As it turned out, the job market in Ponyville wasn't half-bad, even for six stallions that had come out of nowhere. The following day they all had gone out to find some kind of jobs, anything really, and amazingly, they hadn't been laughed at even once. Even more amazingly, which made Gaz want to hold onto his hat in case it was blown off from sheer disbelief, they actually had done pretty well. He and Ghost definitely had landed a good job and they had landed it thanks to Rainbow Dash of all people. She had heard they needed a job and, in ten seconds flat, gotten them signed up with the so-called Weather Patrol (yes, that was a thing. There wasn't any natural weather in this place, it was managed by pegasi patrols. Gaz didn't even care anymore). He didn't know jack about how well the job paid in comparison to other stuff, but it was a job!
Soap and Yuri hadn't done quite as well though, having looked around for quite a while before Applejack had given them an extension. With the harvest season coming up she needed all the help she could get and they had work for a few weeks there while looking for other jobs. Truth be told, it felt good that at least some hands, or rather hooves, were helping out the family who had taken them in when they came here. She paid mostly in housing and food, but there was a modest salary there as well.
Roach had landed the most hilarious job of all and they were all laughing at him for it, being now the shop assistant of a store that sold quills and sofas. Yes. Quills and Sofas. What drug induced psychosis that had spawned that idea he didn't know, but that was where Roach worked, being bossed around by the biggest horseapple in the world.
Now if they only could figure out how the hay he could work the fact that he had commission so well that he earned the half of their combined salary.
Price was a janitor. That was all.
No seriously, that was all anyone dared to mention without being murdered. Price had gotten a job working at the town hall as the janitor. From what they could tell it wasn't a half bad job, but their CO was as grouchy as could be. Seriously, they half expected Price to burst in flame any time now. Days had turned into weeks here in Ponyville and things honestly were shaping up pretty nicely for them. The people... ponies... were welcoming and friendly, their salaries were from what they could tell decent and all in all things were good barring two things.
Firstly, that damnable cave was nowhere to be found. They'd taken to spend the weekends reconnoitering the mountains, having now mapped them out pretty thoroughly, but they didn't find any cave anywhere. It was simply gone. Secondly, Price was only turning more and more upset by this fact. Gaz knew his CO well enough to figure him out. Price hated being here, but not because he hated this place. No, it was different from that and it had taken Gaz a while to figure out what was going on.
Price was afraid. He was afraid of what their presence here would bring to this place. They brought with them, no matter how you looked at it, an arsenal of lethality, six trained killers who were forged into the ultimate weapons. Not even weapons of war, but instruments of death. Price feared that they'd taint this hand, that their being here would cause the war, death and murder that was their bread and butter to spill into this paradise. It didn't matter how much they tried to convince him to relax, to give it a try at least, Price remained sour. Not the least since he'd picked up a stalker.
Yep, that pink pony, Pinkie Pie, had zeroed in on the captain, pestering him seemingly constantly. She was hell-bent on making him laugh, one way or another. Gaz had washed his hooves of the entire thing a long time ago, preferring to lean back and watch the spectacle. It was like a parade showing off the entire history of comedy, with everything from knock knock jokes (to which Price responded to by telekinetically tossing the mare out through the door), to silly hats ( to which Price, litter-picking at the time, responded by taking the hat off her head and tossing it into the litter bag) and so on it went. It became a constant sight in the village: the grumpy janitor followed by the bouncing young mare. The only thing that had stopped them from making jokes about him having an admirer was the fact that they honestly didn't know what Price might to to them if they did.
Still, it was weird how, after Price calmed down after Pinkie's harassment, he always was a bit less tense, a bit less angry about the situation in all.
Yuri, meanwhile, had to deal not with Pinkie, but with Rarity digging her hooves into him. The seamstress had politely, but pretty damn firmly dragged Yuri into her boutique at her earliest convenience and not let him out until five hours later. Yuri was no captain Price, however, so he had been teased mercilessly about it. Weirdest part, however, was that Yuri only seemed perplexed by it all. Apparently nothing whatsoever happened beyond her putting him in one outfit after another and gushing about his build. Who would have thought that Yuri apparently was built like a model?
Roach had ended up sticking around at the library quite a lot. Not due to the lessons, heavens no, but he apparently had bonded really well with Twilight Sparkle's little dragon. The two could be seen around town quite a lot, always up to something. Gaz didn't know what to think of it as. Was it a case of Roach being happy to act the big brother for once, or had he just found someone as mature as him? Either way those two were peas in a pod.
