Sunset Shimmer is the pilot of a Mecha that has been charged with defending Manehatten from a sudden and deadly influx of giant monsters.
For several years, Sunset Shimmer, Flash Sentry, and Twilight Sparkle have been roommates in a small apartment in the heart of Manehatten. What was supposed to be the most exciting time in their young lives turned into a monotonous routine of jobs, bills, and the occasional date.
One night, their lives were torn apart, and they were thrown in a life or death struggle along the rest of Manehatten to survive an attack from a monster ravaging the city.
Luckily, what was left of one of Twilight Sparkle's old defense projects might just come in handy.
Sunset Shimmer woke up to a frantic, but familiar voice shaking her awake. What she was not familiar with was waking up at two in the morning, and the lack of lights in her bedroom in the heart of Manehattan that was usually filled with the harsh lights of the city below her.
"Wha? What's going on, Twilight?"
Outside, the sounds of gunfire, the screams of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people screaming for their lives, armadas of helicopters of both the civilian and military kind buzzed overhead and from a distance. Police, fire, and emt sirens can be heard as well, blending together to form a perfect melody of chaos. It sounded like a war zone that was tearing the city apart.
"Something is attacking Manehattan; we need to get out of the island."
"This is a joke right?" Sunset asked. This had to be a joke, monster attacks only happened in the movies, not in real life. One photo from Twilight Sparkle's phone was proof enough: It was a screenshot from a television aerial shot. It looked like a deformed, fleshy, human, with boils all over. It was half the size of the equine-state building, which made it tower over the 5-6 story apartment complexes that was the norm in the city, It looked like it only had one eye while, the other eye looked like it had either melted off, or was deformed to the point of not having one in the first place. It was slumping heavily, walking through a section of town Sunset was familiar with: it was only 5 miles away.
"God damn that thing is ugly. You're the scientist Twilight, what the hell is that thing?"
"No time for questions!" Flash Sentry screamed as he barged into her room, throwing bags at the two girls he called for years his roommates. "Twilight, you have our important documents, and I found your handgun In the lab. Sunset, you have the medical supplies. I have the food and water. Lets go before that thing gets here."
Twilight had her dog in her arms as they left the three-bedroom apartment that they called home for a few years. They frantically shuffled down the 3 stories of stairs and stopped just outside the glass entrance. Outside, people were running past the doors, most were looking back.
"This looks bad," Twilight commented.
"So where are we headed?" Sunset asked.
"There's somewhere we need to go on the mainland, something that can use to fight back."
"Really?" Flash asked. "Well, let's not waste any time then. Stay together, and don't get separated."
As they made their way outside, one clear though was racing through Sunset’s head as she recounted the events from less than 24 hours ago: How did a ordinary day turn out so shitty?
"Good Morning Manehattan! This is DJ-pn3 here for the morning wub out! Today will be a perfect 73 degrees, but I know every single one of you are going to waste it. Does not mean you can't waste your day listening to Manehattan's number one dubstep, trap, electronica station! Coming up next is the top hit "wubin to the beat" followed by a new single by triple-x-dank-360-no-scope-69-triple-ex: "wub!"
Why is this the radio station I wake up to again? Sunset Shimmer asked as the morning light slowly filtered to her magenta themed room. It was small: enough for a twin bed, a small desk for her laptop, and a four slot drawer, which was a luxury considering the notorious size of apartment rooms in the heart of Manehattan. At least it had a good view of the apartments across the street, which peeking through the windows gave the young and beautiful woman the unnerving feeling that someone was watching her through her window at all times: Because some of the men were.
The music started, and the sound pounded her brain like a hammer to the skull. She frantically flipped herself out of bed and scrambled to the alarm clock to relieve herself of the music.
>shitstep.
So thats why I keep leaving it on that station on, it's so bad it makes me get out of bed to turn it off. Makes sense.
Sunset observed her situation, as per her morning ritual: twenty, living in manehattan, single and definitely ready to mingle, living with two roommates, and a nice job in a call center that if successful, she might have her own apartment. After that, she made her way to her drawer. It was a Monday so the lace, silky, and albeit slightly slutty maroon panties and bra, and garter belt with black stockings will have to do. It was a confidence booster for Sunset, knowing she can wear it and have no worry about how it “makes a size two look like a size fourteen”. Besides, you needed confidence and a backbone to thrive as a woman in the big city, where both horny men and bitchy women would sell their mothers in a heartbeat, much less the "impressionable" young woman new to the bright lights. Sunset went shopping the Saturday before, so the light brown cardigan with the dark brown skirt was the first and best choice. All she needed was a towel.
Am I naked?
No
Alright, time for my shower.
She made her way into the hallway, which was cramped and the only thing decorating its white walls were five-dollar mass produced art pieces, photos of her roommates, and other things. The carpet floor felt amazing without any sandals, especially during the winter time, if you were willing to ignore the fact the static would give others in the house a fun jolt.
The door to the bathroom opened and out came One of her roommate.
Flash Sentry and Sunset Shimmer were once an item back in high school, but now they were roommates with an sitcom like way finding out that they would be living together, somehow involving a rubber chicken. They did everything together back in the day, and they had tons of sex anywhere and everywhere, so Sunset unflinched when Flash Sentry walked out of the steaming bathroom wearing nothing but a smile.
Hello not so little guy, and hellllo six-pack!
"Morning Flash. Is the water still hot?"
"All yours."
"I find any hair on the shower drain, I will force you to clean it up with your mouth."
She undressed straight from her pajamas to nothing because who the hell says you have to wear underwear underneath the pajamas? As part of her morning ritual: she observed her naked body, mostly if any marks or bruises she never remembered receiving, or maybe developing moles, or even the stretch marks to show her breasts were sizing up.
I don't wanna pay for implants, just give em to me naturally please.
She slipped into the shower and instantly melted over the hot water pelting all over her body. Armed with a lathered loofa, she began to apply it all over her body: Arms, legs, back, unmentionables. Although she wanted to stay there forever, it was a Monday so she needed to leave as early as possible to beat the short fused morning rush hour.
She stepped out and began to rub the towel all over her body, which she used after that to wrap her hair with it. The underwear was not as hard to put on as she thought, although breaking new underwear in to one's unique curvatures was never fun. The same with the clothes. Sunset walked out of the bathroom to the smell of the cooking eggs in the kitchen, Flash was already on the table in jeans and a shirt, ready for his meal. Cooking was Twilight Sparkle in pajamas. Twilight was more of a mother to the two than a roommate, despite being around the same age. Her job allowed her to work at home, so she spent most of her day cooking, and cleaning the common areas of the apartment for the reward of only paying 1/3 of the rent and utilities. Her dog spike was adorable, never leaving his master's side, not even for a bitch in heat.
"Morning, Mom" Sunset said as she hugged Twilight from behind. Her hair smelled of lavender, and Sunset could not get enough of it.
"You seem chipper for a Monday morning," Twilight responded as she began to slap the scrambled eggs and potatoes on the three plates. Sunset took to her seat and began filling her glass with orange juice.
"That's because she is wearing her racy underwear. You're still the same from High School, Sunny," Flash said with a smirk.
"Guys with girlfriends should not be talking about their ex's underwear habits," Sunset answered.
"Oh?" Twilight said as she placed the plates in front of her two roommates. "Do I know her?"
"Her name is Rarity and she was our classmate back at Canterlot High. Although, I don't remember you actually having an interest in her back then, what changed?"
"Times change," Flash answered, not looking up from his meal.
"What is she like? Better question is: How was Flash like in high school?"
"She is cool. Can be a bit over dramatic at times. And Flashy here? A whole lot cockier I can tell you that," Sunset answered with a smirk.
"Is that even possible?" Twilight asked in laughter. They laughed for a good while, and was interrupted with an annoyed Flash getting up.
"We’re just kidding, buddy," Sunset said with tears of laughter in her eyes. Flash pointed to his watch, still chewing on his food.
"How are you getting that much for being a bike messenger?" Twilight asked.
"Companies are trying to be more 'green', so they they pay the jacked up rates. Pay’s good, the boss is a dick though."
After Flash left, Sunset helped Twilight with putting the dirty dishes in the sink, being extra careful not to get anything oh her clothes, after that the only thing left was grabbing her purse and setting out for the day.
Flash Sentry was the first messenger in the garage that day, the Friday before, and every day since he first landed the job. It was a simple strategy: Get there early, fill his quota, and go home while his colleagues were trying to beat the clock to make their minimum quotas.
"Sentry! your workstation is a fucking mess!" His boss yelled. Flash apologized and gave it a quick clean-up. Even before the clean up, his little work table was cleaner than the rest of the company. Before Flash had the opportunity to have the pick of any of the deliveries, his boss came storming back in the garage
"I got an assignment for you, Flash! Take this package to 55th & 3rd and there will be a bonus for you. It needs to be in the client's hands in thirty minutes."
Only thirty minutes? Oh, this will be too easy!
