Twiggled: A RariTwi Exquisite Corpse

by SigmasonicX

9. Bring the Dawn (The Red Parade)

“Did you read the briefing report?”

“Yes ma’am, we got the intel only half an hour ago.”

Starlight Glimmer grunted, tightening the straps on her vest. “Then why do you have so many questions, Captain?”

“You’ll have to excuse me if we find the situation somewhat hard to believe.” The Sergeant gazed at her with steeled, battle-hardened eyes. As the train rushed down the track, trails of light flickered in through the window. Occasionally one would land on a soldier’s face, making them burn with a furious orange glow before rapidly fading away. “How’d ROD lose an asset like this anyways?”

“We didn’t lose it,” Starlight muttered. “We didn’t even know it was here until we got the message.”

From above them there was a brief burst of static. “Captain Sunrise, we’re two minutes to the LZ.”

Strawberry Sunrise stood from her seat and marched to the center of the train, drawing the attention of the other guards. “Four-Two! Listen up! You all heard the briefing from Agent Glimmer, our objectives are to eliminate the hostile presence in the area, secure our HVT’s, and locate and eliminate our VIP target. LZ is hotter than Las Pegasus on a summer day, brace yourselves for CQC combat.”

“What’s our ROE, ma’am?”

Strawberry glanced at Sunlight, who sighed. “Non-lethal takedowns only, ROE is strict here.” Her response was met with a chorus of disappointed groans.

“You heard her,” Strawberry said, hefting up her battered and scarred riot shield. “Less than lethals only, no returning fire unless fired upon.”

“We have assets on the field,” Starlight added. “Check your fire.”

“This just gets better and better,” muttered one of the guards.

“Thirty seconds to insertion.”

Strawberry reached up and snapped down the plexiglass visor attached to her helmet. “Alright four-two! Show me what you’re made of, hear?”

“Yup-yup!” shouted the carriage full of guards.

The brakes squealed and the train began to slow. Starlight stood, bracing herself against one of the handles, and tried to steady her racing heart. The entire carriage shook as the train lost speed, but even before it fully came to a halt a light began flashing and Strawberry called out. “Okay, green light! Go, go, go!”

In front of her, the massive doors slid open and the guards jumped off the train, the first few ones off taking defensive positions while the rest deboarded. The few henchmen on the platform responded immediately, charging right at the formation.

“Taser, taser, taser!”

An arc of electricity crackled through the air, as the lead henchman collapsed to the ground with a scream. As the others hesitated, Strawberry raised her baton in the air. “At ‘em!”

A line of guards changed towards them, the sounds of weapons smashing against shields ringing through the air. But the surprised thugs were no match for the onslaught of guards now pouring out of the train, quickly swarming the station.

“Ma’am! LZ secure, no sign of assets in the area.”

“Captain, we’ve taken prisoners, wagons on the way.”

Starlight scanned the area, squinting at the distant rooftops.

“Ma’am, Mountain is reporting hard contacts, no incoming fire yet but they’re hearing shots in the distance. Unconfirmed as of now.”

“There!” Starlight tore off down the street, eyes locked onto a distant building.

“Glimmer, wait! Dammit, Four Two, we’re Oscar Mike! Move, move, move!”

---

“Are you crazy?”

Rainbow sighed and shook her head. “Do you have a better idea, Princess?”

Twilight looked out the window, at the distant alley far below her. “This… This is suicide!”

“Look, suicide is staying here. We need to move, like, now, and unless you can magically sprout a pair of wings from your butt, you’re going to have to swing.” Rainbow pulled the line taunt. “Perfectly safe!”

Before Twilight could articulate one of thousands of reasons as to why this was a bad idea, someone began pounding on the door. “Who’s that?”

“Who do you think, more of Cheese’s men!” Rainbow tapped her foot impatiently. “That door’s not gonna hold forever!”

Twilight looked down at the streets still flooded by enemies. “O-Okay. You’ll be right behind me?”

“Yup.”

Twilight gripped the sides of the window frame tightly. “Just give me a second.”
“Three.”

Twilight squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath.

“Two.”

Rainbow shoved her and Twilight fell out the window screaming. With limbs flailing and wind screaming in her ears, Twilight panicked as she saw the ground rushing towards her. Before she could hit it, however, she found herself swinging towards the building opposite from her.

Great, she thought. So instead of hitting the ground, I’ll splat into the side of the building.

“RAINBOWWWW–”

Before she could even finish getting her quality scream in, she flew through an open window and straight into the arms of… someone. Her momentum caused the two to crash into the ground.

“Ow!” Twilight scrambled up to see someone clad in body armor sprawled out below her.

“Freeze! Don’t move!”

Twilight tensed up, ready for a fight as another armored person rushed at them, shield ready.

“Wait,” shouted the one on the ground. “It’s the Princess!”

The other guard halted. “Princess Twilight! We’re with the Guard, you have to come with us.”

---

Starlight crashed through the doorway, panting. “There!” She sighed in relief. “Looks like guards got here first.” Across the hall, the two guards were escorting Twilight down the opposite hall.

Before Starlight could join them, Strawberry seized her arm.

“What’re you–”

She froze at Strawberry’s expression.

“I don’t know who they are, but they aren’t with me,” she whispered as Starlight’s blood froze over.

Comments

[PresentPerfect]

wtf was even half of this dialogue c_c