few looks. "Wasn't there a little over a thousand of them last time I checked?"

"Danial..." Baptist sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He learned long ago that trying to get Danny to not be an insubordinate ass was akin to teaching a dog to bake waffles with a curling iron. "Yes, there was but... this time is different." Baptist told them before hitting a small button on the console in front of him, bringing up several HD photos of...

"What the hell?" Jason mumbled, looking closer at the photos with widening eyes, everyone else leaned in to.

"Sir... what are those?"

hovering above the table were several pictures of strange monsterous craft in the skies abvoe a desert landscape. One of which looked like an arrowhead, it was large, grey and had several ports on its sides. Another which resembled the smaller arrowheads, but was bigger and had several engines. The third picture showed somehting that made Mobius' eyes widen, an aircraft carrier that could fly. It had a massive opening in the front, whiich looked like it could hold several fighters. The fourth and final one, looked like something out of hell, jet black and massive like the others with purple engines.

Somehow, they had gotten their hands on flying aircraft carriers.

"How?" Jason slumped back into his seats. "Where did they get that kind of tech?!"

"How is this possible?" Sir Regis questioned, slamming his fist on the table in anger. "How could such unruly and uncouth people get their hands on something as magnificent as those?!"

Baptist shook his head. "We have no idea." Baptist held out his hand and 'grabbed' the hologram pictures and put them aside as he brought up the land around Aurelia and Leasath, focusing on what looked like the deserts. "All we know, is that there is a concentration of Free Erusians around this desert... specifically the Aurelian Experimental Aircraft Facilities. We got word from one of our contacts there that it was attacked recently by several troops donning an Erusian Flag."

"So those punks really think they can just take some cool shit and they'll be able to attack us?" Danny asked, then shrugged. "Alright, I'm game."

Storm raised her hand. "Did anyone make it out of the facility?"

Baptist shook his head. "No, everyone inside was shot and killed, and most of the technology was taken sans a few Raptors undergoing modifications." Baptist answered, sighing heavily at the mention of losing several highly trained guardsmen and personal to a radical group of escaped soldiers from a land long destroyed. "Now ground troops have mobilized onto several ships that are sailing towards November-"

"They're coming here?!" Mason yelled, eyes wide. "Yer tellin' me th' Erusians are plannin' ta attack November?! No way!"

"I agree with Country boy over there." Howard snorted, tilting his head up. "Why would they attack our capital head on? Don't they know we have advanced defense tech?"

Baptist nodded, grimly. "They do... we belive this to be a suicide run. The massive airships they have could be carrying nuclear weapons and other high damage ordinance. If they get over the city they could deal some massive damage..." he looked down at the map, his steely gray eyes resting on the small dot designated November City in Osea. "And killing millions of people."

Mobius leaned forward on his elbows, his blue eyes staring at the pictures. "What's our move?" he asked Baptist.

The general stood up straight, his eyes boring into Mobius'. "Your orders are to intercept over the Pacific and engage the Free Erusian forces head on. We have word a massive fleet of those airships along with several aircraft carriers and battleships are crossing through, and there is a massive storm incoming from the south as well. So be wary."

"Any backup on this Boss?" Kari asked, "I mean we're kickass n' all but we're going up against some unknowns here." She told him, getting a nod from a couple of Mobius Squadron.

"I'm afraid the majority of our forces are dealing with the Verusa Uprising. The most we can spare right now are the ISAFS Swig, Swoog and the aircraft carrier ICFDB along with you." Baptist shook his head. "You're in this alone Mobius Squadron."

Standing up and pointing his finger at the general, Danny chuckled darkly. "Come on! We can take these fools, we're the Blue Ribbons for Christ's sake!" Mason and Storm smiled at Danny's overconfidence, while annoying at times it was a welcome quirk. "Let's go blow em sky high!"

"..."

"..."

Mason cackled. "I hope ya mean shooting missiles at them, an' no-"

*SMACK*

Lu shot up from her seat and in one fell swoop smacked Mason, sending him sprawling to the floor in writhing pain. "There is a General present! Watch your mouth dumbshit!"

Everyone, including Mason himself laughed as Baptist shook his head. "Mobius Squadron... biggest group of misfits to ever grace my presense." Clearing his throat he said. "Go down to the hanger bay and suit up, you move out in thirty!"