"You got it, chief!" Flash said as he took the small package and work order slip from his hands. He was out in the streets in less than a minute, the package on the satchel strapped to his back.
The many streets of the city were a deadly place for bikers if they weren't careful at all times, so Flash was always looking out for motorist. They had a job to get to and money to make, so the life of a fellow human being was less as important as their paycheck, and it showed.
In the cell phone pouch in the strap, he felt the vibration of his phone, and the beeping from the bluetooth wedged in his ear. Even when facing possibly his biggest delivery in his career, he would still risk life and limb to hear her voice.
"Morning, Sweetie."
"Good Morning! How is work?" Rarity asked. At that moment she was in her "studio", which was basically a workroom within her luxury apartment that overlooked the bay.
"Well, I haven't been run over yet, so I guess good?"
"Seriously, Darling, You should work at something more… safer."
"But that's no fun. Besides, I feel like I am only a few months away from a manager position."
She sighed. "I guess…"
"So, want to hang out tonight?"
"I'm sorry Flash: I am heading back home for Sweetie Belle's eighteenth, so I won't be back in the city until tomorrow."
"Its fine. Hey, I have to go, I have to keep my eyes out."
"Ok, Mr. Dedication. Love you."
"Love you too."
Flash was distracted long enough not to spot the woman getting out of the taxi, her door creating an impassable wall for him. He only had a second to react.
"Oh shi-!"
He immediately swerved out of the way, and ended up into traffic,caught in the middle of the many taxis and town cars on the busy street, where any error would have himself and his bike trapped between two cars. A last second squeeze between two taxis had him back between the parked cars and the moving ones, the "safe zone".
With the headphones blasting at full volume, Sunset Shimmer walked from her apartment building and on the busy sidewalk on her way to the subway station with one eye on her phone, and another on her surroundings. Even in daylight, you still had to be careful for creepers, along with the general dangers of walking the city streets, most often it was the cars that were the ones that would seriously fuck up your day.
As she filed into the packed tunnel with the rest of the morning rush, Sunset clicked on one app, in particular, one that she renamed: in case her roommates happen to find her phone. Normally, Sunset would not have trouble finding a date back in high school… Then again, most of the guys there would date/fuck anything with an ass, no matter what gender it was. The city dating scene was complicated, to say the least, mostly because it was an eternal struggle between people just wanting sex and people wanting relationships. But, luck would have it Sunset was in a conversation with this one guy on the online dating site called OKDating. He was about two years older (better than the men aged 50+ trying to get into her pants), a decent job, and seemed like he had a good head on his shoulder.
He was a dispatcher for some government agency, so it seemed like he was replying all the time, especially this early in the morning. The conversation at that point was about wine, which eased Sunset's mind while trying to cram herself into a subway car.
All of a sudden, she felt movement on her rump in the packed subway. At first: it was rough, like the back of the hand. After a few passes with it, it became smoother, like the palm of a hand. Pretty soon, it was constant: someone was feeling her up. Sunset was quiet, not drawing attention to herself or the perpetrator, but she did slip her hand down one of the open compartments of her purse. Her stun gun had a safety cap, which she took off and waited for the opportunity to strike. The man became bolder, and tried to reach under the skirt.
His boldness was rewarded with a electric bolt going up his arm. He screamed in pain and collapsed on the floor, cursing her. By the time a subway cop arrived to take him away, Sunset was back to talking to her new possible date.
* * *
"Which is why if anyone says that the hadron collider we are running tonight will cause a strangelet and turn all of Earth into a lump of goo, I will personally print your college thesis and and take a shit all over it!"
This again?
"Thank you for your opinion, and if there's no one else, can we call this a meeting?"
When it came to the weekly DARPA meetings, everyone seemed to be a character, and not in a good way. Then again, that is what you expected when you are lumped with a pool of researchers that chose their research over actual socialization, you tend to realize how normal you really are.
Still, the money was worth it, especially when you can afford the apartment and the entire basement to have as your personal, high security, laboratory, but chose to have roommates to have MORE money available and the companionship of actual people.
Her laboratory was state of the art, expensive, and was secured by a high-tech security system and 1 inch of steel reinforced concrete in a large apartment building in the heart of the largest city in the nation. Her experiments were delicate, but they were essential for the betterment of mankind, which was why she was in this in the agency the first place.
Still, she made friends and at one time a lover, so it made it all worth it.
"One last thing," one of the senior researchers said in the video conference.
"Yes?"
"I know it has been talked to death, but we need to discuss the real possibility of a deep sea monster attack on Manehatten, especially with the unprecedentedly powerful underwater current that is flowing next to the city this week."
Everyone in the meeting groaned audibly, some began to whistle the theme to the "x-files". For the last six months, the same researcher was bringing up the same question in the bi-monthly meetings. Even if everyone thought it was inconceivable, he still had a voice since he was a senior researcher.
The head of the meeting: A buzzcut, stern looking senior member of Equestria's defense force replied.
"Twilight Sparkle, what is your opinion?"
"Sir? I'm just a physis-"
"I remember that you and Blossoming Jewel were closer to Doctor Mshauri than anyone in this call. Did he mention evidence for this claim and was it why he developed the Machinka project?"
Twilight looked at Blossoming Jewel, the only other young woman in the chat, and shrugged her shoulders.
"Personally, I think the good doctor developed it based on a superstitious nonsense from a prophecy that came from his Somali roots. At worse, the current will send dead deep sea animals ashore."
"I see. Well, that's it for this meeting. Same time in two weeks." The soldier had replied before his screen went black. Everyone left the call almost instantaneously, except for Blossom. Twilight Sparkle had only two friends in the program throughout her carrer : Blossom Jewel and the doctor. The doctor was pure genius, no matter what problem was ahead of him, he would be able to solve it with unorthodox solutions. He had that mentality, all the way up to his untimely death, when he abandoned all of his projects to assist the united kingdoms of the world in their mission to help his native Somali nation and their civil war. He was trying to research ways to make plenty the reason for the war: water. Killed by the his people, the people he was attempting to save.
As for that fling with the project's government liaison, it was only a one night fling.
"You think the doctor might be right?" The soft, mouse-voiced Blossoming Jewel asked.
"C'mon, we both agreed it was a bit batshit."
"Yea, but what If we go to the hangar and run a tune up for Machinka? Better safe than sorry."
"Blossom…"
"We haven't seen each other in a few months, and it will be just like old times!" she rebutted with her puppy eyes.
"Sigh, fineeee."
"Great! And bring Spike! I have to run, 9am?"
"Sure, night Blossom."
* * *
It took little to startle Twilight, which came as no surprise she jumped when Flash Sentry almost busted down the door waving a hundred dollar bill in his hand just as she was about to head downstairs to buy things for that night's dinner
"Make us something good!"
It was a hour after than when Sunset came home, exhausted from the mental demands her job required. She walked past her and Flash cooking in the kitchen and collapsed on the couch, watching the television without a care of what was on.
"Sunset, honey, how was your day?" Twilight asked.
"Job sucked. Got felt up by a fuck boy in the sub this morning so I had to give him the stun gun."
Flash laughed. "Nice!"
"Good Job, but can you help us cut the mushrooms?"
Sunset got up and walked to the kitchen, and looked at the outrageous amount of work they had put in… And the bottle of wine as well.
"Whats the occasion?"
"I quit my job today. The company I delivered to apparently has heard of my reputation of being good at my job, so they wanted me to head their 'green shipping' department. I start in a few days."
Sunset grabbed Flash into a huge hug
"Good job, man! just remember you cannot leave us."
"Yea Flash! we want the less rent."
"Thanks, girls, I see how it is."
They had their meal but not before using the wine to toast on Flash's new venture. Even with three alcohol drinkers, the wine refused to go empty, but eventually was when they decided to spend the rest of the night sharing it while doing a movie marathon.
"Unlike you losers, I have real work tomorrow. Night!" Sunset said as she got off the couch and was hit by a playful slap on the rear by Twilight on her way out.
Sunset charged her cell phone on her desk, killed the lights, and went to sleep, knowing she would have to repeat the process all over again in eight hours.
"Get up, Flight leader! It's happening! Rainboom Squadron is finally going to have some action!" the young cadet screamed, trying to be heard over the deafening alarm.
Rainbow Dash woke up from her bunk and into a flurry of activity. The men and women of the Equestrian Royal Air Force were running around in panic, mostly in their underwear, some even nude or half nude to their changing stations or their assigned battle stations. For Rainbow Dash: bra and panties
"What is your major malfunction, private!?"
"Something is attacking Manehattan! Everyone is preparing to scramble!"
Rainbow joined the cadet and everyone else at the base in the chaos. The once empty metallic hallways were filled with pilots, air traffic controllers, ordnance loaders, flight technicians, officers and airmen of all rank and file scrambling in various states of undress and all talking about "The Manehattan Monster.” Rainbow Dash was among them, scrambling to her locker and eventually to her plane like the rest of the flight under her command. The focus and internal planning ended when an arm pulled her into a long abandoned room, and into the arms of her commanding officer.
