//------------------------------// // Marina // Story: The Hunt Is On // by Gleaming //------------------------------// III. Evening The Odds                  Marina’s griffons stormed the stage just as Trixie finished up her trick, blinding flashes of light caught them off guard. Falling and crashing backwards into the Canterlot Symphony Orchestra that traveled for the occasion, one griffon was unfortunate enough to get stuck inside a tuba annoyed that the tuba player continued to play. Loud ear-splitting music shot him out and his head still spinning.         “Ugh my head. Marina doesn’t pay us enough fo–” He fell to the ground, one broken tooth from the trauma dealt to him. Arguably enough that Marina keeps them in the shadows that they get paid at all only makes her happier, she never questioned any amount of intelligence or lack thereof.         An exchange of talons and fatal blows gave both sides blow for blow. Night Watch took off to the skies beneath the wind that carried her as she tucked her gut in, releasing highly sensitive pain inside the eardrums to anypony nearby. Her screeching caused the audience to scatter, and leave the stadium quickly as possible. Wish we had some real competition.          Scootaloo ducked under the pair of talons that nearly knocked her out, slipped right behind them and cracked their heads together, their brains rattling inside. Not too shabby. “Trixie is grateful that you saved her; Trixie also assumes that she was the intended target, any idea on why that’s the case?” Trixie’s curiosity increased, inviting them backstage to talk privately. They joined Trixie backstage past the black curtains flapping against strong winds and stepped into her dressing room. Night Watch played around with a stack of poker cards that had fallen, proceeding to answer Trixie’s question from earlier. “A rogue griffon named Marina sent her little band of troops, somehow she knew you was here and made sure to send them and capture you… for what reason I’m not sure.” Trixie pondered the answer that popped in her head. “Trixie may have an answer. I heard some talk about Filthy Rich actually giving Marina the bits to afford some protection, you’ll be able to find him in an old warehouse that he bought in Ponyville, a new location for Barnyard Bargains.” “That’s my hometown right there!” Scootaloo’s wings buzzed as they lifted her off the ground. “I know Ponyville like the back of my hoof we should get there faster if we take the airship.” “Let’s get outta here, thanks for the help, Trixie.” Monsoon eyeballed the scratches on his cheek, walking out of the dressing room. Night rolled her eyes and patted Scootaloo on her back, joining Monsoon out the door, who was with Scootaloo.  “Great job you did out there kid. Hope we meet again, Trixie.” § Mountain grabbed Star’s hooves immediately began to pin him down on his back, giggling like a crazed madman. “Gotcha, give up?” She hoped to savor her victory that was until Star slipped through her legs and pinned her front hooves behind her back. “Oof!” Mountain’s hooves flailed in the air, kicking Star in the cheek. “I am so sorry, you should remember that I love being the dominant one.” “So should I—wah!” Starsung lost the momentum of his playful, little attack as he was grabbed off the bed and hitting his face on the way down. “Never let your guard down. Silly soldier,” Mountain flipped her mane, radiating flamboyant behavior towards him. “You got lucky, just saying.” He played off his “tough stallion” act and rummaged through the refrigerator after rushing into the kitchen. Throwing bottles of water that splashed down to the kitchen floor, forming a huge puddle around him similar to a sinking ship. “Geez Princess Luna, out of all things to stock the fridge with, you stock it with bottles of water.” “Not that big of a deal and you know I beat you,” Mountain giggled and added a sly grin to top it off. Insult to injury, she skipped a circle around Starsung and treasured that he puffed his cheeks before huffing air that was building up. Starsung fell down again on his face, deliberately tripped by a strong cord fitted with metal balls. “What the heck, where did this come from?” Mountain Mist blew a kiss as she shifted her eyes away and hid the device. “Let’s just say you are not the only jokester here.” The Corona Horizon’s main hub of communication picked up an incoming transmission that was sent a few seconds ago by Night Watch. “Incoming transmission from Night Watch: Sorry to interrupt your possibly kinky game but we just wrapped up things here at the Firefly Festival, Trixie gave us some intel on a pony who helped Marina fund her little army, supplies, and weapons. Filthy Rich, we are going to Ponyville to get some answers one way or another. Over and out, transmission over.” Starsung walked to the control panel and pressed the big red button, unraveling a rope and ladder set up of wooden planks. “Come on up.” “You first, Scootaloo.” Monsoon cuffed his hooves together, boosting Scootaloo up as she climbed the ladder to the main deck. Scootaloo took her sweet time in climbing the ladder then admired the view of bodies of water that aligned aligned perfectly to Celestia’s vibrant ball of