Equestria Special Forces

by Miniscule Literary

Chapter Nine

The six ponies – trained by royalty, by specialty, by experience and considered by many to be saviors of all of Equestria - had been wandering the wastes for hours, with no end in sight.

“We’ve been out here for hours!” lamented Rarity, lagging a good fifteen feet behind the rest.

“Thank you…for the update,” Applejack replied with hostile sarcasm.

All the ponies – even the bubbly, infinite source of energy that was Pinkie Pie – were feeling the full effects of the heat by now. This was made significantly worse by the armor they all wore, which gleamed blindingly in the unrelenting sun that loomed overhead.

“Are you sure,” Fluttershy began softly, her words broken up by sharp breathes, “the Princess didn’t mention a meeting place? Or maybe some landmarks?”

“I’m afraid not,” Twilight replied with a weak, sympathetic smile. The unicorn wasn’t even sure how long they could keep up the search; although they had packed provisions for their journey, there was a very real risk of getting lost in the sprawling badlands. And at this rate, it could take days – or even weeks – to find the renegades in such a place. With nothing but scorching savannah for miles around, Twilight could feel her own faith in the mission swiftly draining away.

“Wha-…Hey!”

Twilight jolted at the sound. A moment later, Rarity barreled into her, pushing the other unicorn to the side with a clatter of armor plate. Twilight quickly found she did not need to question her comrade’s odd behavior; the source of the disturbance was abundantly clear.

Despite the flat expanse of the desert before them, they had not seen nor sensed the approach of their enemy. By the time Rarity had alerted the rest, they were already surrounded. Pygmies – a small relative of the Equestrian races – in dirty rusted armor and armed with a variety of weapons encircled them like a pack of wolves. Their fur was long and unkempt, and they looked as though they were more suited for an arctic environment rather than an arid one. Most carried spears, attached to their armor by crude devices. Others carried swords in their mouths, wielding the weapons with a surprising amount of dexterity.

“Woah!” Rainbow Dash cried out as she narrowly avoided a thrust from one of the spear carriers. “Are you crazy?! We’re unarmed! We’re just here to talk!”

Whether or not the Pygmies understood, Twilight couldn’t tell, but if they did, they showed no signs of compliance. The dwarf equines – a little over half their size – continued to patrol in a circle around them, the space growing tighter and tighter with each revolution. The Pygmy warriors would lash out with their weapons if any of them got too close, and it didn’t take long for the six ponies to stop doing just that.

“We’ve come on the authority of Princess Celestia of Equestria!” Twilight shouted over the sounds of clattering armor. “We’re here to negotiate on behalf of your people!”

The unicorn let out a yelp of surprise as a spear shot out to meet her, grazing her chest plate. A thin gash was carved into the flawless metal surface before the blade sheared out to her side.

“Don’t ya’ll have ears?! We’re not here to cause any trouble!” Applejack snarled, glaring daggers at their aggressors.

Seemingly in response, the Pygmies came to a halt in a disciplined, rigid fashion. For a tense moment, there was nothing. Then, protocol was thrown to the wind as they charged into battle, yelling war cries that shook the ponies to their core.

Metal flashed as the Equestrians came under attack. Rainbow narrowly danced away from another lethal thrust, ignoring the opportunity to retaliate in a surprising display of restraint. Fluttershy took to the air to avoid serious conflict of her own, much to the disapproval of the other pegasus. Meanwhile, a Pygmy wielding a sword lunged to strike at Applejack’s neck. The earth pony ducked below the blow and thrust her head forward, allowing the weight of the smaller equine to fall upon her neck and back. With a sudden jolt upright, the Pygmy was sent soaring over their heads, its weapon falling from its teeth as it cried out in surprise.

Twilight fenced with two spear carriers, her horn alight in a display of magical energy. Although her ethereal blade rivaled the length of the Pygmy weapons and moved fluently with a tilt of her head, she found herself struggling to keep up with her adversaries. Perhaps, she mused to herself while narrowly avoiding another thrust, she was to blame; their current predicament had sent her mind reeling. Princess Celestia had put such emphasis on a peaceful approach, and such a thing seemed impossible now. Had they failed so quickly?

Rarity, meanwhile, dealt with opposition of her own. The unicorn mimicked Twilight’s magical blade – though her version was a light blue – with notable difficulty. The spell had been one of a number that Twilight had taught her, and the fact that she was capable of using it at all was quite the feat. She was unable to maintain it for long, however, and thus the blade was only made manifest when it was needed; between strikes, she was unarmed, and struggling.