"Soarin? Did you fake an alarm just to find us some alone time?" Rainbow asked as she got on the tip of her toes to share a kiss with her superior. She began to worry when he held her shoulders and forced her to her feet.
"No, this is not a fake alarm."
"Oh."
"Look Rainbow Dash, This is no drill. Something is attacking the city. I don't know what it is or even how to stop it. But, they want Rainboom as the first responders."
"All right!" Rainbow screamed in joy.
"NO!" Soarin raised his voice, which caused Dash to stay still. "This isn't a game, this isn't a war trial. This is real life-or-death shit, Dash. Look, I know you're excited to earn your wings, but please promise me you won't do anything suicidal or reckless. I don't want to lose you."
"I’ll be fine, Soarin. I won't be fine if everyone starts asking where I was."
"I understand. if this is the last time I can say this before you fly: I love you, my little wonderbolt."
They ended the conversation with a long and sultry kiss, underneath a flickering fluorescent light. She left the room and into the continued panicked hallways of the base.
* * *
For the Equestrian Royal Air Force: Metallic was the “in” thing. The walls were metal, the chairs were metal, the desks, the one-hundred seat lecture hall style room was all metallic. The lecture hall was standing room only, with the twelve pilot strong Rainboom Squadron and another squadron: "The Fighting Griffons", also was sitting in the first few rows of the hall. Everyone else in the room were mostly pilots with a random assortment of the ground crew.
Soarin was front and center and began as soon as everyone quieted down from a signal from his hand.
"Now, you all probably seen the videos, the images, the reports, the descriptions by now, so I'm going to tell you what you already know. For those who haven't…"
Soarin had a remote control in his hand. He clicked the small red button and the screen behind him came alive: A live look at the monster from a news helicopter. A few people jumped back at the fleshy abomination that was on the screen. Rainbow Dash didn’t flinch, but she was creeped out nonetheless.
"As you can see, this is no average target. Currently: we have no idea what this thing is, if there are more, or even if they are from another kingdom and we are under a military attack. Right now, we are dealing with the here and now. As of now we have been ordered in the air to 'observe and report'. The princesses have been alerted and are currently weighing their options… They’re even considering going nuclear."
Everyone felt uneasy at that point. For the princesses to even consider a nuclear strike on their own soil showed the amount of desperation they had in stopping the monster.
"Our battle plan is as follows: Rainboom and Fighting Griffon squadrons will be the first in the air, they are to observe the situation. unless you have explicit instructions to engage the target, you are not allowed to engage the target."
Soarin gave Rainbow Dash the death glare shortly after he gave the no attack order.
As Soarin gave orders to the ground crew in the audience, Rainbow looked over to the far end of her row. At the far end was another female pilot, one she knew.
When she was in the Wonderbolt Academy, she befriended another young flyer named Lightning Dust. Like Rainbow Dash: she pushed herself, she pushed her luck, and she pushed her superior's nerve. As a result, she lost her chance to be a Wonderbolt, the formal name for an Officer in the Air Force, and a chance to lead her own squadron. Rainbow Dash talked to her from time to time, and even talked to Fighting Griffon's squad leader about the pilot: she was getting better, but still tried to push her limit at times which endangered not only her but the flight as well, if the simulations were correct.
"As I stressed before: We don't know what we are dealing with. So we need you and your planes alive to fight another day. This is not a death or glory mission. Good luck and godspeed. Dismissed."
* * *
"So listen up because I'm only saying this once!" Rainbow Dash commanded, a giant paper map of Manehattan sprawled out before her on top of two fifty-five gallon drums. Both Rainbooms and Fighting Griffons were surrounding her. The bright blue and yellow jumpsuits stood out among the olive and black clothing of the ground crew.
"The current flight plan is for both of our units to circle the island, above the helicopter ceiling and away from each other to prevent any mid-air collisions. Remember. We cannot go unless I give the order in the field, which is relayed by command. Do not try to be a hero. Alright, let's get after them."
Everyone began to walk to their planes, which were bunched up in the taxiway getting the last minute fueling and weapon loading. They would have to wait until all pilots were ready to fly, so they were not scrambling to their jets. Especially when the flight leader had a few words to say to one of the other pilots.
"I know you like to push yourself, Lightning Dust, but please do what is ordered. This is no simulation. One mistake and… I don't want to lose you or anyone in this."
"I understand, Rainbow. See you in the sky." Lightning replied as she made her way out of the hangar and to her plane.
Rainbow Dash had one more person to say goodbye to, this one was behind the large concrete hangers, looking at the small yellow dots in the distance, even with the city being so far away, the smoke from the fires can be seen.
"I envy you, you know? First crack at… Well whatever the hell that thing is. All I got to deal with when I flew was bombing unprotected rebel targets from 'insert third world country here'. Soarin said as Rainbow Dash leaned on him. His hand wrapped around her as they watched the city in the far, far distance.
"Will they really nuke the city?" Rainbow asked.
"I doubt it, but if they are I'll give you guys a heads up. It's not like we are dealing with a military invasion and I don't want to lose anyone in this."
"By 'anyone' you mean me, right?"
"Whatever makes you happy, Rainbow Dash."
She turned around and began to kiss him, he returned the love and they continued for a few minutes. Rainbow was deep in thought during that time, contemplating how she would explain to everyone how a 20-year-old would be dating her 35-year-old commander. She wondered if he felt the same. Either way, another part of her brain told her to shut up and enjoy the moment.
The kissing ended when they heard someone coming. They broke off the kiss and moved away from each other, made it look like there was nothing going on between them. They both looked in the direction of Spitfire when she came within view.
"Shouldn't you be chalking some messages on your ordinances, Flight Leader?"
"I understand the tradition, ma'am, but, I prefer to let my payload do the talking."
"I like your style, Rainbow Dash," Spitfire said as she joined them in looking at the dots in the distance. All three in thought, all three contemplating the shitty situation everyone in the city was in at that point.
"Anyway, I'm going to the war room. I think it's time for the Rainbooms to hit the skies, Rainbow. Happy hunting." Spitfire said after what seemed like forever. She left the two through the hanger side door.
"I think I have to go," Rainbow Dash said, putting herself back in Soarin's arms.
"Go get em, Rainboom One."
They shared one last kiss, one that Rainbow felt like it was the best kiss she had ever received. After a final round of 'I love you's', she left the back of the hanger, through the confusion and to the tarmac. The runway was bustling with pilots, getting into their planes, weapon loaders clearing their gear away from the tarmac, fuelers removing their hoses from the path of the jets.
"What took you so long?" the cadet asked as he wrote one last message in chalk on a bomb on Rainbow's plane.
"Business," she replied as she started going up the metal step ladders and in her cockpit. As per her tradition, Rainbow clipped three pictures throughout her instrument panel: one of her and Soarin during her Academy graduation, another of her friends back in Canterlot High, and another of her family.
With that, all there was to do was to wait for the other planes in front of her to start their ascent into armageddon.
For each second that Rainbow Dash was in the air, it was an eternity of torture for Soarin. As it stood, Rainbooms and Fighting Griffons were circling the island, looking down at the monster and waiting for the kill order straight from him… He was waiting for an order from Spitfire, and so on and so on. That was the problem with a chain of command: It was damn near impossible to make informed decisions.
Among the many screens in the war room, there were multiple television outlets covering the incident. Some had a chopper filming live; others with reporters covering at the triage center on the mainland. One was just a reporter and her cameraman, recording their attempt to flee from the monster and get off the island as if they were in a life or death reality show. One news outlet had a reporter outside the gates of the Castle of the Two Sisters awaiting word on what the princesses were going to do about the degrading situation.
"Yo, Soarin," Spitfire said as she appeared next to him, presenting him with burned offerings of caffeine. He accepted the cup and took a sip, nearly cursing as he burnt his tongue in desperation to stay awake at the same time. It would only be three hours until sunrise, so they hoped to take the monster down before they lost the advantage of darkness to engage it.
The entire room was alive with people behind computer screens. All of them with a certain task to do, whether it was coordinating the emergency teams on the ground or even scouring social media for any information on the ground that the news reports and numerous special operations couldn’t pick up on.. In fact, every branch of the Equestrian Armed Forces was ready to do their part in seeing an end to this domestic conflict.They all waited for the decision from the two women they swore to protect and serve.
The monster was still heading further into the heart of the city, its trajectory pointed to the large park: the city’s iconic landmark.
"Any news from the Princesses?" Soarin asked minutes later, after seeing Spitfire reach into her breast pocket and check her PDA Device.
"Nothing yet. The Generals are telling them all their different options. They want to try a classified weapon, but the former staff is all in the city, so they might just send the strike groups if we don't hear anything from them by sunrise."
Soarin winced. That was not the answer he was looking for. "Still better than being down there, I guess."
* * *
"Down there" wasn't so bad, as long as you were quick and alert. If you were too slow or feeble, you had to pray the monster did not either stomp on you or crash into the building you were cowering in.
