North Woods NightMares

by Starfighter

Chapter 20: O'bachan

Polaris Wind’s chest-floof billowed instinctively in response to the sudden, enormous presence before him.

“A cutie-wootie pega! Hi, o’bachan!” Cried the sky-blue-maned earth-pony.

PW looked back at Frosty. This pony’s coat was the same color as hers. He looked back at the new pony with his blue eyes and made contact with her blue eyes. She was almost as large as Frosty, too.

“You’re Echo!” PW said in realization.

“Arimaspi Control, Frosty.” 2 muttered.

“Go Frosty.”

“We’ve made contact with Echo.” She clicked.

“Roger.”

"Hi, o’bachan!” Echo waved again, realizing her first greeting fell on deaf ears.

PW gawked at the mare and was struck by her thick, bare legs. Unlike Frosty, Echo’s sturdy hind legs were dressed in only short boots and shorter shorts, leaving her legs bare from the level of PW’s hocks to more or less the top of his head.

“Hey Echo.” Frosty nodded, stowing her microphone boom.

“O’bachan – about time!” Echo pouted.

“Um – her name is Frosty!” PW squeaked.

The grinning super-soldier behind him leaned down with wide eyes.

“I wouldn’t argue with her, PW. Stow your wings.” 2 advised, to which his wings went limp as he retracted them.

Echo circled him, bobbing her head about like a turkey in her study. She stopped just two yards away, placing him squarely between two Night-Mares.

“O’bachan, this your little helper-chan?” She finally asked.

“Why does she call you that?” PW whispered without taking his eyes off Echo.

“She’s into Catoshima culture. O’bachan means granny. She calls me that because I have a silver mane. She nicknames everypony so, beware.”

“O’bachan~?” Echo trailed.

“Echo, this is Polaris Wind. Callsign ‘Windy.’ He saved my mission at Starlight’s Cave and now he’s helping me out.” She explained.

“Mm, NC-san says he wants to give us all assistants and you are the demo. But, are you sure him o’bachan? This pega is too small to be in combat!” Echo declared, leaning her neck down to PW’s level for emphasis.

“He saved my mission twice, Echo. Maybe even my life. It was an ugly situation.” Frosty admitted.

“Really?” Echo raised a brow at that.

Frosty nodded as Echo advanced until her head was nearly above PW. He could tell that she was a few inches shorter than Frosty, seeing his eyeline was a little higher on her body.

She looked down at him and cocked her head.

"How big are you, Polaris?” She asked, grasping the stallion in her forehooves and lifting him off the ground as she reared to her full height.

“Whoa – Echo?!” Polaris gasped in surprise.

“Wow, you’re a featherweight!” She said with delight.

“I-I weigh a hundred pounds!”

“Ninety-nine.” Frosty Corrected.

Echo gently sat PW back onto the ground.

“O’bachan, you sure PW is fully grown?” She looked to 2.

“Hey!”

“Echo, he’s a year older than me.” Frosty said.

Echo nonetheless shook her head. “I worry O’bachan. About a pega this smol in a firefight.”

“Well he’s been in two and saved my mission in two. So he’s netting positive.”

“Not to mention, I can fly!” Exclaimed PW, opening his wings wide with pride.

“Oh, how cute! I gonnna call you Windy-chan!” The blue mare declared, eliciting a snort from Frosty.

“And just what’s so funny?” PW looked back.

“‘Chan’ is the suffix for a little filly! She’s calling you – *snrk* – Little Filly Windy!” Frosty said, outright cackling now.

“Oh, she must have just made a mistake! It’s not like she actually named me that? Did you?” PW looked up in question.

“Yes I did!” Echo grinned wide.

“Wait, what? I’m an adult stallion! Call me san too!” He cried.

“No.” With that she sat as if for emphasis.

PW growled, rearing up to bring her eyes level with hers. He quickly lost his balance, however, and found himself falling toward her.

“Angry Windy-chan pega is so cute!” Echo seized the opportunity – and PW – and yanked him into a smothering hug.

“Ack – Frosty? Help?” Cried PW as the mare began nuzzling him.

“Nuh-uh, PW, you really got in over your head trying that one. I warned you; you’re on your own!” Frosty said, clearly enjoying things.

“I'm gonna wub you so much, lil’ Windy-chan!”

“Ugh!” He sighed in defeat.