As for him and Ghost... Gaz pondered their situation as he panted, laying on a cloud with his tongue out and the sweat running down his face. It was like boot camp all over again with how the hellion that was Rainbow Dash drove them on. She really hadn't taken Ghost's challenge well, or maybe she had and this was how she showed it. She was currently in top gear and had remained such. Ghost, the relentless blooming stallion that he was, wouldn't fall behind either and had pushed himself to the absolute limit. Gaz could only barely keep up with them. SAS or no, Rainbow Dash and Ghost had one thing in common, that obsessive drive to be faster, stronger, better. Militant perfectionism was the best way he could describe it and he got up again, grunting before he took off again. They weren't going to have him beat, not that easily.
Happy days, calm days, and Gaz figured that this was gonna be life for now. Would something give in the end? He didn't know, and figured he'd have to see just what'd happen.
As it turned out, he didn't have to wait long.
------xxxxxx------
Roach was whistling a little as he walked across the dusty field, looking around himself and being surprised that there was such a barren place so close to Ponyville. Everything around here was so blooming idyllic, it made his old home back on Earth seem barren in comparison. This place however, was almost completely lacking in life. Just earth and rock as far as he could see. It was depressing honestly. He wouldn't have come here if it wasn't for the fact that Spike was out here. And Spike was out here because of Rarity. She apparently had some huge project coming up and needed gems, a lot of gems, to decorate with.
Of course, being that she was Rarity, she couldn't POSSIBLY dig the stuff up herself, but had hired Spike to do it for her. Roach had come along partly to help out with pulling the wagon and partly to keep an eye on this. He still didn't precisely dislike Rarity, having seen clearly how she was happily willing to work herself to the bones for her friends' sake and how she, uniquely for her type, didn't have much, if any, in the way of malice about her. But her prissiness still grated on him. At least she had promised Spike all the jewels she didn't need for himself which was what made it okay for Roach.
Hay, not like Spike would have said no anyway; the little guy was head over heels in love with Rarity. It was adorable, utterly adorable, and Roach had to fight not to smile whenever Spike interacted with Rarity. If he was any more infatuated and he'd be slowly hovering behind her with small hearts spinning around his head. Seeing as how Roach had taken on the position of big brother to Spike, he'd decided, mainly for the fun of it, to help Spike along a little. He was a kid of course, dragon equivalent of about 8 years old, but Roach still wanted to wingman for the adorable little scamp. If not for her attitude Roach would have drooled constantly himself. Now he only drooled occasionally.
“So how much do you need again?” he asked as they had been working for a while. That was the division of labour it seemed; Rarity marked the spot, Spike dug and Roach pulled the cart. The little guy really had the paws for it though, digging his way through the ground like a mole and Roach figured that Rarity probably had a point in letting him dig.
“A bit more Roach dear,” Rarity told him as she marked another spot. “I really am grateful for your and Spikey-wikey's help,” she smiled at him and Roach grinned back. Yup, she knew very well how to push his buttons... As lethal as he was, this mare was dangerous in a whole different way. A femme fatale without the fatale bit really. He was suddenly struck by the idea of her as a Bond-girl, in a sexy red dress and with a sultry smile, looking at him with an alluring gaze that could set fire to ice. Shaking his head, Roach did his best to clear it and try to push away from the fact that he was sexualizing a horse(as well as the fact that with him being a horse too that wasn't really an issue, or was it?). As he did so, Rarity shot Spike a gentle, but warning look. “Spike,” she said pointedly Roach looked back, seeing that Spike had been about to take a bite out of the gem they had found. He chuckled at the crestfallen look on Spike's face.
“You getting hungry, champ?” he asked as Spike jumped aboard his back as they sat off again. “Already?” he teased.
“Oh come on!” Spike said, throwing his hands up for emphasis. “Did you see that gem? It looked utterly delicious! Oh I hope Rarity doesn't need it.” He said longingly, licking his lips. Roach grinned at it all. Like a kid with sweets...
“Haven't you gotten enough gems already?” he asked, bucking a little to shake him where he sat. “I swear you've gained a few pounds.” He said.
“I'm still growing!” Spike protested. “Besides, I'm not the one sitting on my fat flank listening to Twilight all day.”
“Hey, you wanna walk, brat?” Roach drawled now, seeming annoyed but in truth only amused by the wit Spike showed. It was a really good idea to befriend Spike he concluded. All the girliness he was surrounded by would stunt his growth as a man. Every guy needed some testosterone in his life when growing up. Girls too probably.
“Over heeere,” Rarity sing-songed now and Roach sat after her as they neared a small cluster of trees. Roach chuckled as he pulled the cart.
“I don't know if it's you or the gems that weigh more,” he said, Spike grunting behind him.
“Weakling,” he told Roach with a small scoff. Roach, smiling, set course for Rarity when he suddenly got a bad feeling in his stomach. Something wasn't right. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something was off. Rarity had started walking again he noticed, and she was heading towards the shrubberies by the tree cluster, something that made him grow cold with instinctive wariness.