The closer Flash Sentry, Sunset Shimmer, and Twilight Sparkle got to the shore of the island, the more they began to see abandoned cars and belongings: Clothes, Flood, personal items… Some even abandoned more luxury items, like a tupperware container full of priceless jewelry. The three were among hundreds of people running on that street alone.
They soon realized that inanimate objects were not the only things being left behind. Dogs and cats were among the chaos, some howling and meowing for their masters, some not caring and scavenging the claimless litter. It was chaotic, even more so when someone screamed that the monster was heading their way. This caused people to scatter and further hasten the panic People were immediately trampled in the confusion and disarray. Flash Sentry had both girls in his hand, making sure they would not get caught up and stomped upon themselves, with the girls also doing the same in case Flash fell to the mob.
It took a quick second, but out of the corner of her eye, Sunset spotted a boy and a girl, crying in the alleyway as the stampede unfolded. She yanked her friends to the alley.
"The hell are you doing Sunset?!" Flash shouted impatiently.
They nearly took a tumble trying to stay together, but in the end they held on and made it into the alley.
"Why are you here?! Where are your parents?!" Sunset scrutinized the two kids, who were in their pajamas and scared for their lives.
"They’re gone! Our babysitter left us here and went back to get our stuff." The older sister replied.
"Where is your house?"
They described the house, but it wrenched their hearts upon realizing it was the house that was destroyed, torn down to drywall and wood by a piece of a communications tower that’d landed square on the house. The babysitter was probably the lone hand that was sticking out of what was left of it, only one fatality among the thousands more at that point.
"Look, we need you to come with us. We are trying to get off the island."
The children agreed without another word.
Sunset carried the little girl on her shoulders, with Flash doing the same for the boy, as the fivesome continued the mad dash to the bridge. They suddenly found themselves with more abandoned children the closer they got the choke point. They knew that things would eventually get too much if they tried to rescue all the kids along their path, but they would try to anyway.
The street leading up to the bridge was packed, everyone on foot beating a slow but steady pace out of the city. On the mainland, there was emergency lights dotting the shore. Helicopters of all types flew to and fro, their rotor blades mingling with the sounds of the many fighter jets circling overhead.
"Think Rainbow Dash is up there?" Sunset asked.
"No, she would have tried something reckless a long time ago." Flash replied.
Twilight broke into the conversation. "The bridge is going to take hours, and we have too many kids to do it safely. Pretty soon the monster will arrive, attracted by the noise and the lights.”
Flash's phone rang.
"Hello!"
"FLASH! Are you okay?! Where are you?!" Rarity’s voice came over the clammer and screaming.
"I'm by the bridge."
"Oh, thank God. Listen. Go a bit uptown and you will see the marina. My dad has his yacht moored there. I know he taught you to sail that one summer. You can get yourself and anyone you can out of there."
"Will do."
"Flash?"
"Yes?"
"I love you, and I'm glad you're okay."
"I'm glad you were not here in the city."
He hung up with a smile after they shared their 'I love you’s.'
"Follow me guys."
* * *
They entered the well-secluded marina and found "The Sweet and Rare Belle" tied to the marina. Flash was the first to enter the ship while everyone waited on the dock.
The kids cheered when the lights to the yacht came alive and waited for Flash to come out, which he did adorn with a captain’s hat.
"All aboard!"
The kids, around twenty-five or so, walked the plank into the boat. Sunset and Twilight were the last on board. Some of the kids began to cry as they left the dock and made their way across the east river, many being because they were relieved they were safe, some because it finally dawned on them their parents were still somewhere on the island.
Twilight Sparkle took the flight of stairs to the bridge of the ship and wrapped her hands around him.
"You have my thanks. Five dollars off your next rent payment."
"How generous of you." He said as she broke the hug.
"So, as soon as we land and drop off the kids, we need to find a way to the abandoned hangar."
"That's 10 miles away."
"The fate of the city, the fate of these children's families depend on it."
Flash looked forward, concentrating on the boat’s heading.
"Alright."
***
Rarity was waiting for them alongside the dock and screamed in delight as she saw Flash arrive.
She wanted to run up there and give him a huge hug and kiss but was stopped by an unfamiliar woman flashing a badge in her face.
"I'm Twilight Sparkle. In the name of the Royal Sisters I must commandeer your vehicle."
In peacetime, the Princess would only allow the servants, her sister and faithful student, and even the occasional one-night gentlemen caller into her private bedchambers. It was the only place where she can be alone to her thoughts or free from the stresses of running a kingdom. The night of the monster attacks was clearly a threat to national and perhaps global security, so letting the men who were charged with defending her shores and lands occupy the sofas and coffee table in front of the fireplace and even the large flat screen television in front of the mantle was not an issue. The real issue was with what the Princess was currently wearing: a transparent, silky nightgown to cover her most intimate spots. For the princess, she would bare all if it meant the safety of her people. That mindset helped her shrug off the occasion look at her chest from the single members of the impromptu war room
The creature had settled in the grand park of Manehattan, and began digging a hole in a wooded area. The surrounding trees were reduced to stumps. Her little sister was sitting next to her watching all of it unfold. As much as she always promised her little sister, her friends, and other nations, Equestria would never use nuclear weapons in aggression. The monster still was not worth annihilating the largest city in Equestria for. It did not matter what her top generals said, even if there was a chance the monster might continue its reign of terror down the eastern shores.
The youngest man in the room was the older brother of her star pupil of a few years back. He was sitting quietly on the end of a couch, white with fear, his eyes fixated on the cell phone on the table, waiting for a call. His little sister was in the city, and she lived near where the majority of the destruction was. The other generals were smart enough not to provoke the young man, all knowing the kid's baby sister was probably dead or trapped in the rubble.
Celestia did not show it, but she was also fearful for her former pupil. She thought back to the moments seeing the young gifted toddler growing up to the intelligent, resourceful woman Twilight Sparkle became. Celestia knew in the bottom of her heart that if anyone can survive something like a monster attack, it would be Twilight Sparkle.
Her assumption came through an hour later when the phone in front of Shining went off. His yelp of joy was loud enough for everyone to reach for their ear closest to him in pain.
"Twiliy!"
He answered the phone quickly, not even allowing the first ring to finish.
"I'm so glad you're-"
"Not now Shining, get me to Celestia!" Twilight barked. The sound of the car racing through the highway could be heard, as well as the barking of Spike.
"I'm in the same room, putting you on speaker."
The room became deathly silent, as Twilight began to speak.
* * *
"Princess Celestia! What is that thing doing!?" Twilight asked
"The thing is in the park, doing something in the trees, we can't see," Celestia answered, her answer also coming from the live feed from the television in front of her.
"It's probably taking a shit." One of the older men commented
The rest of the room exploded in laughter, Celestia included.
"This is important! People are dying out there!" Twilight screamed.
"Sorry Twilight, I needed that. I think we all needed that. What about Machinka?"
"Last time we did a diagnostic was last year. Blossoming Jewel is still in Manehattan and not answering my calls. I will try to get a communication drone out to her location."
"Twilight, when can you get the project up and fighting?" Shining Armor asked.
"Hours. This is why I recommend sending the jets if it causes any more danger to the city. Until then they should just hover over, but I'm no expert."
"How about attacking now?" Celestia asked.
"Honestly, I don't mind. If that thing is healthy or missing an extremity or two, Machinka can take it down just the same.
Celestia spoke to her generals. "Alright, you heard the-"
"This offramp! Take it! Take it!" Twilight barked, shouting over the talk that was happening in the Princess's quarters.
"That's my Twiliy!" a bemused Shining Armor cheered.
* * *
"Soarin! Spitfire! We have confirmation to engage!"
Everyone stopped and looked at the commanders. Spitfire seemed unmoving, Soarin had the look of dread in his face.
"Calm down, Soarin. Rainboom One will come back so you two can fuck like animals," Spitfire said unemotionally.
Soarin's face went pale.
"Everyone knew about you and Rainboom One. It's cute, actually."
"W-who else knew?" A flustered Soarin asked.
To his surprise: everyone in the war room rose their hand.
"The security cameras caught it all, and you two were sloppy in trying to hide it."
"Oh."
"Alright, Soarin, send 'em in."
Soarin lowered his head near the microphone in front of him pressed the button that was the communication between himself and the flight leaders. "Rainboom One, you have clearance to engage. Happy hunting."
When Soarin gave the order to engage, there was nearly half a minute of silence from Rainboom One.
"Rainboom One. You have-"
"Rainboom One here. Understood."
"Godspeed, everyone," Soarin said. He backed away from the microphone and joined Spitfire to view the upcoming attack.
"Alright, flight. We’ll go around again and dive in. We should be able to have an opening near the bridge. Baseplate, are the guided lasers ready?" Rainbow asked.
"We have three teams painting the target as we speak," The forward observer responded. They arrived a mere hour after the creature began their attack, five three-person teams that went into the city with nothing more than a pistol and their laser guidance equipment. Where everyone was running from the monster, they stuck as close to it as possible without risking their own lives. At the time of the engagement order was given, they had all staked out buildings surrounding the central park. Each team had their guidance lasers aimed directly at the creature.