“Oh!” The affection came to an abrupt end and she set PW down. “NC-san gave me a camera! Told me to photograph the mission. Get ready for a picture of you two cuties together!”

She rummaged through her bag as PW perked up while Frosty got dismissive, completely exchanging emotional states with him.

Frosty was shaking her head at Echo when she felt a bump on her foreleg. She looked down to find PW had come alongside her and was affectionately leaning his chest into her, smiling with joy at the camera as if he’d saved her life again.

“Hm. Alright.” She relented, dropping her gaiter with a smile.

“Say ‘Verko!’ One Arimaspi – Two Arimaspi – Three Arimaspi…” Echo trailed, taking the picture.

The paper rolled through the exposure chamber.

“This is a new camera! Give it a few for the photo!” Said Echo, waiting for the film to develop on the page. “Aw~, this is adorable!”

She waved the pair over and held the photo aloft, forgetting the stallion beneath her. He reared up in front of the photo between the Night-Mares to view it.

“Oh that is cute! Look at how happy we are, Frosty!” Exclaimed PW, seeing them in similar postures, expressions, equipment; even composure.

It was as if they were two parts of a whole instead of separate entities. She said nothing but Frosty was nonetheless moved at how happy she looked in the picture. She couldn’t remember a time when she smiled like that.

“I’ll put it in the safety bag.” Echo deposited it into a weather-proof compartment in her pack. “We’d better go now. The caravan ponies are this-a-way!” Echo sang, leading them eastward.

---

Polaris was impressed with the size of the caravan. He counted around twenty ponies among five wagons. Several noticed their approach.

“Another giant fighter? They sent us two giant fighters?” Whistled an older earth-pony stallion wearing a Stetson.

“And, that’s not all! There’s a… what is that?” A mare with a southern accent put a hoof to her brow. “It’s a little pegasus!” She realized.

“I doubt he’s that little, Apple Fritter. He just looks that way because he’s between two giants!” The stallion chuckled. “What do you reckon he’s doing, fraternizin’ with ‘em? He’s got combat gear on, too. Must be some elite.”

The other ponies came forward as Frosty, Echo and Polaris neared the wagons.

PW was steeped in awe as Frosty stepped forward and took charge in seconds. “Alright, everypony. No doubt you’ve met Echo. I am Frosty, in the same unit! This is Windy, my operations assistant. I’ll be taking charge of the operation now. Can I ask who is the ops lead here on site?” Frosty bellowed.

“That would be me, ma’am.” An earth-pony mare with a swirled, pink and blue mane emerged from the crowd with a particular swagger.

“Secret Agent Sweetie Drops. Nice to meet you.” She introduced herself behind a black jacket and aviators.

“Frosty. Likewise.” The Night-Mare bumped hooves.

“This is your assistant?” Sweetie Drops asked, looking at PW eye to eye. “He must be talented to be helping a Night – er, super-soldier.”

“He’s proven his worth.” Frosty put a hoof atop his mane.

Polaris couldn’t help but glow with appreciation.

“Is the caravan ready to depart?” Frosty got back to business.

“We’re going now?” PW asked, hoping they would be spending the night at the oasis.

“We must keep the mission moving.” She whispered.

“It is prepared, as requested.” Reported Sweetie Drops.

“Roger that.” Replied Frosty, grabbing her microphone boom. “Arimaspi Control, Frosty.”

“Go Frosty.”

“We’ve met the caravan. Setting out into open desert.”

“Stay cool.”

“10-4.” Replied Frosty, releasing the push-to-talk.

“Alright MOVE OUT!” Screamed Sweetie Drops.

The wheels began creaking as the caravan came to life, rolling again. Unlike their trip out, to keep the vehicles from getting stuck they had to ride the ridges of the sand dunes in a zigzagging pattern in single file.

“PW, why don’t you try to get a location on the enemy?” Suggested Frosty.

“Yes, ma’am!” He responded, leaping down a sand dune to get into the air.

As PW climbed the air began to cool. Relishing this break from the heat PW continued climbing as much as he thought it would benefit the mission. Before long he’d climbed all the way to 10,000 feet where the air was much, much cooler. There, PW could see fifty miles through a clear sea of sand. Initially he didn’t see anything but then a black speck caught his eye.

Polaris reached for his push-to-talk. “Frosty, Windy.”

“Proceed.”

“There’s some black object on the sands to the southwest of our location, maybe heading 2-0-0.”