Pinkie, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying herself thoroughly. Cut off from the rest of the group by spear and sword, the pink pony weaved through the lashing blades and piercing strikes with an enthusiastic gape, much to the frustration of her enemies.

Twilight ducked low as her aggressors made a joint attack from either side. With a quick flick of her head, she removed the bladed end of one spear and sent a one-hooved buck into the chest of the other Pygmy, forcing it into a stagger. One of its allies crashed down onto it a moment later, ending any chance of retaliation. Applejack gave the purple unicorn a quick nod, in an apparent tug of war involving her rope and a Pygmy’s sword. Another Pygmy’s spear was broken a few inches from its metal tip with a swift strike of Rainbow Dash’s hoof, turning the weapon into an oversized toothpick as it attempted to breach Rarity’s defenses. Even Fluttershy did her part, ducking down close enough to the battle to gain their attention, only to swoop back out of reach the moment they attacked.

“Please, it doesn’t have to be this way!” Twilight insisted, sending a surge of energy through her horn-blade, causing it to sheer through a Pygmy’s sword with a smoldering hiss. The weapon fell to pieces at the little equine’s hooves, its mouth agape.

“HOLD!” the disarmed Pygmy cried, causing all six ponies to jolt in surprise. Immediately, with militaristic discipline, the other Pygmies disengaged, bowing out of their respective fights and even leaving their weapons behind if necessary. “The ritual is complete.”

“The what now?” Applejack asked with wide eyes and a frown, her rope still hanging from her clenched teeth.

“You have proven yourselves to be capable warriors,” the Pygmy warrior explained, matter-of-factly. “Your request for an audience is granted.”

All six ponies stood in stunned silence, trying to wrap their minds around the new developments.

“This way,” the stoic equine said at last, setting off in a random direction. Its fellows gathered their weapons – if they were still intact – and followed, showing no sign of distrust toward the ponies they were just fighting.

“Woo! That was fun!” Pinkie exclaimed, breaking the silent hold over her friends. The bubbly earth pony bounced after the Pygmies, grinning.

“What just happened?” Rainbow muttered as she watched them go, talking mostly to herself. Rarity and Applejack gave her a knowing glance, unsure of how to proceed. At last, Twilight sighed.

“We still have a mission, girls.”

None of the ponies – sans Pinkie – seemed very comfortable about it, but they followed nonetheless.

***

The group walked for twenty minutes before they reached their destination. Although most of the Equestrians remained in a reserved, untrusting silence, Pinkie was no shortage of activity, doing laps around the Pygmy warband as she questioned and talked. The de-facto leader of the little equines would only give her the occasional “mhm” or “no” when appropriate, though he did so without prejudice, seemingly an infinite well of patience.

The group eventually came to a stop in the middle of the badlands, with only grass and sun to keep them company. At first, Twilight found herself tensing for a fight, but as the leader of the Pygmy warband unearthed a strange hatch in the middle of the field, she realized they had truly arrived.

No wonder they couldn’t find it themselves – the renegades built their base of operations underground, along with the rest of their race.

“This way,” the Pygmy in charge said, allowing his fellows to descend ahead of him. “Watch your step. These passageways were built for Rath'urn.”

The little equine did not lie. Twilight was forced into an uncomfortable crouch to just squeeze inside, her hooves teetering uneasily on the undersized steps. Solid earth surrounded her, and it was a wonder the tunnel did not collapse as she struggled her way through. At first, the unicorn feared that, once the hatch was closed, there would be no light at all; surely the Pygmies would have ways of coping with the darkness, but these ways may not be shared with the other races. As she plunged into the yawning dark, however, she found herself surrounded by glowing green runes, embedded in the dirt like bioluminescent cave paintings. Twilight marveled at their composition, wondering how they were made to only appear outside of sunlight; so transfixed by these was she that she almost lost her balance.

Their dark descent continued for an uncomfortably long time; as primarily subterranean creatures, the Pygmies felt at home so far from the surface, but to the Equestrians, it felt oppressive and dark, even with the runes to light the way.

Just as Twilight began to feel painfully claustrophobic, the narrow earthen passage spilled into an enormous underground canyon – large even by pony standards. Her friends emerging behind her, the six Equestrians gaped at their surroundings. Buildings lined the edges of the canyon, each a masterpiece of stone architecture. The runes that had accompanied them down the passage from the surface became sprawling, alien murals, giving the entire underground abode a dim, verdant full-moon glow.

And here, Twilight finally understood the bizarre appearance of her hosts – while the surface was unrelentingly hot and arid, the underground was frigid and damp, chilling them to the bone in moments.