“Rarity, stay away from there!” he said as he sped up only for his voice to be drowned out as something big and ugly came out of the woods, advancing on her. It was more humanoid than Roach and Rarity was, yet it seemed more gorilla-like in build and more dog-like in appearance. Roach cursed, seeing the body language clearly despite the creature's alien appearance. This newcomer meant business! “Get the harness off me,” he told Spike hurriedly, “Now, now, now, now!” he hissed, making Spike scramble off him and hurriedly get the heavy leather straps off him as fast as he could. Rarity was back-pedaling, speaking to the newcomer in a frantic, tense voice as she tried to defuse the situation. The newcomer wasn't having any of that though and Roach could tell what was happening. Kidnapping attempt!
After three weeks of rest and recuperation Roach had lost all the exhaustion he'd felt when coming here. His new shape was fully familiar to him by now and the magic of his horn was pretty well under his control. He was ready and able. Lowering his horn, he took aim and fired a bolt of energy that flew towards the dog-ape thing, singing its ear and making it yelp.
“Stay back, or it's the eye next time,” he growled as he advanced. “Rarity, move, back to Ponyville, move, move, move!” he called her, repeating the word over and over to drive home the point in the obviously stunned and hesitant Rarity, hoping she'd oblige. The dog-ape snarled however, Roach suddenly noticing movement behind him. He looked back, kicking blindly and managing to nail another dog in the face. Another? Where'd he come from?!
Looking to the side as the second dog was stumbling backwards with a dull moan, Roach managed to catch a glimpse of yet another dog as it came crawling, no burrowing, up through the very earth! This was bad, seriously bad! The only bright spot was Rarity, who was hurriedly back-pedaling away from her attacker, turning to run only to have the brutish figure lash out and grab her. Rarity screamed and Roach snarled and prepared to fire another bolt. This time that creature was paying with his eye!
Then, however, he heard Spike's choked cry and looked to the side, seeing how Spike had thrown himself at the third dog, scratching it to the best of his abilities but the dog was way bigger and stronger. Roach felt a surge of rage at this, unable to fire more than one bolt at a time and yet having two targets to choose between. The mere split-second of hesitation, one Price would have murdered him for, gave Rarity, who was being dragged off by the beast, to call out.
“Save Spike!” she screamed, desperately, and Roach cursed, turning around and firing the bolt straight into the other dog's eye. It howled in pain as it let Spike go, stumbling back and giving Roach clear line of sight for another shot. This one he put more juice into, nailing the beast straight in the chest and sent it flying backwards with a choked whine before he turned back to Rarity. Hopefully there was still time!
There wasn't. He was treated to the sight of Rarity screaming in fear as she was pulled into a pit further away, Roach snarling as he charged, his horn glowing as he galloped towards the opening, about to leap in after her before the entire opening was collapsed. It fell apart utterly, burying the hole in a thick layer of dirt and Roach had to skid to a halt with another, choked, snarl.
Not good, not good at all, what the hay were these things?! Turning back to the dog he had downed, Roach was treated to the sight of it being dragged into another hole, further away, by two additional dogs. Before he could do anything, that hole as well was collapsed. Hissing in frustration, Roach darted towards Spike, tossing the still stunned dragon up on his back as he ran back to Ponyville as fast as his legs could carry him.
------xxxxxx------
Back in Ponyville Price was walking through the town square with a large pair of open saddlebags over his back and a spiked rod telekinetikally gripped to pick up trash with. After its long absence, the cigar was planted in his mouth once again. After much ado, Price had finally having found a place that sold them and while they were perplexing him with their taste (sweeter than he'd prefer, almost fruity) they were at least cigars. Not bad quality either.
Now if he could just be rid of the bouncing tosser that insisted on following him.
“Oh, oh!” Pinkie said, “I got it! Why did the chicken cross the road?” she asked him merrily as she came up beside him, Price groaning internally.
“To find some place where he could cross the road without being questioned,” Price drawled, not even looking to her as he stabbed a piece of paper and shook it into his bag. His telekinesis was coming along nicely at least.
“No silly!” Pinkie said equally merry. “To get to the other side! Unless it was on the other side when it started. Would that mean it's on this side now?” she asked and Price took a deep puff of his cigar, wishing it'd all just end. In the distance he noticed how Roach was coming now, the boy running like he had half an army after himself. What more, the look on his face... Price instantly tensed up now, turning to come towards him.
“Captain!” Roach called out now, Price noticing how he was carrying that little dragon on his back. The kid looked scared, even panicked, and leaped off when Roach reached them, starting to incoherently yell.
