A guy gets sent to Equestria as a ponified Night stalker.
So I got sent to Equestria as a pony version of a Night stalker from Fallout: New Vegas there I fall into a gorge, get saved from said gorge by a Lunar unicorn mare and then everything went south.......
"I blame you for this.” I rasped in my new feminine voice.
Sir Boulder the Leg Trapper didn´t reply to my accusation instead opting to look at ma blankly from his perch atop my right hind leg.
“You know you could have helped me when I fell into this gorge, but no! You have to fall and trap my leg!” I finished my accusation with a death glare directed towards Sir Boulder.
As you have probably guessed I am trapped on the bottom of a gorge with my right hind leg trapped underneath a large boulder which I have started accusing of various things that happened to me, like being the wrong gender and being turned into some sort of snake-horse hybrid.
“Oh, don´t be so mean, dear. You know it´s not helping you any.” Said a cactus wearing something a gentleman would wear.
“Another hallucination? Guess the dehydration is getting to me.” I muttered followed by a series of coughs that were very painful for my dry throat.
After I was finished with my coughing I just laid there, wheezing. Luckily for me my new body seemed to not have that much of a problem with the amounts of heat that the sun was radiating.
Maybe I am coldblooded? I mused, that would make sense seeing that I am some sort of a snake-horse hybrid and snakes are coldblooded I may be coldblooded.
My musings were suddenly interrupted by a female voice calling, “Is anyone down there?”
My head immediately snapped upwards and through my blurry vision I was what I thought was the head of my savior.
“Finally….. HEY! CAN YOU HELP ME? MY LEG´S STUCK!” I yelled back followed by another set of violent coughs causing my vision to darken a bit at the edges.
“HANG ON! I AM COMING DOWN!” The woman shouted back followed by a length of rope falling down the gorge, landing a few feet away from me.
After a while I heard the tell-tale sound of metal rubbing against rope and after about thirty seconds descended a…. unicorn? I just looked at the unicorn blankly and the unicorn returned my blank look with a concerned one.
“Oh dear. Are you alright?” The unicorn asked worriedly.
“No, I think I am hallucinating because I am seeing pretty unicorn right now.” I replied and then shook my head in an attempt to clear my mind from the hallucinations.
That didn´t seem to help as I was still seeing the same unicorn, though I noticed a faint blush on her cheeks.
After a while I realized something, this unicorn is no hallucination but a real being.
“You´re not a hallucination are you?” I asked in a flat tone.
Seeing the unicorn nod her head and confirming that she is quite real caused me to faint on the spot.
I woke up with a monster of a headache and my throat feeling like I just swallowed a bucket of sand. After a while I decided to open my eyes. My eyelids felt heavy and were rather reluctant to open at first but after a second try they fluttered open, revealing that I was inside of a tent.
“Hello?” I called weakly.
Luckily it seemed that my call was audible enough for a unicorn to come into the tent. It was the same unicorn I remembered seeing in the gorge.
“You´re awake. Good.” The unicorn said as she moved closer to me. “Now, how do you feel?”
“Thirsty.” I managed to croak out, slightly lifting my head from the pillow it was laying on.
Not a second later a canteen was pressed against my lips and I greedily gulped down its contents. After a while I drained the canteen completely and it was removed from my lips and deposited somewhere in the tent.
“Thanks.” I said to the unicorn, giving her a small smile.
“You´re welcome.” She replied.
This was followed by an awkward silence.
“So, uh, who are you?” I asked the mare with a nervous smile on my face.
“My name is Side Winder or Windy for short. And you are?” She replied in a friendly manner.
“Umm, I am Spooks?” I replied nervously, opting to give her my nickname instead of my real name.
“Are you sure about that?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Yes.” I replied unsurely.
“Okay then.”
Oh, hello Mister Awkward Silence long time no see, huh?
“You hungry?” Windy suddenly asked and my stomach growled in response causing Windy to giggle a little. “Guess that´s a yes then.”
I gave her an embarrassed smile.
After eating a healthy amount of canned beans I finally got a good look at Windy. Her coat is anthracite gray while her mane and tail are both midnight purple, her eyes are slitted and cherry red and her ears have little tufts of fur on their tips. She said that she is a Lunar unicorn.
When I asked her what I look like she gave me this strange look but described how I look like. Apparently my mane and tail are camouflage brown while my coat is tan, my eyes looks exactly like a rattlesnake´s and so does my tail. I also discovered that my tongue is forked and I have pop-out fangs producing poison attached to the roof of my mouth.
“Now, why did you ask how you look like?” Windy finished after finished her description of little ol´ me.
“Because I didn´t know how I look like.” I answered her truthfully.
“Explain.” She said, narrowing her eyes.
So I told her everything. About me being a former human and a guy, when I woke up in the middle of a desert and finally about how I ended up in a gorge with my leg trapped.
“So you took your first two step in your body and immediately fell into a gorge getting your leg trapped by a boulder, which you started calling Sir Boulder the Leg Trapper?” She asked with a smirk on her face.
“Yes.” I replied shamefully, my ears folding back against my head.
She looked at me for a while before rolling around laughing.
“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, fuzzball.” I said causing her laughter to stop and her eyes to narrow at me.
“What did you just call me?” She said menacingly, slowly stalking towards.
“Nothing.” I replied fearfully, slowly backing away.
“Oh no, I think I heard you call me ´fuzzball´.” She replied before pouncing at me causing me to let out a squeak of surprise.
“Pfft, HAHAHA!” Windy laughed from her position atop my chest.
“It´s not funny.” I said to her with a pout.
“It is!” She managed to squeeze out between bouts of giggles. “The look on your face and the adorable squeak were so hilarious!” I blushed at. One of my sounds being called adorable.
“And you know what as a punishment for calling me a fuzzball you will be my pillow for tonight!” She exclaimed cheerfully.
“You wouldn´t.” I said, my eyes widening in shock.
“Watch me.” She said mischievously before her horn ignited and a small beam shot out paralyzing my entire body, except for my eyes.
She giggled at seeing my paralyzed body before her magic wrapped around me and she carried me towards her sleeping bag where she set me down.
“Goodnight, my little pillow.” She said, setting her head on my flank. “Hmm, such a soft flank.” I heard her mutter before her eyes closed and within seconds she was asleep. I was left laying in the dark tent with Windy using me as a pillow feeling both extremely embarrassed and frustrated.
Well, at least I am not stuck in a gorge anymore, and with that thought I soon fell asleep.
Chaper 2: Walking through the desert with a crow, er, unicorn
I woke up and stretched my forelegs, discovering that whatever Windy did to me has worn off, and find Windy still using my flank as a pillow, though she looked incredibly cute…. And hot.
Argh, knock it off, brain, I mentally scolded my perverted mind.
I decided to just lay there and wait for Windy to wake up and while I waited my thoughts wandered, ranging from how I look similar to a Night stalker from Fallout: New Vegas to how I was oddly alright with Windy using me as a pillow.
No it can´t be, I thought, Great, just great I get sent to a new world and what do I do? I get myself a crush!
Just as I finished my mental fuming I felt Windy stir.
“Good morning, Spooks.” She said groggily, rubbing her eyes with her forelegs.
“Morning.” I replied with a yawn.
“Did you sleep well?” She asked with a smirk.
I gave her an unamused look in response causing her to giggle.
After waking up I and Windy had breakfast which consisted of some dried fruits and oatmeal.
“So what´s the plan for today?” I asked her while chewing on a dried slice of banana.
“Well, I planned to go to Appleloosa.” She replied.
“Why?” I curiously asked her.
“Because it´s where I live.” She replied simply up.
Following Windy´s example I stood up before stretching like a cat and when I was done stretching my face was assaulted by a bundle of clothes.
“Put these on.” Windy said while searching through the tent for something.
Looking through the pile of clothes that was used to assault me I found a desert camo boonie hat and a tan shirt.
“Why the shirt?” I asked confusedly.
“It has a heat reducing enchantment on it, so it should keep you from overheating.” She replied, still searching through the tent. Did I mention that the tent is about the size of a small apartment?
“I think that won´t be necessary seeing that I am coldblooded.” I said, plopping the boonie hat on my hat, my ears going through the two holes that are in the hat.
“Really?” She asked looking up from her search and giving me a look of curiosity.
“Well, yeah. I mean the night stalkers-“ I started replying before being cut off mid-sentence.
“Night stalkers?” Windy asked, confused.
“Yes, back home they are a fictional hybrid between a coyote and a rattlesnake from a game named Fallout: New Vegas. And earlier today I thought that I look somewhat similar to them.” I replied slipping into 'teacher' mode for a while.
“Huh. You learn something new every day.” She said giving a nod of understanding “Oh, and by the way you look cute in that boonie.” She added making my face to turn beet red.
Yep, it's official I have crush on her, I thought looking at my newly discovered crush look around the apartment sized tent, dat ass tho…. Wait, what?!
Luckily my thoughts about Windy's posterior were interrupted by her exclaiming “AHA!” and levitating a pair of aviator sunglasses over to me and putting them on.
“There! Now your look is finished!” She exclaimed gleefully before shoving a small mirror into my face.
Grabbing the mirror in my forelegs I took a look and saw for the first time how my face look like and to say I was surprised was understatement.
My new snout is short and rounded and distinctively feminine looking, my ears are pointed and upon getting a closer look I could see some scales underneath the fur on them. The boonie and sunglasses gave me this 'desert adventurer' look.
“Are you done admiring that pretty face of yours?” Windy teasingly asked.
“It isn't my fault that my face is that beautiful.” I shot back with a smirk.
“Yeah, yeah whatever…….. fuzzball.”
“Hey!”
A few hours later
After Windy collapsed the tent and tucked it into a pair of sturdy looking saddlebags she proclaimed me the tent carrier and put the saddlebags on my back. Surprisingly the tent was smaller than it should be considering the room it haves inside it.
So yeah here am I walking through a desert with a crow, er, unicorn.
“What were you before you came here?” Windy asked, breaking the silence that lasted since we left the campsite.
“I was a pyrotechnic.” I replied.
“A what?” She asked, clearly confused.
Oh, right they probably don't have pyrotechnics here, I thought before replying “A pyrotechnic is someone who deals with the dangerous stuff of the explosive kind.”
“Oh, now I get it.” She said with a face of understanding.
After this brief conversation we again lapsed into silence leaving me alone with my thoughts that is until an annoying itch started spreading across my body starting from my nose. At first I thought nothing of it idly scratching it with a foreleg, and nearly falling over, but when I felt the itch spread across my whole back which was soon followed by the rest of my body it became unbearable, causing me to collapse onto the desert sand and scratch madly at everything my hooves could reach.
“Hey, what's wrong?” Windy asked with her voice laced with concern.
Realization struck me like a lightning. Don't snakes molt? Oh, god they do! And seeing that I am a part snake…
“I think I am molting!” I managed to squeeze out between scratches.
“Oh. Do you want my help?”
“Just find where the skin is peeling and tear it off!” I quickly explained.
Windy nodded and her magic enveloped my body keeping my hooves from moving thus rendering me into an itching and whimpering mess. What followed was the itchiest ten seconds of my life before Windy find the spot where my skin was peeling off and promptly began removing the molting.
“Eww.” She exclaimed as she threw the night stalker shaped skin-suit away.
Meanwhile I was laying on the desert sand my ridiculously long tongue lolling out of my mouth.
“Now that's what I call bliss.” I muttered dreamily.
Windy giggled before helping me stand up and replacing my boonie and sunglasses, both of which I have not noticed falling off.
“I think we both agree that we will never speak of this again.” I said to Windy with a dead serious expression.
“Can´t argue with that one.”
“So what do you do for living?” I asked changing the subject to something more comfortable.
“I am nurse in the town hospital. And before you ask what I was doing in a desert, I was on a climbing trip.” She replied to my question.
After this we again lapsed into comfortable silence, which I broke with a question.
“So how long before we get to this Appleloosa place?”
“It´s about a two days walk from here.” She replied calmly.
“WHAT?!” I shouted in disbelief.
And with that we continued our trek through the desert.
It was around midnight, I and Windy had set camp about eight hours ago, when I woke up feeling cold and shivering uncontrollably. It took me a few seconds before I realized why.
Crap, this means that I really am coldblooded, I thought with a bit of panic, I need to find a source of heat.
My eyes wandered across the night desert ---which I could see as clear as day, mind you--- before they finally settled on one. Windy. And seeing that I have no other choice I crawled from underneath the blanket Windy has given me, which didn´t help against the coldness of the desert, and quickly made my way over to the Lunar unicorn.
Once I reached Windy's sleeping form I wormed my underneath her blanket and gently pressed my back against hers. Unfortunately I wasn´t gentle enough.
“Spooks? What are you doing?” She asked sleepily, a yawn escaping her mouth at the end of her sentence.
“C-c-c-cold.” I answered with my teeth clattering.
“You're cold?” I nodded in response. “Wait. Aren't snakes coldblooded?” Another nod. “And since you are a part snake that means you´re coldblooded too.” And then she did something I didn´t expect. She hugged me and held my close.
After a half an hour my shivering calmed and I didn´t feel as cold and after another twenty minutes I didn´t feel cold at all.
“Where are you going?” Windy asked as I started to rise.
“Back to my sleeping pad.” I answered.
“Nuh-uh, you aren't going anywhere.” She said with a tone of finality and pulled me back into her embrace. “And stop squirming or I'll use the paralyzing spell again.” She added after I tried to wriggle free from her embrace.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked after a pause.
“Because I like you.” She replied mumbling the last part.
“What was that?”
“I like you.” She replied, this time a little louder.
“A little louder, please?”
“I LIKE YOU!” She shouted with a furious blush on her face.
I squeaked with the same blush as Windy's.
“And I don't mean just that I like you I mean that I like like you!” She paused to take a breath before continuing “Spooks I have a crush on you.”
“Me too.” I said quietly.
“What?” She asked, clearly confused.
“I have a crush on you.” I admitted with my ears folded back in shame and a blush on my face.
“Really?” She asked her filled with excitement and at my nod she 'squee'd and her embrace tightened.
The following morning we woke up with the sunrise and started moving towards Appleloosa.
“So what is Appleloosa like?” I asked while adjusting my boonie and aviators.
“Well, Appleloosa is very nice with nice ponies. Most of the population is from the Apple family or it's relatives.” She replied.
“Are the Apples fine folks?” I inquired.
“They are generally nice but if I was you I would be wary of Breaburn, he's kind of doofus.” She replied with a sour look.
“I take he's not the lovable kind of doofus, is he?”
“Yeah you got that right.” She replied with the same look as before.
This got me wondering just what kind of doofus Breaburn is.
Is he one of the guys that tries to woe a woman even after he's told no multiple times?
Or is he stupid to the point it hurts?
Meh, guess I'll find out soon enough, I thought deciding to stop thinking about it.
When we finally arrived to Appleloosa it was nearing nighttime and the temperature was already falling.
As we walked through the streets some ponies waved at Windy and stared at me, which made me extremely nervous. This was proven by my tail rattling every so often.
“How far is your place from here?” I asked nervously.
“About hundred meters from here.” She replied. “And don't be so nervous, they're just curious.”
After this we continued our walk in silence and after a while we waked into what looked like a town square and a newsstand.
'A new baroness in Canterlot! Read more at page 12.' proclaimed a headline on a one newspaper.
“There's a new baroness?” I heard Windy ask herself before walking over to the newsstand and buying the newspaper, paying with what looked like golden coins.
“'A new baroness, going under name Winter Rose, has been revealed to the public this Monday.'” I read aloud the title of the article as Windy levitated the newspaper.
Just below the title was a picture a Pegasus filly with white coat, blue mane and rail both with red paintbrush effect and striking azure eyes, though one thing caught as odd. She was wearing a collar with a little bell attached to it.
“I think the collar makes her look cuter.” Windy said when I mentioned the collar.
“Would I be cuter with a collar?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Yeah, you would but with a different kind.” She replied before exclaiming. “Anyway we're here!”
Looking at the two story house we found ourselves in front of I immediately noticed the large red cross painted on the face of the house while the rest of the house is white.
“I AM HOME!” Windy shouted as she walked through the front door.
Following Windy inside I found myself in what looked like waiting room and on the far left side of the room there was a receptionist's desk.
“COMING!” Shouted a feminine voice from somewhere in the clinic and a few minutes later a Thestral, I know about them from Windy, mare dressed in a lab coat walked out of the clinic.
“Hi, mom!” Huh, that kind of makes sense seeing that they both her and Windy look somewhat similar, what with the same eye color.
“Hello, sweetie.” The mare said giving Windy a brief hug. “Who is your friend?” She asked as she looked at me.
“I am Spooks.” I replied.
“Pleasure to meet you Spooks I am Doctor Night Heart.” She said extending a hoof towards me.
“Likewise.” I said and shook the offered hoof.
“Now not to sound rude, but what kind of pony are you?” She asked after we finished our handshake, well more like a hoofshake now.
“I am a Night stalker.” I replied causing her to adopt a thoughtful expression.
“Night stalker? I swear I heard that somewhere.” She muttered before her face brightened and she rushed off to another part of the house and she returned not a minute later with a book of which the title read ´Myths of the Thestrals´.
“Night leech, Night parrot….. Ah! Here it is!” She said before reading aloud “Night stalkers are creatures from old Thestral legend. This legend describes them as a perfect cross between a pony and a Ponave Desert Sidewinder, they are also said to protect anyone dear to them until their last breath.´ Oh, look there´s even a list of possible dangers.” She paused before reading out the list. “´Dangers: poisonous fangs, normal fangs and Night stalkers with yellow eyes are said to be able to cloak themselves for indefinite periods of time´.”
“I can cloak?” I asked after a while of silence.
“According to this book you should be able to but shouldn´t you know if you can or cannot cloak?” Night Heart asked with a confused tilt of her head.
“Well…..” I started.
“…… and that´'s how I met Spooks.” Windy finished.
“You really fell down a gorge after your first two steps?” Night asked amusedly.
“Aren't you two related?” I asked gesturing towards the now giggling mares.
“Maybe.” They both said in unison.
“Oh, God why?” I muttered, facehoofing causing the two mares to burst out laughing.
“Anyway! Where will I sleep?” I asked interrupting their laughter.
“Well, with me of course!” Windy chirped happily. “Now I´ll go set up the bed.” She added before disappearing further into the clinic.
“May I ask you something Night Heart?” I asked, we switched to name basis a while back.
“Shoot.”
“May I work here?” I asked nervously.
This caused the Thestral mare to blink before asking, “Why?”
“Because I want to earn my keep.” I answered.
“And didn't you say you are a pyrotechnic?” She continued her questioning.
“Well, yes but I did take a medic training back home.”
“And what did this training include?”
“They taught us how to set bones, treat lacerations and the whole CPR shebang.” I replied.
Night Heart styed quiet for while looking thoughtful and making me nervous.
“Well, I guess you could work the reception and help around the clinic from time to time.” She relied.
“Thank you! I promise I won't let you down!” I said cheerfully giving her a bear hug.
“Umm, Spooks?” She said awkwardly tapping my shoulder.
“Oops, sorry.” I said letting go. “Now I should be off to bed.” I said turning to go where Windy went.
“Spooks before you go I need to ask you something.” She her voice very serious.
“Yes?” I asked nervously.
“What is your relationship with my daughter?” She asked with the same level of seriousness.
“Well, last night we both admitted that we crush on each other so I think that we are something like girlfriends right now.” I answered honestly.
“It's marefriends. And I wish you good luck.” She said with a small smile, “Now you should go to bed you have work tomorrow.”
“Thank you.” I replied gratefully before going into Windy´s room, which was on the second floor of the house.
As soon as I entered the room I was a queen sized bed with Windy laying on it and patting a spot beside her. Being the gentleman, or gentlemare, that I am I didn´t keep her waiting and quickly joined her in the bed, snuggled up to her and soon we were both asleep.
The following morning I was woken up by my arch nemesis, The Alarm Clock.
With an annoyed hiss, didn't know I can do that, I reached out a foreleg in the general direction of my nemesis and was rewarded with clattering sound that shut up the alarm clock.
Unfortunately Windy seemed to have a different idea because she started poking my side.
“Wakey, wakey it's time to go to work.” She cooed still poking my side.
“Don't wanna…” I muttered sleepily before rolling on my other side.
“Okay it seems that we have no other choice. Mom go get the rope.” Windy said and I imagined Night Heart giving her a salute before rushing off for the rope.
“Whu?” I uttered before I heard Night return probably with the rope.
“Thank you.” I heard Windy say before she tied my forelegs and hind legs to the posts of the bed and as a final touch she tied my tail to the bed.
This left me feeling completely exposed and causing my eyes to snap open revealing Windy and Night standing there both of them sporting evil smiles.
“What are you doing?” I asked while tugging at the rope around my forelegs.
“Oh, nothing.” Windy said in an innocent tone of voice but the look in her eyes told me that it wasn't 'nothing' that they are going to do.
“We're just going to teach to wake up on time. Without grumbling.” Night added before continuing. “Now on the first lesson. Windy did you bring the teaching instruments?” “Of course I did.” Windy replied before levitating out a pair of feather dusters and a muzzle, causing my eyes to widen.
“No! Please I'll--- Mmph!” I started but was silenced by Windy fastening the muzzle over my face.
“Now we will proceed with our lesson.” Windy said before tickling my belly and Night soon followed by tickling my hooves.
I couldn't do anything but laugh and squeal into the muzzle.
“I still can't believe you kept tickling me for an hour.” I grumbleed, giving the two mares sitting across the table a glare.
“But you made such cute noises!” Windy justified. I gave her a deadpan look in response
“Thought I think you would look cuter with a ball gag instead of a muzzle.” Night mused.
“You're both unbelievable.” I said in a deadpan tone causing the two mares to giggle. “Anyway when does the clinic open?” I asked quickly changing the subject.
“We don't open till nine in the morning, so that leaves us with an hour to get you into a uniform.” Night Heart replied.
“Uniform?” I asked with a confused tilt of my head.
“Yes, a uniform.” Night replied and rose up from her seat at the table, carrying the dishes left from our breakfast to the kitchen. “Now, would you kindly follow me?” She asked as she returned back into the dinner room.
Without a word I followed her to the bottom floor. Apparently the upper floor serves as a housing for the family of two and lower floor serves as their workplace. I followed Night as she led me down a hallway before opening a door labeled ´Nurse Room´, following her inside revealed a cozy looking room with a sofa sitting in front of a fireplace, small kitchenette in the rightmost corner of the room and a door labeled ´Changing Room´.
“Wait here, I am going to get a uniform your size.” She said before going to the changing room and she returned not a minute later carrying a stack on her back.
She handed me the stack of clothes with a wing and left the room for me to get dressed.
I spread out the pieces of the uniform on the sofa so I can have an easy access to them. I put on the white button-up shirt followed by a by a white skirt, into which I tucked the shirt, and finally I put the nurse cap on my head.
When I was dressing I noticed that I have a cutie mark, Windy explained to me what they are last night, of a rattlesnake holding a stick of dynamite with a lit fuse in its jaws. I walked out of the room to find Night already dressed in a lab coat with her cutie mark, two crossed syringes, stitched on the beast pocket. Her eyes gave me quick scan but stopped on my head.
“You didn't brush you mane, did you?” She asked making me realize that I forgot about it.
“Oops.” I said sheepishly causing her to sigh and facehoof.
She led me back into the nurse room where she immediately removed my cap and attacked my bed mane with a comb, after she was done combing my mane she tied it into a bun and replaced my cap.
“Just one final thing.” She said when and pinned a badge to the breast pocket of my shirt. The badge read 'Nurse Spooks'.