"So what am I doing again with this thing?" Rainbow questioned for the fifteenth time, fiddling around with the magic scanner she had gotten from Twilight back in Canterlot. Both mares walked side by side in the wastes of Changeling territory, Twilight having teleported them to the border a few hours ago.

"I told you a hundred times Rainbow." She gestured up towards the city in the distance where the anomoly was. "I want you to fly over there, up to where you see the glowing lights. Once you're there I want you to turn the device on, click the red button and just hover there for a few minutes. When you hear a beep, fly back here so I can check the readout."

Rainbow nodded, grinning like a goon. "Allrighty then! I'll be done in Ten Seconds Flat!" she said before zipping off, leaving behind a rainbow trail.

Twilight shook her head with a tired sigh. "Rainbow, sometimes I wonder..."

"ATTENTION ALL HANDS, ETA TO DESTINATION TWO HOURS." the PA system rang out, informing the aircraft carrier's crew how long until they got to the Pacific.

Mobius stood in the hangar deck of the ship, decked out in his flight uniform. a light blue flightsuit with the blue ribbon insignia of Mobius Squadron emblazoned on the shoulders and front. His name would have been etched on the front, but was replaced with Mobius instead. He looked around and saw hundreds of crew hands moving around, carrying boxes of ammunition and fueling up the aircraft, making sure everything was in working order when the time came for battle.

Looking over at his group he noticed the new recruits that got accepted into the remaining spots for his squad. Four members, two male and two female. However only one caught his eye. A timid looking teenager looking around the ship in awestruck wonder. The teen stood at an even five feet, had curly black hair and dull red eyes. "Private James Terra." he recalled the name. After the war he was tasked with looking for the replacements for the four members of Mobius Squadron that were shot down. It was a long and hard process.

Danny and Lu were nearing the recruits as Mobius was lost in thought. "Yo kid, you one of the newbies?" Danny asked, popping up behind James out of thin air... somehow.

The teen yelped and turned around, "ahh!" taking a few breathes before seeing how it was. "Hey, y-you're-"

"Awesome? Yeah I get that alot!" Danny chuckled, throwing his arm around the new pilot. "So what's your name, kid?"

"Private James Terra, sir!" he answered, saluting. "Just graduated from the ISAF Acadamy a couple of days ago, sir!"

"A couple of days ago?!" Danny rustled up James' hair. "Damn, I've heard of greenhorns before but you're greener than they come, Jimmy my boy! hahahaha!"

"I'm s-sorry?"

Lu came up behind Danny and yanked him off before saying. "Don't mind him, Danny's got some screws loose in the head." ushering him forward Lu looked around the hangar with a prideful expression. "So what do you think?"

Jimmy pointed to himself as if to ask was she asking him. He took a moment before answering. "Um... well, ma'am-"

"Call me Lu, or Storm." she said with a friendly wink.

"Uh, right... I think this is... uh... awesome?"

"Awesome indeed!" Danny came up behind the two yet again, and walked alongside them. When they approached their ace Jimmy gawked.

"Is... is that who I think it is?!" eyes wide. "Mobius One..."

Lu nodded with a smile, "that's him alright." She waved a hand at him, breaking him from his thoughts. "Hey Mobius!"

He smiled as they approached, ushering them over to Mobius Squads hangar area before walking away. Behind Jimmy, Danny and Lu walked the rest of the squad, the rest having suited up for the mission. Jimmy looked to Lu and asked. "Um, why did you call him Mobius and not by his real name? Shouldn't you use his name?"

Chuckling softly, Danny leaned in close to Jimmy's ear and said. "He has no name~"

"W-what?" Jimmy looked aghast, how could such a prestigious hero not have a name?

"Danny stop being a goob." Lu told him.

"He has a name kid," Howard told him from behind, his eyes tearing into Jimmy's. "He just ain't told nobody it."

"... why not?"

Howard shrugged before speeding up his pace, ending the conversation. Everyone else seemed to follow suit because before you knew it they arrived at the Squad's hangar bay, where their aircraft waited them, fueled and ready for takeoff. Several F-22 Raptors, an A-10, and an SU-37 all sat waiting for them. Mobius stood next to the large aircraft Jimmy knew as a SU-37, helmet in hand and expressionless.

