North Woods NightMares

by Starfighter

Chapter 3: Bridge Number 1

"HOOVES. UP. NOW" said the creature.

“I know that voice…” realized PW, putting his forehooves up and turning around.

“Don’t even think about using those wings! I’ll shoot you out of the sky like a turkey!” the voice threatened. PW looked up and made eye contact with a heavy set bipedal seven foot tall mare who was fully kitted out and holding a D16 pointed right between his eyes. Though this would terrify nearly anycreature, PW knew the steady fingers that held it were in part his own work and took comfort in the familiarity of their wielder instead of fearing the rifle.

“Night Mare-2!” called PW, recognizing her unique cream white coat and silvery mane, and those now fiery copper eyes.

“Answer the question little stallion! Who are you!” the mare yelled.

“Yes, sorry! It’s me, Polaris Wind- went by PW back in the factory. I was the technician at Poneyon who installed your fingers! And ran one of your tests! Don’t you remember me?” PW questioned. The mare did not move.

“What are you doing here?!?” the armed mare yelled.

“I missed you. I worried about you. Especially with all the stories hitting the press. It was keeping me up at night and I had to do something. The bushes… I heard them rustling in front of me. I think somepony is…”

“It was a diversion. Nopony is there. It’s just you and me. Which means there’s no witnesses” said Night Mare-2, grinning with a sinister, toothy smile.

“Right! Good thing I’m on your side! I’d be dead otherwise! But I know you don’t take innocent lives, and unarmed ones!” said the now nervous stallion.

“Thanks for reminding me. I haven’t frisked you. Rear up” ordered the mare. PW did as he was ordered and his saddlebag was removed. The mare approached him; leaning over him and wiping his body down to verify he wasn’t hiding anything. As the mare leaned over, her chest pack covering her core muscles was pushing into PW's face and he was quickly developing a blush, making his normally grayish red cheeks go apple red.

Then the mare pushed PW back down to all fours and sat. “Dump your bag out. Do not grab anything” she ordered. PW did exactly as he was told. Night Mare-2 rummaged around the pile until she was sure there was no weapon, then she collected his notes and maps. “What is all of this? Looks like you might have been planning something!”

“No Night Mare-2- I was trying to find you. They transferred our department to the east coast so I wouldn’t have been able to find you other than in the field. These were my attempts to meet up with one of you NightMares. Looks like they actually worked!”

“Then what business do you have with me?” the mare asked.

“I told you- I was worried. I’m too attached to you girls. I’m going to support you in the field.”

“You are off the contract, Polaris Wind.”

“I know but I’m too emotional about everything to just not support you mares. I’m not able to stand by the wayside while you all are in mortal danger, growing day after day.”

“That’s nice of you. But this is no place for a volunteer. You are in a military engagement zone.”

“Are you alone, Night Mare-2?”

“That’s tactical knowledge” the mare replied. PW knew her enough to read the answer in her eyes.

“You aren’t alone anymore, 2. I’m here" PW said. The mare hesitated before turning away.

“You slow me down. Not to mention your reddish coat gives you away. Now I need to escort you back to town and break off my operation. We were expecting something big. And this must be reported.” Night Mare-2 grabbed her radio to make the report. PW gasped and shook his head, pleading with his hooves as the mare made her call.

"Please, I quit my job to find you!" he pleaded.

“Manehatten Control, I’m returning to base… I… need to refit” she said, keying down the microphone.

“Rodge.”

“As always, you’re the best 2!” cried PW.

“I’m doing you a massive favor Polaris Wind. Consider that my thanks for your good work back in fitment. Now into town.”

“Understood mam.”

PW began walking towards the road. “Stop. It’s not safe out there” called Night Mare-2.

“With your strength?” the stallion rebuked.

“All it takes is one well placed bullet through your chest. Then the terrorists here have what they wanted. An increased casualty count. Stay hidden” ordered Night Mare-2.

The duo snaked amid the evergreen hedges, pine trees, and maple bushes along the road. They also maintained silence for maximum stealth. Though Night Mare-2 was nearly silent, PW was smaller and able to cut his way through more easily like a deer. Thus it actually gave Night Mare-2 a challenge to keep up. She also lacked the geographical wayfinding abilities PW had, and it actually made things easier for her in keeping parallel to the road.

“Polaris Wind!” the mare whispered ahead. She waved him back. PW returned and Night Mare-2 sat, whispering down into PW’s ear.

“There’s a bridge up ahead. It’s a choke point ideal for ambush. I want you to run across first. If there’s somecreature watching the bridge, the first pony is likely to get their attention, but they won’t be ready to shoot in time. The second pony gets shot. If you’re ambushed on the other side, I’ll be able to draw fire.”

“But I don’t want you shot either, NM2” the stallion whispered back.

The mare sat back, unstrapped her kneepad, and pulled her nylon sock back, exposing her large right knee. The right side was wounded. “Oh that’s rough” PW whispered.

“See? I’ve been shot before and made it through fine. Run across the bridge. Don’t try to sneak” the mare added.

PW huffed. “Alright 2, I shall follow your orders as your subordinate!” PW declared, moving away before the mare could rebuke him.