“Dogs!” he yelled, “Rarity, gems, big!” he yelled until Roach placed his hoof over the little dragon's mouth.
“I was with Rarity out of town, five clicks north, dust field. We were ambushed, some kind of... gorilla-like dog creatures. They kidnapped Rarity, fled underground. I had to extract Spike...” While he panted, he spoke in quick, clipped tones and Price nodded now, snapping into the familiar mindset of the consummate soldier.
“Good call,” he said. Getting the kid out of there made sense. Better a good call in time than a perfect call ten seconds too late, Price knew that and wasn't about to start criticizing Roach. Not now, when speed was of the essence. Swinging his horn, he moved it in an arc before he stabbed skywards, shooting a sooty red ball of light into the air. It shot into the sky with a loud, hissing sound that echoed across Ponyville before starting to slowly descend, being airborne for over a minute. Getting the saddlebags off himself, he took Roach and headed for the library at a quick run.
Already when they reached it Gaz and Ghost came through the air, both of them landing with quite the expert grace now, Yuri and Soap soon coming from the Sweet Apple Acres at a full pelt. Some of the locals, mainly Applejack's friends, were already in the library. Price gritted his teeth but guessed it was inevitable.
“What's wrong?” Twilight asked when she saw them, Price realizing they had to all look murderous right about now.
“Twilight!” Spike yelled, still hyperventilating and provoking Soap to grab him, pushing a paper bag into his hands.
“Breathe into this lad,” he told the little dragon as Roach came up to Twilight.
“Rarity's been kidnapped,” he said bluntly. The ponies in there, Twilight, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Applejack all gasped at this.
“What?!” they asked and Roach nodded.
“Some kind of gorilla-dogs, lives north of town. What are they?” he asked. Twilight's brow furrowed.
“Gorilla-dogs?” she asked. “I've... never heard of that, how did they look?”
“Big forearms, small legs, big, slobbering dog-faces... they had a lot of gems on them,” he said, Twilight blinking at this as she furrowed her brow.
“I don't know... wait!” she exclaimed, running to her bookshelf and tearing out a book there. Hurriedly flipping through it as Roach was waylaid by Applejack and Rainbow Dash, who both heatedly asked for more details of what had happened. Twilight pushed them aside, however, and showed them the book she'd found. On the open pages were two things. Firstly a drawing of a large dog-like creature, built like an ape and with clothes covered in gems. Secondly was a description of them. “Diamond dogs,” Twilight said, the six stallions all leaning in to look at it. “They're a subterranean species, obsessed with finding gems, willing to steal if that's what it takes.”
“Steal, or kidnap,” Price growled as Roach turned to the side, slamming a hoof into the table in anger. “Calm down Roach!”
“That's it!” he hissed. “Rarity was using a spell to find gems, they kidnapped her for it! Damn it!” he hissed now. “I... I had to choose... one of them was coming after Spike, I had to make the call... she told me to save Spike! Horseapples... it was Kingfish all over again, I had to choose!” he was actually trembling in anger now, anger and frustration. Price grabbed him however and slapped him.
“Get your head back in the game soldier,” he told the young stallion icily. “You got me back, and we'll get her back.” With that, he looked to the others. “You heard me, a mare was kidnapped on our watch, and we're getting her back. Prepare to move out.” the others all looked at him, nodding.
No questions were needed. The brotherhood that had formed around these six men had always been devoted to their job. Even when they were persona non grata globally, fighting a vastly superior foe possessing unlimited resources and doing so for the sake of people who wouldn't even know about it they'd been committed. Now that they had a face to it they couldn't have backed off. They had all met Rarity, gotten a feel for her as a person, as the generous, though somewhat snobbish figure she was. She was someone who had offered them little favors here and there, such as treating Roach and Price to the spa “so they could be their best”, or making Yuri her favorite male model, something Yuri couldn't deny he'd found flattering. She was actually there, a person they'd all bonded with in their own ways. Not a faceless somebody they knew existed only logically, but someone who had become present in their emotions as well.
Price could see it in their eyes. They'd all die to get her back if that was what it took. Good, that was what Task Force 141 was all about.
“We're coming with you!” Twilight said now, Price looking to the mares to see them all look at him with determined looks in their eyes, even gentle Fluttershy. He shook his head.
“No,” he told them plainly. “We don't know what they might do, this is no job for civilians,”
“Civilians my flank!” Rainbow Dash called out. “She's our friend, we've got more right to try to rescue her than you do! We don't abandon our friends!”
“Right, yes, chance, no.” Price told them bluntly. “You asked us if we were military once miss Sparkle,” he said. “We were. More specifically the kind specializing in situations like this. You're right; she's your friend, and that's why we're doing this. We were lost, and you took us in. This is the only way we can repay that.”