I rolled up the blinds flooding the waiting room with light and signaling everyone know that the clinic is now open.
Just as I settled into the comfy chair behind the reception and took a sip of my coffee the ringing of a small bell echoed through the empty room and an annoyed looking earth pony mare followed by an embarrassed earth pony stallion walked in.
“Welcome to Night Heart's clinic, how may I help you today?” I said the greeting that Night Heart have drilled into my head.
“Hello, I would like if you could get Doctor Night Heart here.” The mare said trying her best at not sounding irritated.
“Sure thing, just give me a second and I'll go get her.” I said with a warm smile and trotted over to the clinic.
I politely knocked on the door to the clinic and when I heard Night Heart call “Come in.” I walked in.
“Doctor, there is a mare and a stallion that want to see you.” I said to Night Heart, she nodded and followed me back to the waiting room.
“So, what seems to be the problem?” She asked the mare.
“Well, the brilliant friends of my brother here swapped the contents of his bottle of his lubricant with superglue and…… Well, you can imagine how that went.” The mare explained gesturing to the stallion who I noticed had a blanket wrapped around his hindquarters and was hobbling on three hooves.
“Okay, sir, if you would follow me into the clinic?” Night asked and the stallion nodded and followed her with a beet red face.
Hearing the mare sigh in annoyance I asked her, “Let me guess, it isn't the first time something like this happened?”
“No it isn't.” She replied settling into a seat closest to the door to the clinic.
“Wanna talk about it?” I asked her with a friendly smile.
“Sure. Oh, and my name is Apple Twilight by the way.” She replied with a small smile of her own.
“Nice to meet you Apple Twilight, I am Spooks.” I said.
But before we could continue our conversation Windy walked out the clinic's door.
“Spooks? Can you come with me for a while?” She asked sounding a bit nervous. I also noticed that she was wearing the same uniform as me she even haves her hair done up in a bun.
I followed her into the clinic and saw the stallion laying on his back with his right foreleg stuck between his hind legs and Night Heart standing a few feet away with a thoughtful look on her face.
“Nurse Spooks, what do you suggest we do in a situation like this?” She asked me still looking at the stallion.
“Well, the best way to remove superglue, which I know about, is to use an industrial thinner or an acetone nai-er- hoof polish.” I replied after a while of thinking.
“That is correct but I think that they are way too dangerous to use in sensitive area as this. So, what is your next suggestion?” She answered and I realized that she was testing me.
“Hmm, I think that with the help of nurse Side Winder´s magic we should be able to remove the super glue, other than that I have no other idea.” I replied with a shrug.
“Very good, nurse Spooks. You may return to your post.” Night said with a smile and I walked back to the reception.
Three days later
It was Friday and the clinic was closed for the day and I was walking to mine and Windy's room. When I arrived to the door I found a note taped to them.
'Dear Spooks,
Meet me at the back door at 6 P.M. Don't be late.
Signed, Windy.'
Is this a date invite?, I thought with a confused look on my face and looked at the clock at the end of the hallway and saw that it was 5:55 P.M. so I walked to the back door.
As I walked towards the back I saw Windy already waiting there with a strip of black cloth held in her magic.
Just as I was about to ask about the cloth she gently pressed a hoof to my lips and said, “Don't speak just follow.” And she tied the cloth over my eyes like blindfold.
I then felt her grab my left foreleg and she led me out through the back door, which I closed with a flick of my tail.
“You're getting better at using your tail.” Windy commented with a smile in her voice and I gave a little nod in response.
This was the last thing said for the following minutes as she led me somewhere. After about ten minutes of walking we stopped and Windy removed the blindfold and what I saw took away my breath.
We stopped at a cliff with a brilliant view of the setting sun and the apple orchard and to our right was spread a checkered blanket upon which sat a bottle of wine along with two glasses and a candle on a small stand.
“Do you like it?” Windy asked me nervously.
“No.” At this her expression fell. “I love it!” I exclaimed gleefully and her expression brightened. And yes I know how cheesy that sounds.
She walked over to the blanked, with me following close behind, and poured the wine into the glasses and levitated one over to me.
“So, is this a date?” I asked her and took a sip of the wine.
“Yes.” She replied, still sounding nervous, and took a sip of the wine too. Judging by how her face scrunched up she isn't a fan of it.
“Not a big fan of wine I take it?” I asked pressing up to her side.
I just noticed something. Windy is taller than me by a few inches and is build a little more, not overly so, robustly than me. During my second day working at the clinic Night Heart forced me to get a checkup, which revealed a few things about me. First off I won't lay eggs like the Night stalkers in the game but will get pregnant like a normal mare. And even that I look rather diminutive my legs are strong enough for me to be able to jump higher than an average house, this is also helped by the fact that average houses don't jump.
“No.” She replied sounding embarrassed.
“Wanna hear a secret?” I asked her with a small smile, earning a nod in response. “I don't like it either.” I said causing her to blink.
“Wait, really?” She asked, sounding confused.
“Yeah, I am more of a beer mare.” I answered.
“Oh, good.” She said, sounding relieved, and levitated two bottles of beer from a saddlebag that I failed to notice before.
I started laughing and Windy soon followed my example, and I finally got a look on her cutie mark. A red climbing rope shaped like heart with two climbing hatchets crossed behind it.
The following day
I was humming happily as I sat behind the reception desk, thinking about the gift I bought for Windy and I earlier this day, when a Pegasus mare wearing a postman uniform walked in.
“Welcome to Night Heart's clinic, how may I help you today?” I greeted her with a warm smile.
“Hello, I am looking for a pony called Spooks.” She said returning my smile.
“That would be me.” I said and she pulled a package out of her saddlebags.
“This is for you.” She said and left the waiting room back into the street.
I looked over the package trying to find the sender's address but came up with nothing. Stealing a glance at clock at the clock above the doors to the street I saw that it was about for the clinic to close down for the night.
I walked into the nurse room to remove my uniform and then I moved to mine and Windy's room with the package on my back. When I arrived to the room Winy wasn´t there so I set the package on the table in the corner of the room and opened it. And what was inside shocked me.
Inside the package were two CZ-75s colored matte black and with a gold carving on one slide of the slide of the first one that read 'Stay Safe' and the other with a carving that read 'Keep Safe' and on the grips of the two pistols was a serial number 'SP-00-K2'.
Next in the package was a dual armpit holster for the guns and note that read as following:
Hope you'll use them well.
Just then Windy walked into the room and hugged me from behind.
“Whatcha got there?” She asked giving the top of my head a nuzzle.
“Guns that my Mom gave to me when I finished my training.” I answered, returning the nuzzle, with a bit of sadness slipping into my voice.
She just nodded and hugged me tighter.
“Oh, I bought a present for you.” I said with smile.
Getting out of Windy's embrace I opened a drawer and pulled out two cases both containing the same choker Elizabeth from Bioshock: Infinite wore, thought it was entirely black and brooches were blank.
“Close your eyes.” I said to Windy and she followed my instruction.
I pressed the brooche to my cutie mark and it emitted a soft glow for a while and when the glow faded I fastened the choker around her neck, my cutie mark now.
“Your turn.” I said softly, giving her the case with the other choker and closed my eyes.
For a while I sat there in silence, then I felt her fasten the choker around my neck and I opened my eyes.
“So, what do you think?” I asked her nervously.
“Beautiful.” She said dreamily.
“I am happy that you—“ I was cut off before I could finish my sentence.
“I wasn't talking about the chokers, silly. I was talking about you.” She said giving me the bedroom eyes. I am tretty sure my face tried to ignite itself.
And then we kissed. And I don't mean just a peck on the lips but a full-blown kiss with tongue-play involved!
As Windy continued to explore my mouth with her long tongue I slowly fell onto my back with her pinning me down.
We pulled out of the kiss both of us panting and Windy gave me a lustful look before she grabbed me in her magic and threw me onto the bed. Four ropes slithered from under the bed and wrapped around my legs, effectively tying me down. Then Windy fastened a ball gag over my mouth.
“Ready for some fun?” Windy asked levitating over a horsewhip.
The following two months went by without any complication, if you don´t count the situation between Equestria and Arcadia –a country founded by baroness Winter Rose—getting more and more tense, but today was a very bad day.
First a platoon of Royal Guards appeared in Appleloosa and started babbling something about how baroness Winter Rose was using evil magic to brainwash the citizens of her country, I immediately realized that was bullshit, and then one of the guards pointed me out to the pony who seemed to be in charge.
“YOU! HALT!” The leader shouted at me and I knew that I was in trouble. I was proven right when the Guards started closing in on me.
“You are under arrest!” The leader said in a commanding voice.
“For what?” I asked, getting ready to cloak and bolt out of here at seconds notice.
“For disrupting the harmony of Equestria, Discord spawn!” After he finished his accusation I cloaked and run to the clinic as fast as my hooves could carry.
“WINDY! NIGHT! We need to leave!” I shouted in panic as I barged through the door to the waiting room.
“What?! Why?!” Night asked as she and Windy came out of the clinic.
“The…. Guards…. They want to ….. arrest me!” I panted out.
“Well, shit.” I heard Windy say earning her a smack upside the head by Night.
Then without saying a word we all rushed into our rooms and started packing our stuff. I put on the dual holster and put my guns into it, then I started filling my saddlebags with whatever I thought would be useful.
Meanwhile Windy filled the left side of her saddlebags with various BDSM gear.
After we finished packing we rushed out the back door. Why the back door? Well, let´s just say that I turned the space before the main entrance into a minefield.
As we ran away from Appleloosa we bumped into Apple Twilight thought she had some new additions to her appearance. Mainly the dragon horns and tribal tattoo. But before we could ask about them seven Guards rushed after her yelling stuff like 'Kill the human scum!' and some other stuff.
I quickly dealt with them with a bullet to the knees of their forelegs.
“Where are we going?” Apple Twilight asked as we hid in ravine about a mile from the town. She looked shaken and frightened.
Cutie mark: A rattlesnake head with a lit stick of dinamate held in its jaws.
Appearance: Tan coat, camo brown mane, rattlesnake tail, hardened scales running along her spine, and lemon yellow eyes with slitted irises. Usually wears a desert camo boonie hat and aviator sunglasses. Also wears a choker with Windy´s cutie mark on the brooche.
Personality (not really): Spooks is a mare of mistery with most ponies knowing her by her nickname, her real name is yet to be revealed. She is generaly goofybut is a little nervous around new ponies. During combat she is brutally effective. Current marefriend of Windy.
Abilities: Invisibility, poisonous bite, natural night vision.
"Everything explodes and I am walking away like a badass, when suddenly I remeber, I forgot to turn off my stove!" -Spooks desribing her first battle.
Name: Side Winder
Aliases: Windy
Species/Gender: Lunar unicorn/Female
Cutie mark: A heart made from a red rope with two crossed hatchets behind it.
Appearance: Athracite gray coat, midnight purple mane and tail, and cherry red slitted eyes. Wears a choker with Spooks´s cutie mark on the brooche.
Personality (not really): Windy is a very friendly pony but also a very kinky one. Likes to help ponies and climb cliffs. Current marefriend of Spooks. Daughter of Night Heart.
Abilities: Short range teleportation, minor healing spells, natural night vision.
"What did you break, Spooks?" - Windy asking after Spooks blew up a moon.
Name: Night Heart
Aliases: The Doctor
Species/Gender: Thestral/Famale
Cutie mark: Two crossed siringes.
Appearance: Light gray coat, saints purple mane and tail, sllited lollipop red eyes. Wears glasses.
Personality (not really): Night Heart is a calm and collected mare thus making her the voice of reason of the group.
Abilities: Skilled in hoof-to-hoof combat, able to treat wounds of any kind.
"Trust me, I am a professional." - Night Heart comforting a strapped down Spooks.
Name: Jennifer Booker
Aliases: Apple Twilight, A.T., Engineer
Species/Gender: Earth Pony (Homunculus)/Female
Cutie mark: Crowbar crossed with a wrench.
Appearance: Candy red coat, candy green mane and tail, mustang yellow eyes.
Personality (not really): A.T. is a rather brash and stubborn mare but once you get to know her you will find out she´s very similiar to Spooks. Surrogate younger sister of Spooks.
Abilities: Skilled with machines of any kind, perfect brawler,
"Don't let Spooks go near any complicated machines, they'll explode." - A.T. instructing Windy and Night Heart during exploring a reserch facility underneath [REDACTED].
It took us a week's worth of walking before we reached Arcadia's capital, Silent Hill. As we walked up to the main gate, that was guarded by a few guards in black armor that looked like that they received the short straws of their work day amongst their peers. I half expected Pyramid Head to greet us at the city's main entrance, but alas, that was not the case.The two shivering guards that blocked us from entering the city didn't give a shit about us and let us in without a problem.
The first thing we did upon entering the city was raiding the closet clothing store to get us something warming to wear from the cold snow of December. With me being cold blooded, this particular season didn't mix well with me so much. If it wasn't for Windy being my personal heat-meat-walking-bag, I would have rubbed up against the nearest body of warmth to prevent me from going into hypothermic shock.
After we finished our raid on the clothes shop called, Warm and Cozy. I left wearing a warm aviator jacket with a British style patch on the right sleeve. We all stopped for a moment outside the shop, wondering what to do next.
“So where to now?” I ask while adjusting my boonie so it protects my head a little more from the cold wind.
“How about a bar?” Apple Twilight, or how she prefers to be called A.T answered, pointing towards a building on our left.
“Sure, why not?” I answered with a shrug.
The second we entered the bar, all eyes were on us. I scanned over the patrons while looking for a place to sit. I noticed that most of the looks that we were getting were mostly out of curiosity, except for one. In a corner both, with a tankard in a hoof. A brown stallion with a dirty yellow mane and sporting a dirty beard was looking at us with slight hatred in his eyes. He noticed that I was noticing the look that he was giving us, and spoke up in a gruff voice.
“What do you freaks think you're doing?” The stallion sneered.
“This looks like the perfect set for a bar fight,” I thought with a smirk towards A.T.
“Looking for the most stupid pony in existence. And by looking at you I think we found him,” A.T shot back.
The stallion definitely didn't like the insult that A.T gave him.He stood up with a slam of his mug, bristling with anger. Both A.T and I glanced at each other, getting ready for a fight with the possibly drunk stallion.
“What's that? Can't take a little insult?” I mocked the stallion and with a scream of anger, he threw himself at me in a drunken rage.
I rolled out of the way just in time for the stallion to crash into the floor with a hard, *Thud!* This only made the stallion angrier than he already was as he jumped back up to his hooves and charged at me again.
“Stay still so I can hit you!” he growled while throwing a heavy punch at my face.
“Nope!” I answered dodging the punch.
The stallion growling with irritation as he stumbled from his miss. I jumped back a bit, getting ready for another attack, and in the corner of my eye I saw A.T grab a nearby chair, and slammed it over the back of the enraged stallion, but he shrugged it off like it was nothing.
“What the fuck?” A.T muttered before having to dodge a kick from the stallion.
With A.T’s sudden distraction of the drunk stallion, I used the opening to jump on his back in a hard tackle, effectively pinning him to the ground. This, however, was a vain attempt as he stood back up with an annoyed growl. With the sudden hostility elevating from the stallion, my tail rattled nervously, causing him to paused long enough for A.T to buck him in the face. Knocking him out instantly.
“Well, that escalated quickly,” Windy commented mirthfully but her mirth died when a pair of guards looking identical to the two at the gate rushed in.
“What's going on here?!” one of the guards asked with authority.
“This stallion attacked these two mares here and they defended themselves,” the bartender explained while calmly polishing a glass in his hooves.
“Is that so?” the guard asked, earning himself some nods from the patrons. “Well then, we'll take him—Where did he go?” the guard asked as he searched around the bar for the stallion.
Looking around the bar myself, I couldn't find him anywhere.
“Probably ran off,” I thought, “dick.”
<(…………………….<<0>>..............................)>
Later that day
After a few hours of wandering around the city, we had found ourselves a place to stay in the form of an inn named, Homecoming. It was a small inn located near the shipyard on top of a small hill, giving us a gorgeous view of the flying battleships to the west, and a clear sunrise to the east.
Walking through the door numbered 101 revealed a cozy looking room with a fireplace in front of a sofa. On the left side of the room were three doors; two of them leading into bedrooms and one leading to the bathroom. All of us were cold from the snow storm that buried the city in a foot of snow, and tired from have to walk through it all to get to the inn that Windy and the Doc chose to take refuge in for the night.
“A.T and Night Heart, you two take the room on the left. Windy and I will take the one on the right,” I said with a slight yawn.
“Sure,” A.T said through her own yawn, while Night just shrugged and followed the mare into the room for a good night's rest.
I walked into the room and threw off my boonie and jacket to the side to call it quits for the night. My hooves were cold from having to walk through the ungodly amount of snow, and climbed on the queen sized bed in the middle of the room with Windy following suit. I let out another yawn as I curled underneath the warm quilt on the bed with Windy shutting the lights off without saying a word. With a content sigh from the comfortable bed that felt like I was sleeping on a big, fluffy, cloud. I was soon greeted by a mare nuzzling against my back.
“Goodnight.” I said with one final yawn as I felt her tail curl around mine.
“Goodnight,” Windy replied before she left a sweet kiss on the back of my neck, and wrapped all of her hooves around my body like I was an oversized teddy bear with scales. I cracked a small smile and let her cute snoring sooth me to sleep.
<(…………………….<<0>>..............................)>
A few hours later
I was jostled awake from a strange sound echoing from the other side of the hall in the middle of the night. At first, I thought it was Night getting up to use the bathroom or something, but judging from how many hooves that were pounding quietly on the carpet, I don't think that was the case.
With blurry vision from the gunk in my eyes, I got up and grabbed my guns in case we had an unannounced guest hiding in our room.
Then, just as I tip-toed my way out of my door in the darkness, I heard a hard, *Thump!* That came from A.T's and Nights room.
"HELP!" screamed a voice that could only be A.T's, causing me to get out of my daze, and bolt into her room, but when I got through her door. I was bowled over by someone, causing me to smack my head against the walls of the hallway, then the ground, hard.
For a few short moments of seeing nothing but stars, I looked up and saw Night on the ground, unmoving. Right beside her unconscious body was the bar stallion that attacked us earlier with a few of his friends with A.T tied on his back. With an angry hiss escaping my mouth. I scrambled back onto my hooves.
I tried to leap onto his back in an attempt to pull A.T off of him, but my spinning head threw off my sense of balance, causing me to land right beside him and into the nightstand. I heard him laugh for a moment, giving me enough time to bite down on his hind leg. Unfortunately, my poisonous fangs were still folded, but I still could latch onto him with my non-poisonous fangs.
“Get off me!” the stallion growled and kicked my face, but I didn’t let go.
I held onto his leg as long as I could, just as his friends fled the room out of fear for the amount of the sound that we were making. It took him a few more kicks before the pain caused to my muzzle became unbearable, and I had to let go, giving him a chance to bolt out the bedroom window.
I ran after him when I remembered that I still have my pistols on me and whipped them out.
I fired all forty rounds after his fleeing form, being careful not to hit A.T., but all of them missed. I let out an ungodly screech of rage and all the muscles in my legs to tense in preparation to jump after him.
“Spooks!” Windy’s shout snapped me out of my rage, “What’s going on?!”
“That fucker from the bar took Apple Twilight!” I hissed with barely restrained anger with my teeth bared.
Then I remembered that I saw Night Heart unmoving and quickly went to check on her. Arriving at her side, I saw that she was still unconscious and moved on to check for any visible wounds and luckily enough—I only found a forming bump at the side of her head.
“Is mom going to be alright?” Windy asked with concern.
“She only got a knocked out. Nothing too serious.” I replied, “Come on help me move her onto the bed.”
Upon lifting Night Heart on the bed, I saw a folded piece of paper flutter onto the ground, so I picked it up and unfolded it revealing a letter.
Take the false skin to the docks, and make sure that the guards didn't follow you to the drop-off point. Then once you are finished with the false skin, take the Sigil of Alta to master, Ahuizotl, at the rendezvous at Mount Sif, and make sure you don't damage it. It's the only key we have to enter the flying temple of storms.
It was late in the afternoon in the city of Silent Hill. Children were playing in the snow from yesterday's blizzard that has closed down every school for a much-needed snow day for the kids. A group of three ponies; one thestral, one lunar unicorn, and a night stalker, however, were not outside to play. All three of them waited outside of the throne room to have an audience with Arcadia's Empress and ruler, Winter Ruby Rose.
All of them looking nervous as the watched a light black mare with a star metal katana walk out, followed by a body bag that was dripping with blood. Spooks instantly thought that the mare with the katana was being taken to prison for trying to kill the young Empress, but that was not the case.
All three of them watched the mare with the katana walk passed them a few minutes later in a light set of black armor with tribal, azure inlays which all of the Black Knight Elite wore in the castle, with a smile on her face that was borderline insane. Then, as she left out of the door to a section that was sealed off from the public, Spooks, and her friends were granted entrance to the throne room.
Spooks gulped as the big, double doors of ivory opened, revealing a long hallway to a set of stairs that lead to an ivory throne that looked like a pair of wings protecting the person that sat there. She walked with her nervous company passed the doors on a checkered tiled floor of light gray and silver that was polished to a mirror finish.
They quickly walked towards a small podium in front of the throne, passing a guard in black armor that stood beside the gothic pillars in between each window. Spooks noticed that each guard was different as they walked under a roof that was painted to look like a starry night sky. Each pair of guards were a different race from the last, but the pony variation was hard to determine from their similar body type, but the two dragons in silver armor that were easily ten-feet-tall were very hard to miss.
Spooks made a note not to piss off the Empress that, from the rumors she heard from the barmaid she talked to at breakfast time was true, the Empress can see into the future and will not allow anyone to try and use her despite her young age.
Spooks and her friends stopped at the podium that was more like an elevated plate of marble with a gothic-style guardrail in front of them and got a good look at the young Empress and her two, personal guards.
The young Empress was wearing a silver crown with a sapphire as the centerpiece. Behind her crown was a pair of two, black, horns that looked like they belonged to a dragon. She wore a silver collar that perfectly matched her silver crown. Her rough, wolfish hair was two shades of blue with red paintbrush splashes throughout her mane. Her white coat had a very light shade of blue that was almost impossible to see. Her body was toned to perfection that made Spooks slightly jealous to look at, but what made her not jealous was her scars.
On her left shoulder were three, diagonal slashes, that looked absolutely horrific. Spooks couldn't imagine what could have caused them nor the three, vertical slashes over her red, right eye. Her left eye was a warm, azure blue that had a black tattoo that looked like there were several clocks above and below her eye. She heard stories of the young Empress fighting entire legions of wild Diamond Dogs by herself, which she thought was a big fat lie, but now that she sees some proof of this claim. Spooks made sure not to incur her wrath.
Beside the empress was two, impossible entities that have made news in the past few days. Standing to Winter's right was an Angel in silver armor that looked like she was wrapped in wings. Her white hair cascaded over her wing-like pauldrons, but judging from the giant, black sword on her back. She was anything but delicate.
Standing at Winter's left was a three-foot tall cat girl in a black mini skirt, and white dress shirt. She had a black, wooden bar holstered to her back that looked like a Tanto, but from the distance that Spooks was looking at, she couldn't be quiet sure if it was. She didn't understand why Empress Rose could have a child at her side, but then again. If the rumors of the kitten known only as Wolhana was true, then the cat girl at Winter's side could kill all three of them, and they wouldn't even know it even happened. Spooks saw the young Empress give her the go ahead to speak and cleared her throat for the words that she was about to say.
