2- The Ancient City
Six was one of the first to reenter the waking world. The sound of sleds cutting through ever-receding snow, the crunch of it under horseshoes, and the panting of multiple physically exerting ponies.
With an attack of hacking coughs, the last of the suffocating black smog was expelled fully, bringing the Spartan back to full awareness once more. With popping joints and cracking vertebrae, Six sat up from where she lay. The sounds of the large mare waking up easily grabbed the attention of the ponies around her.
Feeling and hearing their heavy cargo wake from unconsciousness, the two stallions tasked with pulling the sled Six lay on looked back to see what was going on. Their sweat-covered faces, lightly steaming against the cold air, were met with the large outstretched wings of the stretching Spartan.
“Finally,” the one on the left began, relief clearly visible on his face as he shied away from the wing-blades. “I don’t know how much longer I could keep this up.” For that comment, they promptly received a hoof upside the head from their comrade.
“Shut it and go find the Captain. I’ll take over for you in the meantime, lazybones,” he ordered before watching his friend unclasp himself from the sled and gallop up the line. He was already beginning to feel the strain and slow down as he was forced to bear the weight of the Spartan alone. He began to flap his wings slightly, a tailwind beginning to make itself known, kicking up some of the snow surrounding them.
“Uh…Angel, ma’am?”
Six’s ears twitched at her title given to her by the equestrian guard.
“What is it, soldier?” she asked over her shoulder as she retracted her flared wings against her back.
“Do you require a medic?”
“No, I am… fine,” answered Six after a moment of contemplation before noticing the obvious strain on the stallion's sweat-covered face. “I should be asking you the same thing. What's your name, soldier?”
“Specialist Crimson Sky, ma’am, and it’s nothing. Little- “ he stopped to catch his breath briefly, “Little physical exertion is the least I can do for the Angel,” the red stallion answered, his wings beginning to slightly droop and slow as his stamina slowly waned.
Noticing the obvious distress his dragging her full weight through the snow was causing, Six raised herself up onto all four hooves and jumped off the sled to stand next to the relieved pegasus.
“You know how much weight you were carrying there, soldier?” Six began as she continued checking her range of movement with a roll of her shoulders.
“Uhh, I find it rude to ask a mare her weight.”
Six smiled slightly in amusement. “Well, enough for me to notice… who's your commanding officer?”
“Captain Spitfire, ma’am, I’m one of the wonderbolts assigned to this mission. And, um, may I speak freely?”
“…You may.”
“Thank you for rescuing us from the changelings during the war. I…was one of the ponies taken on their second attack in Canterlot, even got socked in the jaw by your second before it all went down.” At the mention of Spear, Six’s features took on a sad smile. “ Anyway, I know you must have gotten this a lot, but I really do want to say thank you. I have more friends than I can count that have been helped by you in one way or another.”
“Just doing what a Spartan should… Still, that nickname will take some getting used to.”
“Oh, would you prefer I not use it, ma’am?”
“I have a feeling it would not matter,” she smirked. “But anyway, I take it Shining Armor wants to see me?”
“Yes,” Crimson confirmed. “We were ordered to inform him immediately when you regained consciousness. You’re… one of the first of those afflicted to wake up.”
At that prompting, Six looked around their new, less snow-filled environment. The ground beneath their hooves was now a mix of ice and grass, the blizzard behind them growing smaller with every step. Staring at the whirling wisps of black smog that spilled out along the edges of the storm, Six's thoughts were filled with half-blurred memories.
Cadence, the smoke… the voice. Six’s eyes began to widen as the memories came flooding back to her.
“My Spartans!” Six shouted suddenly, causing Crimson Sky to jump at the yell as Six was now almost muzzle to muzzle with the smaller pegasus beside her. “Where are my Spartans?!”
“U-up the line,” Crimson sputtered out, barely able to finish his sentence before Six took off after the next sled in front of them, leaving one very bewildered pegasus in her wake.
Dashing across the grassy fields and up towards the next sled, Six called her Spartans’ names as she almost frantically checked and inspected the next sled’s cargo. Finding her Spartans nowhere to be seen, Six continued from sled to sled before finally being intercepted.
“Six!” came a call from an approaching pony in front of her, their form being escorted by a pegasus with a single red wing glistening in the sun. Like a mare possessed, the Spartan sprinted to meet them in the middle, her mind only barely registering that the pony being escorted was Shining Armor. Six practically ignored him as she asked Pixy in a voice only slightly marred with panting.
