Helen smiled sadistically as she stared at the latest financial report regarding the televising of Fort Bumfuck. It had now been a few years since the pony had appeared, and sales and ratings were beginning to drop off. She had anticipated this. As cute as Fluttershy was, she was only that: cute. After a long enough time, even cute lost its sale value if there wasn't variety. And that had been one thing lacking in the footage of Fort Bumfuck. The mercs would go through their day, fooling around with their weapons, visiting the firing range to practice, or stuffing their faces, and every so often Fluttershy would join them and do something adorable that made them melt. Even that didn't provide an infinite source of funds when nothing changed.
Fluttershy hadn't even fussed when they changed from baby food to solids for her. She was just too accommodating a child for her own good, or more specifically, the show's good. Which, as it turned out, was her own good.
Helen was actually glad of the letter Ms. Pauling had left on her desk. She didn't have what it took to do what needed to be done for the good of the company. Helen knew that the moment she saw the Fluttershy plushie in Ms. Pauling's bag. She wouldn't be able to bring herself to do what was necessary. She'd be too concerned for the filly's well being. That was fine for the audience to be, but not the director. Only Helen could do what was needed to truly turn that small saccharine sapient into smooth, sibilant simoleons.
Her preparations were already well under way. While RED team had been playing babysitter, she had been continuously sending BLU team against Grey Mann's last remaining strongholds. Ever since his powerbase and hold on Mann Co had been broken, she had been determined to break his will completely, and force him into a position where he would negotiate on her terms. Smart as he was, he underestimated the value of dumb muscle...but she would never underestimate the value of intelligence.
Negotiations were already under way via one of her many puppets. So she could freely reassign BLU team now to another mission. She still found it hard to believe that the two teams so readily believed the story that those who had originally contracted their services - Red Mann and Blue Mann - were somehow alive again. It had been too easy to restore status quo where all power was in her hands. She almost pitied them.
However, with BLU team on the move, she had no time for such things. The real emotion on the faces of RED team had made huge sums of money. Well, anguish was an emotion, too. Smiling grimly, she attached the cords to her control panel that would allow her to broadcast through every RED receiver...and spoke.
Scout smiled as he stepped off his moped at the rendezvous point. He could already see that the one he was meeting was already there. "Hey, Ms. Pauling!" he called out happily.
The woman in question smiled as he approached. "Hey Scout. I have to say, I was surprised at your request. Didn't seem like the sort of thing you would think of."
Scout shrugged. "I guess I've changed. I suppose we all have." He glanced away. "Heard through the grapevine. Is it true you...quit?"
Ms. Pauling nodded. "Yes. You say you've all changed? Well Helen has, too. She's gotten worse. I...can't be a part of her plans anymore. But if I act against her, I know she won't hesitate to eliminate me. And I'm not like the rest of you. I can't fight against her. So...all I can do is remove myself. At least then she has to work around my absence, which will slow her down a little."
Scout sighed. "We're all gonna miss you, ya know?"
She smiled. "I know. I guess in my own way, I'll miss all of you, too." She held out the suitcase she had been holding in one hand. "Here's what you requested. I prepared it myself."
Grinning widely, Scout accepted the briefcase. "Thanks, Ms. Pauling! This is gonna be so great! Whoops!" He managed to catch it as it fell from his fingers before it hit the ground.
Ms. Pauling chuckled. "Don't worry, Scout. That case has some of Engineer's best shock absorbancy designs built in. You could beat someone to death with that suitcase and the contents wouldn't shift so much as a nanometer."
Scout chuckled. "Good thinking, Ms. Pauling." He set the suitcase on the moped. "See you around, maybe?" he called out to her as he gunned the engine back towards the fortress.
Ms. Pauling smiled as he drove off, but then sighed sadly. "I'll see you," she whispered, before turning to leave.
Scout happily drove back the fortress before heading to the Intelligence room. He wanted this to be a surprise, and no one would even think twice about an intelligence suitcase in the Intelligence room. Laying it carefully on the table, he then slipped back out. Now that that was prepared, it was time to find the subject of his attention.
However, it seemed that subject would find him, as the revving of wheels and a metallic "Arf!" informed him he was in for a visitor.
"Big Brother!" Fluttershy shouted happily as she leaped from her scooter, using the momentum to launch herself into Scout's arms. "I missed you! Where'd you go?"
Scout chuckled as he hugged her. "Had something to go do. An old friend to meet up with."
Fluttershy sniffed the air. "Do I get to meet her?"
Scout blinked, stunned anew at the effectiveness of Fluttershy's nose. "Probably not. She's going away for a while."
"Aww!" Fluttershy pouted, scrunching up her face.
Scout laughed, booping her on the nose. "You're just too cute, you know that?" Fluttershy giggled.
It was at that point Scout - and the rest of RED team - heard something that made their blood run cold. The voice of the announcer filled their ears from their comms.
"BLU team is invading. Protect the Pegasus."
Oh buck. Red team it's time to show these guys what happen when you fight against a family with nothing holding them back to defend their little one.
Pff. TF2's continuity is nothing if not loose.
Fuck the briefcase, you need to protect the pegasus
Is it bad that I started grinning as I read that last line?