"H-Hello, your Majesty," the night stalker mare said with a bow, electing a raised brow from the Empress. "My name is Spooks, and I am here before you today because a friend of mine was kidnapped and—" Spooks stopped because Winter raised her hoof to stop her from speaking.
"Then why didn't you make a claim with the guard?" the Empress asked in a bored tone.
"—I-I d-don't think your guard could help with this," Spooks replied with a stutter as she shoved Night to give her the letter that she found in the hotel room that the kidnappers dropped. Winter spoke again with a sigh.
"And why not? My guards have a success rate of one-hundred percent on finding whoever was kidnapped. Talking to me wouldn't help your case all that much," Winter stated plainly.
"Well, uh...Would you hear us out?" Windy asked the bored Empress. Winter rolled her eyes with a sigh while taking a sip of what Spooks could guess was coffee from a white mug that came from out of nowhere.
"Fine, just hurry up, I have other places to be right now," Winter replied.
"Right," Windy said sheepishly and motioned Spooks to continue their case.
"A-AS I was saying, our friend was kidnapped. The ponies that committed the crime left us a note as to where they were heading and that we think has something to do with you," Spooks nervously said as she held the note out for the young Empress to see.
Winter raised a brow to the Spooks, the snake thing and teleported to the note herself so she could read it, causing the three mares to jump slightly that the note was suddenly in the young Empress's hooves.
Winter let out a breath of annoyance as she opened up the letter. It wasn't every day that she was asked to help with a kidnapping case that a quick call to Luna couldn't solve. The lunar princess was a godsend to the search and rescue team with her dream walking. Being able to see where everypony is in the world, and being able to tell who was who in the dreamscape made it impossible for ponies not to be found in just a few minutes after they suddenly disappeared.
Take the false skin to the docks, and make sure that the guards didn't follow you to the drop-off point. Then once you are finished with the false skin, take the Sigil of Alta to master Ahuizotl, at the rendezvous at Mount Sif, and make sure you don't damage it. It's the only key we have to enter the flying temple of storms.
Destroy this once you have the mare.
-J
Winter quickly read the letter and frowned at the end of it. This notion caused the three mares waiting for her response to the letter to fidget where they stood as they saw Winter's eye twitch in irritation.
'Fuck me,' Winter thought as she put the letter to the side, knowing exactly what was going on.
The fact that the letter had, 'false skin,' in it told that whoever that the kidnappers grabbed was a human. Why they grabbed Spooks’s friend was beyond her, but with the name of her grandmother's archnemesis, Ahuizotl, in the letter. Winter instantly knew that Daring Do and Canterlot University were involved as well. Which meant that the Temple of Alta had something that Celestia wanted, and it involved a sacrifice to get to it.
Winter rubbed her temples from a sudden headache that she just gained from reading the letter and decided that helping these three personally, was a must.
"Well, this is serious, so can I asked how you were singled out, out of a few thousand groups of humans?" Winter asked with a sip of coffee.
"Ah...Yesterday, my friends and I got into a fight with this stallion that was drunk at a bar. Apple Twilight—The mare that was kidnapped, and I were going to have a drink and hear some gossip while the two mares beside me looked for a place to sleep for the night. A.T and I kicked his ass before a guard showed up to come and arrest him for assault, but then he vanished like he wasn't even there," Spooks paused to add effect to the missing stallion, but Winter wasn't too impress with it and rolled her hooves to tell her to get on with it.
"S-sorry...We met back up later at a cozy, little Inn by the Docks, and called it a night. I was later woken up by a strange sound and pulled out my weapons thinking that we were being robbed or something. I walked my mare-friend and I's room, and low and behold, the bar stallion and some friends knocked out Night and tied up A.T before he stunned me and ran out the window with A.T on his back. We later found the note that Night managed to nab from one of the stallions, and came here the next day," Spooks explained.
Winter closed her eyes in deep thought for a moment after hearing the short story of the capture of the mare known as, A.T. She made the connection that the stallion in said story most likely ran to the docks like the letter told him to do, which meant that they already had a head start to Mount Sif, however. She also knew that it would take them some time to regroup after the drop off to get the key to Alta's temple, so they had a couple of days to save A.T and prevent Daring Do from gaining entrance to The Temple of Alta, but there was one problem about this plan.
'We don't know shit about the Alta Tempest, or much about her history. I do know that she was a Demon of Storms. So I can safely bet that I could talk to Archbishop Big Boobs about what information we are missing, which is someone that I was going to talk to in a few minutes anyway. Looks like I'm dragging these three mares with me to the Temple of the Wind. Yay, me,' Winter thought with a sigh.
Winter drank the rest of her coffee in one go before she let out a satisfied sigh and spoke to the waiting mares in front of her. "Well, we might as well get the information we don't have and don't worry too much about your friend. We have a few days, max before we lose the trail. So follow me to The Temple of the Wind. We should get the info we need before we save your friend from my grandma and the tail hand freak known as, Ahuizotl."
Spooks and company let out a sigh of relief before they all tilt their head to the filly that walked off of her throne and was making her way to them with her two guards. "Grandma?" they all asked in unison. Winter gave them a cheeky smile and pausing in front of them.
"Yeah, Daring Do is my grandma. Cool right?" Winter said before she started to walk out of the throne room. It took a few seconds for the three mares to process what she just said, and Spooks watched Night and Windy faint at the notion that Winter was related to a fictional character. Spooks just shook her head, thinking that she was lying, and picked up her friends, and followed the young Empress to the Temple of the Wind.
"Big Boobs, hehe, I still can't believe someone is named that," Spooks giggled uncontrollably in a very, immature manner, earning her many smacks upside the head from the recently awoken Windy, the lunar unicorn.
"Yeah, you should meet her brother, John,” Winter said as they entered a room that was hidden behind the painting of Priscilla.
“John who?” Spooks asked, causing her friends to hang their head in shame for the trap she just walked in.
“JOHN CENA!" Winter shouted before erupting into maniacal laughter, causing Spooks and Azrael to laugh hysterically while everyone else, was not amused.
Ignoring the three mares rolling on the ground holding their stomachs from a joke that the rest of them didn't understand. Windy asked the mare standing in a decrepit library that was being used to hold anything related to the wind, and all its components and history.
"Hey, Big Boobs! Can we ask you a few questions?" Windy asked for the dying Empress and her mare-friend.
The skin-colored mare that was hiding behind a fortress of old books poked her head out with an unamused expression on her face, but that changed when she saw her Goddess rolling on the ground, laughing at a joke that was spreading throughout the Empire like wildfire. Big Boobs jumped out of her seat and quickly greeted the group of mares while her Goddess and the Night Stalker recovered from a bland joke.
"Why of course!" she said excitedly before she began to kiss her Goddess's holy hooves. "Anything for my Goddess of the Wind, Daughter of Twilight, Empress of Arcadia," she said in between smooches of Winter's hooves before Azrael tapped the enthusiastic mare with her sword, Zangetsu. Big Boobs jumped back with a sheepish smile while Winter wiped her wet hoof on Spooks like a rag before she spoke up for what they need.
"Right, now that you aren't making my hooves wet, what can you tell us about the Temple of Alta Tempest?" Winter asked while Spooks glared at the young Empress for using her as a rag.
"Sorry, I sometimes get carried away. Just being in your presence makes my breast milk leak out uncontrollably," Big Boobs said before she grabbed a book from her book pile, and showing the puddle of liquid where she once stood, effectively grossing out everyone in the room, but Winter.
"Here we are!" Big Boobs said as she dusted off a big, brown book and sat down in the puddle of milk, and revealing why she was called Big Boobs. Night, Spooks, Windy, and Azrael looked like they were going to vomit from the sight of the two, big, leaking, breasts that Big Boobs was showing off without a care. While Winter just clicked her tongue, not phased that the earth pony mare was leaking gallons when she wasn't even pregnant. Big Boobs spoke up again after finding the page she was looking for to the relief of everyone in the room.
"According to this scripture: The Temple of Alta Tempest is a place where the Demon Spirit of Storms was said to be worshipped. It is a place that is carefully hidden and protected by what is known as, The Endless Storm. No one has ever gotten past the storm where Alta's treasure: The Winglets of Storms, resides. The only way in is a key in the shape of a sapphire Ocarina, and it is believed that you have to play a song with the ocarina to gain entrance to the temple, however. The song is said to be lost forever, but the storm still exists to this day in the western ocean that blocks Japapony and Arcadia from each other. And that's all that I have on the subject, unfortunately," Big Boobs said solemnly.
"Well, it's a start. We know the key, where it is, and where the general location of the temple is. I guess you were going to ask me to fund an expedition to, somehow, gain entrance to the temple?" Winter asked to the mare that was drinking her own milk, and causing Windy and Spooks to puke in the garbage can in the corner of the room.
"Yes, that is correct, We had ponies looking for the key with our own money, but a group of mercs' stole it before we could bring it to you to help our case for further study on the matter, but you know where it is! Are you planning on bringing it back?" Big Boobs said with joy in her eyes.
"Yeah, but we might take longer than normal, so stay here and we should be back in a few days with more than just the key," Winter replied happily.
"That would be wonderful! Oh! I should probably let you get going," Boobs gasped. Winter gave her a curt nod, and left the room with everyone else, leaving the mare alone to drink her own milk like it was going out of style.
"Well, ain't that convenient?" Spooks said, still sick from the sight she just saw.
"Yep, but let's not get ahead of ourselves," Winter replied.
"So what's the plan?" Night chimed in as they walked out of the temple.
"We go our separate ways for now, and prep for a long trip. Get bullets, food or whatever, and meet me back at the docks. I will be waiting for the ship called, The Summer's Aria. It's a black battleship at the northern end of the docks, you can't miss it," Winter said as they stopped at the door.
"You got it," Spooks saluted before they parted ways.
After our meeting with Empress Winter Rose and Archbishop Big Boobs, I shudder whenever I think about her, we went back into the town to prepare for the trip.
“Okay, Night Heart you take Windy with you and go get some medical supplies. I'll go get food, ammo and some survival gear.” I said after we walked out of the castle's main gate.
“Okay,” Windy replied before nudging Night, “Let's go, mom.”
I watched them disappear around the corner before I departed for my first destination, a survival gear store that was just down the street.
As I walked towards I noticed that there was a lot of ponies with dragon-like horns atop their heads and tribal tattoos on their faces.
“How come I didn't get my horns and tattoo?”, I thought with a frown, “I was a human too!”
I was snapped out of my thoughts by a small filly crashing into me, nearly sending me sprawling across the street.
“Sorry, Miss!” The filly apologized before running after what I presumed were her friends.
I couldn't help but smile as I watched the filly and her friends playing in the snow, being reminded of my own childhood when everything was easy.
With a shake of my head and a nostalgic smile I walked into the survival shop and picked up a basket to carry the stuff that I will buy. I walked over to the food section of the store and picked up some beef and macaroni with cheese flavored MREs and some dried fruits, mainly bananas. Then I picked up a small pot, a mobile propane-butane heater, canteens, saddlebags with a collapsible shovel and lastly a K-Bar BAK3 tac-tool.
“Is that all, Miss?” The mare behind the counter asked me.
“Yes that is all.” I replied.
“Then it will be 60 credits,” The mare said and I handed her the sum, “Goodbye and have a nice day!”
“You too.” I said and left the store.
It took me two hours before I found a gun shop named Friendly Fire.
When I walked into the shop I noticed that it also doubled as an army shop, what with the various tactical vests and helmets on the left side of the store but none of them caught my attention.
“How much?” I asked the clerk without taking my sight off the Nagant.
“For that thing?” The clerk asked with a frown, “If you can handle the recoil of it I'll give it to you for free. Tartarus, I'll give you the bullets for it and any other gun you want for free.”
“Deal!” I said without thinking.
I hummed happily as I walked out of the shop with my new Mosin-Nagant, now dubbed The Cue, slung across my back via a strap and my left saddlebag overflowing with ammo, for both the Safe twins and Cue, and various explosives. I also bought a multi-tool and firearm cleaning kit.
I walked to a café where I was supposed to meet Windy and Night but seeing that they are not there I walked in and sat at a corner booth.
“Hello, would you like to order something?” A mare dressed as a waitress asked me.
“Oh, I'd like to order three coffees please.” I replied earning myself a nod from the mare.
I pulled out the Safe twins and disassembled them and started cleaning them, though there wasn't much work with seeing as I kept them in tip-top condition.
Next up came the Cue. When I first fired it I noticed that the bolt was harder to pull than it should be, meaning that it was in a need for a good greasing.
Just as I finished putting Cue back together, the bolt now sliding smoothly as a hot knife through butter, Windy and Night Heart walked up to me.
“Hi,” I said and pointed to the two still steaming cups of coffee, “I ordered you some coffee.”
“Hey, Spooks,” Windy said and sat down next to me with her flank pressed against mine.
“Spooks, what is that?” Night heart asked pointing at Cue.
“That's Cue, my new gun.” I said giving Cue an affectionate stroke on the barrel. Night just shook her head while muttering that sounded like 'Gun nut'.
“Anyway, did you buy everything we needed to buy?” Windy asked.
“Yep. And you?” I replied.
“We got everything we needed. Oh, and Spooks, I need you to come with me.” Windy said before rising out of her seat and walking towards the restroom.
I followed her into the restroom, which was made for one pony at a time, and when I was fully inside the room Windy closed and locked the door.
“Windy, what are—“ My question was interrupted by Windy kissing me passionately, gently exploring my mouth with her tongue.
Her tongue trailed over my teeth and poisonous fangs, the latter eliciting a small moan from me, before shoving the entirety of her tongue down my throat. After a while we pulled apart, our lips connected with a string of saliva, and looking each other in the eyes.
“Lay on your back.” Windy commanded me.
“What?! We can't do that here!” I said shocked at her implication.
“I said lay on your back.” She repeated with a growl and with a nervous gulp I obeyed her.
Laying on my back like this is making me feel really exposed, what with my tears and lady bits on display for the world to see.
“Now, close your eyes.” Windy purred into my ear and I closed my eyes.
I waited with a bated breath for what was going to happen and I didn't have to wait for long. I felt a short stab of pain at my belly button, causing me to let out a strangled yelp of pain, and then nothing.
“You can open your eyes now.” Windy said while nuzzling my left cheek.
Opening my eyes I looked at my belly button and saw a piercing consisting of two black pearls, the closer to my head being smaller than the one being further, connected together by a strip of silver.
“Do you like it?” Windy asked me and I gave a nod in return earning myself another kiss, "Now you need to get some fat on you, mares are supposed to be slim and curvy not skinny to the point where you can see their bones." At this I rolled my eyes.
"You couldn't give it to me normally, could you?" I asked with narrowed eyes.
The sun was setting at their back as they walked past many guards that were taking care of the many ships that come in and out of Arcadia and their crews. A few guards stood out above the rest to Spooks as she walked through the shipyard to the ship known as, The Summer's Aria. She watched carefully with her companions as the three Black Knights that were following them, began to pick up pace.
The many crews of the shipyard took notice of the trio as they walked around a bend while trudging through a thin layer of snow. Many of them had a look of worry as they saw the Black Knights, who were quickly gaining a reputation of pure terror that made Celestia's clone troopers look like mere toys to them. Spooks noticed this but thought nothing of it as she watched a few zebras on a small frigate, grip their bridles of their battle saddles in preparation for a fight. Spooks raised a brow at the paranoid zebras as they came into view of the ship that they were looking for before their three followers caught up to them, but didn't do anything other than escort them the rest of the way.
“Wow, that’s one big ship,” Spooks muttered, her eyes looking over the black hull of the ship. She admired the shape of the WWII veteran that was once used by the Russians, all of her new additions. To her, it wasn't hard to tell that it was modified for flight with the two dragon-like wings at the bow of the ship, and the four, x-shaped wings at the stern with propellers on each wing.
The Aria was hovering over a small ravine and was tied to a dock with a bunch of rope. There was a large gangplank leading into the ship on the port side with a few guards patrolling close by to the ship, however. There was one guard that stood out from the rest. The guard in question saw the trio walking over to the ship while carrying a few saddlebags on their backs. Spooks watched with curiosity as the light black Thestral with a fiery orange mane in a ponytail wearing samurai armor, walked up to them with an annoyed expression on her face.
"Yo," Spooks saluted to the samurai as they stopped just a few meters away from the ship.
"Yeah, whatever," the light black mare said with a roll of her eyes, making Spooks wonder how much of a bitch she must be. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?" she asked while she gripped the hidden .45 ACP with her wing.
"Okay...My name is Spooks, and this is my mare-friend, Windy," she pointed to the gray coated Lunar Unicorn with a dark purple mane, "and this is Night Heart, Windy's mother," she pointed to the older mare with the lighter purple mane wearing a cute set of glasses.
"Bout' time you three showed up. Empress Rose has been waiting for you since this morning. So come with me, Winter is waiting for all of you on the bridge," Nova said with a sigh of relief before turning around and lead the trio into the bowels of the ship.
Walking up the gangplank Spooks couldn’t help but be amazed at the sheer size of the ship, she has seen Kirov Class carriers and Lower Class battleships, but compared to the Summer’s Aria, they looked like dwarves.
“Could use a little more color, though,” Spooks thought, “The black stands out a little too much.” Spooks followed quietly behind the scary thestral mare into the metal halls of the ship. The only sound that they could hear was the sound of hooves clip-clopping on the metal grates as they quickly moved through the maze of metal and pipe in the dim light to the bridge.
When they reached the ship’s bridge, which was surprisingly empty, Spooks saw Empress Rose wearing a leather jacket with a high collar on the only chair in the room. She didn't notice them at first as she was cleaning a pair of black Desert Eagles with stylish silver markings along the barrels that looked like a pair of dragons were engraved into the guns. Spooks also noticed that she was wearing two, strange bracelets around her forehooves that looked like they were a part of her skin. Why she had those on, she may never know.
"Well? I have been waiting here since morning, and you guys just waltz in like you own the place. If it weren't for the fact that I just figured how to have sex with my mare-friend though our soul link. I would have ordered my guards to drag your asses here for a spanking with one of the lifeboat paddles."
“Thanks but no thanks. My ass has been abused enough by Windy,” Spooks said flatly.
"Damn, I was kinda hoping for a live show. Oh well, I guess I will have to wait until after we come back," Winter giggled before she went serious again. “Alright you three, the cabins are on the lower deck. You can pick whichever one you want,” she said with a wave of the hoof.
Without wanting to find out why anyone would perform in front of the filly willingly in the lewdest of ways from Windy's kinky curiosity. Spooks gave the young Empress a curt bow and left the bridge with Windy and Night Heart close behind. All three of them were lead by one of the Black Knights that were there to act as back-up for Winter.
Picking room numbered: 34, they walked into the small, cold, metal room and placed their stuff on the top bunks, though. Spooks kept her Mosin Nagant named, Cue, and slung it across her back, and picked up a few magazines for it and put them into the pockets of her aviator jacket.
"Where are you going, Fluffy?' Windy asked as she and Night laid down in the lower bunks as Spooks stood in the doorway.
"I'm gonna play, 'Spot the mountain temple,'" She replied as she turned off the lights for the two mares, closed the door, and walked out of the room. Much to the pouting nature of Windy, who was not pleased that her body pillow was running away for awhile.
Spooks walked back up to the main deck of the ship and walked back towards the bridge with the odd guard giving her a curious look towards her flank before they shook their heads and continued walking. She clambered back up the metal stairs to the bridge, passing by the Empress and the mare with orange hair.
"Ladies," Spooks said with a nod as she passed the entrance to the bridge and continued up the stairs to the observation deck.
With a heave of the metal blast door, Spooks emerged into the pale moonlight of the evening sky and walked over to the guard rail with a slight shiver from the cold wind. She plopped down on her flank and curled her tail on around her lap. She propped up Cue over the guardrail and looked through the scope. Just as she spotted a flying rat perched on a warehouse a mile away, the sudden lurch from the ship coming to life caused her to miss her target by a mile. With an annoyed hiss, she realigned her reticle over the rats again while the ship began to leave the port and fired.
*Clack!*
"Boom, headshot, Jaja'," Spooks laughed with a slight Russian accent as she watched the flying rat's head exploded into a bloody mess of flesh and bones, just as the ship flew off into the west to, Mount Sif.
Winter stood beside Spooks—Who was looking down the sight of her black, Mosin Nagant, Archangel, looking over the mountain side that had a few, strange lights dotting its surface. Winter watched quietly through a pair of binoculars as the ship cruised slowly with an invisibility enchantment hiding the terrifying battleship. "I don't like it," Spooks said, her breath making a cloud of air in the cold, morning wind.
"I agree," Winter replied as she zoomed in on what she thought looked like an old, Greek pillar that had a small set of cobblestone steps beside it. Just under the pillar she could see one of the lights that were clearly visible on the mountainside before it suddenly went out.
Winter frowned for a moment as she tried to figure out why the light went out in the first place before she saw a feminine looking stallion jumped behind a bush. With peaked curiosity, she shoved Spooks's shoulder and pointed in the direction of where the girly-stallion was hiding. Then, just as the ship was about to stop at the rendezvous, Winter saw a different stallion jump into the same bush that the girly-stallion was hiding in, and with another zoom of her binoculars, she saw what the two stallions were up to.
"Man, that girly-stallion can suck like a champ," Winter muttered under her breath.
"What was that?" Spooks said as she cocked Cue and aligned her gun over the taller stallion getting a blowjob.
"Nothing," Winter replied before she teleported her guitar to herself from her room on the ship. "Continue why you don't like this mountain?" Winter said as she strapped her guitar on her back while receiving a few, strange looks from Nova, Spooks, Windy and Night.
"O...K..." Spooks said as she tried to figure out why Winter had a rad looking guitar, but nothing rational came to mind. "With the lack of guards in the area aside from the two getting funky in the bush by the stairs, they must be dug in further into the mountain, which would make my rifle here somewhat useless. Also, there is a crap-ton of mines off of the main path, so a sneak around isn't going to work either. So what you think, Empress?"
Winter let out a sigh, knowing that her plan of going in and out without a sound wasn't going to be viable for the snatch-n-grab operation that they were trying to pull. Her wings twitched as she tried to picture how the mercs' would be set up on the mountain. If they were as good as she thought they were, then rushing up a thousand stairs would be hazardous to their survivability of the mission, but with the mines spread out all over the mountainside. The stairs were the only option.
"I think the stairs are the only option, but I have a deathly allergy to bullets and cake. So we will have to move in the classic, 'Tank and Rifleman,' tactic. I'll act as the vanguard, and you be our sniper. Nova will be our scout/assassin, and Windy, Night? You do what you guys do. Got it?" Winter asked as she flexed her wings out and got ready to jump off of the ship.
"Got it," Everyone said in unison before they all leapt off of The Summer’s Aria and into the forest below.
Winter landed on a small patch of snow, as did Spooks, and company. Winter watched Nova disappear into the snow covered trees, becoming invisible the second she jumped over a bare shrub. Winter looked around and found the trail that should lead to the steps to the temple where Spooks's friends should be hiding. She began walking towards the trail with Spooks and her friends following right behind. Winter turned on her Air Sight to see if anything was hiding in the trees nearby, and only found the proximity mines and the two stallions that have finished their fun.
Spooks shuddered from the cold as she tightened the straps for her saddlebags. She slung Cue over her shoulder and followed behind Winter with the strange guitar towards a trail that must have lead to the stairs to the top of the mountain.
They came up to a trail where Winter lifted her hoof for them to stop. Spooks watched Winter point to the two stallions that were no longer having their fun in the bush and were now back beside the two, Greek pillars in their winter wear and carrying two rifles over their shoulders. All four of them stopped behind a bush, and she found out what the bracelets that Winter was wearing did. Spooks's eyes went wide as the bracelets around Winters forehooves transformed into black, dragon claws before Winter reached into her jacket and pulled out one of her guns with dexterous ease.