The log beam bridge was short, only twenty yards or so long. It bridged an opening gully in a ridgeline on their right side, to the east. The bridge was exposed on the west side where the gully expanded into a valley. The valley had high edges to the north and south, creating a large theater like space. PW didn’t need to be a military strategist to know anypony on the bridge would be a target of opportunity.

PW stopped short just before the treeline and studied the other side. Nopony appeared to be hiding in the bushes. Then PW developed a full gallop and sprinted across at full speed. “That’s right PW, show this mare how fast you are!” he called. PW crossed the log beam bridge completely and vanished into the tall trees on the other side. He had made it with no ills. Then he turned around back south to face the NightMare. He looked back towards the southwest, the only tactical location he could see from his position and didn’t see anycreature. He then waived Night Mare-2 across.

It was just after the NightMare crossed the first of 3 beams. A loud shot rang out, with a wizz. “2!!!” PW yelled. The NightMare paused and briefly looked left before resuming the sprint across. Five more shots rang out, with two splintering the railings.

“Deeper into the trees” the mare ordered, pushing PW on like a tractor. Suddenly a Yak, two ponies, and a griffon appeared out of the woods on the road ahead, all armed with rifles. “Shit” called the mare, pulling PW into the trees to the east, up the hill.

"Did you get hit 2?" asked PW.

A spread of bullets from above rained down on them. “Let’s go!” she called, pulling PW back west across the road and down the hill.

“Manehatten Control, I’m taking fire at Bridge Number 1” the mare radioed. They took off down the hill and started seeing things in the pine trees below. “We’re surrounded” the mare said. Night Mare-2 saw a rock outcrop that would shield their eastern side and they ran for it. “Sit down” she ordered, pushing PW to the ground at the base of the rockface. The NightMare squatted just in front of PW, shielding him while she readied her D16 automatic assault rifle.

The glint of a gun barrel was seen below them. Finally, with no better option, Night Mare-2 aimed and pulled the trigger on her D16. “BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!” went a volley of fire. One of the pine trees collapsed at its base and fell.

“Holy shit that’s loud!” shouted PW, trying to cover his ears. Not a second later Night Mare-2 turned right on instinct. The creatures from the road were coming down the hill. “BRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!” Night Mare-2 fired. PW was amazed to see the power of this gun blowing back on the mare and though her forelegs vibrated, her chest and tremendously powerful legs remained completely motionless.

The mare drew her radio. “Manehatten Control, I’m engaging. Six down” she said. Before she could hang the radio back up a small pebble struck PW on the head. He looked up and saw a shotgun aiming down at them from the cliff above.

“Above you six O’clock!” yelled PW. The mare moved two hundred pounds of muscle and one hundred pounds of gear in the blink of an eye and opened the magazine.

“BRRRRRRRRR!”

A unicorn pony from above fell dead between them. Night Mare-2 was smiling at PW.

“That was cool, PW! Nice job!” the mare remarked as drops of blood from her battle splattered and dripped across her face and shaggy silver mane surrounding it. The mare didn’t react at all to the blood covering her.

“I was doing my duty, mam” replied PW, trying to be as professional as possible. Though he was giddy that Night Mare-2 had just called him PW again for the first time in over a year.

“Let’s get back to the road. I think we opened our northern periphery” the mare said, slapping PW's back to get him moving. The pair raced up the hill and after checking the coast was clear the NightMare stowed her D16 and they galloped out onto the road.

“PW, faster!” the mare barked. PW was already maxed out.

“Wait, you’re keeping up with me? I thought I was faster!” he replied. Night Mare-2 accelerated her gallop to overtake PW at more than walking speed, crossed in front of him, and dropped back to his right side.

“Nope” the mare said flatly.

“Please, no more embarrassment! You’ll cause me to slow down!” called PW.

“You’ve already slowed down.”

“I’m getting tired!”

“Do I need to carry you on my back like a foal?” the mare teased. PW snorted and started flapping his wings. “No! No flying. You’ll become a target. Just please keep going.”

“Maybe you can motivate me by telling me something I’ve wanted to hear since you halted me!” PW shot. He received no reply.

They came up to a bend in the road and Night Mare-2 ran out to the outside of the curve to see around it. She froze up and skidded to a stop. PW, on the inside of the curve was still hidden from what was ahead when he stopped. “What is it?” PW called. A spread of gunfire was heard as the NightMare ran towards the inside of the curve. “Oh” PW added. The NightMare pulled her D16 out and began sighting round the curve, heading back towards the outside. She paused.

“Fuck!” she yelled, running back as several bullets wizzed by. “Run” she shouted to PW.

Author's Note:

Interested in trying out the prototype? I'm looking a proofreader! Please DM me if curious!

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

What is the NightMares headcanon idea?

[Starfighter]

11809394
In November, artist NCmares started posting pictures of big mares with bug guns and short 1-liner descriptions like 'I'm assembling a team. Counter-piracy ops shall be conducted along the fringes of Equestria's trade-routes' and 'The robust earth-ponies who roam the dangerous, bleak lands of Equestria's Northernmost woodlands made for ideal candidates and, as expected, readily adapted to the augments'. That's the head cannon as I understand it. Upon seeing the image that is now featured as the story image, I envisioned the concept of the loyal engineer supporting his NightMare, and asked NCmares if he was cool with me writing a story based on that concept. He approved, and here we are!