“Sorry sugarcube,” Applejack said, “But you ain't going alone, we're with ya, an' that's final.” Price growled at this, frustrated at their obstinate refusal to see what had to be done. Soap put a hoof on Price's shoulder though.
“Fastest flyer in Equestria an' the most powerful wizard too, the others' got their assets too,” he muttered to Price. “I ain't likin' it, but these lassies have handled themselves at other times.” Price grunted. It went against all his principles to drag civilians into a hostile situation, but they didn't have time to screw around.
“Fine,” he said eventually, turning to the door and puffing his cigar in frustration. What he found, however, was Twilight coming up and placing a hoof on his shoulder.
“Don't worry captain,” she smiled comfortingly. “We're not that weak. We might surprise you.”
“Just survive,” Price said plainly. “That's all I ask.”
------xxxxxx------
As they came over the ridge that was the only obstacle between them and the muddy field where Rarity had been taken they came to a halt. Roach swore as he looked out across the valley. The field in front of them was littered with holes, Roach counting several dozen. He looked around, teeth gritted in frustration.
“They must have dug these only just now.” He said lowly. This would complicate matters, a lot. Just which of these bloody holes would lead them into the enemy stronghold?!
“Spread out,” Price said, “Pair up and investigate,” They all obeyed instantly, spreading out in pairs across the landscape even as Twilight and the others came up behind them. Heading for the nearest hole, Price found himself stymied when, suddenly, the hole was filled up by earth. “What the!?”
A furious scramble started now, the ponies all running around as they tried to get to any of the holes before they closed. Yet hole after hole was collapsed by the diamond dogs, making their scramble a futile one. Eventually Price stopped.
“Abort!” he yelled and his men stopped, all of them showing their frustration.
“What are you doing?!” Rainbow Dash yelled. “Keep going!” she told them as she shot past, diving for a hole yet ending up faceplanting in a pile of dirt as the hole was collapsed.
“No, and that's why!” Price snapped as his men came up to him, the mares not too far behind. “They're toying with us,” he growled. This was humiliating! Best soldiers in the world and some slobbering dog creatures had them outmanoeuvred! As soon as he got his hands on these creatures he'd reduce them to whimpering pups!
“What do we do?” Yuri asked as he looked around himself. “Front entrance seems a no-go, anyone know of a back door?”
“Oooh, ooh, I know!” Pinkie yelled now, excitedly bouncing up and down. “Why don't we go fish?” she asked happily and Price face-hoofed.
“Miss Sparkle,” he growled. “I know she's your friend, but either she shuts up or I don't know what I'll do...” he was trembling as it was, so angry with this pink tosser he didn't know what to do.
“Actually...” Twilight said, not perturbed at all. “I think she might have a point,” she continued thoughtfully. “We can't enter the holes... but maybe we could set a bait?” At this the soldier six all blinked, Soap and Gaz looking at each other.
“That could work actually...” Gaz said, Price silently twitching.
------xxxxxx------
“Riiight, fish for diamond dogs, what could possibly go wrong...” Rainbow Dash asked as she clambered out of the pony pile they'd all ended up in. Their attempts to “fish” had ended up with them all dragged into the hole. Twelve ponies hadn't been enough to hold back whatever had pulled at the rope and now they had been dragged into the caverns.
“Yer callin' this goin' wrong lass?” Soap asked as he got to his feet and cracked his neck. “From where I'm standin' we got in, aye?”
“But where are we?” Twilight asked as she looked around. That was a good question indeed. Some kind of cave tunnel complex, with tunnels branching off in all directions. As for which tunnel led where they needed to go?
“Clever mutts,” Ghost muttered. “Drag us down, dump us in a labyrinth and wait until we're weak enough to not put up a fight any more.”
“Oh dear...” Fluttershy whimpered.
“Oh man, how are we gonna find them?!” Spike asked, about to panic again and Roach quickly handed him the paper bag again.
“Miss Sparkle, do you have any spells to track living things?” Price asked as he looked around. “They'll be down here somewhere, we need to know in which direction.”
“Sorry...” Twilight said awkwardly. “I'm not too good with search spells.” she admitted and Price grunted.
“Search spells... I got it !” Spike exclaimed. “Rarity's gem-searching spell! You could use that to find out where the gems are.”
“And where there's gems, there's diamond dogs?” Price said. “Miss Sparkle?”
“I don't know if I can use that spell, it was Rarity's specialty and I've never used it before...” Twilight began hesitantly, her insecurity about her abilities coming out in force. Soap spoke up instantly to cut her off.
“Miss Sparkle, it's Rarity,” he said. “Yer friend's been captured. She needs ye. Will ye risk not tryin' and an' leave her to suffer down here? Do it, fer Rarity.”