She quickly twirled them around before she brought the black muzzle up to her lips, telling them all to be silent before she pointed to Cue then to the two guards. Spooks instantly knew what she was trying to say and went prone in the snow, and poked the barrel of her gun through the bush, just as Winter teleported to the other side of the trail behind a tree while standing on her back legs with both of her magnums in her dragon claws that looked like they were real.
"Alright, let's have one last looksy," Spook muttered as she saw Winter give her the go ahead. Spooks looked through her scope and slowed her breathing to stabilize her shot. She had her recital over the bigger looking stallion and slowly put pressure on the modified trigger.
*Clack!*
“Gotcha, you bugger,” Spooks thought, just as the other stallion turned around to his partner in pure shock. Spooks cycled the bolt and shifted her aim to the other stallion—That was shaking like a leaf as he surveyed the forest with his rifle, shaking in his hooves.
*Clack!*
"And you dead too," Spooks thought as she looked up the mile worth of stairs, waiting for the small army to come marching down towards them, but after a few minutes of waiting, no one came.
"What the fuck?" Spooks muttered as she stood up from her hiding place with her gun trained up the cobblestone stairs. To her left, she saw Winter come out from the tree that she was hiding behind with her guns, and claws put away.
"Fuckers aren't coming," Spooks said to the Empress as she looked up the stairs that lead to A.T. "So what now?" Spooks asked as Windy and Night come out from their hiding place.
"We move up, but keep your eyes open. I'll lead," Winter said before she began walking up the stairs with two, swirling blades of wind, at her side.
Spooks slowly followed Winter up the endless stairs with Cue at the ready. She didn't know when or where the mercs' would come out and fill them with bullets, but that didn't mean she wasn't ready. She kept a trained eye on anything and everything that the mercs' could be hiding behind. Before she knew it, they were at a hole in the wall that looked like something that the Greek Gods themselves would carve out of the mountainside.
Two guards stood tall beside the entrance that leads into the mountain with the same, Henry Boy lever action rifles at their sides. Before anyone could react, Winter launched her two air blades at the guards that just took notice of them, slicing them down in half. Spooks blinked for a second as she watched the two ponies fell apart in their respective halves, and shook her head and tried not to think about how Winter was able to do that, and in silence.
They walked up to the cave entrance, now without its guards that were spilt from the groin up on the floor, and were stopped again from a big, metal door preventing them from entering the mountain.
“Okay, here’s my plan," Spooks said with a demented smile while Nova regrouped and cleared the bodies from the door.
"Alright, what is it?" Winter asked as she pulled out her guns and claws again, and stood up on her back legs like it was completely natural.
"I'm going to put a couple of Frame charges on the door, and when it blows up. I'll throw in a frag grenade, and we rush in, in epic slow motion. Any questions? No? Good," Spooks said with the same maniacal smile as before as she pulled out a big square thing, and placed it on the door before anyone could say anything, and prepped a few frag grenades in her hooves.
“Who gave her bombs?” Winter asked with slight concern, but only the air heard her question. Winter shook her head and got into position next to the door, with Spooks at the other side, smiling like a maniac.
“So, Empress, do you want to find out what’s it like when the Spetznaz knocks?” Spooks asked with a smile before pulling the pins off of the frags.
"Sure," Winter nervously said as Windy grabbed the detonator from Spooks and backed away with Nova and Night at her side and ready for a fight.
"Excellent! Windy, hit the doorbell!" Spooks yelled with glee as she pulled out the Safe twins out from their holsters. Winter did a quick air spell over everyone's ears to protect them from damage as she watched Windy pulled the trigger on the detonator, causing the heavy-looking door to fly off of its hinges with a loud, *Bang!*
Spooks and Winter threw their grenades into the room and counted to five before they rushed in, in slow motion like Spooks said they would.
Winter entered the room with time crawling to a standstill. She watched a few ponies slowly get up from the sudden blast to the door and pointed her two guns, Ash, and Cinder at the two earth ponies standing back up behind their portable miniguns and fired two bullets into their heads.
Spooks watched blood splurge out from two stallions from Winter’s guns and pointed her two guns, Keep Safe, and Stay Safe at the four ponies closest to them, and fired without hesitation.
*Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!* Went the Safe Twins as the flashes from both Winter’s guns and her guns lit up the room, killing the four ponies in front of them. Time sped back up to normal after a few more shots into the room, killing the rest of their hosts into the temple.
Winter cracked a smile as she twirled her guns like a cowboy and holstered them into their resting place. She sheathed her claws and stood back on all fours as she rushed down the hall with a few flood lamps, and boxes in their way. Winter ran over the bloody mess that was created by the grenades and kicked one of the miniguns around the other direction on its tripod and aimed it down the hall while revving its barrel up to speed.
Spooks ran up to her while exchanging the Safe Twins with Cue, and aimed down the sight towards the only hallway away from the Spartan room in anticipation for any and all reinforcements that comes their way, but no one came.
"What the fuck? Is that all?" Spooks asked with irritation that no one else was coming to play while Nova, Windy, and Night walked in with disgust for the mess that she and Winter made.
"No, far from it. I can feel at least a few hundred throughout the temple, as well as your friend in a place that feels like a prison with a few others. We should go there first before we find the key," Winter said as she pulled the minigun off of its tripod with its twin, with her AirKineisis, and had them float at her side without breaking a sweat, while bringing two extra drums from a nearby crate in case she ran out of bullets for her new guns.
“How do you know that?” Spooks asked her, surprised.
“Air Sight,” Winter replied with a smirk.
“Lemme guess. Some special pegasus magic?” Spooks asked again.
"It's not that special. Most of my Pegasi and Thestral guards can do it," Winter replied with a quick rev of her miniguns.
“Aww, I wanna some cool magic of my own now,” Spooks said with a pout and Windy gave her a flat stare.
“Spooks you can go invisible for however long you like, you’re probably the most poisonous being in the world and you still want more?” Windy said in a very flat tone.
“A girl can dream!” Spooks shot back.
“Girls!” Night Heart said angrily giving the both of them a glare that can melt steel, causing them to flinch back.
“Sorry,” They both said in unison.
"I agree, we should really get going now," Winter said, unphased of the older mare. "And dream on Spooks. I can teleport," Winter saluted with a cheeky smirk and blinked in a dim flash of light, causing her to reappear at the entrance to the next hall.
“Oh, come on!” Spooks shouted in exasperation with her ears folded back.”That’s not fair!” Winter playfully stuck the entire length of her tongue out at her with a wink and trotted into the hall with Nova right behind her. Spooks didn’t look phased by the length of Winter's tongue. She was familiar seeing the same size and shape emerge from Windy's mouth during their fun time. Feeling snooty, she stuck out her forked tongue of the same length as Windy's, out at the fleeing Empress.
“You can’t beat me in that category,” She said with a smirk.
"I can still teleport!" Winter replied. "And get your ass over here. I'm not the one saving your threeway ya' know!”
"Arg...I can still go invisible!" Spooks shot back as she, Windy and Night rejoined the Empress in a dimly lit hall that looked like an old mine.
"So can I," Winter chuckled as she went invisible for a moment before reappearing further down the hallway, causing the Night Stalker to have a mad eye twitch. Spooks followed behind Winter feeling like she got the shit end of the crap stick for losing the grand, 'dick waving contest of magical epicness,' but she didn't show it. She was more concerned about the lack of guards in the decrepit hallways that reminded her of Medieval versions of the Vault-Tec vaults she used to scavenge in.
They all walked down the creepy, dark, and quiet halls. All of their eyes darting from shadow to shadow in anticipation for an ambush. The dim, old lanterns, created an eerie glow against the carved stone walls, making their trip feel like a ghastly tour of an abandoned mine from the Stone Age. Their nervousness wasn't helped from the almost constant rattling coming from Spooks's tail.
“It’s too quiet here,” Spooks muttered, looking over a pair of rats chewing on an old bone from a pony that must have died a few centuries ago.
"Yeah," Winter said. "Almost—" Her sentence was suddenly interrupted by Spooks stopping her by sticking a hoof right in front of her.
"Tripwire," Spooks said sternly before she walked over the left-side of the hall, and began disarming the trap. Winter rolled her eyes, already know that the trap was there from her Air Sight that was active. When Spooks walked back to the group with a grenade held in her hoof. When she walked back, Winter saw that the Night Stalker was a little confused that the trap was already disarmed when she found it, but she didn't tell her about it.
"A white phosphorous nade. Where did they get their hands on something like this?" Spooks asked, but Winter shrugged and kept on walking.
Following the tripwire trap, they continued walking down the hall in silence, wary for any more traps along the way. After walking for a half an hour, they reached a fork in the road: The one on the right lead down a flight of stone stairs that looked like they were ready to collapse in on themselves. The one on the left lead up a flight of stairs that were better maintained.
“So, which way now, Empress?” Spooks asked as she looked up the stairs to the right of the fork for any pony that would want to fill them up with bullet holes.
Winter quickly researched the entire complex again with her Air Sight and pointed to the stairs on the left. "Down there, first hall on the right. That's where we will find our friends, as well as a tiger, a cheetah, a lynx, a panther, and a house cat at the bottom. So, wanna throw a grenade down there to clear a path?" Winter asked Spooks—Who instantly pulled out a few incendiary grenades, with her demented smile, back on her face.
"Bottom of the stairs, they are coming up, and they know that we are here," Winter smiled to Spooks. She replied with a happy nod and pulled the pin of the incendiary grenades, and tossed them down the stairs.
Within seconds after Spooks threw her grenades down the stairs was horrifying. Howls of dying cats echoed throughout the hall. Windy, Nova, and Night had to close their ears with their hooves from the sound of what could only be the howls of hell. Winter and Spooks, however, weren't phased by the screeching as they were more focused on the other staircase for any and all mercenaries that would come and check out what was going on with their cats. Once the screeching stopped, they ran down the stairs where Apple Twilight, and the others that Winter said that were with her.
Spooks was the first pony of the group to reach the bottom to see the carnage that she has wrought. On the floor near the base of the old, stone steps, were five piles of flaming ash that smelt like cooked beef grilled over a gas fire. She scrunched up her nose from the strange smell and trotted past the bodies, down the first hall on the right and shot the pony that was shaking behind a crate with his rifle, with the Safe Twins.
Spooks ran past the stallion with her friends running up to her and bolted through a small entryway that opened up to a circular room with six cages embedded in the walls. She looked around the dimly lit room that only had one lamp on the ceiling at the center of the room, in search for A.T.
In the cage on the right had a dark orange stallion with a scruffy, brown mane. He had a white patch on his muzzle, on the tips of his ears, on his back and flanks. He had light green eyes that held many years of seeing things that most shouldn't see. He had sideburns that lead into a scruffy goatee. He looked like he was wearing a filthy, white dress shirt with an equally dirty black tie that had a silver flask in his breast pocket.
Beside him in the other cage was a tall, light gray wolf with a pitch black chest and abdomen. His auburn-colored eyes held an endless fire that only seeks to destroy, but also had a very loving side held within. He had a one-inch scar on his left cheek. He had an athletic body that was slightly intimidating. He wore a dirty white dress shirt with a black tie and black jeans. His rear pasterns had a protective, black leather covering them like armor and he wore a collar that had a tag in the shape of a fairy with a tail and looked like something that a guild would wear.
“But where is A.T?” Spooks thought as he looked at the other two cages that had ponies in them.
The cage closest to her on the left had a Pegasus mare with a dirty yellow coat, a three-toned gray mane, and she had warm magenta eyes. She wore a pith helmet with green trimming against the base. She wore a green, forest range shirt with a strap were a whip would be holstered, and she wasn't happy with the glare she was giving Spooks. Spooks shot her a dirty look back and found her friend in the cage next to the mare that was giving her the stink eye.
The candy-red earth pony with a candy-green mane and tail looked at Spooks with tear-filled, mustang-yellow eyes, in pure joy that she was there to rescue her from her kidnappers.Just as Spooks ran up to the cage that held her friend, Winter and the others walked into the room, breathing heavily from having to run down a million stairs to catch up to the Night Stalker.
“Hey, did you miss me?” Spooks asked A.T with a smirk, but A.T didn’t reply, she just continued looking at Spooks with more tears appearing in her eyes, “Hey, don’t cry,” Spooks said in an attempt to calm down the crying mare.
“I’m sorry,” A.T said in resignation.
“There’s no need for you to be sorry,” Spooks said giving her a warm smile, “It wasn’t your fault you were kidnapped.”
“But it was! If I had been stronger or a better fighter none of this would have would have happened!” Her words caused Spooks to have a flashback to when she first met her surrogate younger sister, back when she was still a Spetsnaz, and her name was—
“—Jennifer Booker,” Spooks said quietly in disbelief.
“How..?” A.T asked with the same level of disbelief.
“Jen, it’s me, Dima,” Spooks said with a few tears of her own escaping from her eyes.
“Dima?” A.T asked herself quietly, her face adopting a thoughtful expression for a while before lighting up in recognition and a fresh stream of tears started rolling down her cheeks.
“Mоя маленькая сестра,” Spooks said in her native tongue, causing A.T to chuckle a little.
“You know I can’t speak Russian,” A.T said with a small smile as she wiped away her tears.
"Sorry, let's get you out of the cage," Spooks said before pulling out a small, plastic tube of semtex, and stuffed it into the lock of the cage, this time, without her usual demented smile on her face. "You also may want to step back a bit," she warned.
Following Spooks's advice, A.T stepped back to the far end of the cage and closed her ears as Spooks detonated the small charge, causing the door to swing on its hinges in a violent jolt from the small explosive. The barred door banged against the wall of the cage and fell to the ground with a hard, *Clank!* On the cold, stone floor. The second the smoke cleared from the initial blast, A.T jumped out of her prison and tackled Spooks to the ground, giving her the most affectionate embrace that either of them has ever felt.
"Hey, girls?" the dirty yellow mare asked, drawing in both of their attentions. "This is all cute and sappy, but can you break us out of here!?"
"Geez, don't get your panties in a twist," Spooks said with a roll of her eyes as she broke free from A.T's death grip, and walked over to the cage containing the dark orange stallion, and blew out the lock of his cage. Then she moved to the cage containing the wolf and freed him as well. The dirty yellow mare was last, much to her dismay, but didn't complain when her cage was blasted open like the rest.
Stepping out of their respective cages, the bipedal wolf, the stallion, and the mare looked over the group of misfits. Their eyes lingering on Spooks and Winter for longer than on anyone else, and Spooks saw the mare's eyes darken when they looked at Winter.
“What are you doing here, Black Queen?” The mare asked with hostility in her tone and seeing the hurt look on Winter's face, Spooks's tail gave her a warning rattle.
"I'm here helping a friend, protecting a country, and saving a family. That's why I am here," Winter said, hiding her hurt from the one and only, Daring Do.
Spooks's chest welled up in pride a little when she heard Winter call her a 'Friend,' but she didn't show it. Instead, she glared at the mare, the muscles in her poisonous fangs twitching in anticipation for an attack.
"Yeah, right. Do you think that I'll believe any of the lies that you are trying to feed me? Hell, I bet you are working with Ahuitzotl, himself," the mare snorted in response.
Winter's ears flatten against her head, saddened that Celestia has engrained her mantra in her grandmother's brain, but she didn't let it phase her. There are very few things that can make Spooks angry. One of them is pears, and the other one is people hurting children, both physically and verbally. Spooks walked in between them and poked the dirty yellow mare in the chest, and gave her a death glare that would make Satan run for the hills.
"Now listen here, somewhat young lady. This here filly is one of the kindest, friendliest, honorable and most admirable people that I have ever met," Spooks said. Seeing the mare in front of her open her mouth in preparation for a retort, Spooks snapped at her. "I am not done talking! Now you will apologize to your granddaughter, or I will bite you!"
Daring Do's eyes went wide, as did the rest of the group when they were all told that Winter was her granddaughter. Daring's ears flattened and backed away, staring in pure shock to the equally shocked filly that was staring right back. Daring looked back to the Night Stalker like this was one giant joke, like she was just playing, 'Punked: Temple of the 12 storms of Alta addition,' but the look that Spooks was giving her. Reminded her of an old mare giving her the, 'I'm waiting,' look of extreme anger.
Daring looked away, a little angry herself for being treated like a child, and very confused that her daughter, Spitfire, adopted someone so dark. 'But was she really?' Daring thought in shame for not knowing what her daughter was doing with her life. She has only been in Arcadia for a few hours, and only in the countryside. She has never seen the main city in fear of being corrupted by the dark influences that have claimed the Elements of Harmony, themselves, but was that true?
She can't feel the Dark Mana that should be drowning them all from the Empress. In fact, from what Redbeard and Stephen had told her about the Empress, she was purer than the Princess of the Sun, but was that true?
If it was true, than was her friend right all along? Was the young and boisterous mare, Lightning Dust, right when she shared a drink with her in a small bar in Appleloosa right? Daring couldn't know until she uncovers the truth about the young Empress, and why she is, supposedly, her granddaughter.
"S-Sorry," Daring reluctantly said, which brought some life back into the filly’s mismatched colored eyes, with her ears flattened but her head kept high.
Before Spooks could force her to give Winter a more genuine apology, the sound of thunderous hoof steps from down the hallway and a few shouts in an unidentifiable language.
"Okay, feeling sorry later, fighting starts now!" Spooks shouted before turning her attention to the almost forgotten dark orange stallion and bipedal wolf. "You two? Can you fight?" The stallion nodded with a neutral expression before he pulled out his flask and took a quick swig, and grumbled about something relating to his age.
"Bout time I get to burn those freaks," the wolf said excitedly, causing a small jet of flame to escape his smiling lips.
Just as the wolf finished his sentence, a nearly endless stream of mercenaries flowed into the room, armed with lever action rifles that quickly surrounded them from all sides. One of the mercs that looked like he was in charge from the cigar that he was smoking, spoke up and ordered them to, 'lay down their arms and surrender!' In a rough, Italian accent.
“Empress, are you familiar with effects of white phosphorous?” Spooks asked, already preparing the grenade behind her back.
"Nothing above fire and screaming, why?" Winter replied, preparing to teleport if they needed to.
"It is also used to create a smokescreen, but right now, we need fire and screams," Spooks said before pulling the pin out of the grenade and threw it in between the ranks of the mercs' closest to the door out of the room, but nothing happened. The mercs' just laughed, causing Spooks to curse under her breath at the dud of a grenade.
"Umm... Plan B?" Spooks sheepishly as she pulled out the Safe Twins.
"Plan B," Winter said with a nod and pulled out her two, Children of Cinder, causing the mercs to cock their guns as a warning.
Winter and Spooks unloaded an entire clip into the heads of the mercenaries within a few seconds, causing all hell to break loose. The sounds of bullets, fireballs could be heard as mercenaries dropped left and right. Some of them gained a bullet hole from the Safe Twins, some of the heads were missing from Winter’s .50-AE she called her Children of Cinder. Some of them burned to death while others had their necks snapped.
Redbeard grabbed a SPAS-12 shotgun from one of the dead mercs and helped push them back out of the room. Windy, Night, and Daring Do grabbed one of the hundreds of lever action guns and kept suppressing fire as the mercs regrouped down the hall near the stairs.
Spooks hissed in annoyance when the Safe Twins clicked empty, causing her to holster them and go invisible. She dodged the endless stream of bullets to where the mercs were taking cover, and one by one, they all dropped dead with two puncture holes in their necks.
Winter's miniguns ran dry after a few minutes, forcing her to drop them in the hall as they rush towards the stairs, however. Her magnums never seemed to run out of bullets nor did she ever had to reload them. It was like she had an infinite bullet enchantment on her guns, but that was a question best saved for later.
"We need to get back to the ship!" Spooks's disembodied voice shouted from somewhere near the stairs, but the boss of the mercs had a better idea.
“Block the stairs! Don’t—” But he didn’t have the chance to complete his order.
Spooks reappeared with her jaws firmly clamped around his neck, her fangs pumping him full of poison causing him to gasp, gurgle and finally die and slip from Spooks’s maw.
Spooks just stood there, staring at the dead body of the mercenary boss, her fangs dripping blood and poison, with a haunted look in her eyes before she shook her head and went back to fighting but there was no one left to fight.
Spooks and the other regrouped at the bottom of the stairs, the mercs all laid dead or dying around them, causing her to let out a sigh of relief.
“Let’s get back to the ship,” Spooks said and started walking up the stairs with the others walking right behind her.
They all walked back to The Summer’s Aria with their weapons ready for another firefight. Fortunately, they weren't stopped by any trap, wild animal or ambush as they backtracked through the hallowed halls of the mountain.
Spooks covered their tracks with the dynamite that she grabbed from one of the opened crates by the prison, and blocked the fork in the hall, preventing anyone and anything from chasing them back to the back exit to the mountain temple.
They all made it to the ship late in the afternoon. Redbeard, Steph, and Nova were happy to get out of the caves while Spooks, A.T, Windy, and Night learned the story of what happened to A.T when she was kidnapped. Daring, however, was chained to the ground, preventing her from running away to Luna knows where, with Winter getting ready to fly the ship back to the castle, but before she could return home, she saw three ships explode from the peak of the mountain, and began firing upon them.
"God damn it! Empress, they're still on to us!" Spooks shouted over the sounds of the ships, awakening engines.
“I know!” Winter shouted back sounding both annoyed and angry at the same time.
Spooks bolted for the nearest AA-gun and started firing at the ships that were closing in while everyone else ran below deck and took cover from the returning fire. Winter growled in irritation and turned the ship towards where the Endless Storm is, hoping to lose their wooden ships in the destructive force of the storm. She hit the accelerator as Spooks fired the cannons with the Black Knights at the ships, and bolted west.
As The Summers Aria gained speed, Winter saw that the three ships that were closing in weren't taking any damage. She could see through the many spyglasses that there was a thin, blue layer over the hulls of the ship, which told her that they had some sort of shield that was protecting the ships. With an annoyed grunt as she saw the western ocean come into view, she reached over to the intercom and spoke to everyone on the ship.
"Alright, we are going to enter The Endless Storm to lose the bastards that are following us. So buckle up this is going to be a bumpy ride!" Winter shouted before she was knocked over from an impact that felt like it came from the port side of the ship.
"Fuck," she spat as she stood back up. She looked over her shoulder to see that their followers were still hot on their trail, but they were slowly being left behind from the superior engines of her ship.
"Hey, Winter! We are missing two engines and I don't like the look of that storm!" Spooks shouted through the intercom. Winter hissed in anger that her ship lost half of its power, but frowned when she didn't see the storm anywhere in sight.
"What do you mean?" I don't see shit," Winter said in irritation over the intercom as she felt another impact hit the stern of the ship.
"You can't see that we are being pulled into the hurricane! How can you not see the black clouds that are sucking us in?!" Spooks shouted back, but before Winter could reply, the entire ship violently turned on a dim, causing her to fly headfirst into the wall, knocking her out cold.
When Spooks heard the sound of a large lump colliding against the wall of the bridge after the ship suddenly jerked. She knew that no one was flying the ship and that the Empress was knocked out. She gulped as she looked through the scope of the AA-gun as hundreds of waterspouts, lightning flashes, and debris hitting the ship.
Spooks ran out of the cockpit of the AA-gun and bolted for the bridge, along with Nova, an escaped Daring Do, Redbeard, and Stephen. They all bolted through the munitions deck, not saying a word as Spooks fell behind the faster quartet that made it to the stairs before she did.
Spooks ran down the hall, as she watched the four ran up the metal stairs. She jumped over a fallen Stallion, but before she could touch the ground again, the ship jolted violently again, sending her sprawling down a different hall, towards the crew deck.