“Where are the others?”
“Fine, Six, they’re fine. Sparrow’s got Spirit watching over him like a hawk and, knowing her, he’ll be right as rain in no time,” Pixy reassured as she came down from her position hovering above the ground to stand before the much larger Spartan.
The tension that had been growing in Six melted away in seconds, the Spartan nearly having to catch herself from falling as her hard-as-steel muscles relaxed suddenly.
“Good, that’s…” Six took a breath to steady herself and regain her composure, “Good. Glad to see we haven’t suffered any casualties.”
“Glad to see your compassion is still in working order,” came a comment from her left as Shining Armor trotted into her view. “We were worried that smog might have had some more… adverse side effects. Speaking of, mind removing your helmet quickly? I want to give you a scan just to be sure.”
Six complied, though with a minor amount of reluctance. The small part of her brain filled with ONI directives about Spartan project secrecy, no matter how hard she suppressed it and reasoned that they already knew far more than anybody should fought back with all the minuscule power it had. But by the time it could mount any real resistance, Shining had finished his scan in a flash of pink light.
“Not detecting anything dark magic related within you, Six. Seems like whatever that smog did, your own body has already dealt with it on its own,” reported Shining as Six blinked the spots from her eyes.
“Yeah,” she responded, recalling the rather violent coughs that had triggered her awakening, faint images of the disappearing black wisps filling her mind as she unconsciously cleared her throat. “Spartan biology for you.”
‘I think,’ she added mentally. In truth, Six had no idea exactly how her enhanced biology would react, that particular question having been filed long ago under the ‘turned into a magical pegasus’ folder. Briefly shaking her head to rid herself of such intrusive and distracting thoughts—the Spartan training of ‘Adapt or Die’ reasserting itself—Six reattached her helmet, returning the comforting warmth it provided as the pressure seal closed.
The ambient temperature has since risen significantly,now displaying in single digits rather than double. With her mind sharpening back to what it once was, Six’s eyes found themselves drawn to the crystal spire rising high above the horizon just behind Pixy.
“How much longer till we reach our destination?”
“Not long, I’ve already organized a pegasus scouting party to inspect the area from the air. However, I do want to get a closer look without drawing any unnecessary attention to ourselves. We have no idea what may be waiting for us down there, and I want to be prepared for anything.”
Six smiled underneath her golden visor. “I’m sure I can take a look for you.”
“Unfortunately, no, Six. While I don’t doubt your ability, that…smoke left a majority of our fighting forces down for the count. I need our best working security for the staging area we’re setting up ahead in case we are not…welcome in the city.”
Six bit her lip but acquiesced. “Understood. Spirit is the Spartan best suited for stealth recon then. As far as I know, she’s uninjured, correct?” She looked towards Pixy for confirmation, who nodded in response.
“Took the words right out of my mouth. She’s two sleds up with Sparrow and Cadence. Go take over for her and convey my orders: She is to scout up ahead and recon the city. I want approximate civilian numbers, military numbers, and whether or not they look hostile, as well as an optimal avenue of approach for a peaceful meeting. If we sneak up on them, we may send the wrong message,” explained Shining Armor, Six nodding along as he briefed the Spartan.
“Understood,” the super soldier confirmed with a nod as the captain began to make his way further down the column, Pixy taking flight and following shortly behind. Now alone, save for the two ponies pulling the sled to her left, Six followed the Prince’s directive as she made her way up the column once more, intent on finding her stealth specialist and alicorn charge.
In the distance, the crystal spire became evermore pronounced as the column began to stop at the base of a hill, the frost-covered terrain providing ample cover for their expedition to remain hidden. A wedge shape formation had been created with the sleds surrounding a central point where a single large orange stone glowed with a warm hue.
A standard heating stone, according to Six’s memory. It gave them the ability to warm an area without the need for an open flame that could expose their position. How it worked exactly, the Spartan didn’t know, nor did she particularly care. It worked, and that was good enough for her. Sitting at the apex of the makeshift wedge was her destination, the pink alicorn directing the still-approaching sleds and ponies across their camp.
Standing just behind her was Spirit, her head resting across an unconscious Sparrow's back, her ears swiveling in every direction as if looking for any possible threat that may harm him. The moment her eyes locked with Six’s visor, her form was briefly consumed by green fire before reestablishing her earth pony form. Within the flash of her flames, Spirit was sitting up with wide eyes and a large smile upon her face.