“I... I can try....” Twilight said, her face showing clearly just how taken aback she was by the grim reminder of what was at stake. She furrowed her brow as she began to focus, everyone being silent as beads of sweat slowly began to creep out on Twilight's forehead. Then, slowly, a glow came from the ground nearby as they could see a gem in the ground being illuminated by magic. More and more of them appeared, all going seemingly in one direction.
“You did it!” Spike cheered, Price nodded.
“Let's move,” he ordered.
------xxxxxx------
The tunnels were quiet, real quiet, and it put all of the former Task Force 141 members on edge. They were moving quickly but silently, scanning their surroundings without seeing much of anything. The fact that there was ample light down here was helpful, but strange. Not that they thought much of it as they entered a large chamber, which looked almost like an antechamber to something. They were just about to advance into it when suddenly, in the distance, they could hear crying.
It sent a chill down their spines in an instant as they could recognize the voice. It was Rarity's voice that was weeping uncontrollably, desperately.
It's hard to explain just what went through the minds of the six stallions at this point. Rage certainly, but a cold, frozen such. Certainty too. Not of the kind that meant they knew what something would lead to but rather what they would do now. It was time for these mutts to pay. Not in gems, but blood. They stormed forwards, spotting the shadows only just in time.
“ABOVE!” Gaz yelled as they all looked up to see the massive, heavily armored diamond dog guards that were descending towards them through the air. And maybe the dogs could have succeeded, maybe they could have muzzled them with the ropes they were holding, if they hadn't picked the six worst ponies in Equestria to attempt this on.
Gaz and Ghost shot into the air with instinctive speed, each body-slamming into two of the dogs and sending them tumbling to the sides before they each did a one-eighty and descended at them again to dive-slam into two of the dogs. Price and Roach both lowered their flanks and aimed upwards, unleashing a steady staccato of bolts that struck with expert accuracy and sent the dogs for a spin while Yuri and Soap fell upon the dogs that now crashed into the ground on their faces rather than their feet, Soap especially meeting one of them, mid-fall, with a savage uppercut that sent him vaulting upwards again.
The dogs hadn't a chance in Tartarus to win or indeed to escape. Not only were the soldier six their superiors in martial training, they were at the moment on a surge of pure fury. After a rough minute of gruesome violence one of the dogs was slammed into the wall by Yuri and Ghost, who held him in place as Price looked back to the mares.
“Go ahead,” he told them with a growl, eyes glacial under his boonie hat. “We'll catch up when we've tied these guys up. Move! Rarity needs you!” He ordered, leaving the mares accompanying him and his men to hesitate for a second before they ran ahead, Soap and Roach accompanying them. The instant they vanished out of sight, however, Price tore up a large rock with telekinesis which he proceeded to slam into the wall right next to the dog's head.
“One chance you filthy mongrel!” the grizzled old captain hissed into the now terrified dog's face. “Where is the prisoner!? Answer or I'll smash your head like an egg! I've got five other dogs to interrogate so don't think I won't! Talk!” He snarled, able to go all out now that the mares were out of sight and hearing range. More than anyone, Price knew that importance of when and where, and he didn't want to traumatize the civilians that had ended up being dragged along. Yet when nobody saw, he could go all out and keep one goal in mind only. Rarity was what mattered right now, no matter how many dog corpses he'd have to walk over for that to happen. The dog, terrified, quickly pointed towards one of the tunnels on the left. Price nodded and dropped the rock before delivering an uppercut that knocked the dog out. As the now unconscious dog sank slowly to the ground he turned around and silently nodded towards the entrance, the stallions all following him without a word.
Before long, they reached another door, the sound of Rarity's crying clear here. She was on the other door, that much was clear. Price leaned in to listen at the door before pulling back and drawing up some lines in the sand.
“Big chamber,” he said briskly, “Unknown number of hostiles. Soap, Yuri, you kick the door in. Roach, you're with me as they breach, fire the most potent flash spell into the room you can. Gaz, Ghost, when they hit I want you in the air, fly in and take out priority targets at your discretion. Soap, Yuri, I want you right on their tails, clear out the nearest hostiles while Roach and I follow up taking out any remnants, questions?” he asked only to be met by five stallions shaking their heads.
“I'm with you and Roach, right captain?” Twilight's voice asked and they looked up, seeing how the mares had caught up with them. While Fluttershy seemed almost queasy, Applejack, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash and Twilight all looked determined and ready. Price looked at them for a second before grunting.
“It's going to be dangerous, too dangerous for just anyone,” he warned them.
“You think we didn't get that much Sugarcube?” Applejack asked. “She's our friend and we ain't gonna stand back while ya'll do the work.”