She blinked as she felt blood trickle down her brow from a cut to the head from slamming against the wall. She shook her head and cleaned the blood out of her eyes, just in time to watch in horror as a giant crack appeared down the center of the hall she was thrown down.
Spooks tried to get back up to try and save the situation, but it was fruitless. The ship jolted again, causing the crew deck and the rest of the ship to split from each other. The sound of tearing metal, thunder and the feeling of rain was the only thing that she understood as she watched half of the ship disappear into the pitch black clouds.
She looked down the hall and saw Windy calling to her, but she couldn't hear anything other than a constant ringing in her ears. She saw Night and A.T crawl up to her as the were tossed and slammed against the floors and walls as the ship was flung like a toy in the hands of a toddler. She blinked again as the lights of the ship turned off, and the light from the flashes of lightning was the only thing to give her light.
Just as Night, Windy, and A.T grabbed her and pulled her into the rest of the ship, she saw something big that they were flying towards in a flash of light. She blinked again, thinking that it was just a mirage, but after another flash of lightning and bomb of thunder. She realized that it wasn't.
Instinctively, she pushed everyone into a room that looked like a bunk room with the mattresses fallen off of the beds and buried them all in a protective box of softness and springs, hoping that they won't die from the impact of the object that they were flying towards. Then, before anyone could react, in one final flash of light, they were met with instant darkness.
I woke to find myself with a monster headache and my face aching from what seemed like various cuts all over my face.
I groaned, signaling to the world around me that I was awake, and tried to stand up, only to be stopped by a pair of hooves being placed on my shoulders.
“What happened?” I asked while looking around me and seeing that we were in some kind of plain with campfire burning a few feet from us and we were surrounded by a thick fog from all sides.
“The airship crashed and you got thrown around a bit,” Night's voice said from behind us.
“And then you flew through a window,” A.T chirped in from the other side of the campfire.
Well, that explains that, I thought with a grimace and then I realized something.
“Where is the Empress and her crew?” I asked, concerned about the safety of the filly.
“We, umm, don't know,” Windy said with her ears folded and head hung low causing my eyes to widen.
“Then we gotta go find her!” I said and made another attempt to stand up but was stopped again, this time by Windy using her magic to levitate me. Did I mention that the magic of every unicorn haves its own, unique, feeling? For example Windy's magic feels like velvet.
“Not so fast!” Windy said and gave me a disapproving look.
“But my legs aren't hurt,” I whined with a pout.
“No, they aren't but you still hit your head pretty hard, so one of us will carry,” I gave her the puppy snake eyes, yes that's a thing now, deal with it, but it was ineffective, “That look won't help you any and if you don't stop your protesting or I am going to dye your fur pink!”
After being threatened with my fur being dyed my most hated color I stopped my protesting and let myself be carried over to A.T where I was promptly placed on her back.
“A.T you're on carry duty,” Windy said and levitated Cue over to me.
I got comfortable on A.T's back and with that we departed in our search for Empress Winter Rose.
“What is that? A harpy?” I muttered as I looked through the scope of my rifle at what looked like a pony version of a harpy flying in the distance.
“Lemme look,” A.T said and I held Cue's scope over her right eye, “Yep, that's a harpy,” She said after a while of observing the avian creature.
Suddenly a there was a rustle in the bushes to our left, catching the attention of us all.
We stared at the bush for a while before a harpy emerged from the bushes and shook the leaves from her feathers and looked at us with a small smile.
“Sorry for startling you----“ Suddenly the harpy's eyes widened and she licked her lips, “A NIGHT STALKER!” She shouted and launched herself at me.
I let out a small 'eep' and rolled off of A.T's back to dodge the harpy's attack and landed on the ground on all fours with Cue safely slung across my back.
What followed next was the strangest and most terrifying thing I have ever seen, and trust I have seen a lot of things.
Dozens upon dozens of harpies flew in from all sides, all of them having this look of hunger on their faces, and started trying to dive-bomb us causing us to dodge and hightail it out of there.
“Those things are pretty persistent, eh?” A.T shouted while dodging another harpy's attempt to dive-bomb us and as soon as the harpy touched down on the ground A.T punted her in the face sending the harpy flying.
“You don't say?!” I shouted back before being struck down by a harpy that got lucky.
“No one touches my mare!” Windy roared in anger before she grabbed the harpy by her crow-like tail and used the harpy as a makeshift mace and hitting a few harpies from the sky before throwing away her harpy-mace and turning to me, “Are you okay, my love?”
“So hot…” I muttered with a dreamy look causing her to giggle before using her magic to lift me onto my hooves.
We continued our run across the fog covered island with the harpies still on our tail, some of them tried to dive bomb us, only to be turned into a mace and used against their comrades, and after a while of running I spotted what looked like the faint outline of a temple in the distance but before we could reach it a giant harpy landed in front of us thus stopping our advance towards the temple.
“Here comes mom….” I said breathlessly, staring up at the behemoth of a harpy.
“Spooks, hold my glasses,” Nigh Heart said and without waiting for an answer she walked towards the giant harpy, placing her glasses on my muzzle on her way.
She marched up to the giant harpy and cracked her forelegs, “Come on, big and ugly, show me what you got.”
What followed next was the most awesome thing ever.
When Night stopped in front of the harpy she tried to stomp Night, only to be stopped by Night lifting a single hoof followed by the foot of the harpy being twisted in a way that made my bones twitch a little.
Then Night proceeded to fly up to the harpy's face and deliver a set of devastating blows to the face of the harpy with speed that made her legs look like a blur, leaving the harpy with bruised and bleeding face and also knocking her out.
“Thank you,” Night said as she landed in front of me and took her glasses back causing us to stare at her in disbelief, “What? Is something on my face?” She asked completely obvious to the reason of our stares.
I shook my head and started towards the temple, only to remember the dozens of harpies behind us that were now looking at us in anger.
“Oops,” I said and galloped towards the temple as fast as my skinny legs could carry me.
Spooks walked into the quiet room and saw a small encampment near the center of the altar. There, she saw Winter, Daring Do, Redbeard, Stephan and Nova blade eating boxed food near an unnatural fire. Exhausted from running away from hundreds of creatures that had a strangely cute crow head with a pony body, wings for arms and talons for feet. The crow-tailed beasts that were all female, surprisingly enough, chased her and her friends from the wreckage of the ship that crash landed near the westernmost side of the fog covered island.
Winter saw the Night Stalker walk up to her while wearing a bandage that looked tight around her head. She flopped down on her side beside the filly that was eating out of a box, panting like a dog, while Windy, Night and A.T sat down around the fire next to the others.
"How are you?" Winter nonchalantly asked as she ate a small steak with each bite making Redbeard gag slightly as he tried his best to ignore the meat eaters in the room.
"Fucking, Harpies," Spooks panted out a reply as her lungs regained normality, her tired form plastered on the blissfully, cold, stone ground. Winter smirked knowingly at the, "out of shape mare," that should see a gym. It would benefit her body that was on the skinny side of the spectrum.
"Stop being such a wuss. It wasn't that bad," A.T shot at the Night Stalker. Night and Windy just stared at her.
"You try outrunning a few dozen harpies with a snake fetish," Spooks said weakly, giving A.T a meek glare.
"Actually: Harpies love eating Night Stalkers as a rare delicacy. They don't like mating with them to produce offspring as it can cause unwanted mutation," Daring said, causing everyone to turn their head towards her direction. Daring didn't recognize the stares that she was receiving and smiled dumbly; until Winter coughed to catch the attention of those around her.
"O...K..." Spooks said before weakly sitting up and raised her hooves to the ceiling. "Praise the Wind!" And she collapsed to her side again.
“Please ignore her, Empress,” Night Heart said with a dismissive wave of the hoof. "She is just a bit dehydrated from running from a bunch of ravenous crow-things."
“I ain't dehydrated,” Spooks weakly protested from her spot on the floor causing Night to sigh.
“How many hooves do you see?” She asked while lifting one forehoof off the ground.
Spooks stared at the lifted hoof for a while before asking, “In which row?” And promptly passed out.
"Anyway. What's the plan, Empress?" Windy asked while A.T closed in on Spooks win a permanent marker held in her mouth. Everyone watched in curiosity to the mare that was clearly going to draw on the Night Stalker's face, but before she could do anything Spooks's tongue shot out like a frog's and latched on the marker, pulling it out of A.T's mouth and bringing it to hers.
She swallowed the permanent marker with a disturbing sigh of content.
"They are all weird," Steph said to Nova, Redbeard nodded in agreement.
"I am not weird! I am special," Spooks mumbled in her sleep. Nova, Stephen, and Redbeard's eyes went wide that the Night Stalker could respond despite being almost knocked out from exhaustion.
"Well, aside from letting Spooks rest. We should hit the hay too. Then once we are all well rested, I will play the Song of Storms on the key, which should allow us to move forward into the temple, and hopefully, find a way back home," The young Empress replied to Night Heart while completely ignoring the snoring Night Stalker, and all other weirdness that was happening around her.
"Alrighty then," Windy replied before levitating Spooks to a bedroll that she pulled out from her saddlebags. She gently laid Spooks down right beside her, who instantly recognized her warmth and cuddled up with the Lunar Unicorn. Windy cracked a small smile as everyone else hit the hay as well in their respective bedrolls.
The morning came faster than any of the group would have liked it to come. This was proven by the several groans of protest from most of the party, except Winter who Spooks found already awake doing push-ups with her wings and counting above nine-hundred with ease. Winter didn't notice the glare from the anti-morning, but she did hear the quiet mutters that she could happily assume was Russian swears of hate from Spooks.
Though, as sour as she wanted to be to the mare that was pumping out wing-ups like nobody's business, her bitterness was quickly soothed by a certain Lunar Unicorn that was lazily nomming on her tail. Spooks turned gave Windy a raised brow, and she returned it with a playful smile before retreating from her kitten-prone position and fled to help Night Heart distribute boxed food that could survive a nuclear war. She yawned, and turned back around towards the filly that hit a thousand and joined them for breakfast.
"How can you be awake at an ungodly hour?" Spooks asked through a yawn.
"Being tossed out of bed at four o'clock in the morning, dragged outside, and forced to work out through cold rain," Winter replied while stretching out her wings. "It sucked at first, but after awhile the routine stuck and my body is quite sexy because of it,” Winter winked as she grabbed an MRE from Nova Blade.
"That...That must have sucked," Spooks commented as Windy gave her an MRE for breakfast. Winter nodded back while chewing on boxed, chemically warmed portage that was as thick as wet flour.
Morning breakfast was silent for the group except for the odd sounds of chewing on that came with the boxed food tasted awful for all of them, even Winter had a hard time to keep the portage down when she ate expired food that came from the local homeless shelter that she stayed in for a time. Though everyone else didn't know of those horrors, but the food that they ate came close to what she had to live through.
Spooks and Windy sat next to each other while they ate, with Daring sitting beside Winter. Nova, Night Heart, and Redbeard quickly finished their food first before they packed up came for the day while Stephen still slept on the floor in peace, even though he was dragged out of his bedroll so that it could be put away.
However, the air was ripe with worry for what was going to happen next. In all of their minds, one thought was present, and that was the state of The Temple of Alta.
Winter knew that there was something wrong nearby, but couldn't quite place a hoof on it. The fog was too thick to break through with her Air Sight or even her Mana Sight. The magic that was controlling the fog as well as the ground beneath them was too scrambled to make any sense to her, but that was going to end once she plays the Song of Storms, however. She was still worried about what they would find.
Daring was, by all means, didn't care about the potential dangers. Winter could tell just by looking at the spark in her eyes. The mare in the pith helmet was evidently showing her anticipation in a way that only a Pegasi could recognize. To Spooks, it looked like she was pawing at the ground like a teething kitten, but it was a common way to show the excitement of something that a Pegasus immensely enjoys.
Even Winter was pawing at the ground as she waited for Spooks and Windy to finish eating so that they could get on the road for adventure. The only other time she was this excited was when Summer slowly tied her up to her bed in the Castle many weeks ago. Though, when she thinks about it. She was acting like Spitfire in the same way as Daring. Both of them liked adventure as much as BDSM, which was a thought that scared her to the core.
As Spooks gulped down the last of her meal in a box, she looked over to the two Pegasi in the room that were clearly antsy to get going. She wondered why they were pawing at the ground, but that thought died when the young Empress gave the order to move out.
"Alright everyone, thing and it. Whatever happens next is not my fault," Winter said as she gripped the sapphire ocarina in her hooves in front of the tablet of text inside of the altar. Spooks and company watched with curiosity as the instrument began to glow in her hooves, pulsating like a heart, in and out of a dark and bright blue hue. Then, as she tried to figure out how in the hell she was playing the notes when the young Empress didn't have fingers. The iconic song began to play.
Then, as Winter played the first note, something strange happened. The characters on the old tablet lit up in the same way as the pulsating ocarina like a wave of color that moved in bright majesty, but that wasn't the strangest thing that happened. Spooks looked around and saw that Daring, Redbeard, Stephen, Windy, Night Heart and Nova were in a trance. Each note that Winter played, they sang a strange song while A.T and Winter just looked at them with curiosity as the young Empress add more power to her song.
“What the fuck?” Spooks asked beneath her breath as she listened to the somber tone of the song that told a tale of violence and hardship in a beautiful metaphor. She couldn't help but listen to the; mares and stallions sing against their will. Windy, in particular, drawn her in with her wondrous voice that reverberated deep within her soul. Never had she thought the mare that has stolen her old heart would be as seducing as the Queen of Sirens, but alas, her attention shot towards the entrance after the sound of the gates of hell was screaming out at them.
Spooks looked over her shoulder back towards the mare that she dragged with her on the mission to save her sister from becoming a sacrifice to some group of radicals that only sought power. There, playing the song of the windmill, Winter looked like her life was being drained from the instrument that she held tightly in her hooves as she played. In the corner of her eye, she could tell that A.T had the same thought, but she was just as distracted as the constant explosion coming from outside drowned all sense of thought.
Then, without warning. Spooks was blinded by a bright light that quickly sent her into a daze. The only thing that she could hear was the loud horns that played The Song of Storms along with Winter in the distance. She couldn't even hear herself call out to A.T, who was most likely stumbling around with her to figure out what the hell was happening, but before she could answer that question. The song ended, her vision returned, and everyone else was waking up from their trance.
"What just happened?" Daring asked as Winter placed the ocarina inside her jacket. Winter turned around while turning on her Air Sight and noticed that the air around the temple had completely changed.
"We aren't in Kansas anymore," Winter said in disbelief that The Song of Storms actually worked and that they were transported to someplace completely different than where they were before.
“What do you mean?” A.T asked quite perturbed. "All I saw was all of you turning into singing zombies for a few minutes before the loud-ass horns started to play along."
"Horns? What horns? All I heard was Winter's song," Windy interjected.
"I agree, there wasn't any horns playing from what little I could recall from the trance," Redbeard joined in.
"I know that there were horn's playing! Right Spooks?" A.T said sternly with a stomp of the hoof.
"Ja' there was horn's but only Winter, A.T and I heard it. The rest of you were singing to Winter's song, during which there was this light coming from the entrance...and it's still there," Spooks said pointing to the illuminating entryway to the altar.
"But how?" Daring said with a frown. "That shouldn't be possible with all the fog outside making it the 'Twilight Hour,' during the day."
"Well, let's go and find out what happened during my nap," Stephen said with an oblivious smile as he began to strut his way towards the entrance.
"Wait..!" Daring tried to say to stop the Faunus wolf from leaving, but it was too late. She let out a sigh as she wanted to be the one to go first into the great unknown and joined the group in utter disappointment.
"This is my new castle," Winter said as she walked out of the temple with everyone else. Outside of the altar was an endless expanse of color in all directions. Trees, grass flowers of all color; intricate statues of Pegasi, Gryphons and Dragons lined a stone road that looked brand new towards a bridge-like structure. The sky was clear from all the fog, which was an all around hindrance, but what replaced the mystery of said fog was thousands of flying islands ranging from; as small as a wagon to as big as a large town.
"What is this place?" A.T awed as a gentle breeze ruffled her mane. She walked over to one of the statues that were a grand depiction of a Pegasus mare in eloquent armor, standing tall wither her head held high.
"I don't know," Winter purred as she felt the magic in the air resonated with her in pure bliss as she looked around with her Air Sight, "but the magic around us is simply wonderful."
"I agree," Daring cooed as she flexed out her wings and was gently lifted up into a motionless glide. Spooks frowned at the two mares standing still in slight jealousy. She wanted to know what was so good about the cold, ocean air that curved around their bodies like a tight, silk, dress.
“Let’s go, birdies,” Spooks said with a smirk and tasted the air, “The air smells dangerous,” She muttered earning herself some raised eyebrows.
"Hmpf, spoil sport," Winter huffed as she walked down the cobblestone road towards the bridge-like structure while Daring fluttered upside down right behind her in a backstroke.
“Let’s go, Fawkes,” A.T said teasingly and followed the two pegasi towards the bridge-like structure, Spooks rolled her eyes and followed her with a small smile on her face.
The group walked up to two pillars that were something out of a picture of Olympus itself. The tall pillars marked the beginning of the bridge that leads towards a gothic, white tower, but the bridge was missing. Spooks saw no evidence that there even was a bridge in the first place as she looked down from the ledge to see what was below, and was surprised just like everyone else that they were over an endless expanse of black clouds that swirled and twisted in pure, malicious violence.
She could easily guess that the storm that was miles below must have been the storm that the young Empress flew them into, but how they came above it was a mystery, just like the Altar. With this in mind, she backed away and saw Daring looking at the same markings on the pillars that were on the Tablet in the Altar, and made note that jumping the ten-yard expanse towards the tower was not going to be possible, but would be possible for the two flying Pegasi of the group.
“Looks like it was designed only for fliers to get there,” Spooks said and looked around for any other way to cross or bridge the gap but couldn’t find any.
"You would be right, but from what I could piece together from the Draconian symbols on the pillars," Daring said knowingly as she trotted to the edge, "only from the leap into the lion's head, may prove their worth." After she said those words: She jumped ahead into nothing and landed on an invisible bridge, she turned around with a long exhale and gave everyone a witty smirk as she hovered over nothing.
Spooks's eyes widened in recognition as she took a step forward, chanting the words, 'I can cross it,' in her native tongue, and was rewarded with her foreleg met the solid ground of the invisible bridge.
"Well, that's interesting," A.T confirmed as she too took a step on the invisible bridge. "How is this possible?" she asked as everyone, but Stephen walked onto the bridge.
"Magic," was Winter's response as she beckoned Stephen to join them, but he shook his head.
"Of course, it is," Redbeard sighed before he turned to his partner in crime. "What's wrong Stephen? Afraid of heights?" he asked.
"N-N-No. I'm not scared!" Stephen objected. "I just don't trust magic!" Redbeard chuckled at the response and trotted over to the trembling wolf who looked like he was going to throw up as he meekly peered over the edge with his tail between his legs.
"Come on Flamehead. I'll hold your paw for 'ya," mocked. Steph turned at him with a slight growl before he was stopped and grabbed by the dark orange stallion.
"W-What are you...AHHHHHHHHH!" Stephen screamed like a little girl as he flew from the grip of Redbeard and landed next to Night Heart, and instantly clung to her, causing her to disappear in his death-hug.
"Oi! Get off of me Ma!" Windy said with a botched Scottish accent as she jumped on the Faunus wolf that was three times bigger than her in an attempt to free her mother, but it was futile. Daring, Nova, and A.T rolled their eyes at the same time and grabbed the three and dragged them to the white, marble tower, where once they were almost a few feet from the entrance, Steph bolted from them and began kissing the floor of the dusty tower with his tail wagging wildly.
The three that were pulling the Faunus and his two leeches blinked for a moment as Windy and Night recovered from being bowled over and nearly crushed by the pyromancer in a suit. Spooks knew that Windy wasn't happy with the dog touching her mother, but the irritated blush on Nights face said otherwise. Though, Spooks didn't dare make a comment about it in fear for her life and shrugged it off and walked into the tower with Winter and the giggling stallion.
Winter walked into the tower and passed the weeping Stephen that was kissing the floor while whispering sweet remarks about how he wasn't going to leave it again, and found a spiraling staircase. Out of curiosity and the need to get away from the fuming Lunar Unicorn mare, she disappeared down the stone stairs that were rather plain, and came up to a wooden door that was reinforced by iron bars in the shape of decorative wings.
"There you are!" Daring exclaimed from behind, causing Winter to jump slightly from her sudden presence. Winter turned around in irritation from being spooked in a tower that was near perfect in its abandon maintenance.
"Jesus! Don't scare me like that!" Winter shot back with a quick frown.
"Hehe, sorry. I'm just a little excited about this find!" she jumped as the group began to descend the stairs. "Like look at this!" Daring pointed to the door before opening it and revealed a large garden with more statues, several fountains of water, trees that bared fruit of the world, and off in the distance. Winter could see a large temple that was twice the size of Canterlot Castle, but in an old, Roman style that was fit for the Gods of Olympus, themselves.
"This shouldn't be possible!" Daring cheered as she leads Winter along the cobblestone road with gusto. "This place was supposed to be destroyed during the construction of Tartarus thousands of years ago. Alta was said to have sealed her temple in an endless storm that was forged from the souls of her twelve knights."
Daring went on as she spun around, as she viewed the thousands of flying islands that dot the skyline. Some of them looked like they had houses on them, while others looked like gardens that fed the missing populous.
"Of course, after the temple was sealed away, the local population had to abandon ship because the storm was said to have covered the entire archipelago, but this is not the case! Just think of all of the historical data we can uncover!" Daring cheered. "We can fill in all of the gaps in history about the war of the Titans and the lost history of Solaris and Lunaris before their demise! And—" She suddenly stopped where she stood, causing everyone to go on guard, but it was too late. One by one, everyone dropped where they stood while Daring fell asleep standing up.
Winter spun around in worry as she was the only one left awake in the party and saw a deer standing in front of several guards in golden armor. She blinked several times as she stumbled to grab her weapons as a dark gold deer with a bright yellow mane that wielded a staff with a glowing crystal as the spear point.
"Fuck...Me..." Winter said as she passed out with the betrayed eyes of innocent green ever glow, in her mind.
Spooks woke in a strange room that she did not recognize. In one corner of the room was a bed made of stone with Night Heart sleeping with her glasses still on. In another corner of the dark, stone, room was A.T sleeping on a bedroll with a look of content on her face, but that wasn't the strangest thing that she has woken up too. Through a set of open bars was a few of Celestia's Royal Guards clad in their golden armor. With them was a deer talking to the young Empress about something that she missed while she was asleep. Though, there was a leech nibbling her special spot that she enjoyed immensely in the mornings. It was one of the few perks of being used as a body pillow: You wake up with free nibbles and warm cuddles.
'Windy cuddles are best cuddles.'
"Did I miss something?" Spooks asked herself as she stood up lazily, causing her Lunar leech to frown as her body pillow was on the run.
"Yeah, you guys missed a lot," A.T replied. Spooks jumped like a cat at the sudden volume coming from out of nowhere and landing on Night Heart beside her.
"I knew that you were light but not so much that you need more food in your life," Night said with a raised brow as Spooks slid off of her body with a sheepish smile. "And how does my daughter like such a skinny mare?"
"She is easy to pin to the bed," Windy yawned as A.T helped her up from her bedroll. "And use her as a body pillow."
"Don't ask," A.T chimed in.
"I wasn't going too," Night joined as the pair of them left the cell and joined the others to get a rundown of what they missed while they were asleep.
