PROJECT HIVE
RETURN
Ironside was the first through the door, in a repeat of their first expedition to the surface. Almost immediately, he was bogged down, hooves sinking into the loose sand left by the storm. A quick warning to those behind him, to watch their footing, and he returned his attention to the task ahead, watching the buildings carefully, fully aware of what lay within. This time, he was determined that none of his compatriots would be carried back to the Stable, that no pony or changeling blood would be spilled.
Close behind was Damsel, cast-bound leg pulled close to her body as she buzzed about, using her wings to make up for her impaired mobility. The wound had brought some concern, chiefly from Ironside, but the task her team faced was too important to allow such a minor thing to keep her from her duties. She came to a hover above her pony partner as their teams filed out, moving into positions to cover each other, some standing atop the deep dunes that had built up on the windward sides of the buildings.
A minute passed, the assorted equines watching the growing number of red marks in their vision with no small amount of trepidation, before Damsel spoke.
"They're using the dunes for cover. Watch for tunnelling and ambushes. Changelings, stay alert for hidden threats. Constant communication; we don't want any surprises like last time." At this, each of the team's faces hardened. Though their wounded sister was safe in the Stable, the memory of her attack was all too fresh in their minds.
Ironside briefly released his trigger bit. "Ground team, take it slow and careful. Watch each other, and don't take chances. This is our home, and we're taking it back." His words drew a short cheer from the team, and he nodded at his airborne partner.
Damsel waved her good foreleg. "Aerial team, on me. Follow the plan, cover the ground team, and don't let any of those mutts out alive. Move out!"
With a second cheer, the teams moved forwards, right behind their chiefs. Pegasi took to the air, the beating of their wings creating clouds of crimson sand that were swept aside by the stiff breeze that was all that remained of the storm's fury. Below, earth ponies and unicorns covered each other as the first buildings were breached and entered, changelings on both teams coordinating and turning it into an almost seamless operation.
Lorikeet's breathing was ragged and the bases of his wings burned, the hours of almost non-stop flight taking their toll on the Hive-born. In a brief moment of relative peace he stretched his aching jaw, the voices of his team-mates echoing through both the town and his mind as they approached the outer limits of the settlement. Their path was strewn with rust-furred bodies, some buried by collapsing dunes, others left slumped on floors or furniture in the abandoned structures, each a step towards reclaiming their surface home.
Now, though, the end was in sight. Only stragglers remained, stubbornly refusing to give up their territory to their natural prey, and even they were beginning to fall, desperation causing them to attack blindly, viciously, like the cornered animals they were.
With a shout, the hybrid dived, guns flaring to life in defense of one of his brothers. Even as his target went limp and hit the ground, his brother cried a warning of his own, causing the hybrid to juke to the side, barely avoiding the seeking claws of a leaping Rock Hound. The new attacker left a furrow in the soft sand as it fell, life leaking from its punctured body, but there was no time for thanks before they found themselves swept up in the final push.
The last echoes of gunfire died away. The town was littered with spent brass and canine bodies, almost buried by time and nature's wrath, but, as Damsel perched atop a partially collapsed building, she bared her teeth in a vicious grin. After twenty long years, after all the waiting and the violence of the past few days, they had returned. The town was theirs once more.
Slowly, the panting, sweating teams gathered, looking to their leader with wide, eager eyes, the adrenaline still strong in their veins and demanding release.
Damsel didn't disappoint. She threw her head back, giving a cry that rang to the clouds above, matched by her brothers and sisters, both pony and changeling, until all that could be heard was their roar of victory, echoing across the barren plains as though challenging the Badlands themselves.
The Hive was filled with cheers and laughter. Scant hours had passed since the news had been delivered, but already an enormous party had errupted in the atrium, streamers and decorations everywhere. Off to one side a pair of cream-coated mares, identical in every way, from the style of their orange manes to their shining green eyes, shared a joyous embrace.
"I can't believe it! We're finally going home!"
"Me either! It's a dream come true!"
Ginger Snap and Tagalong held each other tightly, tears flowing as they thought of the town that had become little more than a distant memory, but was now theirs once more.
"You're crying, silly filly!"
"Well, so are you!"
They held each other tighter, sharing the laughter and tears, until a small troop of fillies wearing the berets and sashes of Filly Scouts appeared from the crowd, saluting their troop leaders. Ginger Snap and Tagalong, leaders of the Hive's Filly Scouts and members of the Morale division, wiped each others faces and faced their charges with wide smiles, speaking in unison as they so often did. "Girls, you should be enjoying the party! What are you doing over here?"
The eldest scout, not quite a mare, stepped forwards. "We, um... we wanted to know... what's the surface like?"
The identical mares shared a look, their grins growing until it seemed like their heads would split in two. "Girls, you have so much to look forward to... we don't know where to begin!"
