Mane co Mercenaries: The Battles

by Paintpaws

Chapter 5: The Hive - Part 2

"So er, do any of you dopes know where we are?" Scout had asked the group.

The room that the mercenaries and princess had regrouped in was a large, low ceilinged hall of some sort, with green gunk dribbling down from it. The walls were the same colour as the outside of the hive, large, rotting pillars of the same shade were off to the sides.

"Maybe we should move on a bit further." Sniper said.

"What about Heavy and Medic?" Engineer asked, he looked around. The group had split up into four but only three had returned.

"Those passage ways could have led them to anyway," The griffin pointed out, "They could be waiting for us up ahead."

Princess Cadence stood off to one side, deep in thought. The mercenaries all turned to her when she finally spoke up. "Don't you think it's a bit weird that Heavy knew where these passageways would lead?"

The mercenaries hadn't considered this, but Demo quickly shook it off. "Aye lassie, but Heavy's a fine planner." The unicorn finished off another bottle of scrumpy and belched.

Movement caught Demo's good eye, he turned to see Heavy and Medic standing in one of the passageways. A ribbon of blue magic from Medic's horn was attached to Heavy's body. "Oh laddies, we were just talking about you two." He greeted them.

"It's about bloody time you two got here." Sniper snapped. He frowned at Medic, the unicorn wasn't holding himself up like he did normally, his head bowed and his eyes misty. "You alright doc?"

Medic didn't react to Sniper's question, he didn't even seem to register the griffin's presence. Heavy chuckled darkly, "Oh don't worry, he's fine. Just had a little accident, that's all."

Scout jumped into the air and glared at Heavy, "How come you can suddenly speak Equestrian?" He demanded, getting up in the giant's face.

"Well if I spoke like an idiot all the time I wouldn't be able to get my point across, now would I?" Heavy said calmly, "Now shut up."

The gathered mercenaries fell silent, Princess Cadence backed away. Heavy glared at the group, "We remember how you defeated us before and it will not happen again. You were stupid enough to come chasing after a traitor and for that you will fall here."

"What in the hell are you going on about partner?" Engineer asked as Pyro growled over his shoulder.

Demo's eye widened in realisation. "He's bloody one of them!" He shouted, darting away and pulling fireworks out of his saddle bag. The other mercenaries also got into battle stances. 'Heavy' only laughed.

"Too late." He growled. A green, fire-like magic appeared around the giant, taking over his whole body. When the bright magic ceased the mercenaries saw what he really was. A changeling.

The changeling was larger then the brutes they had encountered in Teufort, with a thicker hide and structure. White tusks stuck out of it's mouth, it's horn was long and jagged with dragon like spikes along it's back and face. It's eyes glowed green as he laughed at the mercenaries.

Those with wings had taken to the air, Engineer and Demo stayed on the ground. "Medic, get out of there!" Engineer called.

"He can't hear you." The changeling said in a mocking tone. Medic was barely able to lift his head, let alone run away. "And now, you will all fall here."

Scout looked around and smirked. "There's only one of you and like eight of us. This is gonna be easy."

Pyro seemed to agree, she let out a muffled laugh and opened her mouth, showing off a red glow from within her maw. Before she had a chance to spew flames, Engineer grabbed her jaw with his magic, forcefully closing her mouth. "Don't," He hissed, "You'll hit the doc."

The changeling laughed. "Fearing to hurt one of your own instead of protecting yourself makes you weak," He said, "And here it will be your demise". The dragon growled, as the magic grip on her face was released.

The giant's horn lit up with a bright green and fired bolts of magic at the flying mercenaries, forcing them to scatter. Engineer backed up to Princess Cadence and began setting up the mini sentry he had brought with him. The device was quickly set up, the short unicorn's horn lit up, a ball of white magic forming at the tip and then dropping into the machine. It suddenly whirred to life, pointed it'self at the changeling (who was now tormenting the flying mercenaries with bolts of green magic) and began to fire at the changeling with rapid speed.

Engineer stumbled slightly, feeling slightly weaker due to some magic being sacrificed. He turned to Princess Cadence. "This thing won't touch any of us, it's fine using it, don't worry."

"That's not what I'm worried about, MOVE!" Cadence suddenly grabbed Engineer with her magic and pulled out of the way of the charging changeling. He stomped on the machine as it helplessly tried to defend it'self.