fire, calm waves at the crowded beach. “Thanks for the boost, need any help getting up here?” “No we’re good,” Monsoon and Night Watch confused at how they spoke right on cue. “So should we go up at the same time, or what?” “At the same time, wouldn’t want you to hold me back, eh?” Monsoon restrained his laughter to a light snicker that was completely interrupted by Night’s sucker punch to his gut, knocking all air he could muster up. “Hmmph! Remind me not to mess with you later.” “Duly noted.” Both guards set that little altercation behind them that Monsoon would forget anyway, and began their climb. Reaching their destination, Monsoon fell down to just one knee curled his body in a round ball writhing in pain. The force of that punch knocked wind and breath from him like a vacuum or haymaker knockout punch in the last round of a boxing match. “So, uh, what happened to you two?” Scootaloo kneeled down to Monsoon, trying not to laugh at his misfortune. “Night knocked the wind out of me just because I told her I wouldn’t hold her back!” His tone changed completely, still wrapping his stomach around his hooves. “Maybe you shouldn’t joke around especially with me,” Night’s hooves slipped in the water as she struggled to keep up her balance, quickly falling on the floor. “Ach! Who spilled all this water?” Silence made its presence known in the room. Starsung pointed an accusing hoof at Mountain Mist and she rotated her head right around, opening her mouth. “Really Star, after that crazy fun in the bed we had, that meant nothing to you?” “W–what did you guys do?” Monsoon slapped his knee, rolling around the floor and stomach pointed to the ceiling. “So you finally did it, huh?” “I’m not telling you, that is just sick, Monsoon. Sick!” Mountain gagged on her tongue where she almost wanted to vomit. Night pulled on the kitchen counter for leverage as she pulled her by the mane and banged Mountain’s head against the wall repeatedly. “Don’t think I didn’t forget that Scootaloo still owes me a one on one brawl in the training room, right now and I won’t take no for an answer!” She stormed out of the kitchen in a huff, slamming the door behind her which the training room’s control panel started to shoot little sparks of electricity. “Scootaloo, I won’t force you to fight her unless you are ready.” Mountain stood right next to her, her eyes told the story already. “I know I am ready,” Scootaloo made her way to the sliding door, ignoring the damage left behind and walked right into the training room. “I hope I can at least help her.” Mountain thought a strategy over after she walked after Scootaloo. “We’ll join you guys...eventually,” Starsung dug into the top cabinets, finding cotton balls and alcohol as he ripped the bag with his teeth. “Now this is going to sting a little.” Starsung added a few drops of alcohol that moistened the cotton balls. Monsoon thought on instinct and played the scenario in his head, stretching his hoof that dragged across the floor. “Oh no you don’t, I don’t want to.” “Seriously, every time that a pony needs to get some medical they always run for the hills. Now I know how Miss Redheart feels.”  Starsung shook his head with disappointment and trying to keep himself without bursting into a fit of laughter. Weapons attached to the training room wall made Night flash a wicked smile just thinking of the damage and evil intentions she would do to teach her a lesson. She talked into the voice activation panel as all lights dimmed in every corner of the room except the distance between Scootaloo and herself. “You choose your weapon of choice.” Mountain watched on from a seat behind a wall that divided her from them, only way of entry was an open door. Scootaloo ran her hoof through her hair, picking through the various weapons of choice: Lightning spears, Dragonskin, and Shadow claws. “Dragonskin.” “Good choice, sadly that won’t do you any good. Shadow claws,” Mechanical arms dropped their choice of weapons to them to begin the training sequence. “Initiating training sequence: Five, Four, Three, Two, One...begin.” Scootaloo tightened her body as the armor locked in place. “Tight fit but I suppose it will do,” She casted her eyes across to Night, not looking away an inch. “Like I said, won’t do you any good.” Night slipped her front hooves into the open metal as it detected her movement finally slipping both hooves in, locked tightly that gave her a warm feeling. Night ran ahead of Scootaloo with a little speed in her step, running along as the claws scraped the white walls and looked down at her. “ Can’t keep up, can you?” Running around in a circle using the wall to aid her, she won’t expect Scootaloo to pull out any tricks from her hooves. Scootaloo unfurled her wings as the feathers stretched out and she flew up to the ceiling charging at full speed, striking Night across her face beginning to lose her balance and falling flat on her stomach. Night threw her body forward as her head smacked straight into Scootaloo’s muzzle, blood dripping out her nose and continued flowing in her black mane. She proceeded to throw her head back followed by the claw that cut deep into the skin of her cheek, pulling it out soon after. “Hurts, doesn’t it?” “You