Chaos and Courage

by SabreXio

Divide and Conquer

"I can't believe Discord did this to us!" Fluttershy exclaimed in a way only she could "How could he be so...mean"

"I think I've seen this kind of thing before" I said "It reminds me of Suspended Animation Sickness"

"Suspended whatnow?" Applejack asked

"Remember how you six found me asleep in my base hooked up to those machines? Well, some people with...issues...sometime suffer complete mental meltdowns when they wake up"

"Why didn't you go crazy when you woke up?...If you don't mind me asking"

"Not at all, Fluttershy" I assured her as I pointed to my left temple "My computerized brain kept the biological one from coming unglued"

"So maybe Discord has just lost his mind?" Twilight said "Do you think that's it?"

"Personally? I think he's just a crazy asshole" I said "And I also don't appreciate him screwing with my head"

"Ah hate ta interrupt, but we're here" Applejack said as we approached the boutique.

"Ok let's do this" Twilight declared as she tried to open the door. I heard an electrical crackling and saw the door begin to glow. As Twilights hoof neared the door, a bolt of lightning leapt to it and shocked her.

"OW!" She exclaimed as she shook her stinging hoof "What was that?"
I placed my hand near the wall and watched as another arc jumped to its conductive surface.
"The wall is electrified?" I said confused "I didn't know you could electrify a wooden wall"

"Rarity must have used a Volt ward to keep everypony out"

"How do we get rid of it?"

"The only way to dispel it quickly is to drain the electricity" she said
I stepped forward arming my wrist launcher.
"I'll get it"

"What are you doing?" Twilight asked

"Simple. You said the only way to dispel it is to drain it, so who better then the living lightning rod to do it"
I sat my guns on the ground, not wanting the electricity to set off the bullets. My grapple fired and stuck in the ground a few feet away.
"I'll just create a circuit and the electricity will flow into the ground"

"But then won't you get shocked?" Fluttershy asked

"Yes, but don't worry, I'll be fine. Besides, I'll bet I have more current in my body then this wall does"
I placed my hand on the door and felt the sudden jolt of about...three hundred thousand volts. Instantly, the charge on the wall rushed through my systems toward the ground, creating crackling electrical arcs along my steel armor plates, and an odd electrical burning smell. This kept up for about fifteen seconds until the spell was completely drained. Damn, I didn't know Rarity had that kind of magic in her. As the flow subsided I retracted the spike and removed my hand.

"I gotta say, Captain, that was somethin' else" Applejack said as my systems reestablished normal operation

"Whoa!" I exclaimed shaking the static from my head "That was REALLY tingly"

"Are you OK?" Fluttershy asked

"Yeah, as soon as my capacitors stop smoking, I'll be fine"
I picked my weapons back up and returned them to their places

"Good" Twilight interjected "because we still need to help Rarity"
Suddenly, Guardian called me over the radio.

"Captain, I have located Pinkie. Requesting immediate assistance at Sugarcube Corner" He reported

"Give me a minute" I said "We should have Rarity back to normal in..."

"Sir, I fear for Pinkie's safety, she appears to be more seriously distorted then the others"
Dammit
Then another voice sounded.

"Sir, I found Rainbow Dash" Firestorm said "but I need you here now or else she could get away"
I turned to the ponies who were listening to us.

"Dammit" I groaned "How do we do this?"

"I have an idea" Twilight said as she turned to Fluttershy "You go help Firestorm get Rainbow. You've known her longer then any of us have"

"Oh, but what if I make it worse?" Fluttershy asked, clearly nervous

"Don't worry Fluttershy" Storm replied over my speakers "You always have a way of coming through"
She turned to Applejack
"AJ, you go to Sugarcube Corner and help Guardian with Pinkie Pie. Arc and I can handle Rarity"

"Divide and conquer?" I said "I like it"

"The spell I've been using works by uncovering the memories Discord suppressed, so to restore Pinkie and Rainbow, you need to remind them of who they were"

"Ok, um, if you think I can" Fluttershy whispered

"Fluttershy, you talked down an angry dragon" I said "I think you can handle Rainbow"

"And Ms. Apple and I can handle Pinkie Pie" Guardian said via radio.

"Ok, we have a plan" I said "G, Storm: hold position and wait for backup, then move on your target"

"Yes, Sir" both drones replied
Fluttershy took off for Sweet Apple Acres where Rainbow was while Applejack ran to the bakery.

"Just you and me now, Twilight" I said as I opened the door to Carousel Boutique. The place was no different then usual, except it contained a highly territorial Unicorn.

"You say that like we can't handle this" she replied confidently. I was wary of the room: if Rarity used one ward, then what's to say she didn't use more.

"Hey Twilight, can you use your magic to detect any more of those ward things?"

"I could try" she said as she focused her magic. From around her, I could faintly detect a thin, purple mist emanating out. It covered the floor like a heavy fog spreading until it reached the stairs, where it changed to red.

"There" I said as I pointed at the stairs "There must be one"
I walked over and examined the stairs cautiously.