"We missed something while we were asleep, we should join them too," Windy said as she planted a loving kiss on Spooks' cheek. Spooks gave a quick nod as her tongue flicked out as she smiled from the warmth of her heat-bag, and joined the others in the center of the room.
“So, what did we miss?” Spooks asked and then gestured towards the royal guards, “Also what’s up with the mungos over here?”
"A revelation about how our two guests, Redbeard, and Stephen showed up. How Nova got her blade and the story behind how she joined the Shadow Guard. How Ahuizotl is held up in a ballista battery with his goons, preventing all of us from getting to the main temple, and how the Royal Guard and we are in a temporary truce at the moment. Ya' know? Just the usual crap of the day," Winter drawled through a yawn. "And as for the guards? You are going to have to wait for Flash Sentry to show up."
“Huh, reminds me of how I once destroyed the moon,” Spooks muttered quietly, ”And who exactly is this guy?”
"Who is who?" spoke a new voice that came into the room.
Spooks and company turned around and watched an orange stallion with a two-toned blue mane and steel blue eyes with a stern but curious—If slightly dumb—Look on his face. His armor clattered with each step he took towards the group, making him sound more intimidating than his boyish posture would like most to believe. Spooks tail twitched uncomfortably, and she had the sneaking suspicion that she wasn't going to like him. Greatly. And just by only looking around her she could say that she wasn’t the only one.
"Sir!" Evelyn and the three other guards saluted as they lined up in front of the stallion that walked in. He saluted back and pointed at all of the ponies ready to pulled out their recently reacquired weapons.
"What are they doing out?" he asked with slight venom in his tone. Spooks tail twitched again from the new ire in the air while watching Winters dragon claws activate for a gun fight.
"Sir," Evelyn answered, "The bars were inadequate in size to hold the Black Queen in her cell. Once out, she freed her friends, who threw Silver Spear and Bronze Sword and me in an empty cell, Captain."
"How was that possible? And how are you out now?" he inquired.
"They wish to help us gain entrance to the temple, and they know how to use the key."
'So that's what they were up to,' Spooks thought as she felt the rage from the new pony dissipate by a small notch.
"That does not give you the authority to make such a decision, Sergent. So care to tell me if they can be trusted. Especially her," he seethed towards the glaring Empress.
"Because she could have killed us all within a second of her regaining consciousness," Evelyn gulped as the glare from her Captain was starting to overwhelm her. "That, and these prisons are only meant for ponies that can't fly."
"I see," he stifled a growl at the premonition that his life was on the line since Winter woke up from her nap. Though, from the smoke that was billowing out of his ears, from what Spooks could tell. He was contemplating an agreement that went through from behind his back.
'But what did Winter and Evelyn talk about?' Spooks bit her lip with that thought.
"Tsk, fine. We will work together to get into the Temple, but once we are done here. You are all going back to Canterlot in chains. Agreed?"
"Agreed," Winter replied for everyone as she sheathed her claws. "So what do we call you, Captain?"
"I'm Flash Sentry, of the Crystal Empire Imperial Guard."
"Kay' just don't get in our way."
Winter walked down the dark halls of a fort that was utterly haunting. She felt uneasy was an understatement as she passed things that looked brand new. The metal bars that were made to protect and prevent anyone and anything from entering and escaping the fort. The air was pure as the aquifer that sat in the center of the fort. Not a spec of dust could be found, not even in areas where it would be impossible to clean. To Winter, the fort was immaculate. Dark and creepy, but perfect for its maintenance.
At her right was Spooks, the Night Stalker that placed her on this adventure. To her left was Daring, her grandmother that was recently freed from Celestia's grasp. Both of them confused her to a degree. Daring, however, was almost an exact copy of Spitfire to the point that it was almost scary. Spooks just freaked her out for being a seventy-year-old fart in a mare's body that lets her mare-friend forcefully place piercings on her body. Not even she would let Summer do that! Five earrings on her ear were enough for her.
Though, to her Winter, was an enigma. Spooks knew that she was far older than what her body suggests. The amount of intelligence she has was as baffling as her skills with a weapon, but that could be just her cutie mark doing that talking.
However, Spooks knew that she was tired, and she understood where it was coming from, and she hid it quite well. She didn't show her faults. She didn't show an inch of weakness. Even as she walked up the stairs towards the Roman-style courtyard, she forced herself to have this air of perfect leadership, even though it was weighing her spirit down and turning it to dust.
'But why would she place herself so high? Doesn't she know that people will hate her for being a Mary Sue?' Spooks thought as the warmth of the sun touched her scales. 'From what I learned of Celestia, she was the same in the beginning, but she doesn't want that. So what is she planning?'
Spooks had to put the thought aside as they walked past a majestic fountain with a mare scantily clad with water flowing down her body in place of her mane into the white marble basin as Flash Sentry barked a few orders to his platoon concerning the mission that they were being forced to do.
"Alright—" *Boom!* Went the sound of a gun powdered canon off in the distance as a small airship flew over the courtyard. Then, within a few seconds after the initial sound of the canon, the port side of the airship exploded into a million pieces of wood, metal and body parts.
"Get down!" shouted one of the guards that were stationed on the western wall of the fort, but before anyone could react. The airship collided into the wall like a paper ball to a mountain. The ship smashed, flattened out, and slid down the wall in almost a comic fashion. The guards on the wall popped out their heads while a few Pegasi began to extinguish the fire from the remains of the ship.
"Damn it! That was our last Speeder! Sergent, take out those mercenaries before we lose our last ship, and I don't plan on swimming," shouted Flash Sentry as he flew up into the air to help the other Pegasi.
"Yes, Sir!" shouted Evelyn as Flash flew over the protection of the wall, just as Spooks heard the loud "Twang," of a very large box.
Flash Sentry turned around to frown at the Doe for still staring at him and, just as he was about to bark some more orders, he disappeared for a moment. Only to reappear on the east wall with a small tree replacing his chest and half of his face.
"Captain!" Evelyn shouted as a few more ballista bolts rained into the courtyard, destroying everything in sight wherever they land. Spooks ducked with Winter against the wall where the bolts were coming from while narrowly avoiding a few that impaled a few of the guards as she ran.
"Damn it!" Evelyn shouted again as another barrage fell from above. Spooks saw the statue in the center of the courtyard. "Where the hell did they get the ballistas!"
"We don't know, but if we don't take them out soon. Our mission here will be for naught!" shouted one of the guards from the other side.
Winter frowned at this motion as the only ship that was still usable in Evelyn hooves was being kept in the dock at the other side of the fort, and all of the three-meter bolts were starting to get too close to the airship. Winter turned to her right while pulling her guitar off of her back. The sound of cracking stone and the twangs of distant bows being fired was the only indication that it was safe to move.
"Spooks, Windy, Night, and A.T, you guys move down the right and flank them from the bridge down bellow. Winter, Nova, Redbeard, Stephen and I will take the head on, and...What's with the guitar?" Evelyn asked as Winter set her guitar on, "MEGADEATH AFTER PARTY," that was indicated by all of the nobs on the body.
"You'll find out," Winter replied with a dark smile. "So any words for the fallen?"
"Stick around," Spooks said in a horrific Scandinavian accent, causing a slight chuckle out of the group.
“Was that pun really necessary?” A.T. asked as we moved down towards the bridge.
“Yes,” I replied without missing a beat.
We stopped at the beginning of the bridge and ducked down behind the stone guardrail to catch our breaths.
“Alright,” I said, “A.T. and I will go first, taking out the bulk of them, and then Night and Windy will take care of any strugglers. Now, any questions?” Windy´s hoof rose into the air.
“Yes, Windy?” I asked my marefriend.
“Do we have to, you know, kill them?” She asked sounding quite nervous of killing other living being.
“No, you can just knock them out, okay?” I replied softly.
“Okay,” She said sounding less nervous.
“Good,” I said while giving Windy an encouraging smile, “Now, let's go!”
We quickly moved across the bridge to flank the army of mercenaries between us and the temple before commencing with our plan.
“Gentlemen,” I said in a French accent catching the attention of the mercenaries nearest to us.
There was a moment of silence as the mercenaries stared at me standing on my hind legs with my forelegs hanging freely on my sides with Safe Twins held firmly in them.
The silence was broken with a shout of “Kill them!” and the mercenaries started shooting at me causing me to jump behind a fountain for cover.
“Now!” I shouted from my cover and was rewarded with the loud report of Cue.
The shot was enough of a distraction for me to peak from behind my cover and open fire into the crowd of mercenaries causing widespread chaos throughout the ranks of the mercs as they didn't know what target to focus on first.
I ducked back behind the fountain when the Safe Twins clicked empty to reload but before I could release the slides I was pulled out from my cover by my tail before being swung into the air and slammed against the ground, knocking the wind out of me.
As I laid on my back gasping for air the figure of a humongous Diamond Dog loomed over with one of its paws pinning me down to the ground.
“There is no escape, snakey!” The Diamond Dog said as I struggled to get out from underneath its giant paw pinning me to the ground.
“Hey! Big and ugly!” Windy's voice shouted from my right making the Diamond Dog turn its head towards her, “Let her go!” She shouted before the sound galloping hooves was heard.
With a resounding *Bang!* a frying pan collided with the Diamond Dog's right side of its head making it collapse onto its side thus freeing me from underneath its paw.
“Are you alright?” Windy asked me with a frying pan held in her magic. How she got the frying pan is beyond me.
“Yeah,” I said as I slowly stood up making Windy sigh in relief before smacking me upside the head with the frying pan, “Ow! What was that for?!”
“That was for making a plan this stupid and actually coming through with it!” Windy replied with an angry look on her face making my ears press down against my head in shame.
“Sorry....” I said to her with an ashamed look on my face causing her to sigh.
“It's alright but do something stupid like this again and I am going to do something much worse than smacking you with a frying pan!” Windy said while giving me the stink-eye making me nod rapidly in agreement.
After this little incident I returned my attention back to the mercenaries that were...... patiently waiting for us?
I shook my head in disbelief before saying, “Alright, we're done.” Causing the mercs to come back to life.
Slowly we fought our way through the mercenaries towards the temple and after about half a hour of continuous fighting we reached our destination.
We walked up to the door leading into the temple and walked inside. The air inside the temple was dusty and stale and I could feel dust sticking to my hooves as we walked upwards the end of the stairs where another door stood.
“Come on, the Empress and her group should be right up these stairs,” I said and hastened my step.
After a short while we arrived at the door and walked through them revealing a corridor and what appeared to be one Winter's Desert Eagles laying on the ground to which I promptly walked up and put it inside my left saddlebag.
My tongue flicked out and I tested the air catching Winter's scent leading right from our current position.
“This way,” I said and started running down the corridor towards where the Empress is.
As we got closer to where the Empress is I could hear but couldn´t understand what an unknown male voice speaking and Daring Do's voice giving a quick retort back followed by an evil sounding cackle.
I poured more speed into my running and soon we reached the room that was the source of the talking.
Inside the room stood Daring Do with Winter fast asleep on her back with the rest of Winter's party stood around them and a strange creature, that I presumed was Ahuizotl, that was laughing standing in front of them.
“Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker!" I shouted after shooting Ahuizotl into the chest.
“That's..... impossible,” Ahuizotl said as he looked at his hole ridden chest before looking at me one last time as I fired a round that hit him into his right eye sending him tumbling down from the tower.
I gave Winter's group a wide smile as they stared at me blankly before asking, “Where's the vodka?”
Winter woke up to the sound of soft humming coming from her left side. She shifted slightly to get a feel of her body and was happy to know that she was as stiff as a piece of erect, hard, wood. Not even the warm blanket that was covering her helped with her soreness. If anything, it just made her more inclined to snuggle deeper into the soft cotton, never again to return to deal with current problems that were aptly named, life.
She opened her eyes, wondering where she was. The first thing she saw was a Night Stalker sitting in a very uncomfortable position that no pony would like to find themselves in but, she knew that Spooks was far from normal. In her hooves, Winter noticed through her bleary vision that Spooks was cleaning one of her guns, but she couldn't say which. She rubbed her eyes clear of the gunk that formed during dream time and sat up next to Daring, who was laying right beside her fast asleep.
"Hey," Spooks quietly said without looking away from her work. Winter looked around in a daze, learning that she was in a small barracks that had a large fire pit in the center to keep everyone warm. Most of the group was resting in the many beds that surround the fire pit against the wall. She was laying down on a blanket next to Daring Do and underneath her wing, that was keeping her warm.
"What time is it?" Winter asked with a weak groan as she placed Daring's wings back at her side, causing the older mare to frown and grumble at the touch.
"Around midnight," Spooks calmly replied. "You've been out for a while now. Oh, and here. Found this in the tower on the way up," she said before handing Winter her Desert Eagle that had Ash etched in with the azure-blue markings along the barrel.
Winter took her gun and holstered it back under her jacket, slightly afraid that her best friend was, almost, lost to the burning tower. She looked over to Daring with a curious look, wondering why she carried her the rest of the way. This silence of thought was broken by the Night Stalker.
"So, who were you before you came here?" Spooks asked, breaking the silence in the room. Winter froze, pursing her lips in response, causing Spooks to sigh and set down her gun and cleaning tools before looking up at her with soft eyes.
"Look, if you don't want to talk about it, I'll understand. There are some parts in my life that I'd rather forget also," Spooks said with a sad look in her eyes, shaking her head. "You know what? What if we tell each other parts of our past?"
"Alright, but you first," Winter replied reluctantly.
"Okay—" Spooks said before adopting a thought filled expression for a long while. "—It was the year of 1965, I joined the Spetsnaz, the Vympel unit to be exact. My first mission with my squad was a month later after I finished my training and joined up. From what I can remember, it was a hostage rescue mission, but it went south real fast." Spooks said with a nostalgic smile.
"As luck would have it, the person that we were sent to save was fraudulent. My squad and I were ambushed at the pick-up where the target was supposed to be according to our Intel, however. There was this crazy group that called themselves, 'The Pink Bears.' These motherfuckers were bearded guys with pink beards," Spooks giggled in reverence that Winter thought sounded ridiculous, which it was.
"So here we were, having a firefight with a bunch of half-naked guys when suddenly, Vladimir, our squad leader, started laughing. We, of course, joined in, that is until I was shot in the chest with a gun that one of the pink bearded guys was hiding, and I still have the scar to prove it too," she boasted with a pat of her chest. "Anyways, the stand-off ended after I was shot, ending my first mission with the Spetsnaz. I know it sounded weird, but it really happened," Spooks finished with a chuckle. "Now, I believe it's your turn."
"I was, in a sense, without a home. I left the nest when I was sixteen and began to travel all of North America. Why I left, well, the bitch that gave birth to me was completely insane. I-I couldn't stay. If I did, I would have been tortured by her for the rest of my life, but, of course. My luck with finding pain wherever I go always sends me the worst, and she showed up with my psychopathic sisters as well. My left wing is proof of that," she sighed solemnly and flexed the biggest scar on her body, showing Spooks what Teresa did to her.
"Anywho. After I left the nest. I began traveling around the countryside. I ended up in Toronto, where I met this guy who taught me how to play the guitar. It was also there that I bought a silenced 9mm and a Desert Eagle, which my guys in R&D replicated quite perfectly from memory alone," she paused for a moment, remembering something that she wasn't proud of doing.
"I had to use them a few times. In self-defense of course. The first person that I killed was a crazy fuck that tried to rob me while I slept underneath a bridge. I never got caught because my guns were untraceable and bleach was my friend for removing all evidence that I left behind. The Russian Mafia got word that I killed a few of their trouble makers and offered me a job to be a hitman. The same offer was given to me by the Colombian Drug Cartel, but I declined both of them, even though I could have made hundreds of thousands of dollars offing people that they didn't like. I remember that I woke up in Equestria after I declined the Russians offer, but that isn't important now."
"Here," Spooks said and extended her right foreleg and brushed through the fur, showing warped skin underneath it. "Ten years later and several successful missions later. We recovered an anonymous tip about a spy from the U.S," Spooks started again. "It was a different time back then and when we got a tip about something like what we found. The KGB always went a little insane about it."
"They sent my and two other squads to capture the agent, but when we arrived at the place where he was supposed to be, it went south as The Pink Beards, but far worse," she growled at the memory. "We got separated. Some of the guys didn't make it. I was the first to arrive at the destination and found the agent waiting for me," her face darkened further.
"He did this fucked up evil villain monolog before I was knocked out, and when I came to, well. the agent tortured me for about a week, even dipped my right arm in acid. That happened before I was saved by the rest of my squad, after which I killed the bastard. May he rest in hell next to Hitler," Spooks finished with weak, but fond smile. "Though, I didn't have it as bad as you. Windy told me that what I went through was a field trip compared to being de-winged, but you get the idea. Your turn again."
"Well, I don't have much else to say really. All I did was move from town to town, playing music and shooting the odd gangster that wanted to pick a fight with me. Though there was the Twin Incident, but that is something that I'm taking to the grave," Winter responded with a chuckle.
“Sounds like fun,” Spooks said with a smirk. "Also, what happened to your horns and eye mark? They aren't there anymore," Spooks asked.
"It's the reason I'm into watersports," she shuddered with a slight flutter of her wings. "And I had a chat with Luna while I was out. She got rid of them now that the effect they had has worn off."
"Huh, well that's nice, but this 'Twin Incident,' thing, I must know what happened," Spooks said with interest.
"Not going to happen unless you let two Violets have their way with you for five days straight, and trust me when I say this. You won't want to leave, ever, after they have their fun with you," she shot back.
“If they let Windy join in I may go through with this,” Spooks answered with a dreamy look.
Winter stared at her like she was insane, which she knew she was before talking again. "There is a brothel called, Eternal Desire, in the main shopping district in Silent Hill. There is an option called, Insanity, which lasts for seven days, and costs a lot. Many of the Pornstars that fled Equestria in the collapse of the free media love this option because at the end if you survive. You get free sexy-times in any brothel in Arcadia with a complimentary cleaning and sensitivity rework once a week. Beat the twelve changelings that made the Pony Sutra and maybe, just maybe. I will tell you about the Twin Incident."
“Challenge accepted,” Spooks said without thinking.
"You are insane," Winter said bluntly. "But I hope you enjoy fifty-inch long dildos."
“Meh, I took in bigger,” Spooks answered with a shrug, “One of the benefits of having a Unicorn as a mare-friend, is that you can get real stretchy.”
"Oh shut up and fuck already! Some of us are trying to sleep!" Redbeard shouted from his being in pure irritation of the noise coming from the fire pit.
“Отвали!” Spooks hissed back.
"Я хотел бы, но я не трахаться палочки!" Redbeard yelled back.
“Даже палочки трахаться лучше, чем ты!” Spooks quickly shot back.
"Tell that to Nirvana. That bitch will break you in ten seconds," Redbeard shot back again.
"Hey! She is my favorite Pornstar, and she was the one that wrote the Pegasus Sutra. How do you know about her?" Winter asked with some cheer back in her voice.
"I'm her regular that she can't break, and she is my prime informant, also the reason why I'm still single," Redbeard boasted.
“Mind telling me more about her methods?” Windy suddenly asked with her voice filled with curiosity.
"She drinks a vial that most Violets can make when they are charged up with Lust. Basically, what it does is make you exploded for seven hours straight with a single kiss, and why am I tell ya'll this? I should be asleep," Redbeard grumbled.
“Interesting,” Windy said and threw Spooks an evil look, causing the Night Stalker to hide behind Winter in fright of what her kinky mare-friend might do to her in the future.
“I need an adult,” Spooks squeaked out from her hiding spot.
“I am an adult,” Windy purred causing Spooks to whimper.
"Don't use me as a meat shield! I have it just as bad with Summer, however. That vial can only be used by the one that made it. So you should be safe, but what I want to know is if you can hook me up with Nirvana so she can sign my posters of her," Winter asked Redbeard.
"Not unless you get your ass to sleep," he replied.
"If all of you don't shut up, I will murder you all," Night Heart growled with ice in her voice, causing everyone to freeze in fear for their lives.
“We should go to sleep,” Spooks whispered very quietly.
"Agreed," Winter whispered back.
The following morning, Spooks woke up like usual and tried to stretch the soreness out of her body from yesterday's events of battle and explosions, however. The word 'tried' was the key word as she quickly learned that there were thing's preventing her from advanced movement. Spooks shot awake that there something was wrong with her flexible body, feeling cold metal around her hooves. The first thing that she saw was muzzle and a large group of guards with their weapons drawn and pointed at them.
Looking around her surroundings, she saw that everyone else was in the same situation as her. Everyone was awake and in chains with guards keeping them in a circle in the room that they were giving to rest, but she noticed that she was the only one with a muzzle on her face, preventing her from using her fangs to kill the bastard that tied up her mare.
"Mmm?" Spooks hummed a question.
"Oh, look! The freak is awake," one of the guards sneered, causing Spooks to shoot a hate filled death-glare back at him. "Hey, I think I've hurt its feelings," the guard continued to taunt.
"Hey! No one calls my mare-friend a freak!" Windy shouted in anger.
"And what are you going to do about that, huh? Whine us to death?" the guard laughed again, earning himself some laughs from his peers.
Winter watched in disgust as the guards laughed at Windy and Spooks. Such mockery as humorless and appalling from the guards just showed how low Celestia's soldiers had fallen into the ranks of the honorless. She looked over to Spooks to see if she was holding it together, and raised a curious brow as Spooks wriggled her way over to her.
"Ptss, Empress Rose? I have a detonator ready to go," Spooks whispered into Winter's ears. Winter frowned at this, knowing that fighting wasn't going to be viable in their current situation. She knew that if they started to fight their way out, the chances of leaving the flying archipelago would become nonexistent.
"No," She whispered back. "We need to play this safe. Let them kill themselves in the Temple, don't waste your ammo."
Winter heard Spooks hiss that she had to put her toys away and the quiet 'Click,' of the detonator being turned off. The Night Stalker moved away from Winter for a moment, causing some to look at the two of them with worried eyes. Winter noted this detail as Evelyn walked into the room in a set of gold and green armor that matched her form perfectly in a strong, seductive way.
She looked around the room as the ponies she asked for help was lifted up in their chains. The venom in the air was not directed to her, however, but to her guards. Her eyes wandered to the filly that could easily kill everyone in the room without a second thought now that she was well rested and ready to go.
Standing next to the legend herself, Daring Do, was a calm, passive filly, but something was different. Her horns that told everything that she was a Human, as well as her eye mark was gone. She instantly knew that it was removed with the help of Magic. That thought alone was enough to tell her that there was someone watching them from the shadows within the background. Her fear of the filly grew to a pure terror of what the Black Queen was capable of, even though she was chained with Magic suppressors.
She put those fears aside for the moment. Worry about what was going through the Black Queen's head was not going to help her deal with the trails of the Temple. She turned to the pony that had a douchey smirk plastered on his face and spoke in a clear, stern tone. "Are the prisoners ready to go?"
"Yeah, they are ready, or better be if they want to live," the guard chuckled, causing the venom in the room to concentrate on the guard that spoke.
"Don't antagonize them, just get them going to the entrance and make sure the Black Queen is healthy. She is the only one here that knows how to use the key and bring their weapons. We don't know what's in the Temple," Evelyn ordered.
"Yes, Ma'am," the guard saluted, signaling the rest to march to the temple's entrance.
Spooks quietly followed behind the fuming mare that she didn't get to cuddle with last night, making note of where all the guards were stationed in the halls of the fort. As she looked where all the guards were hiding in wait for a potential attack, she probed where her bombs would be most effective in the case of a battle were to happen, but she found it rather difficult to find any weak points in the immaculate stonework.
"What are you looking at?" one of the guards growled as they passed the main gates into the inner sanctum of the fort. Spooks stuck her forked tongue out at the rude guard and continued following the line into the morning sunlight of the courtyard.
