//------------------------------// // Ashes, Ashes // Story: Pocketful of Posies // by GJT_Productions //------------------------------// "There's our target, fellow Agents. The jewelry store next to the joke shop. According to my intelligence, it is owned by one Lemony Gems. As the marefriend of a traitor to our cause, she is a worthy target of attack." "What's the plan, 21?" "We break in, you two steal what you can carry, then drop fire grenades behind you while I make a run for it out of town. I'm going back to Canterlot on hoof, got unfinished business there." "Fair enough, all we need to do is get out in one piece. Plus, I sure wouldn't mind ruining the night of those Element Bearers in the process." "What are we waiting for then? Let's get started!" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was thus that Agent 21, wearing the usual cloak disguise so that even his fellow Agents couldn't figure out his identity, and Agent P1 snuck across the Ponyville main square to the elaborately decorated windows and door of the Ponyville jewelry store. Agent P2 didn't participate in the break-in, but instead stayed in the hiding spot, pointing a shoulder-mounted grenade launcher out into the square. P1 had some of the same incendiary grenades used as the launcher's ammo in a sack attached to his flank, ready to be pulled out and tossed to cause fiery destruction. Agents 21 and P1 reached the front of the jewelry store undetected, and 21 turned to buck the door open. The attack connects, triggering both a shrill alarm and an almost-explosive shattering of glass. Quickly 21 and P1 leap over the shattered glass into the store proper; once inside, 21 begins smashing the display cases while P1 tosses an incendiary grenade through what looks like a doorway to a backroom, the device detonating with a satisfying "whoomph", followed by the crackle and dancing lights of fire spreading across the floor. "Stairs! Hit the stairs leading up!" 21 shouts, and P1 lobs another incendiary grenade at the far end of the store, where there could be seen stairs leading up through an open doorway. The grenade explodes in front of that doorway, setting the floor on fire and blocking use of the stairs in the process - the two Agents are certain anypony up there is trapped and unable to stop their rampage. With smoke and heat filling the main area of the jewelry, P1 scoops up any loose jewelry he sees on the floor and leaps to smash through one of the plate glass windows as he runs at full gallop back to the hiding place. He spares a look back to see 21 taking off in a different direction, also at full gallop. Already ponies, mostly pegasi with cloud water reserves marked for firefighting, were converging in the town square to fight the fire. As soon as P1 returns to the hiding spot, Agent P2 starts loading the grenade launcher, as per previous instructions, while listening to a panting P1's orders: "The pegasi have to stay on their clouds to direct the water where it's needed. Blast 'em down, then hit the crowd that gathers around 'em!" "Got it!" P2 exclaims, looking through the launcher's sights as several pegasi move clouds over to prepare to fight the fire. Once the pegasi have their clouds in place, P2 fires off one blast at a random cloud with a pegasus on top of it, then quickly followed by a second blast at another cloud controlled by a pegasus. Upon impact, the launched grenade blows the cloud apart, dumping the target and a large shower of rain to the ground. Besides being disruptive to the firefighting operation, it causes further agitation in the gathering crowd. Once other ponies attempt to rush to the aid of the fallen pegasi, P2 begins firing grenades at random angles into the crowd. The explosions trigger an immediate panic, bystander ponies stampeding away in fear of the impacts happening around them. The two Agents of Chaos switch back to attacking the pegasi in the air, so focused on hitting their targets that they don't notice something zooming up behind them... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The impact knocks both Agents flat, the grenade launcher tumbling away and P1 temporarily becoming disoriented. When he recovers, he sees his comrade rolling around with another pegasus, each trying to gain advantage of the other - in the darkness of night, the opponent is only seen in backlighting, but the rainbow colors of the mane and tail are enough for P1 to identify the assailant. He looks over at the scene of the fire, noting to his alarm several ponies approaching the position at high speed. He scoops up the grenade launcher, fires a round at the ponies coming toward him, and swings it round in the direction of the struggling P2. It connects with the rainbow-maned opponent, knocking her off P2 and allowing him to recover. "Forget about it P2, we need to get out of here!" P1 exclaims, seeing ponies coming their way again. P2 only needs one look to realize the truth of his partner's statement; he scoops up the bag of stolen jewelry nearby and takes off. P1 fires the last round of the grenade launcher at the oncoming ponies, then tosses the device itself in their direction as they try to dodge the grenade impact. The last thing P1 sees as he zooms into the sky is the launcher squarely knocking a pony down upon impact. The two pegasi speed through the clear night air, taking evasive paths to throw off any tailing ponies, back to the Everfree Forest. All they can hope is that 21 managed to get far enough fast enough to avoid getting caught... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MEANWHILE, ELSEWHERE IN PONYVILLE... Agent 21 was galloping through empty streets, looking back at the commotion created by his comrades every now and then. 21's objective was the direct connection road leading from Ponyville up to Canterlot - most ponies took the roughly parallel and faster train route, but the road still had some value for commercial traffic and as a visual guideline for fliers, usually Royal Guard soldiers on patrol. 21 didn't have to worry about the patrols or checkpoints along the road - forged passes would take care of that detail. What he was worried about was the landmarks he would have to pass on the way out of Ponyville. He had to pass by the Golden Oaks Library on his way out of the town, and the candlelight in the window confirmed a scenario he dreaded - facing Twilight Sparkle, perhaps with help from her baby dragon assistant. The whole point of his mission was to get out as fast as possible - even being delayed by her could lead to his capture and failing the mission Snake had sent him on. As he rounded the front of the library, he held out hope he wouldn't be spotted, but the sudden flash of light in front of him confirmed he had indeed been spotted. 21 skidded to stop in front of the teleported Twilight Sparkle and Spike, the former with a fierce expression and the latter in a "put up your dukes" pose. "Out of my way, filly." 21 exclaims, returning the fierceness under his cloak. "I don't know what you're up to, but it can't be anything good. And we're going to stop you, right here and now." Twilight replies. Agent 21 doesn't even bother trying to respond, just moves to try to get around her. Twilight moves to block again, and the two go back and forth for a minute. Finally, 21 tries to run off in a different direction, only to get yanked back hard by Twilight's magic. As soon as he'd been dragged back, Spike leaps on him, trying to claw through his cloak. Spike gets a few tears in before the Agent of Chaos bucks him off, but the distraction allows Twilight to come up and "flash" the Agent in the face with a spell. While wincing from the light, he gets knocked down by a kick from Twilight. Both Twilight and Spike pounce on him, and briefly the three brawl rolling around on the ground. The brawl continues for a minute without either side gaining a clear advantage, then 21 manages to kick Twilight off by hitting her in the belly, causing her to crumple down in pain. Shortly afterward, he flings Spike off again, sending the baby dragon into the side of the building - the impact only stuns Spike, but it ensures Agent 21 can get back on all four hooves and take off again. 21 risks another look back to see Spike walking over to Twilight, who is still on the ground clutching her stomach from the sucker kick she'd received. He then shifted up to see the pegasi in the firefighting effort to save the jewelry store. It gave his shaken confidence some comfort to see the plan was still going as expected. Now, all was forward, with the next stop Canterlot...