After a few minutes of silent awe, the leader of the Pygmy warband emerged behind them, snapping them back to reality with his presence. “This way,” he said with a grunt, setting off without introduction or explanation of their surroundings.

“I don’t like this,” Rarity muttered as they trailed a few feet behind their guide, shivering.

“If this is a trap, there’s no way we can get back to the surface!” Rainbow Dash agreed with a frown. The pegasus hovered just overhead, her head held low to keep her words for their ears only. She was right; they couldn’t exactly squeeze through the passage with any sort of speed.

As much as Twilight agreed, there was very little they could do now. The decision was made; she could only pray it wouldn’t cost them their lives.

As they followed their host through the stony streets, the unicorn began to notice something – something that wasn’t there. Despite the scale of their surroundings – easily half the size of Ponyville – there seemed to be a drastic shortage of citizens. Occasionally they would spy a Pygmy or two eyeing them from an alley, or from across the canyon, all equipped with armor and weapons, just as their guide’s party was. It made sense – this renegade faction was new, and had not yet gained a large following. But if that were true, how in the world had they built all this so quickly?

So many questions. It made Twilight uncomfortable.

Their host suddenly broke off from the rest of his party, which continued down the length of the canyon, and climbed the stairs of one of the large stone structures with a surprising amount of agility. The Equestrians followed, finding the stone stairs more manageable than the last, but only just. Inside, the building retained the cold harshness – and brilliant craftsmanship – of its exterior. Thankfully, it was significantly larger than the passage, allowing them to stand their full height within any given room, and were only forced to duck when passing through doorways.

Passing through a few unremarkable chambers, the group suddenly found themselves in an enormous hall, the ceiling of which loomed at least thirty feet above their heads. Runic patterns of all shapes and sizes decorated the walls, lightning the room with an almost day-level of brightness. At the opposite end of the chamber stood an enormous wall covered in ornate carvings. Instead of the usual Pygmy language – which none of them could decipher – the carvings were of real world objects and beings, depicting fierce battles, great triumphs, and powerful symbols. At the center of the barrier stood two enormous metallic doors decorated with intricate markings of their own, and looming just above the titans of metal were two large, cat-like eyes. Unlike the rest of the carvings, which appeared as natural as the stone itself – speaking volumes of their age – the eyes appeared to be fresh addition, making them all the more jarring.

Two Pygmies stood on either side of the monolithic doorway, clad in armor of a much higher quality than the rest. Gleaming silver in the green glow of the runes, the two equines stood like statues, ignorant of the group swiftly approaching.

The Equestrians and their guide slowed to a halt a few feet away. “Who will be speaking on your behalf?” their warrior host asked, turning to regard them with its ever-stoic visage.

They paused. “Beg your pardon?” Applejack said at last, raising a brow.

“Only one of your party may speak with our esteemed val’thral,” the Pygmy explained. None of the assembled ponies understood what the word meant, and their guide did not seem to want to elaborate. Regardless, they understood well enough to be caught off guard.

Twilight grimaced. Each of them had strengths and weaknesses of their own that could make or break the negotiation. Together, they would play to their strengths, ensuring a better chance of success. But separated, things would be much more complicated.

Twilight herself had some experience as a negotiator, but her experience did not expand much outside her own people. As good a mediator as she might seem, her own predisposition toward intellectualism and magic might be seen as a sign of weakness to such a race.

Applejack was trustworthy, sensible, and strong, but also very stubborn. Her own persistence may be their undoing if the two parties started butting heads.

Rarity was charismatic and charming, but also delicate. Twilight doubted she could simply charm her way to success, and the Pygmies might regard her focus on physical appearance with distaste.

Fluttershy was kind and compassionate, but also timid. Even with all the progress she has made since Twilight first arrived in Ponyville, Fluttershy was still not one for a fight, physical or otherwise. If voices were raised, she might not be as capable in the negotiation.

Rainbow Dash was dependable and her own strength might be viewed with respect by the Pygmies, but she was not beyond losing her cool when things got heated. As well, she might not be as quick to censor her words and actions, and could end any chance of success without realizing it.

And Pinkie Pie…

It was only then that Twilight realized the others were staring at her expectantly.

“Me?” she asked, frowning.

“Of course, sugarcube,” Applejack replied with a smile. “Talkin’ ponies out of crazy is just about your specialty!”

“But the Pygmies are warriors. Maybe it would be best if Rainbow Dash did the negotiating.”

“’Negotiating’ is not really my kind of thing,” the pegasus replied with a shrug. “Unless they want to settle this with some hoof wrestling.”