“What shape?”

“Looks like a trapezoid. Want me to investigate further?”

“Negative. Return to the convoy. We have to assume that anything out here is hostile. I’ll radio this into control.”

“10-4, in descent. It’s really nice up here by the way! Like fifty degrees!”

“STOP.” Replied a hot, irritated Frosty.

On the descent PW felt the opposite effect as time went on. He got hotter and hotter as he fell deeper into the oven of the desert. Then he got a devious little idea. PW identified Frosty, and made directly for her at speed.

“Hey Frosty!” Called PW on the radio.

“Hey PW.” Came the response.

“Catch!” He said, leveling out and balling himself up as he sailed into her.

As before, he came to a sudden stop when she caught him.

“Next time I’m stepping out of the way.”

“Okay, okay! I’ll stop but if I’m losing control like last night? Please?”

“Tough, then.”

“Frosty!” He whined.

“Okay but don’t take advantage of me. Or I’ll give you a wedgie.” She laughed and set him down.

“I’ll not do that again. On purpose.” Promised PW.

“Course adjust 2-0-0!” Shouted Frosty.

“2-0-0 it is!” Replied Agent Sweetie Drops.

PW used his sextant to get a few readings as the sun began to near noon. Then, as it crested, he stopped.

“Frosty, please stop the caravan. I want to take a noon sighting to confirm our position.” He said.

“Halt the caravan for course check!” Shouted Frosty.

“All STOP!” Relayed Sweetie Drops.

PW put his sun filters in and held his watch in front of him. Every twenty seconds he adjusted the index mirror’s micrometer drum to place the sun on the sandy horizon. Then on another sighting he saw a great blue eye instead of the sun.

“Hi, cute pega!” Exclaimed Echo.

“Echo, I’m trying to look at the sun!”

“You’ll burn your eyes out, Windy-chan!” She gasped.

“No, it’s got a filter! It’s really important I see this!” Said PW, strafing away from Echo to get back into the sunlight.

Then he felt himself being grabbed and lifted into the air.

“Better Windy-chan?” Asked Echo, rearing and holding him up high towards the sun as if offering him to it.

“No – Echo! I want to see the horizon! Not up here! You’ll throw off my calculation by lowering the horizon from your tall vantage point!” Shouted PW, getting annoyed.

“Okie dokie!” Said Echo, finally setting him down.

“Weird seeing the sun in the north… fifty minutes… fifty one minutes… fifty one minutes… fifty one minutes… fifty minutes… forty eight minutes…” Muttered PW every few seconds. “Alright, I got it!”

“Caravan resume motion!” Ordered Frosty.

“Move it!” Relayed Sweetie Drops.

“But Frosty, I have to write out the solution!” Complained PW.

“We have to keep moving. Go ask Sweetie Drops for a seat in the wagons.” Replied Frosty.

PW grumbled and fishtailed his way through the moving caravan. Sweetie Drops was sitting on the front of a wagon being hauled by two other ponies.

“Hey Sweetie Drops, I need to sit somewhere to work the math out on paper.” Said PW.

She scooted a few inches to her left and patted the open spot next to her. PW climbed up into the wagon, much to the dismay of those pulling it.

“I’ll be quick guys.” Promised, PW, starting to do the math.

Sweetie Drops was curious and she peered over as PW started flipping through almanac pages, writing numbers down.

“Fascinating. So you can figure out where we are?” Asked Sweetie Drops, lowering her shades to read the worksheet better.

“Yes. I run the tables in this book that tells me where the sun is and depending on how high it is in the sky and when it reaches that point that will tell us where we are.” Said, PW, finishing his calculations. “Alright WE’RE AT 16 DEGREES 19 MINUTES SOUTH AND 13 DEGREES 52 MINUTES WEST. NO ADJUSTMENT NEEDED!” Shouted PW, packing up his things and hopping off the wagon.

“Mr. Wind?” Called Sweetie Drops. “Do you have another fast minute?”

“Uh, sure!” He called, hopping back up.

The wagon haulers growled in disapproval. Sweetie Drops directed his attention over to Frosty. “I can see you’re a big fan of hers!” Said Sweetie Drops, nodding over towards Frosty.

“Yeah…” Agreed PW, peering over to admire her.

“And you’re here on sheer determination of willpower? Or, put another way, you’re her assistant because you like her.”

“You can tell?”