tell me,” Scootaloo flapped her wings hard that generated her own wind, pushing Night’s back into the wall. She took the open opportunity with relentless striking into the armor, shielding the attacks that Mountain sent right into her wing. The absorbing still did its damage, she whimpered softly and shaking her wing to relieve the pressure off. Night allowed her hooves to gain speed and jump over Scootaloo for some major air setting up for her next attack, rammed her shoulder into the tough armor with no effect. Aware that the attack did nothing, Mountain covered her face up, pointing her hooves and forelegs away. The scale-like armor responded to her failed attempt, Scootaloo threw Mountain down flat on her back using hooves that she tried to protect herself with, her knee pressed down, adding immense pressure to her throat. “I could finish this right now. All I wanted was respect and would fight hard to earn it, why can’t you just admit–” “Scootaloo, stop!” Mountain raised her hoof, including herself to intervene. “Give me a good reason why I shouldn’t end her for good!” Scootaloo balled up her hoof and casting her eyes down at Night’s badly bruised face. The fury in her eyes and fire in her gut wanted to tell Mountain off and finish Night off, but maybe her conscience can make the guilt go away or stay deep in the dark confines of her mind. “I know that Night can be one arrogant and stubborn mare, also not the easiest to get along with–” “N-Not, helping…” Mountain took slow and deep breaths, the pain straining her voice. “The point is, Princess Luna assembled this team to take down a foe and teams don’t get along similar to how a family doesn’t. But we are always there for each other to pick ourselves up, but it’s entirely up to you what you do. But know this, your decision could affect us in more ways than you know.” She didn’t take the time to look back, simply closed her eyes and walked out. Scootaloo’s heart skipped a beat, feeling completely split on what to do. “Night, we don’t see eye to eye. I’ll put this aside for now if you are.” Some of her blood landed on her face and continued to trickle down her neck. She kept her mouth closed, taking hold of Scootaloo’s foreleg and lifted herself back up to her full base the pain and after effects shot right through her body. Her legs dragged on the floor, about to fall until Scootaloo brought her hoof under her body so she caught  her in time. “What is going on here you two?” Mountain searched for the proper response for Starsung using duck tape to tie Monsoon down. “This little excuse for a stallion won’t hold still!” Starsung played a game of cat and mouse running after him, trapping him in a corner, and taping to a chair. “I don’t do alcohol or anything that could infect me. My skin doesn’t do such a thing,” Monsoon’s teeth gnawed, ripping himself from his tape prison. Starsung made sure to tackle him and wrestle him to the ground acting like a pair of rambunctious colts fighting over the last ice cream treat. “Help me out here, Mountain!”         Mountain searched through the cabinets for medical supplies, finding a syringe filled with viscous liquid. She held the medical syringe between her teeth and ran to the two stallions playing around, injecting the syringe into his flank flowing through his bloodstream, his eyelids drooping and eyes closed shut. “Why did you even tape him to a chair at first?”         “I don’t know. Would you?” Starsung shrugged, playing the question as if he didn’t hear it.         “Of course I would, if an insane pony wanted to get admitted to the Canterlot Insane Asylum!” Mountain threw her hooves up, pretending to flip a table.         Scootaloo carried Night in her forelegs, her limbs swaying as if they went limp. “Don’t ask, wait a minute!”         Incoming frequency transmission:         Unknown broadcast         Marina appeared on the screen as the sound of griffon militia moved supplies and weapons could be heard in the background, inside an abandoned prison that once harbored dangerous criminals on Equestria’s Most Wanted List. “A little pony told me that a group of ponies were coming after me. And I thought, it would make sense that I caught your ruler off guard by killing one of her own who sworn by an oath to protect her, sadly I’m afraid you won’t be finding me any time soon until the end.”         “Don’t you think you will keep us at bay—”         “I wouldn’t say that just yet. After all, fear is what can bring even ponies who act tough to their knees.” Marina’s talon pointed out the airship as a squadron of air superiority scattered in an aligned formation, six ships on both sides waiting for her order. “Commanders, deploy the turrets and open fire!”         “You heard the lady!” The commander and the rest of his team deployed the turrets opening fire on the airship shooting live rounds of ammunition each doing their own set of damage, shattered glass laid on the carpet and blowing wooden cabinets off their hinges. Corona Horizon’s main hub tilted communication screen sliding on the floor, plummeting down to earth.         Mountain Mist and the team vaulted over the counter, covering their heads down. “Head to the weapons room, it’s time to go to war.”