"Please be careful" Twilight said. I couldn't actually see anything so I decided to test the defense. I drew my pistol and held it so the ejection port faced the stairs, then pulled back on the slide, forcing the chambered round to fly out. As soon as it flew over the first step, it seemed to defy gravity before flying back a twice the speed.

"Repulsor ward" Twilight informed me as though reciting from a book "No matter how hard you try, it'll just push back harder"

"Ok, so the stairs are a no-go" I said as I began coming up with a backup plan "So why don't we try something a little less conventional"

I switched my eye to X-Ray mode and scanned the ceiling until I found an equine skeleton. I observed her movements, which consisted of her talking to something an walking in a circle around the something. I then remembered what Discord had done to Rarity: He'd made her fiercely possessive of a rock she'd named Tom. I marked her position in my HUD and turned back to Twilight.

"If she won't let us go to her" I said with a devious grin "then she's coming to us"

"Why do I get the feeling this is going to be..."

"Overkill?" I finished for her "Because, it probably is"
I pulled out a small cylinder and twisted the top of it until a ring around it turned blue.

"Twilight" I said as I pointed to the ceiling under the rock "Can you stick this to the ceiling right here?"

"Sure" the Unicorn replied as she took the tube and magically attached it to the ceiling "But what does this actually do?"

"It's a demolition charge" I explained "When Rarity walks away from her precious rock, we'll blow a hole in the floor..."

"...and when the rock falls, she'll come running down the stairs to get it back" Twilight finished for me

"Correct"

"That's genius" she replied

"Also Correct. Now, hide over here..." I said as I pointed to a spot out of sight behind the stairs "Until she get's here. Oh and cover your ears, these things are loud"
Twilight complied and I switched back to X-Ray vision. I could still see Rarity fawning over her precious Tom. I was impressed by how thoroughly Discord had distorted her, she actually thought that piece of slate rock was a diamond. After a few false alarms, the white pony walked over to the other side of the room. I nodded to Twilight who clamped her hooves over her ears. I triggered the bomb which, just as planned, caused the rock to fall through the floor.

"Tom?" Rarity asked before turning around. Once she saw the rock had been replaced with a hole in the floor, she flipped out.
"TOM!" she exclaimed "Don't worry! Mamma's coming!"

"Get ready" I said to Twilight. I could hear the hurried hoof-beats of Rarity as she descended the stairs. I positioned myself between her and the rock. As she reached the bottom of the stairs she saw me and was not happy.

"Captain" she spat harshly

"Hi Rarity" I replied happily "Nice rock ya got here"

"Give Tom back" she demanded "NOW!"

"I don't know" I said "I kind of like Tom"

"GIVE HIM BACK!" she bellowed as she began charging. I flipped both pistols and both shoulder cannons out, as my helmet folded around my head and my chest cannon began to charge with an audible hum. The pony realized just how real shit had gotten and stopped in her tracks.

"Now now, let's not do anything hasty" I said in a villainous tone "You can have him back, on one condition"

"What is it" she asked frantically "I'll do anything!"

"Just let me use a spell on you" Twilight said from behind the fashionista "then you can have Tom back, and you'll never see us again"

"Ok, fine, deal" Rarity replied immediately "Just don't hurt him"

Twilight applied the memory spell to Rarity, a few seconds after it took hold, she blinked her cobalt eyes and looked around confused.

"Rarity?"

"Why is there a hole in the ceiling?" She asked

"We'll explain everything later" I said as my guns retracted "Right now we have a bigger issue"

"Captain, Pinkie Pie is now back to normal" Guardian reported over my communicator "En route to your position"

"Captain, I don't know how, but Fluttershy fixed Rainbow Dash, coming back to you" Firestorm said

"Good work" We'll be here. I turned around to see Rarity levitating Tom into the air and opening the door.

"Rarity..." I started to say, but she then rocketed the boulder out the door.

"We shall never speak of this again" Rarity said curtly as she walked outside.

Not a chance, Drama Queen

A few minutes later, Albatross landed and Guardian arrived. We then proceeded to get everyone up-to-speed.

"Discord will most definitely not get away with this" Rarity declared

"When I get my hooves on that...that...whatever-he-is..." Rainbow raged

"Everyone just chill out" I said, getting their attention "We only have one shot at this so we need to do this right"

"So what do we do?" Applejack asked "You're the one who deals with this kinda thing"

"Do not worry, Ms. Apple" Guardian said "I can already tell the Captain has a plan..."

"...and it's probably over-the-top and dramatic" Storm added

Ignoring that

"Now, you six get your Elements and find Discord"

"What about you?" Dahs asked

"I need to go get something from my base": I said

"Wait a minute, how can we beat Discord without you?" Pinkie asked

"Don't worry, Pinkie, I'll be there... I said "...With my little surprise for Discord"
"Mu, get that experimental system ready" I ordered over the radio as I entered the Albatross "It's go time"

Author's Note:

What is this "surprise"?

I'm not telling.

Not quite as dramatic as I had hoped, but I needed to get this out so I could get to the part that's more fun to write.

I also need some Ideas for dramatic battle music for the next part. please comment if you have a suggestion. I'm torn between "Shoot to thrill" and the instrumental version of "Beast of America"