The sudden flash of green behind the alicorn did not go unnoticed by Cadence, who turned to see what had happened. Following the disguised changelings gaze, her eyes also met the Spartan’s hidden gaze, a warm smile spreading across her face before she refused her attention to a nearby soldier that had approached her gestured towards a nearby sled.
The Princess appeared to sigh before waving her hoof and directing the pony to the right side of camp. Moments later, a sled containing several unconscious ponies of various shapes, sizes, and species passed in front of the Spartan. The pony from before led it to where the distressed Cadence had directed.
“Everything alright?” Six asked as she approached the pink alicorn whose wings had begun to droop to her sides.
“No… but now that you're here, somewhat better.” Cadence offered her small smile. “You’re the first to wake up, which isn’t surprising now that I think about it…” Cadence shook her head, “No matter, if you woke up the rest will as well, I’m sure of it,” the alicorn continued whilst looking back towards the still unconscious Sparrow and a now hopeful looking Spirit.
Six just nodded towards the Princess before focusing her gaze towards Spirit, now standing at attention behind an unconscious Sparrow. “Got an assignment for you soldier.”
“Yes ma’am, what do you need me to do?” came the curt response before Six repeated the orders given to her by the Prince. While it was clear Spirit was paying rapt attention, she kept glancing at Sparrow with every little twitch. This did not go unnoticed with the Spartan mentally noting those lapses in attention down for later.
“Understand Spartan?” Six finished getting a firm nod in confirmation from her underling. “Then move out.” And with one final glance back towards Sparrow Spirit vanished into the environment in a burst of green flames as her coat began to perfectly mimic the ground beneath her hooves.
It was a skill, the Spartan mused, that had taken many weeks to perfect with the changeling’s disguising ability having only since been used to mimic ponies, rather than grass. An organic copy of the active camouflage systems employed by the Covenant, though not to the same extent. As much as the changeling tried, bending light around her body was not yet possible, though Six remained hopeful.
As she watched the camouflaged form of Spirit vanish over the hill and towards the crystal spire Six switched her gaze to Sparrow and sighed deeply.
“Something wrong?” questioned Cadence as she watched the Spartans visor examine the unconscious pegasus.
“Her behaviour was not that of a Spartan,” Six answered simply as she began to circle and inspect the area around the Princess who frowned at her response.
“Six it’s fine. If you want to blame that lapse of etiquette then blame me, they don’t call me the Princess of Love for no reason, after all.”
“This was not the first time their… relationship has impacted operational security.”
“And I doubt it will be the last but I must say I am disappointed in the lack of trust you have in her.” Six’s head snapped back to meet Cadence.
“What… Do you mean?” the Spartan asked slowly and almost dangerously.
“Well let me put it this way,” Cadence began as she ever so slightly leant back from the burning gaze Six was not shooting at her. “ All of your Spartans have not only been trained by the most dangerous pegasus in Equis, but were also on the front lines in the first major war in over a thousand years. Sure they may not be as fast as you, or as duty driven, and they are certainly more fun in comparison to you.” Cadence expected a reaction to that comment, but Six didn’t even flinch and even started to relax somewhat.
“But what I am saying is,” Cadence continued with more confidence, seeing that her words were hitting true, “they know what they’re doing and will be the model Spartans you trained them to be when the situation needs them to be, but they are still ponies underneath the Spartan training. Get what I’m saying?” Cadence waited for a response, Six continued to say nothing as she broke eye contact with the Princess. “Look I will agree with you that they do need to keep a sense of professionalism on the job, I won’t argue that. I’m just saying, there's more to them than just the mili-“
“Enough,” Six cut the Princess off, the Spartan moving to sit behind Cadence’s right, her back leaning against the sled that housed the unconscious Sparrow. “I’ll take your words into consideration but they’re my Spartans. Remember that. I’ll deal with them how I see fit,” Six finished with a glance towards Sparrow, her tone one of finality to the Princess.
Cadence sighed but said nothing, her attention returning to the organisational duties of the final few oncoming sleds leaving the Spartan to her brooding.
An hour had since passed before the camouflaged changeling returned from her mission, her presence announced via the sound of rapidly buzzing wings and the yelp of the awakened Sparrow as he was smothered with affection. The other ponies that had been affected by the black smog had woken up half an hour prior; their awakenings also preceded by them coughing up the last of the poison that had filled their bodies. They were far more violent than Six’s, with most also losing their lunch as their bodies expelled the smoke, unlike the Spartan who had experienced a mere coughing fit.