"Alright, you know our orders but I'm going to restate them for the sake of our newbies today." he said, shooting a look towards Jimmy and three other recruits standing idly by their own aircraft. Jimmy saw the three other pilots already had their helmets on, one that was solid black, red and blue.

"Strange..." Jimmy thought, feeling their eyes on him he looked back to Mobius.

"A group calling themselves Free Erusia have made themselves known and have plans to attack the capital of Osea, November City." Mobius explained, gaining everyone's attention. He waited until they nodded before continuing. "We have been tasked with taking out the remaining Erusian forces while they're traveling over the pacific. We also have word of a massive storm inbound."

"That won't stop us!" The insane pilot Danny laughed, getting a few chuckles from the others. "We're the storm here!"

Mobius shook his head, but any annoyance that he had was betrayed by the broad smile on his face. "Maybe not, but as you saw Danny, we're up against some serious looking technology, like command told us we have no idea where they got it from so I think it'd be best if we exercise caution when we face them in the air." he looked back to his SU-37, thinking for a moment. "So be careful... got that?"

"Yes sir." he heard them all say, confidence gleaming in their eyes.

He smiled. "Mobius Squadron... Let's move out!"

CRASH

BOOOOOOM

CLACK

"This storm ain't lookin' like its going away anytime soon." Mason called out over the channel from his F-22 Raptor, he flew with the entirety of Mobius Squadron alongside the aircraft carrier and battleships.

"I hear ya on that one bro." Howard agreed.

Mobius looked out of the cockpit of his SU-37. The storm had arrived sooner than they were told. Dark storm clouds hung overhead blocking out the view of the entire sky as lightning cracked across the horizon, bright white flashes of electricity bounding across clouds and striking down in brilliant arches of raw power. It reminded him of the day of Megalith's destruction, a severe storm much like this one had rolled around. Terrifying thunderstorms, lightning strikes and harsh winds.

He shivered with excitement. "Okay Mobius Squadron, keep an eye out. They might be using the storm to mask themselves."

"Roger that." everyone responded.

Mobius looked around at the different kinds of aircraft flying around him. Most squads flew F-22's or 23's. But Mobius Squad flew different kinds of aircraft. Mobius flew in his SU-37, a plane that was gifted to him after the Megalith explosion. Howard, along with his brother Mason and Kari and Jimmy all flew in F-22A Raptors armed with standard air to air missiles and sidewinders. Regis and Hank both flew in EF-2000's, Hank's being modified for his size and outfitted with a vulcan cannon, and heavy weight missiles, a beast much like Hank. Howard the STDM replaced with High Accuracy Missiles, and Advanced Medium-Ranged Air-to-Air Missile capable of firing four missiles at once.

Danny flew in a modified A-10-1, it was a larger version of the original A-10 and could be outfitted with several different types of warheads, all of which are volatile. On the front of the aircraft Danny had the words 'Nukes = Population Control' painted on the sides, with several skulls and hazard marks.

Flying next to Danny was Lu, she unlike the rest flew in an experimental aircraft code named the ASF-X Shinden II. An multipurpose aircraft that can match the speed of the SU-37, and is unrivaled in dogfighting, assuming the person flying specilizes in that of course which Lu doesn't. Her Shinden is outfitted for destroying sea and land based targets, much like Danny. But she can take on several foes in the skies should the need arise.

Behind them all flew the three recruits whose names, for some odd reason were colors. All three, Red, Black and Blue flew in F-23 Raptor Hybrids. All of them were flying together in a close formation behind Jimmy and Howard.

"Enemy contacts to the south." SkyEye reported to everyone. "Watch out everyone, looks like they've managed to get their hands on a ton of fighter craft."

"We got this baby!" Danny cackled madly, that laughter was short lived.

"Oh my god... I see them" Jimmy muttered to everyone, his eyes wide under his helmet.

Everyone looked out into the distance, and there they saw them... the Free Erusian Forces. Massive steel monstrosities lumbering through the sky, the lightning flashes illuminating them just enough to see just how big they were. They dwarfed regular aircraft carriers and had several gun emplacements erected on the top and bottom, red/green lights blinked on and off continuously. Several fighter wings resembling MIGs circled the massive air fortresses, waiting for a command.