Sorry, damn itouch didn't load the notification.
Back on topic!
I KNEW IT!
THIS WILL BE AWESOME.
I want that mod now....
And I thought Blus were defensive.
my theory was that blue team got a baby Applejack or somthing that they would basicly start fighting a war to see who was best pony.\
but this works cool too.
This is all a set up! I hope BLU team would come to their senses!
(btw, I wonder what happens if Flutters encounter one of the BLU team..)
Engage hype alarm! *alarm noises*
4724297 Ehh, in my Headcanon, the two teams, while visually similar, are actually two completely different groups, completely unrelated to each other
Tempted to work on a story that has the TF2 mercs post-MvM fighting against the TFC mercs
4724867
They became unrelated when Fluttershy arrived.
It is like twins separating from each other.
4724742
nope, time to see some action!
4724748 No Blu is always offense
4724876
Plot twist: Blu Team received their own pony
Yes! Yes! YES!
MOAR!!
Lile i expected OMG!!!!
That alliteration at the end of paragraph three made me cum.
4724906
that's what I said last chapter XD
Oh, what a twist!
I wouldn't have guessed this to happen, huh!
Now we only need a little more insight of the changes in the team, years passed, afterall.
Oh, and that ending!...
-Zeph
4724738 Couldn't have said it better myself
BLU Soldier: THERE THEY ARE! ALRIGHT MEN, LET'S FRAG THESE RED IDIOTS AND BAG US A PEGASUS!
*Fluttershy flies right up to BLU soldier's face*
Fluttershy: Hold it right there!, mister! Who do you think you are?! Bringing your friends into our home uninvited, trying to hurt a family that did nothing to you, and plotting to abduct their child! You should be ashamed of yourselves! Now apologize this instant and then leave!
BLU Soldier: WE'RE SORRY! IT WAS WRONG OF US! WE WON'T TRY IT AGAIN! RETREAT! RETREAT!
*BLU team runs away*
Scout: Did Fluttershy just stare down the whole BLU team?
Spy: Yes, Scout. Yes, she did.
Medic: Fascinating...
img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20121205012845/mlp/images/4/45/Discord_eating_popcorn_S2E2.png
4725078 It this actually happens, I'm going to lose it.
4724738 Don't you mean... buck the briefcase?
chronic levels: DEFCON 1
oh no
*Laughs maniacly*
Well, I wonder if the REDs are desperate enough to call on one of their closest relatives for support - and I mean Monoculos (given that he's Demoman's left eye given horrific, autonomous life, I'd say he's a pretty damn close relative).
Wow.
I'm just now getting slightly irked at how short these chapters are. Not that this story is bad in any way, but it seems like now is the time to make longer chapters for the action.
I'd be patient for it.
4725345 Uh.. Okay...
4725453
Because RED
We're hooked on a story where baby Fluttershy shows up to RED team, they all love her, she has a pet chain chomp, and Engineer can tune into other dimensions. I think we can handle a little scewing from the canon. Besides, TF2 has never had the most comprehensible plot.
Does this mean that we're using the TFC mercs for BLU?
4725551 Wait... It has a plot? I thought it was a war themed hat simulator!
I kid. The actual plot of the story seems more like a Saturday morning cartoon, which if we are to believe Saxton Hale, it pretty much is. At least an adaptation of what is really happening.
ScoutxPauling!
4725654 That and doing the Conga for about 3 hours on end.
4725118 How would you feel if this happened?
BLU Scout: Got ya! You're comin' with me little girl.
*Fluttershy whimpers*
Chompy: Arf! Arf!
BLU Scout: Keep barkin' shortie. Now move before I bat ya one.
Chompy: ARF! ARF!
BLU Scout: How bout ya bite me ya runt.
*Chompy bites BLU Scout's groin*
*BLU Scout does impression of an opera singer holding a high note*
Spy: Well, he did ask for it.
Medic: Seems his bite is worse than his bark.
4725735 Eh... A bit too far.
4725735
Genius!
This oughta be interesting!
4725453 because they usually used RED team for the meet the videos
Who cares about continuity? IT'S MURDER TIME SUCKERS!
4724742
Nope. I did too.
4724748
BLU are the builders, so they are the ones who build a bomb loaded cart and roll it to the defending RED's huge explosives...somehow this makes little sense but it sure is fun to play, though.
In short, yes RED's are more aggressive but that is why they make such a big weapon that the BLU are forced to respond in an all-or-nothing assault, making the defensive BLU seem like the aggressors.
4725453
Actually, BLU aren't the bad guys here: Helen is. BLU is just her pawns because they haven't been claimed by their own little pony.
4724748 No the RED team is always the defense side in the matches. The stop the cart, defend the points and such.
4728269 ...For some reason, the image of 'Fluttershy wielding a BFG [Big fucking gun (Yes, there are guns with nicknames like that) (Usually sniper rifle)] and shoot it right at Helen' floating in my head when I think about what future will hold for Fluttershy...
Noo! I hope BLU team isnt evil or something... :/
Fluttershy shall unite RED and BLU under one banner, forming the PurPLe team.
NO WAR HERE UNITE THE TEAMS ATTACK HELEN FIGHT-battlecry-YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA and protect flutters of course