As the Equestrians debated who was the most suited for the job – with each member campaigning for someone other than themselves – they almost didn’t notice the pink pony stepping forward.

“Don’t worry girls,” Pinkie said confidently, interrupting them mid-sentence, “I’ve got this!”

Before the others could stop her, the bubbly earth pony trotted happily up to the guards, who turned in rigid discipline to open wide the enormous plates of metal.

“Pinkie, wait!” Twilight cried in a panic as her friend disappeared behind the shutting doors. All five ponies rushed forward to pursue her, but the guards blocked their passage with crossed spears.

“Only one may enter,” they declared in unison, glaring up at the Equestrians. Despite their small stature, they were more than a little imposing.

Twilight’s mind reeled. Pinkie was the polar opposite of the stoic, no-nonsense attitude that every Pygmy seemed to possess. Although she certainly had other strengths, the current situation was monstrously out of her area of expertise.

“She did teach me how to barter…” Fluttershy murmured during the ensuing silence, trying to offer what little comfort she could.

***

Inside, the pink pony marched down a small hallway with a determined smile. There was no doubt in her mind that the leader of the renegades would be made to see reason. Everypony was reasonable; sometimes they just lost their way. Pinkie would be there to help, and everypony would be happy.

At the opposite end of the hall, the room once again expanded in all directions – though it was still massively dwarfed by the previous chamber. Directly in front of her, on a raised slab of stone, sat a burly Pygmy that Pinkie, at first, thought might be a pony. Just about matching her in height, the Pygmy leader’s long hair was pulled into a ponytail underneath its chin, and it wore thick leather armor on its shoulders and haunches. Its mane was choppy and unkempt, and a few scars were visible where its hair was thin; undoubtedly, more were hidden beneath its shaggy coat.

Two more of the fearsome, statuesque guards stood on either side, their spears pointed toward the ceiling.

“Quarah? In my city?” the Pygmy said with notable surprise, its voice just as deep and guttural as its kin.

“Quail Ran?” Pinkie repeated, tilting her head. “No, silly! I’m Pinkie Pie.”

The Pygmy leader snorted. “Why are you here, quarah?”

“I’m here to negotiate on behalf of your people!” she said in an exaggerated tone, mimicking Twilight’s earlier declaration. The muscular equine stiffened.

“Unless they have finally come to their senses and wish to join us, we have nothing to talk about.”

“Aw, that’s no way to treat your friends!”

“They are not our friends,” the Pygmy growled, emphasizing the point with a stomp of his hoof.

“Why not?”

“They have yet to recognize the truth,” the Pygmy explained, as if eager to preach. “The Destroyer has shown me this truth. I tried to help them understand, but they were blind. I became an exile. Now I try to save as much of my race as I can…before it’s too late.”

“The Destroyer?” Pinkie repeated, making a face. “He doesn’t sound too friendly!”

“She,” the little equine corrected, “appeared to me, Mek’arba, and me alone. She told me about the dangerous path we tread, and assured me of our destruction if we did not act. She wielded unimaginable power; power that could move mountains! Tame seas! Destroy worlds!”

A cold wind shot through the chamber ominously, despite the impossibility of such a thing. Pinkie didn’t seem to notice.

“But she told you to leave your friends,” the pink pony retorted with a frown. “That doesn’t sound very nice.”

“I wouldn’t expect a quarah to understand such a power.”

“She sounds like a bully,” Pinkie said, without fear or censor. The Pygmies bristled. “Just because a bully is strong doesn’t mean they’re worth listening to!”

The Pygmy leader boiled with surprise and anger, but said nothing.

“Don’t you care about your friends?” the bubbly earth pony continued with another tilt of her head.

“Of course,” Mek’arba snapped, irritated.

“And don’t you think you guys are strong?”

“Rath’urn have no equal!” the leader barked with pride, stomping his hoof.

“But this Destroyer lady is stronger?”

An uneasy silence descended over the group. Even the guards, who had thus far been staring without focus, looked thoughtfully at the floor.

“Perhaps she is,” Mek’arba growled at last, teeth clenched.

“With you and your friends fighting, she is!”

The Pygmy leader jolted as if struck. He opened his mouth to retort, but found nothing to say. This was unbelievable. They had been set upon their path for months, without a trace of doubt in their mind. But now…Why….why did this quarah make so much sense?

“I think you should talk to them,” Pinkie said after a few moments of stunned silence, smiling. “Friendship is stronger than any bully. I should know; I have great friends!” The pinky pony was beaming at this point.

“I…” Mek’arba began, brushing his forehead with a foreleg, “I don’t know.”