Below several ships were sailing towards the three Mobius squad had. Small battleships, aircraft carriers and what looked like missiles launchers. Thirty in all.

"We're outnumbered here." Someone from the ships said. Mobius Recognized him as Captain Sparticus of the ISAFS Swig. "I'm not liking this."

Mobius held up a finger to his helmet. "Remain calm, we'll win this... we'll use the weather to our advantage here."

"Allright then, let's go for it." Lu agreed, her jet picking up speed.

"Mobius Squadron..." Mobius 1 said as the fighter wings broke off from the ships and headed straight for them. "Fight well." he told them before pushing the throttle to the max.

Then the missiles were released... and thunder rolled.

Rainbow was hovering near the giant swirls of light for what seemed like hours. When she first got a look at the Magicae Fracturam she was, both impressed and at awe. Lights of blue and green swirled around in the sky, and looked like it was slowly expanding. Thin trails of wipy white lines snaked in and around the lights, jutting out every now and then when she passed by befoe disappating.

In her words. It was bucking cool.

Eventually she got bored as her eyes were drifting across the battleworn land of the changeling territory, and she recalled the day when several guards among other fighters had returned. Torn up by the war and scarred for life, but alive at the least. Rainbow considered fighting herself but thought better of it... that is until Celestia required the Elements to take on the Queen of the hive that was built.

She told herself that she could take on whatever was thrown at her...

She never knew how wrong she was. The moment she set hoof into one of the camps near Equestria's borders she heard the moans of injured soldiers left and right, the screams and wails of losing loved ones, and the battle cries of warriors in battle. It almost felt like too much for her to take. But luckily she had her friends with her to help her along the way.

Rainbow sighed, hanging her head low as her wings flapped idly. That day sucked plot. She was about to fly around for a bit near the Magicae Fracturam when the device beeped... several times. Dash craned her head and looked at the device strapped to her back, the needle was buried on the opposite side and the lights were flaring like crazy. "What the hay?!"

Next to her she heard the sound of something like glass cracking. Turning her head she looked at the Magicae Fracturam, her purple-ish eyes staring at the thin cracks... in the sky.

There were cracks.

In

The

Sky.

"What the buck!" Rainbow cried as she flew away as more appeared. The lights began to swirl more intensely, changing color from blue to sky blue before massive cracks popped up. They spiderwebbed outward as Rainbow shot back to Twilight's position nearby, where she looked like she was about to undergo an anuyrism. "Twi, what's going on?!" she cried as the Magicae Fracturam begna to shake.

"I...I don't know!"

"We're bucked... bucked like nobody's business." Rainbow muttered, eyes locked on the lights.

Then the skies shattered into pieces...

"Fox 2! Fox 2!" Mobius one muttered into his headset as he fired on a jet he was pursuing.

After they broke off from the small fleet of the ISAF, the dog fighting began. Several enemy fighters swarmed Mobius Squad, a giant mass of yellow swarming a small blob of blue in the skies. Missiles screamed out, explosions and vulcan cannon fire filled the air along with the screech of jet engines breaking the sound barrier.

Ship cannons fired on each other, deep resounding thuds amongst the thunder and crashing waves. Other ISAF jets were despatched from the ICFDB, several F-22's and their own MIGs joined the fight.

Mobius watched as his Missile soared through the air before hitting its target, blowing the foe out of the sky. Chunks of burning steel and fuel went up in flames as it hit the ocean below. One down, only a couple thousand to go. He thought to himself as he flew near one of the massive air fortresses they saw back at base. The thing was massive and Mobius had a hard time wondering how it stayed afloat, what is this thing's purpose? he pondered. He got his answer when he four MIGs fly out of what looked like a hanger. A flying Aircraft carrier?!

He grabbed his headset as he saw the others were almost the same. "This Air fortresses are flying Aircraft carriers, I repeat, these are flying Aircraft carriers!" he told his squad. "These take priority over the enemy fighters!" he finished before quickly banking left to avoid a stray missile. He suddenly ducked down and flew under the carrier, his eyes quickly scanning for anything that looked like a weakness.