The trip from Rainboom One's side of the island to their opening for the attack took around ten minutes, with everyone under her command sweating profusely. A few were muttering prayers. One was quietly sobbing in fear. All of it was echoed throughout the control room.
"Rainboom One. You are coming up to your attack vector. Can you engage?" The forward observer asked.
"Are you kidding? We got this." Rainbow Dash’s confidence echoed throughout the control room.
"Alright, cleared hot."
"Alright, Rainbooms!" Here we go! On me!" Rainbow Dash said. She turned her jet sideways and then banked down towards the chaos and smoke that was the West River. Everyone behind her followed suit.
"We are going to have to go below the skyline for the attack. Once we reach Central Park we spread out and give it one shot! After our wave, it’s Fighting Griffon’s turn. Rinse and repeat until we are out of ammo!"
As the Rainbooms viewed their attack route, Rainbow Dash gave out one last rallying cry. "Alright, you hideous looking asshole, in the words of my generation: GIT… GUD!"
Her rallying cry was interrupted by the confused chatter coming from the shared frequencies.
"Lightning Dust! What are you doing?! Pull up! I repeat! Pull up!"
Rainbow looked to the Fighting Griffons to see Lighting Dust joining them in the dive from the other side of the city.
"Lightning Dust, what did I tell you! Don't be a hero!" Rainbow Dash screamed.
"Lightning Dust! Return to your flight at once! This is insubordination!" The flight commander reprimanded.
"Lighting! Don't do this!" Griffon One pleaded.
"Dust! Turn Back!" Rainbow Dash joined.
The radio went silent with the diving jet. Everyone started to think that maybe something was wrong. That was until-
"I'm tired of waiting. I'll be pushing on to flank the monster. See you all in a minute."
All three raised their voice at her, trying to get in a word that would make the young hothead change her mind. A two-sided attack was dangerous, and could spell disaster.
"Uh, Guys. She cut her comms," The flight commander said.
That bitch, Rainbow Dash thought.
Rainbooms flew as a unit through the city, staying either low to the rooftops of the city or between buildings above the fleeing citizens, looking out for any power lines or water towers in the pitch dark of the city. With only night vision goggles to light the way, the jets screamed above, with many stopping to look at their nation's finest on the attack.
"Coming up on the park. Here we go! " Rainbow Dash said as the city building gave way to the massive clearing that was the Central Park. They fanned out as soon as they reached the park and saw the creature still squatting in on top of the bowl it made.
"AGMs away!" The flight commander replied. Behind him, Soarin looked on in fear while Spitfire was still emotionless.
The missiles dropped from each planes’ hardpoint simultaneously, igniting and screaming to the target, guided by the lasers.
"Pull up, and out! Watch out for Lighting Dust!" Rainbow Dash commanded as they came close to the missiles’ target.
The creature stood up to look curiously at the incoming objects, and was pelted by each one, a fiery explosion accompanying the sting from the impact, causing the creature to bellow a piercing cry of pain.
“Hits.” The flight commander confirmed their marks.
It began to flail around its arms, like the swatting of flies. One pilot could not pull out in time, and was on a collision course with one of the creature's fingers.
"I can’t pull away, fuck!"
While the pilot only had a few seconds to accept her fate, an explosion rocked the side of the creatures finger, blowing it into fragments that the jet flew through without a problem.
"Did anybody fire that missile!?" The flight commander asked. Everyone was relieved that the pilot was saved, but somehow it couldn't of been just a coincidence that a creature's finger decided to just disappear in a ball of flames and bodily fragments.
"Told you I can help out!" Lightning Dust proudly proclaimed as she pulled out of her attack dive, the jet she just saved following close behind.
"Lightning Dust, good job, but we are still kicking your ass when we land." Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth.
"I'm going to second that. I can assume Griffon One, Soarin and Spitfire will join as well." The flight commander replied.
"I'm not, I'm glad you did that." The rescued pilot interjected.
* * *
"So sorry for that, babe!" Flash muttered to himself as he drove Rarity's car through the abandoned chain link fence that surrounded the abandoned runway. After bouncing around the dirt and rocks, the luxury car finally hit the pavement of the runway and hauled rubber down the mile and a half long runway. The car began to slow down and made a complete stop in front of the concrete hanger.
"Holy crap, I forgot how large these things are, " Flash said, admiring the building.
Twilight let Spike off the car first before her and rushed over to the door that was the side entrance to the hangar. Sunset was by her side the entire time, using a flashlight to help Twilight see. Twilight fiddled with her keys to find the right one and unlock it.
"I'll get the power on, just stay here." Twilight said after Flash and Sunset made their way inside. To the right of the door was a large lever, Twilight used both hands and all of her strength to pull down. At the end of the hanger and at the very top was, from Sunset and Flash's perspective, a office that spanned the width of the hangar, with the largest room having a giant window that was supposed to look down on all what was going on inside. Twilight went up the metal stairs to the top. Her footsteps echoed across the hangar.
When Twilight went inside, she went to the far corner of the room, where a giant industrial breaker panel was chained off from the rest of the room with a chain link fence. She unlocked the padlock to the gate and went inside. It took minutes of switch-flipping and priming using a giant lever. The final switch was thrown, which fizzled immediately and stopped. The lights, computers, and everything dependent on electricity turned on. The computers were installizing, the lights slowly filled the room with plain white light, and Sunset and Flash could finally see around them. The hangar was empty for the most part. One of the outstanding features were the four machines in the corner. all of them looked like jet skis, but were wide and looked like a one-man boat.
The other was a large humanoid shaped object hidden underneath a giant cloth that covered it completely
"Testing, testing… Can you hear me? Your PA is on the computer in front of you." Twilight's voice ran through the speakers. Through the window, they saw her on one of the computers, typing away. The inside of the room looked like a giant server room.
Flash walked over and pressed the button, "Loud and clear, Twi. What the hell is all this?"
"Several years ago, when I was still at Canterlot University and a protegee of the Princess, I became part of a 'defense project' designed to fight back against giant monsters. You see, it’s science fiction, or we thought it was science fiction, for monsters to attack. Combined with a 'What if?' and a zebra prophecy that the doctor mentoring me was obsessing over, we created a defence weapon against it."
"Sounds like a waste of money," Sunset chimed in.
"From the outside, yes. But, projects like these are important because they help the creation of technology for things like this to become possible. Inventions to make inventions possible, if you will. For example those bikes you see in the corner, those are hover bikes. We created the technology of thrust based anti-gravity machines to provide the eyes and ears of the weapon, spotters, as you will. As for the weapon itself: Well, the good doctor believed that fighting fire with fire was the best ‘solution.’" Twilight said as she input the last of the commands and hit enter.
The gears that were on top of the hangar began to grind and whirl, which forced the chains that were tied to the giant cloth, to rise. It took minutes, but when the veil was lifted, kicking up a giant cloud of dust in the air. Sunset and Flash saw it.
It was a giant robot, Clunky in nature, steel, and human in shape. They were taken aback by the ginormous machine.
"Flash, Sunset," Twilight said with a proud grin. "I would like you to meet my Opus Magnus: Machinka-01."
There was still much to do for Twilight Sparkle. There were programs to start, calibrations to check, double check, and triple check. Fluids and systems in the robot had to be checked, as well as software to debug if necessary. There was also waiting for her friend Blossoming Jewel.
In the event of an emergency, the protocol was to head straight to the hangar. Not caring for family or friends or even pets. Do not pass go, do not collect your two hundred dollars. Twilight began to worry about the fate of her friend. So she opened a wooden box that contained a hover drone. With it, she went down the stairs and outside the hangar.
"What is that thing?" Flash asked.
"Tracker drone. The Machinka pilot is not here so I have to find her. This thing does it."
Twilight walked back upstairs to the room to turn on the tv as the diagnostics began running. The devastation: the aerial shots of buildings that had collapsed were close to it. The carnage had subsided because the creature was now ravaging the central park. No one knew what it was doing in the bowl that was lined with trees, but it was hard to see what it was doing. People were still on the bridges and at the marinas trying to escape the city.
The beeping of a monitor attracted Twilight, Which meant that the drone found her. When twilight turned on the monitor and established the connection, her heart sank. The pilot was covered in white powder and in the prone position. Her hair was frazzled and her bottom lips were covered in blood.
"Blossom!"
"Twilight?" Blossoming Jewel coughed, which made more blood spill out.
"What happened?" Twilight cried out. On the television monitor next to the one showing the state of her friend showed what was left of her friends apartment. It was gashed in its mid section, right where her friend was staying. Her drone lifted to see that a steel reinforcement bar had pierced her stomach, which also protruded out of her back and soaked in blood.
"I guess I got unlucky," she coughed again.
"Can you move? I need to get you out of there!" Twilight panicked.
"No, it's too late for me."
