//------------------------------// // Pt 3 - Lieutenant Bear Claw & Why Squad 12 is Barred From Rivet's Workshop // Story: The Troll Squad // by Witching Hour //------------------------------// “I’m telling you, Standard, I know I can increase the output of that flame jet by at least thirty percent!” argued Bear. “And I’m telling you that you shouldn’t be in here to begin with!” snapped the other pegasus. “What if Chief Rivet finds us in here? It’ll be our heads for sure!’ The two Wonderbolts walked into the darkened workshop, moving toward the Jet Prototype. Manehattan Technical Institute had sent it to Rivet for his professional opinion by an old friend of his. If this thing worked, it could revolutionize flight vehicles for the next three centuries, potentially creating a new class of heavier-than-air transports that could outfly even the fastest pegasi. Bear Claw tossed his lunch bag onto a nearby workbench, grabbing several wrenches. Standard watched as his friend began “percussive maintenance” on the machine. “You question my observations?” “I question your judgement!” snapped Standard. “I have the best judgement!” protested Bear. “Was that judgement the same judgement that caused you to ask two mares to the Senior Prom at Flight School?” quipped Standard. “Hey, that was an accident!” protested Bear. “I asked them out one at a time, but the first one changed her mind.” “Then you should have told her that it was too late!” exploded Standard. “In the end, they were both pissed at you for that!” “...Ok, so that time I had less than great judgement, but-” admitted Bear. “Or the time you nearly blew up a waveform generator?” interrupted Standard. “...When was this?” asked Bear. “Last week!” bellowed Standard. “You hooked up your headphones and bottomed out the frequency, just because it made a farting noise!” “Oh yeah,” remembered Bear with a grin. “That was fun…” “It was fun destroying your headphones in front of the head lab monitor?” sighed Standard. “He was there?” asked Bear. “HE WAS STANDING RIGHT BEHIND YOU!” “...Oh yeah.” “Come on, put down the wrench and let’s go before we get caught!” “Will you just relax? I know what I’m doi- AUUUGH!” Suddenly, the back of the engine fired a jet of flame directly at the two pegasi. They both dove for cover, cowering behind an extra-large tool chest. After a minute, the engine groaned and coughed in protest before dying out. Slowly, Bear lifted his head, moving to the engine, and laughing slightly. “There, see?” grinned Bear, as his mane smoldered from the incident. “I told you it would work!” Standard said nothing, instead staring and pointing at where the flames were being directed. Specifically at a certain lunchbox that rested in the line of fire. “Oh f-” began Bear. At this point, the two stallions should have fled the room. They did not. Rivet sighed as he made his way back to the lab from the mess hall. He could hear Calm and Play Bitz goofing around from somewhere behind him while Shine and Swift were chatting about something. Lunch breaks were a bit of a nuisance sometimes, as they did take time away from his work, even though he did enjoy spending time with Squad Zero. He’d been working on a wide range of projects, some personal and some for friends at other research centers. Much of the equipment housed there was irreplaceable, and could set research progress back decades if damaged. As he opened the door to his workshop, Rivet instantly knew something was wrong. The air was different somehow and the lights were off, causing a pit of dread to form somewhere in the engineer’s stomach. He activated the portable headlamp he kept in his bags at all times in case of emergency and nearly fainted at the sight. Nearly every surface of the lab was covered in some form of reddish orange liquid with what appeared to be rice mixed in. There were two pegasi-shaped outlines in the mess. Broken mason jars covered the floor, having sprayed their contents everywhere upon being super-heated. Rivet took a small sample of the liquid in his hoof to confirm his suspicions. Curry. Pumpkin curry. He was here. A single business card confirmed his suspicions. Rivet shook with rage. Squad Zero watched with apprehension. Throughout the compound, the Wonderbolts froze as a single voice cut through the air. “BEAR CLAAAAAAAAAW!” bellowed Rivet. Elsewhere, Moony and Azure looked at Bear Claw, his distinctive “I’m screwed” grin plastered on his face. “Sounds like you were busy while we were messing with Blaze and High Winds,” smirked Moony. “This I gotta hear,” laughed Azure. “And that’s why we’re banned from the lab for all time,” finishes Bear Claw proudly. Spitfire frowns. “I know that story, Lieutenant,” she snaps. “I handled the damage reports for the incident personally. What I want to know is why there’s a damned golf cart sticking out of my office window!” Bear Claw looks at the ski jump ramp behind him, still slightly smoking from the launching golf cart and fire suppression teams working on putting out the fire. “Um, no reason…” grins Bear Claw.