Strider

by Olakaan Peliik

Baltimare - XII

Work was definitely a help and provided me something to focus on other than the fact that Snow was no longer with me. Once I had gotten through that she wasn't with me, I became angry that she left without saying goodbye to Jett. Jett was like a daughter to Snow, and she just up and leaves? How am I gonna tell my daughter that the mare that she thought was gonna be her new mom didn’t care enough to say goodbye to her? I don’t know how she will react.

“Sergeant?” Ace called. He was presenting his tactical plan for the train heist.

I snapped out of my head, and back to the real world. “Yes, I will lead Beta with the twins and cut off aerial escape,” I recited my part.

“Yes, while Oda and the other unicorns prevent teleportative escape...”

That was something I learned from my time in Tall Tale. I was tired of my primary target teleporting away.

Ace continued. “Stone will be providing crossbow cover from this ridge.” Ace pointed to a steep hill on the opposite side of the train.

“We have already managed to get word to the supply depot in Canterlot to not load the train. It will be a decoy. The Canterlot Guard has spared a unit and will be on the train as backup,” I interjected.

“Excuse me, Sergeant, but how did we manage to get a message to the Canterlot Guard already?” Ruff asked.

“It’s a lot easier to teleport a piece of paper than a fully grown pony, let me tell ya,” Oda commented, answering the question. That earned a few light laughs from around the room.

“Alright, alright. Cut the chatter. We have to go over this a few more times before we need to be at that section of train track in a few hours,” I said firmly. “Ace. Go again. From the top.”

Everypony groaned. I did my best to focus on Ace’s play-by-play. Being bored was better than being angry and not being able to do anything about it.

---

Silence. I hated the waiting part of operations like this. We had to wait and see. We were all well hidden. Each group had a unicorn casting a shroud spell over them to look like part of the landscape.

Some griffons passed overhead, heading northwest to intercept the train. From my position, I could see Amaryllis’ ground team of armed and armored ponies approaching from the east through a set of binoculars. Amaryllis herself was at the head of the group, wearing leather armor. She signaled everypony to find a place to hide and crouched down herself. I wanted to move on them now but we couldn't move until the Canterlot City Guard made their presence known. Then we spring the trap.

The reason we needed the cooperation of the CCG is that trains moving between cities are the responsibility of both City Guard Garrisons. It forces us to work together every so often. However, more often than not, situations like this can become jurisdictional pissing contests. Hopefully not here. I wanted Lurce all to myself.

I could hear the train chuffing, then the screeching of the brakes. It appeared around the bend. It was slowing to a crawl now. I watched from my position as Amaryllis smiled to herself; to her, it looked like one of her plans was seemingly going according to plan.

The engine rolled past her, so the cargo cars were closest to her. “This is it. boys. Military grade hardware. We'll be able to retake our city with this easily,” she preached. I could hear her bragging through the enchantment on my binoculars.

Cars one, three, and five, we're the ones filled with Canterlot Guards. Cars two and four were the ones supposedly carrying the cargo Amaryllis wanted.

Amaryllis took a moment to admire the catch of the train. “Is the conductor knocked out?” she shouted the question to her hired help.

“Yes, your majesty,” a griffon confirmed, leaning out the cab window of the engines.

“Good. Let's crack these gift boxes open before the next train comes! Cars two and four!” she called out.

This was it. She was falling for it. I watched as her goons opened the train cars and her gleeful expression turned to surprise, then absolute anger and hatred. “WHERE ARE MY WEAPONS?!” she screamed.

The sliding car doors of the other cars flew open and the Canterlot City Guard made their move, jumping out of the cars to take them into custody. Time for ours. “NOW!” I shouted. The shroud spells fell and my group of Pegasus Guards armed with automatic crossbows took to the sky cutting off aerial escape.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the unicorns performing their anti-teleportation spell, Stone and the Earth ponies set up with their more accurate semi-auto crossbows.

“Amaryllis Lurce! You are wanted for crimes against the citizens of Baltimare! Submit and be given a fair trial!” I shouted.

She was in shock; her breathing had become erratic, and her gaze was darting everywhere trying to figure a way out of this. This was not a stable pony.

“Put your weapons on the ground and surrender! You are surrounded!” I heard the Canterlot Sergeant shout.

I saw it happen the moment Amaryllis’ psyche snapped. “YOU'VE RUINED EVERYTHING!” she screamed, and her magic flared brightly as did the weapons her goons were starting to put down. She magically ripped from them all from their grasps and pointed at as many guards as she could see.

It happened too fast for me to shout out any orders. As soon as she raised the various crossbows at us, everything slowed.

The Canterlot Guard and the Baltimare Guard alike opened fire. The goons hit the deck, and within seconds Amaryllis was a pincushion of knock-out bolts. Bolts lined with sleeping potion protruded from her neck, legs, back.

That much sleep potion would've been more than enough to drop a dragon. And if that somehow wasn't enough to kill her, the crossbow bolts were sticking out of some pretty critical locations. She was bleeding out fast. Medical ponies wouldn't be able to get here in time to save her. All anypony could do was watch as The Queen collapsed to the ground, twitched a couple times, and was still.

---

The Canterlot Guard had gotten the train moving again. We took the criminals we did capture back onto the train, along with a corpse destined for the morgue. I let Ace handle all of that. I gave everyone the rest of the afternoon off once we had gotten back.

I was walking calmly back to my apartment. I would get the apartment in order then go get Jett from Orion's. I was glad that this was all over. Now I can just solve smaller crimes like a robbery that happens every so often. That sounded nice.

Or perhaps I could look into transferring to another city. Las Pegasus might be fun. Could even live with Atlas. That might be an interesting experience.

I jiggled the knob to my apartment door to find it unlocked. I was confused until I saw Thasus, Grandpa, and Grandma. Their faces somber.

“What's wrong?” I asked removing my helmet.

Thasus stood and came over to me. He put a hoof on my shoulder. “We have some bad news.”

With the look on their faces, I didn't want to know. I know I didn't want to know. “No,” I mumbled shaking my head.

Thasus’ voice caught in his throat, but he forced it out, “It's mom.”

Author's Note:

That concludes the Baltimare Arc! Woooo! Yeah! Now for the action, super tense, Hydra, and black magic filled arc that we have all been waiting for! It's not the last arc mind you, just the one I've been planning since the beginning.

I hope you have all enjoyed the ride so far, but Strider's journey is far from over.

Comments

[Phoenix Flight]

Ohhhhh man those two chapters were so emotionally intense... and NUUUUUUUUUU SNOWWWWWWWWWWWW

also:

NUUUUUUUUUUU STRIDER'S MOM TOO!!!????. WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY...

[Olakaan Peliik]

8578477
Am I giving you the Story Shakes?

[Phoenix Flight]

8578564
YES. YES YOU ARE.

[Fistfire]

Things were going too well!!!!.

[Olakaan Peliik]

8579354
I feel like everyone is slightly hating me at the moment. But I'm enjoying the chaos I have sewn together. I'm having fun seeing everyone's reactions.

[Olakaan Peliik]

Don't worry everyone I'm not leaving it like this for long. The next installment is underway.

[Fistfire]

8579374
We are not having you as the author, we are hating the direction you are taking it... It still enjoyable even when I got the shakes reading it. Keep up the good work!

Oh, BTW, MOAR!

Um, if you please

[harts fire]

2 vary good chapter and it looks like Strider's life is going to be crappy for a long time.