The building began to shift, including the rebar that impaled her. She held on to it and screamed in pain. Twilight began to break down.
"Twilight, where are your roommates?"
"They're downstairs. Why?"
"They must man the Machinka. I'm not going to make it."
"You will! I’ll get the hover bike and-"
"It's too late, Twilight. You must stop that thing!" she said. Blossom's eyes began to water as she reached out to the drone, wanting to comfort Twilight as she sobbed.
"I love you," Twilight said.
"I love you too, Twi. Sisters forever."
"Sisters forever." Twilight said. With what was left of her strength, Blossoming placed a finger on the monitor that the drone had, and Twilight did the same.
Behind Blossoming, there was a thunderous crack and a subsequent rumble. The last seconds of the transmission showed her ceiling and the floors above her collapsing on her, the dust and debris blocked out her fate and also knocked the drone out. The news helicopter immediately showed what was left of the tower: a rubble of steel and concrete with a plume of dust flowing through the blocks surrounding it. Flash and Sunset made up there to see that Twilight had curled up into a ball on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.
***
"Twilight, what's wrong?" Sunset said as she lifted her up, forcing her to sit on the floor instead of laying on it. Twilight's tears of sadness gave way to her anger.
"Get in the room." Twilight whimpered.
"What?"
"Get in that goddamned room!" Twilight commanded, pointing to a room that was next to the control room. "NOW!"
Sunset and Flash shrugged and walked in, revealing a modern-looking, rounded locker room where the storage blocks lined the walls.
"The pilot is gone. I just saw my best friend die because of that monster, so you are going to kill it. Now, strip naked."
Both began to look at the loudspeaker in the room.
"A-are you sure?" Flash asked.
"You both fucked. Even if you didn't there's a lot of lives at stake. Get fucking naked. I don't care if you are a baby dick, Flash, or if you have a unkept bush, Sunset. Get naked, and get ready.”
The two had no choice at that moment and began to strip naked. They were in the pajamas so all they had to do was take their first layer off. It felt awkward being naked together in the same room again, but this time Sunset and Flash had to work to not look at each other's goods.
"In the locker should be some body suits. But before you do that, keep staring at each others bodies… That's it… Remember that day you two first banged… Keep thinking about it."
They suddenly felt a prick on their arm. Tt came from a robotic arm that curled down from the ceiling. Another robotic arm dropped in front of the two and started scanning their bodies. It took less than a few seconds, but it was uncomfortable all the same.
"Physical and blood tests are in. Both are you are medically eligible to fight. Even if you weren't, you would have to anyway. Alright, get dressed. "
***
They walked out in black tight suits with pieces of what looked like armor that were on their chest, elbows, thighs, and shins.
"So, who gets to drive the bad boy?" Flash said as they saw Twilight continue with her programming. She was still grieving, but her sadness did not stop her from getting the robot ready.
"I made a mistake in my rage. It was supposed to be you, Flash, that was supposed to man it, but now it’s Sunset. She is the only one calibrated to use it, but I can add you after all this is over. If you survive."
"Sweet!" Sunset said as she pumped her fist in celebration.
"Here is the quick run-though. Flash, get on a hoverbike and head to the monster. In it is a crossbow with 12 bolts. Try to get as many of those bolts onto the creature as you can. Each one is a GPS relay that will give Sunset and me its approximate location. The helmet you will be wearing also has a small camera and microphone so that I can see what you are seeing. You will be our tracker. Our eyes and ears, essentially. Sunset, if you don't know your job by now: Get on robot. Fuck shit up with robot."
"Hey, love!" Rarity answered her cell phone frantically. She was still along the dock, the smoke still bellowing from the ruins of a once-great city. A mile to her right was one of the many bridges to the city. The people of Manehattan had it packed in their attempt to flee from the monster.
"Hey Rarity, where are you at?" Flash asked, his voice barely audible from a constant gust of wind.
"I'm at the dock waiting for Twilight’s friend… Why does it sound like you are in a wind tunnel, dear?" She asked.
"Twilight’s friend is gone, and I'm going to come pick you up… Right after I help destroy the monster!"
"WHAT?! No! Flash, you are crazy! No boyfriend of mine is going to die trying to be a hero! How are you going to fight against that thing!" She shouted, attracting the attention of some of the emergency responders who were busy trying to ferry people out of the city.
"Look up, babe."
When she did, she saw a streak of blue flash above her, followed by the painful scream of the hover jet.
***
"What the hell?" Rainbow's confusion could be heard at the command post. Soarin instantly perked up hearing his lover on the intercom. There was something going on and he had to know. He sprinted to the microphone that was used to communicate with the pilots
"Rainboom, what's going on?" He asked frantically.
"Something has entered our restricted airspace… It’s too small to be a plane, but it… Looks like a hoverbike!"
"Are you sure?"
"She is right!" Spitfire announced. Soarin looked at the television in front of him and saw that the media cameras had already picked up on the oddly-shaped object that was heading straight to the park.
"What the hell is that?" Soarin asked.
***
"Seriously, what the hell is it?!" One of the generals bellowed in front of Celestia's television screen. The room had become silent in the minutes leading up to the arrival of the mysterious blue object since they were still waiting for Twilight's 'secret weapon' to emerge from its deployment hangar.
Celestia had a smirk on her face as the hoverbike slowed to a halt once it was in the vicinity of the park.
"Twilight, you have made me proud since you were just a little girl. I just hope you got one more in the tank," she said in discreet glee.
***
Flash stopped the bike and put it on hover mode close to the creature, but high enough that it was out of the monster's reach. Even if it were to jump at them, it still wouldn’t get him.
"Are you seeing what I'm seeing, Twilight?" Flash asked, scanning the monster below him. The creature looked back up at him while it… squatted? It didn’t attempt to maneuver and attack since it was really threatened by the puny object floating above it.. Twilight had to zoom the camera in. What she saw what was coming out of the creature and dropping into the bowl were white, oval objects. Each of them were covered in a thin, clear mucus.
"It's worse than I expected... " Twilight announced, “It’s laying eggs.”
"Shit," Flash breathed. "So when will they hatch?"
"Well since I totally know what this thing is, I should know the answer to that, right?" Twilight rolled her eyes. "Anyway, we can't let them hatch. Start your job!"
"Right away!" Flash replied. He reached behind him and pulled out the carbon black crossbow from its holster. "I expected my name to be all over the place, but not like this… I’ll take it anyway," he said as he had the creature in his crosshairs.
"Oh right, the magazine," he said to himself as he reached back and pulled out a giant magazine. He snapped it in beneath the crossbow. Once he did, the first bolt sprung up, ready to fire. He fired the first shot, which whistled silently down to the monster. When the fine point broke the skin, the barbs sprung out, securing the arrow deep in the skin. Attached to the arrow was a transponder, which started blinking green when the barbs activated.
The monster must’ve not felt a thing, according to what Flash saw in its limited reaction. For all he knew, it could’ve been putting up a guise to try and lure him closer.. He pulled back the bow string and allowed the next bolt to pop up, ready for action. He fired a few more bolts into the same area before he moved his bike to the front of the monster as still continued laying its eggs. He continued to fire more beacon darts, nailing different locations for the transponders broadcast the target’s location to Twilight at the hanger. Flash aimed for the monster’s forehead with his last bolt and tacked it on flawlessly. The monster was too engrossed with laying its soon-to-be-born-hatchlings, so Flash used the opportunity to get the hell out of harm’s way.
"I think we’re good, Twilight!" He said as he landed on a nearby rooftop. He got off the bike and looked to the monster, which was still concentrated on laying its eggs.
***
Twilight smiled as she turned to Machinka, with Sunset inside the cockpit. Twilight strolled to the microphone that was used to communicate directly to the Machinka pilot. "Sunset, you're up."
Sunset was in the dark cockpit, waiting for her time to fight. It was like those cockpits she saw in almost every childhood cartoon. Her instruments, buttons, and levers were in front of her, all accessible from a big, comfortable seat. The only difference was her weapons system. Each of her weapons were controlled and activated by a series of gauntlets above her head. There were at least twelve fanning out on each side, each of them controlling an array of weaponry ranging from generic fists to miniguns, and flamethrowers to missile launchers. Sunset sunk her hands into the first set of gauntlets and pulled them to her in a fighting form.
"Bring it on, Twilight. Bring that bad boy on, Twi-Twi!" Sunset hollered.
"Hey kid," Twilight said.
"Yeah?!" Sunset bellowed over the intercom, the adrenaline finally kicking in.
"Don't get cocky," Twilight warned her as she continued to input data into the main computer. Next to her was a red button, which was covered by a see-through plastic case. As soon as she was finished with her last computer commands, the clear plastic box sprang open, revealing the red button.
"Please guide my friend to victory like you would have done tonight, Blossom," Twilight mumbled to herself as she pressed the button.
The mecha rolled out of the hanger in a rushed fashion, but slow enough that there would be no sudden jerks when it stopped, potentially knocking over the robot and damaging it. It was sitting on the flatbed, looking to the dark sky of the early morning. It was a few hours until the sun would rise, which was the time Celestia gave until she was to up the ante by sending in her military to destroy the creature “by any means necessary”.