In the relative quiet of the dormitories, Ironside and Merry May shared their own embrace in the hall outside of their quarters. "I'm just glad you didn't get hurt." The mare whispered, refusing to let the tired stallion go. "After Holly got hurt, I almost didn't want you to go back up there..." Slowly, she pulled back, placing a tender kiss on his lips before smiling. "Come on. We'll get some coffee into you, then head to the party, alright?" As he nodded, she looked over his shoulder to where Damsel leaned against a wall, looking awkward and uncomfortable but too exhausted to hobble away and give the couple privacy. "You too, Damsel. You look dead on your hooves."
The changeling waved her resin-coated hoof, not quite supressing a yawn. "N-no, I'm... fine. I'll... see you there... just... let me rest a moment."
Merry May giggled and gave her weary husband a nudge before moving to Damsel's side and draping a warm wing over her back. "No buts. Now, come on." A light tug was enough to move her friend away from the wall, Ironside moving to the changeling's opposite side to support her.
Damsel yawned again. "Merry, d-don't... worry. I don't want to... impose."
The pegasus rolled her eyes, guiding her husband and friend to the door and the cozy quarters behind it. "Damsel, you're not imposing. You're practically family! Now get in there; everyone's celebrating tonight, and we're not gonna leave you alone. Right, honey?"
Ironside mumbled something incoherent, his eyes drooping, getting another eye roll from Merry May as the trio entered the living room, the sleepy changeling deposited on the couch to recuperate from the long day. "You just stay right there, okay? I'll be right back with the coffee. Honey, you can..." She paused, smirking as the stallion slumped beside his lightly dozing partner with a yawn of his own, "stay right there."
When Merry May came back, mugs of fresh coffee balanced on her back, she couldn't help but laugh. Ironside had passed out on the couch and was snoring away, while Damsel was lightly twitching beside him, chewing her partner's mane in her sleep and mumbling about wanting more spaghetti.
The pegasus shook her head and deposited the drinks on the table before hopping onto the couch herself, snuggling against her sleeping husband with a content smile.
"You should be resting." Lorikeet gave Holly a flat look, the still-bandaged mare grinning nervously as she stood in the starewell that linked Medical to the dormitories, her wings fluttering nervously.
"Um, the doc said I need some excercise?"
"Holly..."
The mare groaned, her ears drooping. "Fine, you got me. I'm headed to the party." Before her partner could say anything, she glared at him. "And you can't stop me! I've been stuck down there for days! I missed out on the mission, I'm not missing the party! If you try and stop me, I'll... I'll... I'll tell aunt Damsel you've been slacking off on paperwork!"
Lorikeet's eyes narrowed. "That's a lie, and you know it."
Holly started whining. "But Lory, I don't wanna stay in Medical! It's so boring! And I'm all alone down there most of the time!"
The hybrid nodded. "I know. That's why I was coming to get you."
"It's not like the doctors or nurses are good company, either! They just poke me and... what?" The mare stared at her partner, then stuck her hoof in her ear and wiggled it, sure she hadn't heard what she thought she had. "Did you just say... you were coming to get me?"
Lorikeet nodded. "That's right."
"YEAH!" Holly pumped her wings and took to the air, raising her hoof with a cheer... before thumping back to the ground with a yelp of pain. As she clutched her side, Lorikeet darted up beside her, letting her lean on him for support. "Owwie... owwie..."
"Maybe we should get you back to Medical..." The concern was evident in his voice, but she shook her head.
"No way... ow... it's not that bad."
"Holly-"
"Lory, I don't wanna spend tonight laying in bed, alone and bored." She gave him a pleading look. "I'll go crazy." The stallion sighed.
"The atrium is full, you know. Everyone will be bumping into you."
The mare grimaced. "Well, maybe I can find a spot that's not so bad. Or I could hover..." She spread her wings experimentally, only to squeak as pain shot through her side.
Lorikeet shook his head and started moving, slowly enough that his partner could keep up while leaning on him. "Come on, Holly."
"Where..." She sucked air through her teeth, still in pain. "Where are we going?"
"My quarters."
"What? Why?"
The young stallion kept his eyes straight ahead. "If I take you to the atrium, you'll be bumped around. I don't like seeing you in pain."
The mare gave him a quizzical look. "That's... nice. Why your place, though? Don't you wanna go to the party? I mean, just the two of us... that'd be pretty boring."
Lorikeet shook his head. "Today was... tiring. All I want is a rest."
"Oh." Holly went silent for a moment as they made their slow way down the corridoor. "So... no party?"
The hybrid shook his head. "No. If I cook dinner, will that make up for not taking you to the party? I haven't eaten yet, and I'm sure you could use a proper meal after what Medical serves."
Side-by-side, the pair walked on, Lorikeet's expression professional and unreadable, Holly's face not betraying too many of her thoughts. After a long minute, Holly smiled. "Yeah... I guess that makes up for it. You any good?"
Lorikeet gave a smile of his own. "I guess you'll have to find out."
Holly bumped her side against his playfully. "Yeah, I guess I will."
I'm really enjoying this, Please keep up the good work
Eff yeah, they've got the town back.
They are so short, so lets have another small bite with another REVIEW TIME to accompany it!
Not so much to say here beside that it is as nice as the others.