“Not if we can buck some teeth in the process,” Rainbow Dash told them with narrowed eyes and the gleam of someone spoiling for a fight in them.
“Fine,” Price said, “Positions!” he ordered and was obeyed in moments, Yuri stepping back and letting Applejack take the position to breach the door. Taking a deep breath, Price focused before snapping out the command “Breach!”
Applejack and Soap bucked the doors with all they had, the lock being torn open and the doors flying inwards and slamming wide open. In the same instant, three bolts of magic flew into the room, impacting with the walls and floors and exploding with blinding light. Surprised yelps could be heard from inside even as Rainbow Dash, Ghost and Gaz flew inside at top speed, Yuri, Soap and Applejack on their tails followed by Twilight, Price and Roach, all of them with lit horns.
And yet there were no tumult, no chaotic brawling, only a voice that yelled out even as they were storming inside.
“Dogs give up!” it yelled in panic as they came dashing inside and got a better appraisal of the situation,”Dogs give up, just take her away!” The yelping came from behind a large stalagmite, where a few dogs Roach instantly recognized were hiding. They were the ones who'd taken Rarity. Now, however, they were hiding behind the rocks in terror. How had they moved that fast Roach found himself wondering, unless she already had...
“Oh my...” Rarity said, coming from further away as she blinked, a bit disheveled but without a single scratch on her. “That was... quite the entrance Roach dear. I... oh my, I didn't expect quite such a.... flashy rescue.” She shook her head and blinked repeatedly
“Wait a second here,” Gaz asked now, blinking. “Why are they they ones cowering and you're the one walking around freely? We heard you cry?”
“Oh, that,” Rarity smiled widely, “Let's just say that I had the situation quite under control. Really, for such brutish figures they really were sensitive to whining and crying. I had the situation fully under control,” she declared, Roach blinking as he looked at Rarity, who smiled, then to his teammates, who were silently staring in disbelief at her, then back to Rarity.
“Really?”
------xxxxxx------
“How did this happen?” Gaz asked as they walked backwards Ponyville, each of the soldier six dragging one of the large wagons filled with germs that Rarity had managed to bully out of her captives behind them.
“The short version is that we tried to save Rarity from captivity, only to have...” Yuri drawled as he pulled at the cart, looking no happier than Gaz.
“It was a rhetorical question!” Gaz exclaimed as they neared the village. Roach grunted at this, looking in Rarity's direction as they walked. He should have been pissed off, but somewhere Roach could only chuckle at the situation. Again; he and the others were lethal killers, but Rarity was dangerous in a wholly different way. Kidnapped by those giant rapey-looking dogs she had proceeded to whine at them until they had been desperate to get rid of her one way or another. It was... either amazing or mindbogglingly stupid, maybe a bit of both.
He just wasn't going to tell the captain that. Price was looking as though he was ready to murder again.
Getting back home to Rarity's boutique, they got the harnesses for the wagons off them, Price looking as though he was about to storm away, when Rarity came up to them.
“Gentlecolts,” she said as she came up, looking as happy as a lark at the massive haul she'd managed to get. Again something that made Roach think of how dangerous she was. Not only was she a captive who talked, or whined, her way out of it, she actually had kept her need for gems in mind! That was some PSYOPS level stuff right there. Not that it made him and the others feel any less like absolute tits at the moment. “Please, don't look so down. I do appreciate what you did for me, and let nobody tell you you shouldn't have tried to come to my aid.”
“Hmh,” Price grunted, only to have his boonie hat almost fly off as Rarity came up to him and gave him a small nuzzle on the cheek.
“Don't fret,” she told the man, “In fact, how about that this remains our little secret and Ponyville can think you were the ones who saved me?” she asked with a wink. “Surely a brave, dedicated stallion like you help me with that?” she asked, Price looking at her with blinking eyes.
“Very well,” he said after a while, looking away as he kept puffing his cigar. Roach was NOT going to say anything whatsoever about the fact that he almost seemed like he was blushing.
“Wonderful, thank you so much!” Rarity said happily and proceeded to give them each a small, chaste nuzzle before she turned to head for the store. “I must get right to work now, oh but do come by tomorrow. I'll have an excess of gems you could help me with. Toodles!” she sing-songed as she headed into the store, leaving six very surprised stallions behind.
“Anypony know if MI6 have a branch in Ponyville?” Roach asked eventually, “That mare's dangerous.”
“And hot,” Gaz added, his remark actually not provoking any outrage of disgust or shock this time around.
“Whatever,” Price muttered, “dismissed everybody, time to go try to pick up whatever shards of respect we can salvage.” His voice was bitter. Gaz grimaced to himself, realizing why his captain was so upset.
“All is well that ends well, isn't it captain?” Twilight's voice came from further away and Price looked up to see Twilight and the others come up to them. “I know it might have been a bit anti-climactic, but I'm...”