"Stupid toys won't help you now." The changeling growled. The unicorn stood defensively in front of Cadence but got knocked aside with powerful magic. Engineer crashed into Demo, the changeling glared down at the princess of love. He laughed mockingly. She took a breath in and flared her wings, shooting a beam of blue magic into the face of the changeling. He roared in pain as Cadence made her escape. The pain was brief, cured by Medic's magic.

Sniper swore, judging by the size of the changeling, it should have been an easy target. But being on the front lines was not what the griffon was used to. Being forced to swoop and dodge out the way while keeping aim had meant that he'd only been able to land body shots, quickly healed by Medic.

Now that the giant was recovering from a blow to the face, Sniper had his chance. He lined up the shot, held steady and released the string from his claws. The arrow flew through the air towards the changeling... and harmlessly bounced off his ubercharged body.

"Aw piss!" Sniper shouted, grabbing his hat and swooping away as another barrage of green bolts shot towards him.

Demo blinked. "He's wasting the uber!" He shouted, pulling the unconscious Engineer onto his back and darting away.

"We gotta separate them." Scout said. His face suddenly lit up. "I got an idea.". The young pegasus reached into his bag and pulled out a baseball, he threw it up into the air and swung his bat. The ball soared through the air and hit Medic square in the forehead.

The white unicorn stumbled backwards, his horn flared briefly before going out all together. Medic's body was still ubercharged, but the changelings was not.

"Aye nice going lad." Demo called up to the pegasus.

"What can I say, I'm the best shot there is." Scout boasted, Sniper rolled his eyes behind his shades.

The changeling whirled around, trying to work out what had happened. Medic had recovered and trained the healing beam back onto the giant.

"We still gotta get them apart though." The griffin said.

"Who the hell is stupid enough to dive in and grab Medic?" Scout said, Soldier blinked and grinned. "I'll just throw another ball at him." Scout continued, grabbing a second baseball from his bag.

"What you gonna do, hit him in the head till he falls unconscious?" Sniper snapped.

The pegasus grinned. "Hey, that's a good idea!"

While the two were talking, Soldier had been discussing his new plan with Demo. The unicorn nodded wearily. "This better work, lad"

Soldier grinned, "How could it fail!"

"Don't get me started." Demo muttered, he levitated Engineer off of his back and set him down with Princess Cadence. He took a flashbang from his saddlebag and nodded to Soldier, the pegasus taking off.

The red unicorn stood to one side of the changelings. "Oi!" he shouted. When the changeling turned Demo lit the flashbag. The sudden light and noise startled the changeling, forcing him to stumble backwards and shield his eyes. While distracted, Soldier swooped down from the air, grabbed Medic, and flew away with him.

The recovered changeling roared with rage, shooting green bolts at the retreating Soldier. The pegasus bobbed and weaved, making himself a more difficult target. However, the room was smaller than the outside, and Soldier wasn't very fast. A stray bolt collided with one of Soldier's rear legs, knocking him and Medic out of the air.

The pair landed beside the recovering Engineer and Princess Cadence. The latter throwing up a shield around all four, the bolts bouncing off harmlessly.

"Ma'am." Soldier said calmly picking himself off of Medic, "This could have been very helpful a little while ago." The young princess only laughed nervously

"Nah this is good." Engineer said while rubbing his head and looking at the shield, "How does it work?"

Cadence winced at a bolt hitting the shield, "Things can go out but they can't come in."

"Solly, help me set this up." Engineer gestured to the remains of his sentry, then looked at Medic. "How do we get him working?"

"I don't know!" Cadence shouted with more panic in her voice then she had intended.

"It's alright, it's alright." Engineer reassured the princess. "We'll figure it out."

Meanwhile, Scout and Pyro were pestering the great changeling. The former swooping in and out of the changeling's face; just fast enough to avoid any magical blasts. The latter was setting fire to the changeling every time it made an attack for Scout. Sniper and Demo were forming a plan to one side.

"We gotta attack while it can't bloody see us." Demo explained, "I could use a flashbang, but that would mean that I couldn't set up the stickies. Why don't you take.."

The unicorn was cut off by the griffin, "Why don't I use this?" Sniper took a jar filled with yellow liquid out of his bag.

"Is that..."

"Yep."

Demo cringed, "Alright laddie, if it works, use it."

"Ready mate?"

The pair nodded to each other before taking their positions. Sniper swooped up to the changeling's face as Pyro and Scout retreated.

"Oi! Wanker!" He shouted, catching the changeling's attention. Before it could react, Sniper throw the jar, hitting the changeling in the head. The glass shattered, covering the changeling in yellow liquid and broken glass.