“Oh I can tell. Your body language says it all. If you ever want any advice about mares, I’m married to one. While also being one. Feel free to ask.”

“Thanks Sweetie Drops!”

“Call me Bon-Bon. Anyways, the main reason I called you back was to chat about her ‘finger’ things.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. My wife, Lyra Heartstrings, helped design those. But I heard they were acting… shotty?”

“Uh, well… they kept getting stuck. I had to open the junction box a number of times and shock the inductor coils by crossing the wires.”

“She’s not the only one facing these issues. I find their happening odd. Lyra is always meticulous in her work. And she has had the same fascination with those devices that you have with 2. So I’m having trouble understanding what may be the issue?”

“Yeah I see where you’re coming from. What I know is that this happened many times during testing, and I made a big stink about it to management. There is a paper trail of me calling this out and it getting ignored.”

“So then, we’re in agreement that something happened between design and integration.”

“Yeah I guess that’s the only option with you knowing Lyra.”

“Which means we’re looking at either fabrication or the delivery.”

“Yeah.”

“Mr. Wind…”

“Just PW, Bon-Bon!”

“Okay, PW, well I think we might be looking at a potential realized insider threat.”

“You really think somepony is sabotaging things?”

“I do. I also find it odd that the Royal Guard created ‘a squadron of Night-Mares’ and then sends them out on solo missions. That’s quite the deviation in intended use, from the intended design. I think there actually may be two malicious insiders. One in management and one technician. Did you notice anything odd from your I&T days? Was anypony acting like an insider?”

“Not that I remember.”

“I am alarmed that management did not act on your concerns regarding the fingers. I think the bad actor may have been one in your old reporting chain.”

“That’s a good point… a BIG one.”

“Would you do me a favor and keep your eye out for anything… fishy? I’m worried that more issues are going to come up.”

“Yeah absolutely! Those Night-Mares… my life is pointless without them. I am going to identify them if they get close for sure!”

“Thanks PW.”

PW hopped off the wagon and they continued forward up the next dune. Suddenly, Frosty ducked.

“ALL STOP!” She yelled.

“Stop the convoy!” Cried Bon-Bon. “What is it?” She asked, standing on the front of her wagon.

“The object in front of us has moved. Or PW gave a bad position report. Which, knowing him, is impossible.”

“Thanks, Frosty!” PW whispered up to her.

“How could it have moved?” Shouted Bon-Bon.

“Arimaspi Control, Frosty.”

“Go Frosty.”

“It looks like we’ve come upon an airship.” She reported as Echo started belly crawling up the sand dune.

“It was right there!” Echo called.

“Wait a minute! How did this happen – we’re smarter than this!” Complained PW.

Frosty turned to answer PW. “Easy! They could have seen the dust we’re kicking up. Knowing we’re heading towards them is a piece of cake. If the dust cloud doesn’t move side-to-side from their perspective, they’ll know right away that we’re heading towards them. All it takes then is a low float to keep themselves below the horizon.”

“And if they’re heading towards us, this is likely an assault!” Added Bon-Bon.

Without any further instruction, both Night-Mares reared and prepared their D-16’s. Echo rolled up to the top and peered over the dune.

“O’bachan! There’s creatures down there!” She called.

“All armed to the dune! Stay low! That means you too, PW! The rest of you STAY DOWN and keep a lookout for trouble approaching behind us!” Shouted Frosty, running up the dune alongside PW.

Bon-Bon, Echo, Frosty, and PW all laid low, peeping over the top of the sand dune.

“Birdies!” Echo exclaimed.

“Parrots.” Frosty clarified.

“Frosty! Somecreature is coming close this way!” Shouted Apple Fritter, pointing to the west.

The Night-Mare swung herself and her hundred-pound D16 around to face west. The weapon swung over PW’s head at such a furious pace that it elicited a *whoosh*. A lone, green parrot was coming over the dune from the west at close range.

Author's Note:

Stats for Nerds Approved for Release
ID Codename Standing Rearing Weight Gauge
2-1 ?
2-2 Frosty 60.4'' 80.9' 404lbs 27.9''
2-3 ?
2-4 ?
2-5 Echo * * * * *
PW Windy 40'' 54.25'' 99 lbs 11.5''

Comments

[bkam]

"How big are you, Polaris?” She asked, grasping the stallion in her forehooves and lifting him off the ground as she reared to her full height.

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[Starfighter]

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Thank you so much!