The smell of fire, blood and morning dew filled Spooks senses as she tasted the air. To her right as she walked was a line of white blankets covering the dead near the wall where Flash Sentry was nailed. His blood stain painted a gruesome mark on the wall where he didn't follow the number one rule of war: Watch your six. To the left, however, sat a ship that was being loaded with food and other supplies.
'Our trip out of here,' Spooks thought as the group stopped in front of the main gates that had a strange circular mark in front of the doors.
"Open the gates!" shouted Evelyn at the front of the pack, causing Winter to smile as the pure carnage that covered the bridge came into view for everyone.
Spooks's jaw hung open as the sight of hundreds of dead, charred, and outright vaporized Ponies, Diamond Dogs, Zebras, stained the bridge in blood, guts, and missing limbs. Many of the guards were hesitant to venture into the gore, but when the call to move forward was issued, they swallowed their lunch and covered their nose to dampen the stench of death.
Winter walked with a skip in her step for the art that she made that painted the bridge. The guards that thought they had absolute control turned green as they passed a zebra that had half of his body turned into mush. The sounds of splashing blood helped the weak guards loose their last meals as the came up to the ashes where a ship used to be. Two unicorn guards used their telekinesis to clear a path.
"What did this?" one of the guards asked, to Evelyn's horror.
Winter couldn't help but chuckle at the question and responded with a dark smile. "Jormungand's training did this." This answer caused all of the guards to immediately look away from the filly, knowing now of the threat that they held in chains.
"Heh, who's that. Some sort of gay super soldier?" the guard that made fun of Windy snarked, causing everyone to freeze in horror at the end of the bridge.
"Sergent, don't make fun of the strongest dragon in the world that gave birth to the Warden: The Guardian of Tartarus," Evelyn growled. "Or else you will die for dishonoring the name of the one that protected the creation of that demon-filled prison. Keep moving," Evelyn ordered, shutting up the Sergeant and anyone else that had any further comments.
Spooks came up to a large, sapphire, glowing, stone door with the guards. They spread out around the many white, Roman pillars that lined the flat stone walkway along with green grass and hundreds of flowers. Beyond the pillars to the right and left was a large wall that was beyond her words of beauty from the intricate carvings and artwork that decorated the walls.
"Ooh! Shiny," the Sergeant said, looking around the entryway with a smug grin, earning himself annoyed looks from his fellow peers.
"Is that the door we need to unlock?" Spooks asked, ignoring the Sergeant as he pranced around the sapphire door like it was the coolest thing in the world.
"Unfortunately, yes," Evelyn replied, looking at the door herself before pulling out the ocarina, wondering how it was supposed to open the door.
"So, how do we go about unlocking the door? Do we play another song or something?" Spooks continued questioning.
"Yes, but it could take days or even weeks to figure out the song. All we know is that it's called: The Song of Time, made by the Knight of Courage to seal off the entire temple with these Sapphire doors," Evelyn replied while she studied the markings on the door.
"So, does anyone know the song?" Spooks threw into the air.
Winter rolled her eyes and walked up to the plate, grabbing the ocarina from Evelyn with her mouth and sat in front of the door, causing a few strange look from the guards and her group. Spooks watched the filly take a few practice breaths before lifting up the sapphire instrument up to her lips with her chained hooves.
Then, just like back at the Altar, the second she played the first note, runes appeared on the door while all the ponies that weren't human went into a trance. Spooks used this opportunity to get rid of one of the guards while Winter played the song that held so much power, the air around her shook the ground like thunder.
Spooks took this opportunity to take out a guard that would cause them problems in the future. With a quick a twist of her hooves, she snapped the neck of the Sergeant that was insulting her earlier. His body dropped to the ground in front of the door with a hard *Thud!* Before she returned to her original spot while watching A.T grab the keys for their shackles from one of the other guards, and waited for the song to end.
Winter watched the sapphire door part down the middle, and open, revealing something truly haunting, while everyone behind her freaked out about the Sergeant's sudden death. She stood before thousands of dead, corpses that looked like they were trying to claw their way out of the Temple until their hooves became nothing but stubs. Some of the bodies looked like they were eaten by their peers out of desperation, judging from the closest teeth marks on some of their bones. What's worse was the river of blood that dried and stained the floor where it looked like foals were drowned in the center of the circular foyer of the dark temple.
"What the fuck," were the only words that escaped her frightened lips.
“Господи,” Spooks gasped out at the sight of the corpses before muttering out a short prayer. The sight of hundreds possibly thousands that died trying to run from the horrors that may still lurk within the opened tomb made her uneasy to the point of not wanting to find out what killed the bodies and skeletons before her.
"Well, we know now what happened to everyone, but what did this?" Redbeard sighed as he took a swig from his flask.
“A lot of things could have done this and pony is amongst them,” Spooks said in an emotionless voice while looking around the room, “A better question is: Why?”
“A sacrifice, maybe,” A.T. said as she entered the room herself.
"Unlikely, you can tell from the hysteria of their collective efforts for freedom. Also, from what little there is about Alta, she wasn't the kind of pony to sacrifice her followers. You can tell since all the bodies are avian, however. Let's not leave out the possibility of a hidden force that did this to them," Daring choked out, slightly sick to her stomach from the overwhelming stench that flowed out from the door. She walked ahead onto the breach, knowing that this tomb might be her last to explore.
"Spirits protect us," Evelyn whispered from behind, following right behind A.T with the rest of the terrified guard.
‘Not even the spirits can protect us now,’ Spooks thought with a nervous rattle of her tail.
The group proceeded further into the temple, the smell of death in the air grew stronger with every step that they took. Wherever Winter looked, bodies of all sizes lined the walls, floors stairs of the near perfect dark tomb. Blood stains, bone dust even shredded skin and fur coated the walls and floors.
Her skin crawled at the sight of so much death and destruction as she walked deeper into the catacombs that vaguely reminded her of The Forbidden lands. To her, as well as Daring can see the lost beauty that was darkened by a lost past. The walls held stories of graduate, carved in a style that intermingled with the Celtic and Roman art styles. The amount of detail that went into every crevice, nook and cranny would be as stunning as the land outside of the ginormous Temple if it weren't for not all of the tormented life that was sealed within.
Winter watched Evelyn lead the charge with her staff providing light to see in the darkness, much to everyone's displeasure. She, like everyone else was absolutely terrified of meeting the monster that killed so many. Sweat beaded down her brow as she subconsciously tried to avoid stepping in places that weren't painted red, but it was nigh impossible. No matter where she stepped, it was impossible to dodge the horror that painted the innards of the Temple.
"So many dead," Night Heart whispered in a depressing tone of voice, clarifying to the others of a fact that they already knew as the walked down a narrow hallway. They took a break to gather their bearings while three guards walked ahead to see how long the hallway went.
Daring looked around while drinking from the canteen that Evelyn handed her, marveling at the architecture that went into the Temple, as well as pray small prayers for all those that lost their lives in this Catacombs without amore. Her eyes traced at the linework, curious of the past and how they built and worked in such a high environment. As she scoured the walls, she stopped at something strange. One of the lines were out of place in accordance with the rest of the patterns that flowed like the wind around them.
The line was straight, vertical and circled the entire hallway. She frowned at this discord in the natural pattern, just as the three guards walked over the anomaly. There was a sudden creaking that caught Daring’s ear, followed by a *Whoosh!* Daring's eyes shot open, realizing that it was a booby trap marker, but before she could tell them to run. A giant axe-pendulum swung out from within the line in a blink of an eye, spattering the blood of the three guards on the adjacent wall as they fell into two pieces onto the ground, revealing that many more deaths are yet to come.
"Damn it!" one of the guards hissed before he ran ahead to check for any more surprises.
"Watch out!" Daring shouted as she found several more lines of death on the walls, and the guard that ran ahead was heading straight for one, but it was too late. There was another *Whoosh!* Followed by another pendulum coming out of the walls, decapitating the guard and sending his body crashing forward towards his fallen comrades.
The rest of the group stood there, motionless. All but a few were too shocked to move. Daring took this chance to go ahead to disable the trap before anyone else died from their lack of perception that she gained from traversing tombs such as the one that she was in now. She flew ahead, dodging several moving deathtraps with ease, even though she was chained, but not hindered in the slightest. One of the perks of being captured so many times was the ability to practice and learn how to break out of places where a mare doesn't belong.
She came up to fork in the road and turned to the left. Following the pattern in the wall, her eyes stopped on an out of place brick in the wall. Figuring that it was a secret button of some kind, she trotted up to it and pushed it into the wall and was quickly rewarded with loud banging that told her that the trap was disarmed. She rejoined the group with a smile, but not everyone was happy to see her return.
"Enough!" Evelyn shouted, cutting off the guard. "No fighting, from either of you. It's bad enough that we lost a few already without checking to see if the place has any traps left working. Daring, take the lead. The main chamber should be just a few more minutes of walking."
"Yes, Captain," the guard growled before sending a death glare at the chained Pegasus that cleared the way. Daring returned it by sticking her tongue out at the guard before the group continued down the path, now more wary of any more traps along the way.
The group walked in silence. The only sounds made were the "clanking" and "clinking" of the guards armor stomping on the cold, hard stone. Daring lead the charge with Evelyn right behind her with her spear pointed at the adventurous Pegasus as an incentive to keep an eye out for traps that would take any more lives. Daring didn't like how she and the others were being treated, but she kept quiet, knowing that her bonds would be taken off once the guards numbers shrank from the thousands of traps that littered the cursed Temple.
She kept leading the group down the halls, making sure to keep the guards and her group from dying by the traps. Daring stopped at another fork in the road with one way being blocked by rubble. The only option was the other way that looked like it opened up to another foyer of the vast Temple. Before they began walking down the path, one of the guards pointed something out on the wall with a trembling hoof. With the light coming from Evelyn's staff, the word "BEWARE!" was clearly reviled on the wall, painted in blood.
"Beware? Beware of what?" Spooks thought out loud with a frown with her tail quietly rattling in worry. Her eyes instantly began tracing the walls along with everyone else, searching for another trap that could potentially kill off more of their numbers.
Her question was quickly answered as a few of the guards broke off from the group to look down the hall that they came from activated another trap, but no one could react in time as all six of them fell into the floor, down an invisible hole. Their screams echoed throughout the halls for a few seconds before a sickening, *Splat!* Ended their cries before the floor returned to a solid state.
"I-I vote the prisoners to go first," one of the guards gulped in fear for her life with many of the other guards nodding in approval. Daring rolled her eyes and continued leading the group down the new hall, muttering, "Moronic amateurs," as her trained eyes surveyed the area for more invisible holes in the ground.
Daring kept leading the group down, hall after hall, making sure no more lives were wasted on stupidity. As they walked, there was a unanimous thought process that plagued everyone. This was noticed by Winter and Daring, who both knew that over focusing on nothing would lead to mistakes in judgment, thus, Winter thought of a song.
"I am the mare that arranges the blocks that descend upon me from up above," Winter hummed as she walked behind Daring. The guards instantly grew annoyed of the song while a smirk grew on Spooks's face and began rattling her tail to the rhythm of the song.
"They come down, and I spin them around, so they fit in the ground, like hoof in glove," Winter continued to hum in enjoyment as the guards irritation continue to grow. And to add even more insult to injury, A.T started to tap her hoof along with the song. "Long live, Winter. Kill the Czar. We salute the Moon and Star!"
This break of silence was too much for one of the guards as he stomped ahead of the group down a narrow corridor before he stopped dead in his tracks. Winter stopped her song as Daring stopped the rest of the group with a flick of the hoof just outside the entrance of the narrow passage that the guard stomped down. Many of the other guards frowned in confusion as one walked up with a concerned look on his face.
"Hey? Brick? Are you alright dude?" the guard asked with worry as he walked up to the one known as 'Brick,' stopping right beside him before tapping his shoulder. When Brick didn't answer right away, the guard that walked up to him tapped his shoulder again, this time with more force. This caused Brick to fall apart into thousands of small cubes right before the guard that went to check up on Brick, also met the same fate.
"Let's not go down that way," Daring gulped, before guiding the group down a different route. And as if some sort of sadistic being was watching them as they left. One of the cubes triggered another trap. Spooks heard two *Twangs!* echo out from behind them before two arrows flew out of the walls, both of them heading towards Spooks.
The first one, luckily enough, just glanced off the hardened scales on her back but the other one...“My ass!” Spooks cried out as the arrow hit her into her right flank, just above her cutie mark, causing her to stumble for a bit before finding her balance.
Daring looked back at the loud mare in irritation for shouting and saw an arrow sticking in her rump. Daring quickly made the connection that another trap was triggered. “Run!” She shouted, just as a volley of arrows began shooting out from the walls around them.
The group ran ahead towards an open corridor, leaving Spooks limping behind. She hissed as she pushed forward as the arrow dug into her flank as arrows whizzed by her entire body as she watched the group disappear into safety.
‘This is how I die,’ Spooks thought solemnly before she tripped on a crack in the floor.
“Ah fuck me,” she groaned from the fall as she tried to get back up, but the arrow in her flank and the one's fire around her made it quite difficult.
“We can later, Skittles,” Windy said as she picked up Spooks, much to her surprise
“Heh, my hero,” Spooks sighed happily as Windy safely brought her to the rest of the group that was waiting for them in another foyer laced with hundreds of dead skeletons.
“Glad you made it,” Redbeard said not noticing the wound.
“You too, but I would have liked it if I didn't have an arrow in my ass, which, by the way, can someone take care of!” Spooks shouted, but her pleas only fell on mostly deaf ears.
“Alright then,” Night Heart replied as Windy laid Spooks down on the floor next to a rather surprised skeleton in armour. Spooks frowned at the morbid scenery as she felt the two familiar sets of hooves carefully hold her leg out so that the arrow can be removed safely and cleanly with Windy's magic.
“Oi! What are you three doing?” one of the guards asked. Night Heart turned to him and lowered her glasses to give him a death-glare, which caused the guard to turn around in silence, trembling like a leaf before she put them back on.
While Spooks had an arrow removed from her flank, Winter took the time to view the situation before her. She fluttered onto Daring's back to get a better view of the new room that they found themselves in and to annoy her. Around the group from the entrance that they came in from was hundreds of dead in armour guarding what looks like three unique doors, two of which were smaller than the third in the center of the room at the far wall.
The door to the right had the least amount of bodies which a few of the guards took notice of and decided to go ahead and scout it out, while the other door was blocked by hundreds of bodies, making it rather impossible to venture into, leaving the big door the only alternative to go if there was something bad behind door number one.
“Блядь!” screamed Spooks, causing everyone to jump and turn to the loud Night Stalker. Winter frowned at her for scaring the living shit out of her as well as sending her tumbling off of her perch. As Winter recovered from the sudden scare, she saw that the arrow was out of Spooks's ass and was thrown into the pile of dead right beside Spooks. Spooks looked relieved for having the painful looking object removed from her and was now being kissed by Windy where the arrow once was before leaving behind a bandaid that she must have stole from one of the guards.
"There, there, all better," Windy cooed, before giving Spooks a sweet kiss on the lips, much to most of the guards disgust. Winter rolled her eyes at the display and noticed that the big door in the room was another sapphire door.
"Hey? What happened to Pea, Carrot, and Banana?" one of the guards asked warily. Right before the three guards mentioned bolted from the opened door, twitching, screaming and writhing in pain like they were being shocked with a few hundred millions of volts of electricity.
"Soldiers, what's wrong?" Evelyn asked with concern while she gripped her staff tightly while the other guards pointed their weapons at their bellowing comrades.
"Kill...Us!" they all screamed in a dark, mechanical voice that sent pure terror throughout the rest of the guards, causing them all to piss themselves in unison as their tortured friends rushed at them.
Without hesitation, Winter grabbed a bronze battle-ax from the pile of bodies beside her and threw it at the three guards, while keeping an eye on their moving fur that looked like it had millions of worms just beneath the skin. The battle-ax flew through the air like a frisbee and decapitated the three guards in almost a comical fashion, causing all three of them to fall to the ground while the ax fell into a pile of bones.
"Good...Toss..." Daring try to say before the three bodies exploded into a mass of black, writhing tentacles that launched out of the decapitated guards necks.
"Las Plagas! Get into positions!" Evelyn shouted as the tentacles from the three bodies replicated and spit off of the parent bodies and infected the thousands of skeletons around them all, bringing them back to life.
"You know what that is!?" Winter shouted, as A.T unlocked all of their shackles and gave the prisoners back their weapons.
"Yes, it was a plague that infected my homeland for centuries, but to see it here is horrifying," Evelyn replied.
Winter bit her lip in irritation as she put her weapons back on. The fact that the bane of her Resident Evil 4 experience was real, made her realize how fucked up Equus actually was despite seeing the signs throughout her new life. She took a step back as while she unsheathed her claws and gripped Ash and Cinder. The skeletons around her and the group gained back their muscles through the Las Plagas curse. To her right was Spooks and Daring as well as the remaining guards that were trembling where they stood. To her left were Evelyn and the others.
“Aim for the head!” Spooks shouted, her inner undead slayer taking over for a while.
"Open fire!" Winter ordered before she unloaded an endless barrage of lead into the small army with lethal precision.
True to her word, Spooks whipped out the Safe Twins and began shooting at the mutating skeletons heads. Meanwhile, A.T grabbed Cue from her back and started to fire the powerful sniper rifle, adding to the deafening sounds that filled the room in the temple.
Spooks back peddled a few feet, towards the hall that they came out of along with a few guards that were being pushed back by several halberd wielding skeletons. Stephen saw that they needed some help and threw a few balls of fire at the skeletons, turning them to ash before he jumped into the air and let out a stream of white flames from his maw, causing Winter and Daring to roll to the side to avoid instant death.
Winter grunted in annoyance from the thousands of skeletons that were gradually pushing the group back into the hall of death. She jumped up into the air with a heavy flap of her wings, thankful that there were no bowmen amongst the dead. She made a few Air Blades and sent them flying into the hoard, careful not to overexert herself since she knew that she was still too weak from yesterday's events.
Her Air Blades cut down two-fourths of the skeleton army in one go before she resorted to her guns again, just as Daring sent out a few of her own, but they were far weaker than the young mares. Daring heaved, her eyes blurry from the sudden loss of mana of doing a skill that she never fully understood since she wasn't trained to be a guard. She took a step back to catch her breath, allowing Redbeard to push ahead with a large battle-ax that he borrowed from one of the fallen guards that lost his life from a few spears killing him dead.
Daring watched in awe as the older stallion swung the golden ax around his body with the grace that only Evelyn, the praetorian guard could match. Both of them teamed together, taking the front as the groups vanguard. They moved their respective weapons like a dancing partner and majestic painter. Each movement was as free and fluid as water. Each thrust and slash as perfect as a master painter. They cut down most of the charging mass of rusty armor and malformed bones with ease that Daring couldn't match, but there was just so many to fight.
“How many of them are there?!” one of the guards shouted before he was cut down from a small group of skeletons that broke through the group’s defenses.
“A lot,” Spooks replied calmly, before reloading her guns and releasing the slides. Spooks aimed at the location where the guard had died and opened fire upon the skeletons that broke through the defensive line, killing them all and allowing another guard to take his fallen friend's place.
Winter noticed that the number of skeletons was beginning to dwindle and decided to land again. She plopped down beside Daring, who was having trouble staying awake from the exhaustion of using her Air Blades. With the combined efforts of each bullet, sword, and hoof-to-face, all that was left was the giant mass of tentacles with the heads of the three original ponies left alive, that acted as the control center for the skeletons.
“How are we gonna deal with those things!?” A.T. shouted over the sound of the gunfire around her after she fired at the giant mass with Cue, only to see the powerful 7.62mm round collide with it with a *Plop!* and getting absorbed into the mass.
“I have some thermite grenades in my right saddlebag!” Spooks shouted back.
"Not going to work!" Winter shouted from above. "You need to expose the worms that act as the heart and brain. Fire will just aggravate it!"
“And how are supposed to do that?!” Spooks shouted back.
"Find tears in the flesh and shoot it!" Winter said as she finished the last of the skeletons with a few Air Blades and accidentally killing a few more guards.
"Felora!" Evelyn cursed at the masses of black flesh that was the size of the door at the far end of the room before jumping back from a large arm that shot out of the monster, exposing a tear that Winter mentioned. "How do you know how to fight it!" she asked, dodging a few more swipes of the monster.
"Practice!" Winter shouted back, remembering the ogre fight from every single Resident Evil game that was good up to the fifth with Chris and Sheva as the mains characters, and lying to the Doe to make herself look even more badass.
“Got one!” A.T. called out before firing and hitting the tear causing the biomass to screech in pain.
“Good! Now to find another,” Winter said with her eyes scanning the black mass for another tear.
“Now I must purpose we dig dem bones!” Spooks sang out cheerfully as she shot another one of the tears earning herself a confused look from everyone except A.T—Who was used to her antics from spending fourteen years with her.
"Yikes!" Daring said, barely dodging another swipe from the monster as it shrunk down in size with each tear destroyed. She rolled to the side just as another arm shot out to try and hit her, but she was too slow. Winter watched in horror as she was tossed towards the back wall and landing on one of her wings the wrong way. Before she could react to try and help, Night Heart was already beside Daring, and tending to her broken wing.
Winter bit her lip, and doubled her efforts, and grabbed a few s hundreds spears that were lying around with her Air Kinesis, and brought them to her side. She grunted and dodged the same arm that hit Daring before she charged all the spears with electricity, and sent them all at supersonic speeds into the biomass, destroying half of its body in an instant.
“This seems like the perfect setting for hentai,” Windy said offhandedly from her spot next to Spooks.
"Now is not the time for—!" a guard tried to say before he was sent flying into a wall, killing him instantly from the impact that created a red stain on the wall, right before the barrage of lightning charged spears were sent at the creature.
Evelyn's eyes went wide at the sight of the young filly and her flaming cutie mark. She could tell, along with her current battle partner, Redbeard, that a glowing cutie mark meant that a pony's special talent was being enhanced by the world's natural magic, making them even stronger in their field of choice. And since Winter's special talent was based around every aspect of combat, she was about to do something really stupid or smart. This, in turn, causing the creature to shriek out in anger as it regained most of its lost mass and doubled its efforts in trying to kill that group.
“What a persistent pest,” Redbeard muttered in distaste.
"I agree," Winter added from hiding behind a pile of dead bodies. "But the main worm should pop out soon, and when it does. Spooks can burn it."
"And why can't you?" Redbeard inquired, pointing at the azure fire outline of her cutie mark.
"Because I need as much strength as possible if another one shows up, and being energized like this should refill my reserves and then some. So I don't want to waste this boost from mother Lunaris."
“Yay!” Spooks cheered right beside Winter, causing the filly to jump in surprise before both of them had to dodge another swipe from the monster.
“That mare scares me,” Stephen said quietly to Redbeard, who was taken aback at the mention of the Goddess of Peace.
True to Winter’s word the main worm soon popped out of the mass’s back like an eldritch abomination. The worm itself was the stuff of nightmares with thousands of claws along it’s warped, pink flesh. The creature split into two down the middle, and opened up like a gluttonous dragon with millions of teeth, dripping acid and blood onto the floor. It let out a bloodcurdling screech before scuttling like a train-sized millipede towards the group while eating the bodies around it to regain its original size.
"That's one ugly mother fucker," Spooks said as she lit up a cigar in the corner of her mouth.
"Oi! That's mine!" Redbeard shouted in rage that his Cuban was stolen right from under his nose before he rolled to the side while shooting a few slugs into the eldritch abomination.
