The Hunt Is On

by Gleaming

Intel

IV. Intel

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Hooves shuffled down the hallway to the weapons room of the Corona Horizon, dodging and weaving past objects exploding behind them. Their hearts racing as they turned each corner, stopping at a metal hatch above the room. They pop open the hatch and slide down the pole where the Yellowjackets were waiting for them.

“There she is, these fighter planes will show them not to mess with Equestria,” Mountain slipped into the fighter plane, fastening her seatbelt. “Before we go out there, Scootaloo and Night may need to sit this one out after their fight, head to the medical wing up ahead.”

Scootaloo nodded, carrying Night to the medical wing. “Make them pay for us.”

Monsoon’s head rotated in a circular motion as his blurry vision traveled up and down the room. His jaw hanging open, little drops of drool of drool falling to the floor, and he rolled on his back licking his lips. “H-Ha, you guys look so tasty.” I don’t feel right at all.

Her head cocked to the side, studying the caution warning on the syringe and Monsoon’s weird behavior. “Says here that the side effect of the injection may include: dizziness, peculiar behavior, thoughts of suicide, and an increased risk of drowsiness.”

“That is the understatement of the century.” Starsung said, hopping into a fighter plane.

“Let’s do this, everypony ready?” Mountain pushed various buttons, turning knobs that powered the Yellowjacket as the control panel opened and she shot off at the speed of a runaway train.

“Monsoon, will you be okay by yourself?” Starsung wondered, buckling himself into the fighter plane and changing settings on the weapons to full-auto.

Monsoon nibbled on the old schematics of the airship, wide eyes looking back at him. “Paper tastes funny, haha.”

“I guess that’s a yes,” He sighed, flying out to the chaos in the sky.

Mountain chased one of the lieutenants as three commanders pursued her, shooting bullets into the back of her plane, wincing as one bullet passed through her back. Her hoof pulled the lever, turning her plane completely around and the light machine guns trained on them.

Smoke whistled through the clear blue skies that could be visibly seen from thousands of feet in the air, came out of her guns firing bullets through glass windows at the front of their flying projectiles, imploding upon impact as burning metal and three bodies fell from the sky.

Mountain applied pressure to her wound, blood still pouring out like a leaking faucet. “Star, I need you to create a diversion to bring the rest of them together, then we take them all out.”

“Consider it done!” Starsung dove his plane down, enemy planes following closely behind him as he stuck his tongue out. “That’s right, follow the birdie!”

The griffons that remained, dwindled in numbers and all together in just the right position of Mountain’s crosshairs, she heard Starsung give her the signal began to open fire that blasted through their defenses. Quickly spinning through the air, she took a liking to all of the destruction that she dished out. “All threats eliminated, well done, Star!”

“It was either them or us,” He threw his hoof up high, celebrating in his own nonchalant fashion.

Mountain and Starsung piloted their planes back into the weapons room, exiting the planes as soon as they landed. Clouds of smoke gave Starsung the sinking feeling at the bottom of his stomach as his spinning head slumped against the table near Monsoon, throwing up contents of food and other questionable items.

Starsung’s face turned a sickly green, eyes still spinning like pinballs. “Ach, aw! Sorry I don’t have a strong stomach, it’s like death is in the air.”

“That’s more of a you problem, sweetie. I’ll go check on Scootaloo and Night.” Mountain chuckled, sprinting to the medical wing.

“In the meantime, I’ll just play with you man.” Star hurled a ball across the room, he was in shock as Monsoon wrestled with it.

Night laid on her back, cracking open her eyes as her eyes traveled around the room. “I’m sorry that I gave you a hard time, surprised you spared me though.”

“Think of it as a warning,” Scootaloo lightly tapped the bags of IV fluid. “We don’t have to like each other but I’ll respect you for putting up a fight.”

“That’s true — I don’t know how long I’ll be resting, frankly I could give a flying feather.” Night rolled on her side, slowly resting her eyes.

“Right attitude, Night!” Scootaloo slapped Night on her back, a loud yelp escaped her mouth.

“Ye-ow!” Night guided her hoof up and down, rubbing the middle-sized hoof mark.

“My bad, put some ice on it.” Scootaloo’s cheeks blossomed, both cheeks flushed in red. Grabbing a bag of ice from the mini fridge, she swirled the ice around the scratches and cuts all over her spine.

“Ah ah, that feels nice.” Night squeaked, perking her ears happily.

Mountain entered the room, sounds of her hooves coming in made them turn their heads. “Hope I didn’t interrupt anything important. Is this a bad time?”

“No!” Scootaloo backed away, smiling sheepishly at her.

“What? No, of course not.” Mountain flushed her tongue out, throwing her foreleg down, no concern in her voice.

“Right, anyway I’ll program the airship to send us to Ponyville. Let’s pay this Filthy Rich a visit,” Mountain’s smile changed to a frown, making her way into the main communications hub.

Large holes, the size of cannonballs smashed wooden cupboards, breaking down mental hinges that once held them together. Small spurts of electricity inside control panels, Mountain jumped to the side as her heart dropped inside her chest. She walked forward carefully to avoid broken glass, opening the airship’s interactive location map.

“Surprised that they didn’t damage this thing too bad,” She dragged Ponyville to the next location slot, the map confirming the location. “Ponyville, Barnyard Bargains warehouse.”

//Barnyard Bargains location confirmed, setting course for Ponyville.\\

“Phew, just one step closer to ending this all.” Mountain wiped sweat from her brow, and watched as the sun settled behind the trees, fading away out of sight.

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“No, no, no!” Marina digged her claws into the table, ripping deep into the wood and throwing in the air. “Front and center now!”

Soldiers followed her orders, ceasing their actions of wheeling weapons, food, and other supplies they knew exactly what would be coming next. Witnessing her outbursts of unadulterated rage was one thing to avoid that became a common occurrence, they were used to it but don’t want to be the soldier that she takes it out on.

Suited up in armor and protective pads, their eyes darted to each other and back at their leader. Their throats gulped down spit and sweat moistened their faces, the look on their faces as Marina went to grab a baseball bat, walking in a single-file line back and forth.

“I ask for one thing and one thing only, take them out. You couldn’t do that right! So, I want one group of six to guard this prison, and the other six head to the Barnyard Bargains warehouse with me. Move it!” Marina yelled to the top of her lungs, her six soldiers stood at attention and took the elevator up to the roof.

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//Arrived at location!//

“Wah!” Mountain falling out the chair, rubbing the back of her head. “Right on cue.”

Holding a cowbell and symbol, banging them together in her hooves, waking the rest of the team up from their naps. “Time to move in guys, we’ve got no time to waste.” She dressed herself and the team in black latex suits, reflexed fibers fitted inside to help them move faster and attack silently.

Scootaloo scratched her head. “I guess the only plan we need is to interrogate Filthy?”

“Correct. Looks like we got company—again.” Starsung peeked into a pair of binoculars, surveying the scene.

Marina’s fighter plane landed on the grass as she and her soldiers stepped out, snipers watching their position below lasers attached not looking away and scanning for targets. “Guard this place like your lives depend on it, or else I’ll break every bone in your body.”

“Yes ma’am, you heard the lady!” The sniper commanded, himself and his team mounted on high points of entry and watching each direction.

“Time to test out the latex and stealth,” Mountain opened the hatch, dropping down with the team as the wind blew through her mane.

Author's Note:

We're closing in on the end in the next chapter, what a wild ride this has been and stressful too when you think about writing a team together taking down one enemy.

Anyway, feedback and advice are greatly appreciated!