“Miss Sparkle, shut up,” Price said with a sudden growl, taking a deep puff of his cigar before tossing it away. “I just leaped into one of the most risky types of missions there are only for it to magically fix itself and end up being used as a pack mule. I don't like being messed with. Solve your own darn problems from now on, because we're evidently not needed here.” He spat before storming off, leaving his men and the mares both to look after him in shock.
------xxxxxx-------
“Thou art a glutton for punishment, art thou not?” Price slowly opened his eyes, looking around and finding himself standing in a deep, dark forest. He didn't know where he was, but the voice was familiar. Looking up, he saw her standing on a cliff higher up. She was looking down at him, the look in her eyes raising his hackles in an instant.
“And you're a meddler,” he told her sourly. “Let's get whatever ham-fisted sermon you have planned over with, I don't have the patience or the naivete to listen to you of all ponies right now.”
“Pardon?” Luna asked him, raising an eyebrow. “Me of all ponies?”
“I did some digging around, Nightmare Moon,” Price told her frankly, seeing how Luna flinched at the mentioning of this name and smiling grimly. He wasn't going to let this uppity horse lecture him, not when her history was so filthy. Therefore he twisted the knife around in her. “Jealous of big sister getting all the attention, weren't you?” he continued, “Your story's too familiar to me. Some entitled horseapple thinks he deserves more than he gets. He doesn't accept it or try to peacefully change it. Rather he decides the world that doesn't bow to him must fall. He takes up weapons and lets nothing stop him, not even that he'd have to murder his own family to get it.” he finished, growling. “In your case, that's not even including the fact that photosynthesis needs sunlight, not moonlight, and you'd have slowly choked the world to death. I'm not gonna beat around the bush, princess, you better be damn glad your sister didn't have me and my men to call upon when you tried that stunt of yours. Our jobs were to kill ponies like you.”
“I am,” Luna told him, a quiver in her voice but her eyes steady. She looked straight at him, not backing away from her crimes but rather facing them. Price couldn't help but respect that somewhat. “As I am that my foalish coup attempt was averted. I make no excuses for my actions a thousand years ago. Indeed that my sister forgave what I did seems, at times, to be more than I deserved.”
“Some insight at least,” Price told her. He had seen too much, stood in the ruins of too many lives, to be a big fan of second chances. Even Yuri was a borderline case for him.
“Thou art harsh, Captain Price,” she told him. “Be that also the reasons for what transpired today?” she continued, looking at him with an inquiring look.
“Respectfully princess, buck off,” he told her. “What happened today is who I am, who my men and I all are. That's the long and short of it, we're murderers, not heroes.”
“I speakest of how thou lashed out at Twilight Sparkle and her friends.” Luna cut him off. “Thou hoped, didst thou not? Hoped that thine presence here actually could bring something positive for the natives of this place, that thou hath found a way to not taint, but to save?”
“No, because the road to Tartarus is paved with good intentions,” Price told her lowly. “I don't live in the rainbow-sunshine land where that alone absolves someone. If I did I was a fool and it only further proved why I shouldn't be here.”
“And yet thou hath remained in a service like thine for so long. Be this also a desire to martyr thyself?”
“Martyrs look for self-gratification,” Price spat, “I just do the dirty work that must be done so no one else has to. And when I die it's not as a hero, but as a butcher. Only thing absolving me in the least was that I was necessary.”
“If only thou saw how much that humility alone can absolve a pony,” Luna said with a small smile, “Thou art better than I was, so I see not why thou must act pre-emptively, and push those who could be thine friends away.”
“They don't need to to be tainted by association with me,” Price said. “If you know this much, you know how they reacted. And tell me, you really want your sister's precious apprentice to get involved with blood-soaked murderers?”
“That is for Twilight to decide,” Luna replied, “And were thou not so fearful, I think she could surprise thee. Thou hath taken for granted that thy actions make thee irredeemable, and thou createst a self-fulfilling prophecy. Art thou so fearful, that thou darest not reap what thine grim but fundamentally virtuous actions could bestow upon thee?”
“They don't need someone like me,” Price muttered as he looked away, incensed by how she seemed to stare right through him. “Young fillies whose lives are such that they can solve their troubles through love and friendship doesn't need blood-soaked old wolves in their midst. My very presence taints them.”
“The mares thou seekest to protect are more durable than thou thinkest.” Luna told him as her voice began to fade. “Thou hath sought to help the world for so long. Be not afraid to accept its help now. Be not afraid...” she said again, slowly spreading her wings as a darkness extended from her which slowly unraveled the dream and left him in a void, a void where he slowly drifted off to sleep again, not waking up until morning.