Their expedition was all gathered around the warming stone at the center of their makeshift camp, the main task being the treatment of those that had been afflicted. That was why Sparrow was now lying on the ground, the bowl of soup he had been given spilt across his coat with a chirping changeling nuzzling the croup of his neck. A cacophony of laughter at the pegasus’s expense echoed throughout the camp as Six, accompanied by the royal couple, approached the heap the two of them found themselves in. Cadence was the first to speak up with a grin directed at the Spartan couple.
“Having fun there?” A surprised chitter was her answer as Spirit suddenly shot up, buzzing into the air, the undisguised changeling now hovering above Sparrow with a distinctive green blush across her face.
“U-um…”
“Enough,” Six cut through, snapping the changeling to attention. “What did you find?” the Spartan asked as she led them all away from the main group to leave them to their meals. Once the four of them were gathered just outside the main camp, Spirit spoke up.
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?” Shining Armor repeated in surprise, a facial expression mimicked by all save Six.
“The city is… empty. I couldn’t see any guards, any civilians, and not even a stray pet!”
“Impossible,” Cadence stated as if she knew what she said was fact. “The crystal city wa—is home to thousands!”
“I got as close as I could without exposing myself, and it was a ghost town. If any creature is in there, maybe they’re hiding?” Spirit offered, unsure of what more she could tell them.
“Could they be preparing an ambush?” Six asked, her mind focusing on the threat this development may pose.
“Maybe… I counted four entrances into the city, one for each direction. The closest one is the southern entrance and, as I said, it was deserted,” Spirit added, disappointed she had nothing more to share. Shining was next to speak up, his hoof brought to his chin in thought.
“The last thing they may remember is being under Sombra’s hoof. There is a high chance that they’re all just hiding inside their homes, the mines, or the king's dungeons. I’m hoping it’s the former, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it's the latter.”
“What about the King's military? Could they still pose a threat?” asked Six, her own hoof now mimicking Shining’s.
“If they did, Spirit would have seen them. From what I know, the King liked his security and he loved to show it off,” the Prince finished as he looked up towards the crystal spire. “We stick with the original plan. Sombra seems to be part of the blizzard that's surrounding this valley and the only place we stand a chance is in the city. We will move up with myself and Cadence taking the lead. Once we know for certain that we’re welcome in the city, I’ll call for the rest of us to come.” He looked towards the Spartan. “Six, due to your…stature, it's best if you stay back with the supplies to avoid frightening any civilians that may be watching us.”
Six nodded, but with some reluctance. “My Spartans will be your security then.”
“Yes. Any objections?” Shining looked at his wife, who shook her head at the question. “Good, then get everypony ready to move out. We leave as soon as we’re ready.”
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Last time we had a bad situation. Now it is so mutch worse. Smart evil Sombra is a delight to read and one Tarterus of a Bitch to overcome...
Excellent chapter ♤
Giving the enemy time to play the guessing game is good to stress them out.
Sombra known they are there.
Sombra let them come closer without opposition.
Sombra is waiting them coming to him...
Sombra don't see them as big enough threat to not eliminate the Alicorn in their ranks...
Do we need to read Missing in Action to understand what's going on in this story?
11491144
Nope.
Next time in: A Noble’s Shadow
Shining Armor: "Six could you run a short Scout mission please?"
Nobel Six:
Shining Armor: "What happened?!"
Nobel Six: "I started my scout mission, it was more successful than expected..."
11491232
well if it is than i still ship six and phasma even if that version of phasma was married to his luna
Man, this Crimson Sky pony sounds like a cool dude
11491242
That was some very good stop-motion animation. I like it.
The story gets more and more interesting as time goes by.
11483790
The relationship will be to scream for. In joy or despair:
camo.fimfiction.net/1ElbcqyI1MrL_ZJPQOQZ7BzZIDLEYlHPBFVZ-58yePA?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.kym-cdn.com%2Fphotos%2Fimages%2Fnewsfeed%2F000%2F960%2F338%2Fe55.gif
It's quiet... Too quiet! Be careful it's a trap!
Interesting that there appear to be no other adverse effects. Or maybe said effects are dormant until activated....
11491806
Use bombs wisely! (B)
Are you alright over there? Did you have a stroke?