“Would you like to talk about it?” the earth pony offered helpfully.

“No…No, you’ve said enough,” the burly Pygmy said, raising a hoof. “I will consider your request. You are dismissed.”

Pinkie gave him a wild grin before trotting back down the hall.

***

“That’s it?” Twilight asked, frowning. The pink pony was back so quickly. “They’ll think about it?”

“Mr. Arba looked pre-tty shook up!” Pinkie Pie said with pride, grinning. “I told him how important friendship is. He was ready to leave his friends, all because some meanie told him to!”

“And just who was this ‘meanie’?” Applejack inquired.

“Mr. Arba called her ‘The Destroyer’,” Pinkie explained, looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully.

All five ponies frowned.

“I don’t suppose he was willing to discuss this any further?” Twilight offered. Pinkie shook her head, but seemed no less confident in their success.

“What do we do, Twi?” Applejack asked. “Is ‘thinking about it’ good enough?”

“I guess we don’t have much of a choice,” Twilight replied, shrugging. “If Pinkie says he’s convinced, he’s convinced. Let’s go home.”

“Not to rain on this parade,” Rainbow began, hovering overhead, “but just how are we going to find home?”

They hadn’t really thought of that. They had wandered the badlands for hours before they were ambushed. Twilight wasn’t sure they could find their way back without sending Rainbow Dash or Fluttershy to search from the air. Even then, it could take hours.

“Head southeast,” the voice of their guide, still standing a few yards away, said at last. “And forget you were ever here.”

***

It took hours of walking through the frigid desert night to verify, but their guide’s directions were spot on. After determining their position with the stars overhead – for the merciless sun had long since retreated from the sky – Twilight had lead them southeast without deviation, and now, at last, Appleloosa loomed ahead of them. The dusty little town was the sweetest sight in the world to the six exhausted ponies. They charged toward it with renewed vigor, desperate for a chance to rest.

As they neared the city’s limits around where they had initially set off, they were surprised to find Spike, teetering on the balls of his feet nervously, waiting for them. The little dragon rushed out to meet them, clutching something to his chest.

“Spike?” Twilight said, surprised. Seeing her assistant’s panicked state, she almost fell into a panic of her own. “What’s wrong, Spike? Did something happen?”

“This!” Spike replied, offering up a scroll. The parchment was sealed with the mark of Equestrian Royalty. “It’s from the Princess. It’s urgent.”

Comments

[OmniFox]

How urgent are we talking about?

[Fixit Wrenches]

Dun dun duuuuuun!

Tune in next time, for the stunning continuation of....
*BOOOONNNNNNG!*
Really? A gong? *sigh*

Equestria Special Forces!

Pinkie Pie.... Somehow, this makes sense....

[Night_Shine]

XD Classic Pinkie. I love how easily everypony underestimates her, only to be shown up by her inexplicable awesomeness. Also, I love how simple she made the situation...do you think she would help our political system? :3

[Neutrinos are Magic]

Dear Twilight,
Come quick! As your friend Rarity would say, this is THE. WORST. POSSIBLE. THING!
Your frustrated mentor,
Princess Celestia.

*Much later...*

Twilight: We're here, Princess! What's the situation?!
Celestia: This...
Twilight: Yes?
Celestia: This...
Twilight: Yes?!
Celestia: This!
Twilight: YES?!
Celestia: This pickle jar won't open.
Twilight:...................................
Rarity: OH COME ON!
Rainbow: ಠ_ಠ
Applejack:
Fluttershy: *faints*
Pinkie: That is urgent!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[joehighlord]

2984224
20 minutes later...
Cantalot is in ruin. The changeling run rampant through the street whilst discord does what ever it is he does. Bolts of magenta magic are coming from the castle throne room from every direction.

Twilight: Well... who knew that shooting a jar with a bolt of magic would cause a rip in time and space to open allowing everything in time to happen at once... heh, funny huh?

Pinkie: I told you it was urgent didn't I, but no, no one listens to Pinkie!

[BenRG]

Okay, we've found Trixie's previously-unidentified sponsor, I think. Whoever this 'Destroyer' is, the fact it is a 'she' makes it likely she is also the princess that Trixie spoke of. A rogue alicorn perhaps.

I'm guessing that the letter from Celestia is the results of whatever facts Celestia and Luna were able to extract from the wreckage of Trixie's mind.

[xTSGx]

2984224
Dat Power Puff Girls reference.

[Gordon_Freemane]

3037990
They could have Spike send a letter.

[_Reader_]

I somewhat forgot what was going on but I'm still enjoying it either way.

[Windhelm Guard]

This story is dead