Once he reached the back he saw massive engines on the wings that burned like stove burners. Massive jets of bright blue flames shot downward and back propelling it forward and keeping it aloft.

That could be a weak point. he summerized as he tried to get a lock, once he did he swithed to one of his more powerful missiles and fired it. The missile screeched as it left his right iwng and towards the engine before exploding. Mobius grinned widely as he saw the engine's light slowly burn out, it wasn't destroyed but a couple of more ought to do the trick. Let's see what you got.

Howard and Danny ended up following Mobius after destroying a couple of enemy fighters, both taking down planes left and right. "I'm on Ten, Bitch!" Danny called out, laughing as he shot down three more fighters in quick succession. "Can ya beat that shorty?"

"I'll kick your ass, Joker!" Howard yelled as he fired on a MIG coming out of one of the aircraft carriers, it blew up as it left taking another with it. "That's number Eleven!"

"Ahhh heel naw I ain't letting now dwarf best me!" Danny cackled as he pushed the throttle and zoomed past Howard, who chased after him in their sick little game of who could kill the most.

Lu face palmed, hitting her helmet as she watched. "Really guys?" she asked, no one answered so she shrugged and started firing on one of the ships down below. Once she was over a smaller battleship she released one of her bombs letting it fall and smash against the deck and explode in a brilliant firey fireball of firey death and fire.

Did I mention fire?

"Kill them all!" a MIG pilot screamed into his headset, locking onto one of the ISAF fighters before firing. He was promptly shot down by a ribbon fighter.

"Damn it! The Ribbons are taking us all out!" One of them screamed as several ships were sunk, steel groaned under the waves as they toppled over and sank to the depths.

"We have them outnumbered, how is this possible?!

Flying next to Red was Kari, she traield just a little bit in front of him as they both chased a couple of MIG figters and an A-10. "Come rookie we got this!" she called out to him, trying to get a lock as the fighters began evasive menuvers. She banked left and right, pulling several loops as she followed the fighters through the thundering skies. She saw lightning strike several jets setting them ablaze or just scaring the shit out of the pilots. hehehe. She laughed as she leveled out, finally getting that lock.

Her thoughts were broken as she heard the sound of someone locking a missile on her... She looked and saw Red behind her, his system targeting her.

"Rookie, what the hell are you doing?! FRIENDLY FIRE! FRIENDLY FIRE!" She all but shrieked into the comms before a missile was sent flying her way, she manage to roll out of the way as the warhead scrapped the belly of her craft, but it still shook her craft. "WHAT THE FUCK, ROOKIE!?" she screamed as he once again tried to get a lock.

"Red' what are ya doing?!" Mason yelled into the comms, pushing his jet to fly faster so he could see what was going on. What was Red doing? He didn't have time to think as someone fired on him, pelting his wings and back with bullet fire. "Damn it!" he yelled as he saw it was Blue and Black behind them, smoking guns. "Shit!" he banked left, avoiding another round of gunfire.

Regis caught sight of what was going on and flew down to assist. "This is Prince here. Red, Blue and Black seem to have lost their minds, they're firing on friendly aircraft the uncouth swine!." he informed everyone.

"Aren't they the rookies?!" Mason asked as more gunfrie sounded over his radio. "Agh!"

"The rookies are spies!" Howard told them, flying back towards the main fighting. "Little shits are double agents!"

Jimmy who listened to the entire thing gulped. Oh no... they were doubel agents? Why would they do that?! he wondered as he saw Danny fly overhead, and try to get in behind him. He quickly responed. "I'm not one of them! I'm not one of them!" Jimmy pleaded, dodging left as Danny fired his vulcan cannon. Hank joined him shortly.

"How do we know that ya brat?!" Danny questioned. "Fucking backstabbers!"

Mobius growled, hands clenched around the stick of his jet as he broke off from the aircraft carriers. The bastards, resorting to something so low down... he did a barrel roll as someone fired on him. "Joker, Biggin. Brake off from Jimmy and focus on the other three!"

"Wait what?! This little punk and the others-"

"Let's deal with the others first! Jimmy is not a target! The other three are, now brake off, NOW!"

"Goddamn it!" Danny yelled before pulling right as a couple of missiles fired at him from several MIGs, Hank slowed his jet down and took them out before ducking left out of the line of fire.