"So that's why we have to end this as soon as you can, Sunset. The fate of the city is on you… No pressure," Twilight said as she checked the monitors for any anomalies from the robot's systems. She kept looking at the gauges, the television showing the monster still squatting over her nest, and the live shots from within the city. The evacuation was calm but hurried to get people off of the island.
The roller began to move the robot, making the robot stand. It was a slow process in order to prevent any chance of the machine tipping over while setting it up straight.
"So how am I supposed to get this thing there?" Sunset asked, still unsure of the controls other than to move it on the ground and to fire.
"Leave that to me, Sunset. I am going to give the autopilot its exact coordinates. I don't want to accidently drop you on top of a building, now do I?" Twilight smirked, her fingers working to the bone to finish her part of the plan.
Sunset’s many television monitors were also telling the story as well. Troops were mobilizing on the mainland, ready to storm the tunnels, bridges, and ferries to destroy the creature. It was also announced that the military had until sunset to destroy it or else the Strategic Warfare Command would be called in for their opinion-- this meant that the nuclear option was still on the table.
Sunset felt a jolt, and a sound she remembered as the sound of a jet engine or maybe two. She looked at the palms of the robot’s hands to see them spitting fire. Above her were the sound of jet-propelled drones with ropes hanging off of them, programmed to latch themselves to the robot and take the robot where It needed to go. Once the robot’s jets allowed it to hover mid-air, the drones did their job, dragging Machinka where It needed to go.
"This beats the hell out of the Stantrot Island ferry," Sunset thought aloud.
* * *
The first to see the machine reach the Manehattan airspace was the Rainbooms, who had an hour of fuel left before they were to head back and prepare for a bigger, nastier attack.
"Well, I’ll be," Rainbow said as she observed the machine being guided along through the air below them. They had their eyes glued on the machine, which was as tall as a medium-sized skyscraper.
"Yea, I think it’s big enough to beat it," one of her pilots commented.
"Don't say that I wanted to finally kill something for once!" Rainbow replied.
Over at the war room, Soarin and Spitfire watched with the rest of the world as the robot made its way in, carefully navigating the city streets. Even with that thing headed to the monster, they still made the call for all available fighter pilots to treturn to base to prepare for an all-out attack against the monster should the giant robot fail.
"Well, this is going to be good," Spitfire commented.
"How so?" Soarin asked.
"Well, when I was a kid, I used to watch mecha shows like it was nobody's business. Hell, I even collected Gundams. I had a dream that I would pilot a mecha one day, much less see one. Well, here's to a dream coming true… Where is the Highland cream liquor? I think adding it to my coffee would be enough of a toast for this moment…"
Soren smiled as he walked back to a small filing cabinet in the room. After fishing his keys, unlocking the metallic box and reaching inside, he produced a small glass bottle.
Spitfire giggled as Soarin poured some of the white, milky cream in her coffee.
"I wonder what your girlfriend would think if she saw you giving me some booze?" She asked.
"You're drinking for yourself, I'm drinking for Dash. A bit of a good luck toast," He said as he poured some cream into his own coffee.
* * *
It was when the robot approached the park that Sunset first saw the creature. She saw it on the television screen like everyone else, but it was the first time she saw it in person. It looked bigger, uglier, and dirtier. She felt a repulsive urge towards the creature, watching it hiss and growl at the robot as it sailed over it, out of reach of its claws.
"Once you land, you are on your own. Good luck!" Twilight encouraged as she started to look for places to land the machine. She found a spot on the other side of the park. A few ticks on the keyboard later the drones pushing the mecha along changed their course, moving in a different direction.
They stopped at the entrance of the park, and they began the delicate dance of lowering the robot. As the drones kept their positions, the jets on the robot’s arms began to lose power, causing the machine to slowly lower itself to the ground. The jets abruptly shut off ten feet off the ground, dropping it to the floor in a soft manner. Sunset enjoyed the stomach churning feel of vertigo.
When the robot dropped, it attracted the creature. It got up from the hole it made and crept its way to Machinka, crouching as If it was a hunter stalking its prey. When it got close enough, it screeched at it and charged.
"Alright! Go!" Twilight hollered.
Sunset grabbed the first gauntlet and raised her fist, ready to fight. But something went wrong.
The monster was still charging, and Sunset watched it close in on her.
"How do I fix it, you fucking nerd!?" Sunset barked.
"Have you tried turning it off and turning it on again?" Twilight smirked.
"REALLY! OF ALL THE TIMES YOU MAKE A TECH SUPPORT JOKE YOU CHOSE NOW TO -"
She felt the force of the hit and it sent her flying upwards
Machinka - 01 was toppling over.
"Fuck!" She hollered as she braced for the impact. When it came, she was rocked around the cabin, being thrown around the cockpit like a measly ragdoll. The many screens in front of her lost their signal for a second. When the cameras came back online, she was staring face to face with the monster that was towering over her.
The world watched, on television, flying around the city in their jets or hoverbikes, as their only hope for the city and possibly Equestria got knocked over without putting up a fight.
"God damn that thing is ugly," Sunset breathed, only being protected from the elements by a three-foot clear plastic sheet.
The creature circled the downed robot, which landed in a patch of trees crushed by the machine’s weight. It was studying it, wondering why it was dropped near her and if it was alive. What became an issue was when the monster went up to the head of the machine and raised her leg, looking like it was going to stomp Machina’s head in.
"Twilight, you might want to figure out what the hell is wrong!" Sunset hollered.
"I'm working on it! Running diagnostics check!" Twilight reported back.
Back in the hanger, she was running a system check on each computer. Every one came back with nothing wrong. Every computer was operational, even after the hit. Something was keeping the machine from moving, and it was coming from her end.
What is going on? Twilight thought, unsure of how to fix this. In the back of her mind, the fear began to set in. She had already lost a friend that night, and dreaded that she might lose another because of her and the machine. Having tried everything in her mind that could help, she felt as if she was on the brink of a nervous breakdown.
It was then she saw it manifest. On the corner of the screen, an animation came up of a paper clip with eyes on top of a notepad. Next to it was a speech bubble that read:
"It looks like you left autopilot on. Need some help turning it off?"
On the radio, Twilight's audible sobbing turned into to laughter, which made Sunset and Flash uneasy.
"Twilight, what's going on?!"
"You see, I ran all these calculations and it turns out; I forgot to turn the autopilot off"
Audible groans erupted from both Sunsetand Flash upon hearing the news.
"Really, Twi?" Flash asked.
"Yes, I guess it was a miscalculation on my part," Twilight replied.
"How soon can you get it off?" Sunset asked.
"A second or two, why?"
"BECAUSE THAT FUCKING MONSTER IS GOING TO STEP ON ME! TURN IT OFF NOW!" Sunset hollered at the top of her lungs. She was looking up at the monster, whose leg was up and hovering over the robot’s head.
"Uh, sure… Give me one second." Twilight mumbled.
"And you call yourself a MENSA member..." Flash joked.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," Twilight mumbled some more as the sounds of her typing into her computer could be heard. Sunset heard the bell and a feminine robotic voice speak.
"Autopilot disengaged."
"Oh, here we go!" Sunset cheered as she reached and pulled out the plasma gauntlet. Machinka - 01's right hand began to disassemble itself, only to rebuild itself from a hand to a charcoal colored tube. The creature slammed its foot down, but instead of smashing its foot down the head of the robot, it was on the barrel of the plasma.
"Bye bye!" Sunset roared
The plasma beam shot out of the barrel, shooting itself to the sky in a red ball. The creature wailed from the blast, its leg ripped apart from the shin down. It collapsed onto the city floor, crawling to its nest, trying to defend it.
A few select buttons and a lever later, Machinka - 01 began its automated "stand up" mode, moving its arms and legs to get itself off the ground and standing. Sunset placed the plasma gauntlet back and re-equipped the normal fist. She watched the hand disassemble and reassemble back.
"Alright. Here we go!" She said as she marched slowly towards the monster, looming over it as though the angel of doom herself had arrived in metal form and without mercy.
"Come on! Get up! Get up!" Sunset hollered.
The creature hobbled around, crying from the pain, the steady stream of blood with chunks of loose flesh dropping on the grass below. When the robot got close enough to the creature, it gave a kick to the abdomen, which made the creature wail in pain even louder.
"YOU FUCKING LEFT ME FOR MY BEST FRIEND?! RARITY?! REALLY?!" Sunset bellowed.
The robot stopped, Twilight stopped, Flash froze. As the creature was still trying to recover, the three became silent.
"Sunset, were you thinking that the monster was me?" Flash asked.
"No… Maybe…" Sunset answered.
"Sunset…"
"Yes, yes I did," Sunset confessed.
She continued to watch as the creature crawled on the floor, trying to recover. When she turned the robot, the creature was on its one foot,ready to fight.