The changeling gagged. "Foul creature! Changelings will rule and the world will be glad to see your kind extinct!", it bellowed.

"Wow, that's a low blow man." Scout muttered while gliding over the changeling's back.

"You think I care!?" The changeling shouted.

"He wasn't talking about that laddie!" Came a shout from behind the changeling. It whirled in time to see Pyro carrying Demo away before an explosion send the changeling flying backwards. Crashing not far from Princess Cadence's shield. Before the changeling could recover he was pelted with magical blasts, not as powerful as it's own, but still painful.

On the other side of the shield Engineer laughed, he had been forced to hold the sentry together with his magic while Soldier aimed. The sentry was badly damaged, yet worked like a charm.

"You gotta teach us how to make this here shield ma'am." He said as he and Soldier forced the changeling back.

"I promise I will as soon as we get back." Cadence replied.

Engineer chuckled, "I can live with that."

The changeling backed up, trying to get out of range of the sentry, only to back up into Pyro. The dragon roared and spewed flames at the changeling as it turned, the fire catching on the changeling's wings, side and neck.

An inequine screech escaped the changeling, forcing the five (conscious) ponies and one griffin to cover their ears and drop their magic. Pyro seemed unaffected, she watched the flames lick at the changelings form as it crumpled. Only when the body stopped moving did Medic suddenly jolt to life.

"Heavy is a changeling!" The unicorn blurted out.

"You're a bit late to the party mate." Sniper muttered as the mercenaries gathered around Medic.

"You alright doc?" Demo asked.

Medic blinked twice and looked around. "I think so.." He frowned, "Where are we?"

"The changeling's hive." Engineer answered.

"WAS!"* Medic almost shrieked, Sniper was quick to hush him

"Those pikers know we're here, we need to find Spy and get out." The griffin hissed.

"What about Heavy? Do the changelings have him too?" Scout asked, he looked around warily.

"Yes, they do." Princess Cadence said quietly. The mercenaries turned to stare at the princess of love. "I don't know much about changelings, I remember aunty telling me stories about them. They feed on love, the more love they take from a pony, the weaker that pony gets. They take the love by pretending to be somebody that that pony loves. I know you already knew most of that from Spy, but that's not my point."

Soldier frowned, "So how that love maggot get Medic?"

"Move on." Medic said quickly, Cadence nodded.

"You probably won't like where this is going," She added. "The pony that the are pretending to be gets taken away. They either get locked away or put into a... Cocoon."

Engineer grimaced. "So what does that do?"

Cadence sighed. "The cocoon will, eventually, turn that pony into a changeling."

The gathered mercenaries paled. They sat in silence for a short time before Medic spoke.

"What are we waiting for? We need to save him!" He said, jumping to his hooves.

"We don't know where the cocoons are kept, we should find Spy first." Sniper interjected.

"We don't know where Spy is kept either." Scout added.

"The longer we sit around the longer they're both in danger." Engineer said, deciding to be the voice of reason. He looked to Cadence, "How long does the cocooning process take?"

Cadence shrugged, "I'm sorry." She whispered.

Engineer sighed, "It's fine."

Demo stood up. "I say we get out of this room and save whoever we come across first." He said with a nod, "And no splitting up this time." He added.

"Demo's right," Engineer said "Those things are probably looking for us now."

"So which way.." Cadence started to say before she was interrupted.

"COMPANY!" Soldier suddenly shouted, making few of the group flinch. He marched away from the group. "Form ranks and move out maggots!"

"Does he even know what he's on about?" Scout muttered.

"Staying in formation would help." Engineer said. He thought for a moment. "Scout, Soldier and me in front, Sniper, Demo and Pyro in the back, Cadence and Medic in the middle."

Cadence frowned, "Didn't I just prove that I didn't need protecting?"

"Eeyup, you sure did ma'am. That's why if we need that shield of yours, you can protect all of us with it." Engineer gave a kind smile to the princess, who beamed back. "Same goes for Medic."

The group formed outside the entrance to the passageway that Soldier had apparently chosen. The older pegasus stomped a hoof on the ground, "Quick march." He said, having caught on about being quiet.

"We'll crush any love maggot that tries to hurt our team."

Author's Note:

That took way longer then it should of, and for such a short chapter too, sorry about that
I still don't really know if I'm writing these fight scenes right, advice would be helpful. Thanks

*"Was" as in "What" in German

Comments

[Aquagirl555]

I love the 'bromance' between Medic and Heavy you are implying. I also like how well you are writing the characters and what Equestrian creatures you chose them to be. I can't wait for more.