Jimmy silently thanked the hero of Usea before flying away, determined to show he was not an enemy.

Meanwhile in the skies, strange lights appeared above the battlefield. Wispy lines and sky blue aura suddenly appeared amidst the clouds, thunder and lightning struck the lights as the storm continued to get worse with each passing minute. The wind picked up and actually flung several weaker pilots into the sea, the wind gusts too much for their craft to take.

Then the skies cracked.

Mobius saw the lights before anyone else, time seemed to slow down as he saw literal pieces of the sky fall into the ocean leaving a gaping hole behind. "What is that?" he murmured as every warning light in his craft went off. More pieces fell off of the sky and all that was left, was the trails of light leading inside, sucking in ocean water and aircraft. "Crap! PULL BACK! PULL BACK!" He yelled ,trying to divert his jet and failing. He yanked in the stick, trying his best to pull up or left, or even right but it was useless.

"What's going on!?" Mason yelled as his radio crackled.

"SkyEye here, what the hell is goin-" SkyEye didn't finish as his radio cut out.

Mobius looked up and saw the Boeing 747... spiraling down towards the hole in the sky before disappearing into the void. JASON!"" He couldn't believe it... SkyEye... was gone...

"Ahh shit! I have no control! Mayday! Mayday!" Howard yelled, several other fighters along with the ships were all yelling. 'Maydays' filled his comms from both the enemy and his own squad.

Is this how it ends for me? Being sucked into a giant black hole in the sky?! Mobius wondered as the blackness got closer and closer. He looked left and right, seeing both sides being pulled in and no matter how hard they tried they couldn't fight it. I'm sorry... He closed his eyes just as the black void enveloped him and his craft. Mobius awaited his end...

...

...

Only it didn't come.

He opened his eyes and instead of the darkness... he saw a grey sky not unliek eariler. What? he looked around and spotted a blackend sea and burned lands along with what looked like a small city. His warning lights had ceased their cry and he was immediatly made aware he was back in control. He seized control of his stick and stablized his aircraft. "This is Mobius 1, anyone out there call out!"

A few moments and he heard Danny's voice. "Joker here, what the fuck even?" he asked, appearin behind Mobius. His A-10-1 had a few scratches and dings but other then that, he was okay.

"Storm here."

"Blackfield here, what happened?"

"Screech here," Mason called out. "Um... where are we?"

"Rrrm." Biggin grunted... that was about as much as you were going to get out of him.

"Prince here, I dare say that trip was ghastly!"

Mobius looked behind him and saw the ISAFS Swig, Swog and ICFDB all sailing in behind him from the black void that remained. Only it was shimmering into a light blue color now, and changed as the waters below hit it. "Mobius Squadron... i don't think we're in Osea anymore." he told them as he remembered the Free Erusian forces, did they come through yet? "Check your radar! Any contacts?"

"Negative Mobius 1." SkyEye called out, bringing a massive wave of relief to the veteran pilot.

Good to see you're still with us old man. Danny chided. Mobius smiled at that, glad to hear his friend survived. "What's our game plan here Coach?" Danny asked, no doubt laughing silently as always.

"Let's do quick recon and get the lay of the land, stick together and keep an eye out. We don't know where we are, so heed caution." Mobius ordered, flying low as he quickly scanned the areas below. He caught sight of two small creatures standing nearby, one colored like purple and the other a blueish color. They're colorful, wonder what they are? He pondered as he flew down low.

In an unknown location... at an unknown time, behind an unknown building, stood two very unknown figures donning cloaks that kept their appearances unknown to anyone who would look upon them.

It was unknown as to what they were doing here... so I'll shut up, and we'll hear what they are saying.

"Is it done?" the first figure questioned the second, claws tapping against the cobblestone path of the alleyway.

The second nodded. "Of course, did you ever doubt me?"

"Any troubles?"

"I had a few involving power output, but other then that... it was a complete success. m'lord."

The first figure grinned before reaching into his cloak and pulling out a large unknown quantity of gold. he tossed it to the second unknown figure. "Here is your payment, stick around... I may have more for you." He told the figure before walking away, tail whipping back as his claws made a slight clacking sound.

The second figure smiled...