"Alright, round two!"
Sunset charged with a left hook, which missing the creature's head. It clasped both of its claws together and attacked Machinka - 01, using its clamped fist like a club. It hit the machine in the chest a few times, causing the robot to stagger, throwing Sunset around in the process.
"It’s still fighting! It's still fighting!" Twilight said, watching the drama unfold on a television screen.
"I know that!" Sunset yelled before taking a swing that landed on the creature's neck, knocking it to the ground.
"Ha! Come on, you don't stand a chance!" Sunset said as she kicked the downed creature in the ribs. The creature writhed on the ground, its sides expanding and contracting with short, heavy breaths. Sunset marched over to the nest and peered in.
"Holy god..." She muttered.
"Yeah. Makes you wonder that one day, we will have little monsters to unleash on the world, and this thing was just trying to make the world better for her offspring." Flash commented.
"Yeah, All those abominations you and Rarity will make." Sunset replied
"Yeah..." He answered with a chuckled. "Oh well, fuck it."
"Yeah, time for some fire!" Sunset cheered as she reached for her flamethrower gauntlet.
As the robot's left hand began to turn into a flamethrower, the creature screeched once more. Whatever it had left, it was going to use it to save her nest. Sunset looked on but used the other hand to equip the sword gauntlet. There was no dissolving action, just a blade popping out of the robot's knuckles.
The creature charged with everything it had left, while Sunset moved her hand out, using the blade as an improvised pike. The creature ignored it, choosing to swipe at Machinka - 01, only to find itself and its nest exposed to Sunset. A simple swing of the gauntlet and the robots reciprocation ended the creature’s fight. Flash's eyes, Twilight's monitor, and Sunset's screen said it all; the creature was dead, decapitated.
The first group to cheer when the monster was defeated was the fighter pilots. Relief sunk in that group as well.
The command room erupted in cheers when they saw on the monitors the death of the monster. Soarin and Spitfire embraced in joy and relief, Jumping and laughing with the rest of the command room.
"I'm not gonna wait for a call, let's go home, boys!" Rainbow Dash commanded to her flight and the Fighting Griffins. The movements were noticed by the war room.
"Rainboom! Griffons! Did you see that?!" Soarin asked.
"Yea, it's finally over! We will be back in an hour!" Rainbow cheerfully reported.
There were no cheers at the Princess's chambers. The advisors and generals took a sigh of relief, took their folders, papers, coffee mugs, and swiftly made their exit, not before tipping their hats and bowing to their princesses a good night. Luna stayed in the room as Celestia closed the door. As soon as she did they ran to each other in an embrace. They feared what the monster would bring for their nation. Their people and they will tend to the hurt, grieve for the dead, and rebuild what was lost. But, in the meantime, it was time to celebrate.
Sunset didn't wait to see if the creature was truly dead, willing to give the benefit of the doubt to the scientific fact that if the head is chopped off that nine times out of ten the creature is dead. Flash flew to the machine, landing on the head of the mechanic monster
"Alright, Sunset. Let's see some….. I'm too tired for an egg pun. Fry them."
"Go kill yourself for that one," Sunset groaned as she pulled the trigger on her flamethrower gauntlet. Machinka's right hand exploded in a steady stream of fire, engulfing the large bowl filled with the monster's eggs in flames. Nothing happened to the eggs at first, but eventually large cracking and subsequent popping sounds were heard. she didn't stop the assault until she heard all 132 eggs pop.
"Flash, Sunset?" Twilight's voice was heard through their intercom.
"Yea?" They answered simultaneously.
"I want to thank you, for avenging my friend. I know there's the whole 'you saved our nation' and all that jazz, but personally, I want to thank you. Flash get off of the robot, I'm about to bring her home."
Flash obliged, and as soon as he was back on his hoverbike, the autopilot kicked in. Sunset's flight home felt shorter, but she did have a nice view of the city below her, the streets were plugged up with foot traffic making their way back home in the creeping daybreak, heading to either their intact homes or demolished rubble. But, no matter how badly their lives were changed because of the night's events, they still stopped and cheered at the robot hovering overhead, thanking it for the pilot's act of bravery.
As for Flash, he also had people cheer for him as he navigated under the skyline and to the river separating the mainland from the island. People on the bridge clapped and cheered, but he ignored them, save a thumbs up to them as he raced over to where he wanted to go: his woman, who was waiting for him at the marina on the mainland.
When he stopped in front of her, she was disheveled, tired, and looked like a complete mess, like most in the city. In front of her was the man that she loved, who just had a hand in saving everything and everyone she would ever care for.
Flash Sentry took off his helmet and offered her his hand. "Hey babe: need a lift?"
***
When Flash sentry and Rarity landed in front of the hangar, Sunset was getting out of Machinka, which was just done performing a perfect landing on the flatbed that took it out in the first place. Twilight and Spike were waiting for Sunset as well. Usually, protocol was to wait for the robot to dock inside the hangar, but considering it was already dawn and it was their first kill, procedure could be thrown by the wayside for the occasion. When Sunset jumped off the rope ladder that was built into the cockpit she was instantly grabbed by all three. They laughed and celebrated right there, their first mission completed.
"We did it!" Twilight celebrated.
"Yea! good job Sunset!"
"Thanks, guys. But, I think I wouldn't like anything more than I want a hot meal and some sleep," Sunset said
"I don't mind that," Flash replied.
"Shotgun!" Twilight announced.
From there they went to a nearby restaurant, grabbed their food to go, not wanting to be mobbed by the hordes of evacuees all around. As much as they would have loved the appreciation, there was a time and a place for it, and that time a good sleep would be worth all the fanfare.
They arrived back at the hangar, ate and fell asleep on the bed. The four had a history together. Three of them were best friends, with the added complication of one being former lovers and one of them dating the others best friend. The fourth well... with her own life issues and a cute dog to take care off. All that melted away as they were all asleep on the same king sized bed, scraps of food all over the blankets and were being sought after by a hungry dog. In front of them the flat screen television telling the events of what happened, the video of their victorious efforts, and, unbeknownst to them, they were in for a rude awakening when the television helecopter cameras showed the robots location, sitting in front of the once presumably abandoned hangar, the hole in the fence used as a mere bottleneck for the waves of people, headed to the hanger to cheer for their new heroes.
Six months had passed since that fateful night. The city lost ten thousand of its citizens that night, the funerals for those killed went on for months, including the difficult day when Twilight had to attend the funeral of Blossoming Jewel. A few hundred thousand were injured. Most were scrapes, cuts, and bruises. But, a good amount were lacerations, disfigurement, dismemberment, where many trauma surgeons described it as "from a war zone". It also became the costliest event in Equestria in the tune of five trillion dollars, most coming from the collapsed buildings and the halt of commerce in the heart of Manehattan, the financial capital of the kingdom .
Even with the sixth-month anniversary of that tragic day, the once iconic skyline was still missing a few buildings. Those holes in the skyline would be eventually replaced with newer, taller and strong buildings. It also strengthened the city's reputation for its toughness and compassion in times of crisis.
"You're good to go, Sunset?" Twilight asked through the intercom.
"Hell yea! Bring it!" Sunset shouted back.
A few keystrokes later, the simulation inside the robot started, and Sunset was once again thrown to that night in a simulated battle.
She walked to the front of the open hangar doors and spotted Rainbow Dash and Soarin working on an engine of a fighter jet that was parked on the side. They were allowed to keep their relationship a poorly kept secret, but they couldn't be official and get engaged. They left as soon as their reenlistment came up and joined the crew as first responders. Their job was to be the first line of defense and buying time for the robot to be dispatched to where it needed to go.
Off in the distance, a luxury car was headed their way, the dust behind them was getting kicked up in the air. Twilight waved to the car as it stopped next to her, revealing Rarity, Flash, and most importantly: lunch. Flash handed Twilight the food And helped rarity gingerly get out of the car. Like Soarin and Rainbow Dash, they were also engaged with their wedding in two months, and their first "miracle in the form of a defective condom" son expecting to arrive a month later.
Everyone left around five in the afternoon to head home, leaving Twilight alone with spike as the hangar’s residents. There would be a day where she would have more staff, and able to not live her life in that hanger in case a new monster was to appear, but for now she would have to tough it out.
Still, at least it had some perks, like being able to continue her old experiments as before without worrying about waking up or blowing up the block around her. She also had a perfect place to spend time with her new … Well, old lover. He had returned a few days after the incident as her "official liaison" to the kingdom. It was a position that was basically filling out government paperwork for Twilight and became the project's "advocate" when it came to talking to the government, but he took it the second it opened up to spend time with Twilight again like before, having been separated from her after the first closing of the project those many years ago. Twilight would walk outside after dark, and stare at the beautiful skyline of Manehattan.
"Twilight are you coming in soon? I have to close the hangar," her lover's voice called out through the PA system.
She had a grin as she walked back inside the hangar, relaxed but always ready to lead the defense of her nation on the back of her robot Machinka-01, nicknamed "The Iron Lady".