“Well, it’s mine now, дорогой,” Spooks said mockingly, causing the older stallion to grumble in irritation before he jumped to the side, dodging one of the thousands of claws that slapped Evelyn to the side, knocking her out cold.
Spooks, now the only target in front of the beast that towered over her. She pulled out a few thermite grenades from her pouch and pulled the pin on all of them. The creature's mouth opened up in a wild screech that sounded like a million chalkboards being scratched with a trillion, rusty, nails. She rolled the cigar to the other side of her mouth and tossed the grenades into the maw of the beast, just as she was pulled back by Windy's telekinesis.
Within a few seconds, the stomach of the worm-thing exploded into a fountain of blood and cuts, causing the creature to scream in agony as it burned from the inside out. Spooks smiled as the Las Plagas bug-thing fell to its side as it quickly turned to nothing but ash. She walked over to Daring where everyone was regrouping with Stephen carrying the unconscious Doe over his tired shoulders.
Taking a look around, viewing the carnage that was caused by just a few people. Spooks saw the last of Celestia's Royal Guard, standing in shock of what happened around him. Looking at the stallion closer, she noticed that Winter was making her way towards him. The burly, earth pony stallion, saw the Empress as well and lifted his weapon back up with trembling hooves, and ready to piss himself.
It struck Spooks as very strange that such a big stallion would be scared of someone so small as Winter. Then again, she didn't know of the rumors that were spread about the young mare in Equestria.
"P-Please...Please don't kill me?" the stallion begged, his voice filled with fear.
“Not going to, but those bullet ants are,” Winter replied, and walked past him towards the sapphire door with the key and quickly opened it.
"What?" the stallion asked in confusion, before the door, releasing a tide of bullet ants into the room. Winter quickly jumped into the air, dodging the river of ants that flowed over the stallion and dragged him screaming into the hall where the Plagas monster came from.
"You gotta love bullet ants," Spooks smiled while petting a bullet ant that got left behind. "By the way, how did you know that there were ants behind the door?" Spooks asked as the ant let out insectoid purrs as it leaned into Spooks's hoof.
"The marks by the door, and a lucky guess, but I was kinda hoping for scarabs instead of ants," Winter replied, fluttering to the ground.
"That's...Not creepy," Nova said in disgust while slowly backing away from the giant ant.
"No, it is extremely creepy," Daring deadpanned as she joined Winter's side with her wing tied in a splint. "Anyway. Now that all of the guards are gone. Where next?" Daring asked, ignoring the strange Night Stalker, and quietly praying to Luna that she wouldn't get stung by the ant, knowing from experience how much they hurt.
"Down the hall that Winter just opened. It leads to the inner sanctum's Oculory, and from there, we can make our way to the throne room," Evelyn explained. She slowly walked up to the gathering group with Night Hearts giving her support.
“What? Is there something on my face?” Spooks asked, completely obvious to the reason why everyone was backing away from her, with the bullet ant, now dubbed Chewie, perched on her right ear.
“No, just your ear, and you can’t keep it,” Windy said sternly.
“But-” Spooks started before being cut off by Windy.
“No buts, missy!” Windy said causing Spooks to give her the Puppy Snake Eyes, “And that’s not going to help you.”
With a sad sigh, Spooks took Chewie from her ear and set him down on the ground before whispering something to him only Spooks and Chewie could hear.
“What did you say to it?” Windy demanded with narrowed eyes.
“Nothing,” Spooks answered calmly and Windy glared at her for a while before sighing and giving Spooks a look that promised great pain if something bad is going to come out of this.
Winter rolled her eyes at the strange couple and followed behind Evelyn, wanting to know about the thing that made Resident Evil so great in the fourth addition to the franchise. Once she was far enough away from the rest of the group who decided to wait for Spooks and Windy, Winter walked right next to the Doe, causing her to jump slightly at the sudden appearance. She looked away and hobbled ahead of the group, causing Night Heart to frown, but she didn't say anything and went to check up on Daring's wing. Winter frowned that the Doe was trying to avoid her questions and kept up with her pace.
"So, how did you know what that was?" Winter asked incredulously as the voices of the others faded from the ever increasing distance.
Evelyn staggered in her steps, taken aback at the bluntness of the question. She slowed down her pace as they came up to another sapphire door. "I-I don't know what you are talking about," she stuttered, clearly nervous about the question and what the implications were if she answered.
"Yes, you do. I know what Las Plagas is since it too plagued my homeland. One of the greatest that was trained to fight that threat was Leon Kennedy and Ashley Graham—Who beat the Great Plagas that controlled all of the weaker ones like the one we fought just a few minutes ago," Winter said, but lied about it being real and not a video game.
"Don't you mean, Leona Kaennedy and Ash Lake?" Evelyn frowned in confusion, giving Winter enough information to tell her that those two were real, and ended up here like Simmon.
"Well, Leon got turned into a girl, that's a laugh," Winter chuckled lightly, making Evelyn even more confused. "Anyway. You fucked up now talk."
"F-Fine," Evelyn sighed in response as she and Winter stopped at the next door. "Las Plagas is one of the thirteen plagues of Tartarus that has tormented the Deer countries for centuries. Leona, or "Leon," as you know him, was a proud Doe that protected our lands, and eventually married Ash Lake, or "Ashley," as you said before."
"It was thanks to her as well as Christina Redfield that pushed it back into the northern wastes where it was killed once and for all. Together, with their Praetorian Guard that they created to protect our borders from such a vile threat, defeated the King Plagas, however. As you saw just a few moments ago. There is most likely another one here and must be destroyed before we leave. The fate of the world depends on my great-great-great grandmother's legacy, and I will uphold that honor," Evelyn explained with a slight hint of pride.
"So, do you know how it started here?" Winter asked, wondering if it started with either magic or medicine.
"Yes, I do," Evelyn sighed. "It all started with a proud Stag that wanted the powers of all of the races of the world. With the help of a talented Unicorn named, Groger—Who became the vile necromancer that we know today—He was slowly but surely, transformed into an abomination of miss-matched parts of everything that walked the earth, but it wasn't enough," she spat in anger for the crimes that were committed long ago.
"He wanted the powers of the strongest Unicorn and at the time. It was Groger. He quickly killed the Unicorn while his guard was down, and had another Unicorn to merge the necromancers horn with his two antlers, however. Once the procedure was complete. He was cursed. He was quickly turned into what was known as, 'The Grand Plagas,' and sought to give the others what he became. Though, at the time, we didn't have a name for him until Leona came to save us from the creature that plagued our lands for centuries. We just called it: The Monster of Groger. And you know the rest," she finished with a sigh.
"Well, I can guess that we will see another one very soon," Winter groaned in annoyance and joy that she gets to cross off "Be a Bio Counter Terrorist," off her bucket list.
Just as the group passed through the door that led to the hall towards the Grand Oculory, Spooks felt a familiar itchiness spread across her body. "Come on. Not now," Spooks groaned with a scratch of her chest, earning a few, curious looks from the various members of the party.
"What is it?" Daring asked the Night Stalker as the group walked down the hall.
"I am starting my molting cycle," Spooks replied simply before collapsing to the ground, scratching madly, "and it itches like hell!" Just as she said that a familiar Magical Aura wrapped around her body and spread her legs wide open, causing Stephen and Redbeard to look away with a slight blush and continued to walk towards the Oculory.
"Where is it?" Windy muttered over Spooks’s whimpers as she struggled against her magical restraints, "Here is it!" Windy cried out before pulling on a tear in Spooks’s skin.
"Better?" Windy asked Spooks as she deposited the Spooks-skin-suit on the floor of the hallway.
"Much," Spooks replied softly, relieved that the itching stopped before Windy helped her up while making sure that she didn't touch certain areas that were made more sensitive after the molt.
"That was gross," Evelyn said with a green face.
"You’ll get used to it," A.T chirped in response. While this was going on, Winter was having a conversation in her head through her link with Luna.
"Empress Rose!" Luna shouted in Winter's mind. She winced from the sudden volume as the group walked into a Grand Ocalori.
"What?" Winter thought while looking around the giant spherical room with thousands of mirrors with magic runes painted on them, all pointed at a giant magic circle on the floor in the center of the room.
"We have a problem. I can't do my duty on lowering the moon and Queen Cadence and King Shining Armor are using Love Magic to power a shield which is protecting their ships on the northern coats, making our counter impossible to proceed," Luna said with worry, causing Winter to stop in her tracks.
"That's a problem. Since the tide there is horrific at night. There must be someone overpowering you to keep the sun up, and we both know who that is."
"I agree, but not even my sister is strong enough to fight me for long. She most likely has Cadence helping her while using Shining Armor to provide a catalyst. What do we do?"
Winter bit her lip in deep thought while everyone took a break from all the running and fighting that they had to endure. Without the tide in the northern sea taking out ships from the viscous tooth-like rocks Cadence will make landfall and quickly make contact with the Green Hive that has found a home in the awe-inspiring northern mountains away from the Changeling hating country of Equestria.
But what could she do?
If she had the power to aid Luna in raising the moon fast and hard, causing the tides to violently hit the enemy forces and giving Luna more time to fight back, but she doesn't. Winter couldn't do anything where she stood, and she knew it all too well. She didn't even notice in her deep thought that Daring was tapping her shoulder, calling out to her with worry in her voice.
"Hey! Earth to, Runt! Hello?!" Daring yelling in Winter's ears as she cuffed her upside the head, bringing her out of her daze. Winter frowned from the sudden pain at the back of her head and answered her grandmother's call.
"What? Can't you see that I was thinking?"
"Yeah, you also walked into the center of the Foci of the Sun and Moon. Ya know? The thing that was used to control the Sun and Moon before Celestia and Luna was born?" Daring replied. Winter's eyes shot open at the epic coincidence that would allow her to help Luna on the war front. Winter leaped up in joy and gave Daring a long, tongue induced kiss, causing the older mare to turn a few shades of bright red as she tried to figure out what she said that earned her said kiss.
“Thanks Daring, now stand back,” Winter said with glee.
"Luna, get ready to raise the moon, I have a plan!" Winter thought to Luna.
"Whatever it is, make it quick. The Zebras are in a retreat, but Cadence is going strong."
Winter looked around with the key tucked under her wing, studying the Runes that were around her, taking note of everything that was needed to activate the Oculory. She already knew the song that she had to play, but she had to make sure that everything was aligned correctly for the spell to work, and when she saw that everything was perfect. She stood at the center of the magic circle, causing Daring and the rest of the group to freak out and back away.
"W-What are you doing?" Evelyn asked with new found worry in the young Empress and her current choice of actions.
"Luna needs some help lowering the sun, so I'm helping," Winter replied and started to play the Sun Song.
Spooks watched and listened to Winter as she played the song, each note causing one of the mirrors to light up and shine on the filly with an orange glow before turning a dim white. After a few seconds more, the mirrors started to move in a circular pattern and shined even brighter, however. Once the song reached its climax, the contraption ceased to move. Winter frowned and hissed at the key, shouting, "Fucking Celestia! I bet Cadence is helping her! Well, I'll show them. Luna, try again, I have an idea."
Spooks stared at the filly with even more concern as she pulled out her guitar and, somehow, attached the ocarina to the instrument and fiddled with a few nobs, just as the others came out of their trance. They all watched in horror as Winter tested a few notes, causing the key to light up before they were put back under the trance, and Winter played the same song, but each note sent a bolt of lightning into a mirror, causing all of them to spin faster than before.
(Elsewhere)
Celestia's magic struggled with Cadence's trying to keep the sun up, but it was a futile effort. It was like that there was something helping Luna. Something so powerful that not even Discord could stop. The immense power was too much to fight, and they were thrown from the negative feedback from within the throne room in Canterlot, allowing the moon to raise right on time and knocking them both out cold.
(Back)
Winter played a radical riff on her guitar, causing the dome-like roof to open up. Spooks and A.T watched in awe at the complex machinery ascended for a moment, lifting Winter off of the ground by a few meters before all of the mirrors turned and aimed at the sun, and sent out a ginormous stream of magical energy at it. As the stream of Magic flowing towards the sun, the device slowly descended back into its original place and as it did so, the moon quickly replaced the sun in the sky, causing millions of stars which was never seen in Equestria, to appear just as Winter finished the song and the dome closed back up.
"What did you do?" Daring asked, coming out of the trance as Winter rejoined the group with a smile on her face. She stopped in front of the older mare and jumped up with her arms in the air and grabbed her neck and gave her a hug.
"I raised the moon," Winter giggled as she nuzzled Darings neck before letting go and started to trot towards the other door that Evelyn said would lead straight into the throne room.
"What?!" Daring shouted along with everyone else except Spooks and A.T, who watched the young Empress commit the act of raising said moon.
"How?" she continued to ask as the young Empress vanished behind a smaller doorway.
"With one, epic guitar solo," Spooks answered.
The group caught up to the young Empress once they came back to their senses from the motion that the young filly raised the moon. Evelyn, in particular, couldn't fathom how powerful Winter was. Even Daring had the same question in her mind, however. Unlike Evelyn, she knew how to tell how strong an individual was magically by measuring the electricity that flowed around that individual, and Empress Rose was no stronger than Rainbow Dash when she met the cyan Pegasus and her friends that helped her with the Rings of Destiny many months ago. It was after Equestria was saved from that instance that she learned to trust family when they offer help, but her guitar was something to be feared. That’s where all her power came from, but Evelyn didn’t need to know that. Not yet anyway.
Daring followed the young Empress down one last hallway that ended in another sapphire door. As she and the group stayed close behind the bubbly filly that did the impossible, they all noticed that the hall was clean like the Oculory. The artwork that blanketed the wall was crisp and immaculate, telling a story that couldn't be seen because the rest of the temple was covered in; blood, guts, and gore. The stories, however, showed a tale of peace and prosperity. The final door was quickly opened by Winter, which opened up to the throne room.
Daring turned her attention away from the art on the walls and to a beautiful sight. She walked into a room that had a clear, blue sky painted on the ceiling that looked more real than what was outside. Clouds hovered all around the room that made shadows on a mirror that made up the floors and walls that reflected the ceiling perfectly.
One side of the room had another door that was carved to look like a Pegasus mare welcoming anyone inside the throne room with opened wings and arms. The other side of the room had a crystal throne in the shape of large, white wings that sat on top of a cloud. She instinctively looked at the base of the wings for anything and saw two, rusty winglets, glowing brightly in a soft, white glow.
"Okay, my throne room is going to look like this when I get back," Winter muttered as she walked towards the throne with her eyes trained on the winglets.
“I have seen Kremlin but this takes the cake,” Spooks said in amazement as she took in the beauty that was the throne room. She walked up to one of the lower flying clouds and tried to touch it, but to her disappointment. Her hoof went right through with no resistance.
“Yeah,” A.T. said with the same level of amazement as Spooks, not noticed the anger her older sister was showing as she tried to touch a cloud.
"Having trouble there?" Winter chuckled with a cheeky smile from on top of the cloud that Spooks was struggling to grab.
"It's not fair! I just want to touch the fluffy," Spooks sulked, falling back on her haunches with pouty lips.
"There, there, Skittles. Clouds are overrated anyway," Windy whispered into Spooks's ear before leaving a sweet kiss on it with a smile.
"You say that now, but back home. We had storms so big, that the clouds spanned over one hundred miles in diameter and three miles high. And it wasn't hoof made either. If it was, Cloudsdale would have gone out of business in just one hour," Winter said with a smile, causing the Lunar Unicorn mare to freeze in horror at such a giant, uncontrollable force of nature.
"That's...How did you survive such a horrific storm?" Windy asked with worry in her voice as she held the Night Stalker in a death grip.
"With a titanium umbrella, candles, and monopoly," Winter simply replied.
"At least it wasn't as bad as the winter season back home. Ten-foot high walls of snow is a bitch to dig through, and speaking of Bitches. Windy, can you let go? I'm dying here," Spooks said as her face turns purple from lack of oxygen reaching her lungs.
"Oh! Sorry," Windy smiled sheepishly and let go of Spooks, allowing her to breathe again.
"Anywho," Winter said, rolling her eyes. "I'm going to check up on Daring. You guys check our supplies. We might need to fight our way back out."
"You got it," Spooks and Windy saluted before taking off towards Night Heart, who was checking up on Evelyn and her injuries.
Winter hopped off her cloud and flew next to Daring as she walked up to the throne at the far end of the room. Without saying a word, she glided next to the calm Pegasus that took a quick look at her and rolled her eyes before she jumped up onto a cloud that was close to the ground, and from the cloud. She jumped up to the throne like an experienced gymnast. With a sigh, she rejoined Daring next to the throne as the mare rummaged through her saddlebags for a moment to ignore her, and her questions.
Knowing that she was being ignored, Winter thought of something evil. She sat in front of Daring and tilted her head to the left slightly while drooping her ears cutely. She dropped her wings and quivered her lower lip as she made her eyes as wide as saucers.
"What kid—" Daring said looking up to see an absolutely, horrific sight. Sitting before her was the very definition of cuteness incarnate. The very thing that could kill any stallion with a single glance. Her heart fell into a protective urge to wrap the filly in front of her in her arms, and never let go.
"Cwuddles?" the filly asked, lifting her arms up for a hug, causing Daring’s heart to explode, twice. She tried her best to fight her maternal instincts to give said, 'cwuddles,' to the filly. She looked around, hoping for something to remove the pest before it was too late, but it was futile.
"Am I ugwee gwandma Dawing? Is that why you won't wug me?" Winter said, starting to cry as she dropped her arms. "I'm ugwee arwn't I? No one wubs me."
The cuteness was too much for the adventurous mare as she dropped her saddlebags and wrapped the little filly in a hug, praying to Luna that the others weren't watching.
"You are evil. You know that?" Daring Do said as she nuzzled the filly lovingly.
"I know, but Spitfire is a better hugger," Winter giggled, before receiving a smack upside the head. "Hey! What was that for?" Winter said with a pout.
"You are not allowed to be that cute," Daring frowned at her while pushing her back.
"Whatever," she replied, sticking her long tongue out of her mouth at the mare. "You know you love me."
"Just like her mother," Daring muttered quietly, with a soft smile as she looked away and turned her attention back to the winglets, ignoring Winter's last remark.
"So these are the Winglets of Alta?" Daring muttered to herself and jumped up on the throne with Winter watching her with curiosity and worry. She inspected the winglets for a quick second to make sure that they were real.
Winter watched with worry as the air around them turned sour. Her wings itched to move away like there was something dark watching over them. She couldn't quite hone in on what was causing it, but she knew that they weren't alone in the room.
"Uh...Daring? Something’s wrong," Winter said with worry as she equipped her weapons.
"Just a second. I just figured out how to remove them from their pedestals," Daring said, reaching out towards the glowing winglets. Winter looked around incredulously, searching for what was bothering her as Daring took one of the winglets off without a problem, but once it fell of the wing, the dark presence grew stronger.
"Daring, we have to go. Now!" Winter warned just as everyone else begins to feel the darkness enveloping the room.
"Just...One...More..." Daring grunted as she struggled to get the last winglet off of the pedestal. "Done!" she cheered as the last one fell next to its brother. "Now we can...what's happening?" she asked as the winglets began to float into the air.
The fur on the back of Winter's neck stood on end as she winglets floated in front of startled Daring. The winglets white glow turned a putrid green, She instantly aimed her weapons on the winglets, now realizing that they were the cause of the darkness in the throne room.
"Kiddo, run!" Daring yelled before tossing the filly with a gust of air off of the throne and towards the group, just as the winglets attached themselves to Darings wings.
Winter landed on the floor and splashed her way and towards the startled group as the mirror-like floor turned into an inch-deep puddle. She stopped right in front of Spooks, wet and alert. She jumped back up just in time to hear a bloodcurdling screech fill the room.
"Daring!" Winter shouted in horror as green lighting erupted out of her screaming body as it convulsed in agony. Then, after a few petrifying seconds of pure horror. Daring collapsed on the throne, twitching violently for a moment before going still.
"D-Daring? Daring Do?" Winter asked with worry as she took as step forward before Spooks placed a hoof in front of her, preventing her from getting too close.
"Daring Do? So that's the name of the one we control now. How...Wonderful," purred a warped, smooth, female voice that came from Daring's limp body as it stood up with a glowing, green aura encasing its wings.
“Демон,” Spooks said with hatred. Her eyes glaring pure death as the possessed Pegasus took her seat on the forgotten throne.
“Ah! Thou art a, Night Stalker!” The female voice purred evilly. “Thou wouldest make a wonderful pet for us,” the voice continued. Before anyone could react, the possessed Daring shot out a green lightning bolt from her hoof into the water, causing a sphere of water to float into the air, showing hundreds of images of the tainted temple.
“Now we believe it wouldest be appropriate to cleanest our temple," the voice cooed as she viewed the floating orb of water in morbid curiosity of the grotesque sights that she, and everyone else, was seeing.
"And how are you going to do that?" Redbeard asked, unimpressed at the sight of power that the possessed Daring was showing.
"Why it art so simple, Earth Pony," the voice purred with a paralyzing, icy voice that sent chills down the earth pony's spine. "Thou sit where you stand, and watch." After she said those words, everyone was lifted up into the air, trapped in a green aura that prevented them from escape. Winter and the others watch the floating orb of water against their will.
An evil smile grew across Daring's face as the orb showed her grand palace being cleansed of all the filth that filled her halls. The corpses, gore, and grime that littered the whole temple started disappearing one by one, leaving behind only pristine halls and rooms as if they were freshly cleaned the night prior.
“That’s...That’s impossible,” Nova said, horrified of the immense power that the possessed Daring had.
“Tis’ not impossible, Thestral. Thine ol’ Unicorn slaves gave us this power in the shape of our winglets, but enough of that.” the possessed Daring said before turning towards Winter with a dark smile. “Thy current host is fine, but the potential of this foal is more suitable for our ascension.”
“Leave her the fuck alone,” Spooks growled in a tone so dark that it seemed to suck in the light in the room.
“A defiant little pet art thou not?” Daring laughed slightly, lifting Spooks higher into the air. “Thou pet needs to be punished. “ With a flick of a wrist, Spooks was sent flying to the other side of the room, crashing hard into the wall and falling limp into the water bellow.
“Spooks!” Windy called with both worry and anger for the love of her life. This distress brought, even more, joy to the demon possessed Daring,
“If thou cares about thy pet so much. Then you shall be reunited.” To Windy’s horror, she too was lifted up into the air and sent flying right at the limp Night Stalker. Winter winced as the Lunar Unicorn skipped across the water in strange, and awkward ways before colliding hard against the wall, causing it to crack from the impact of her body before landing right beside her mare, bleeding from her back.
“Windy!” Night Heart growled with pure venom in her voice. “How dare you harm my daughter like that!”
“Tis’ your daughter? How quaint,” Daring mocked before sending Night Heart at the pair without a care in the world.
Night Heart flared her wings in a vain attempt to stop herself from impacting the wall but it was all for naught and she impacted the wall head-first.
“You fucking cunt!” A.T. shouted in anger at seeing her older sister and friends tossed at the wall, “When I get my hands on you I am going to rip your wings off and beat you to death with them! And then-” A.T. didn’t get the chance to finish her threat because she was thrown at the wall too.
“Now to get rid of thou, Servants of Celestia!” Daring said in the same evil purr as before she started very slowly pulling Evelyn, Redbeard and Stephen towards a pit that she had opened in the ground causing all of them to struggle in her magical grip. That is until Steph launched a fireball at her causing her to lose her grip on them to dodge the incoming fireball.
Meanwhile, Spooks recovered from being tossed at a wall, once more the hardened scales covering her back proved to be very useful, and rose into a sitting position and she immediately noticed Windy laying next to her.
“Windy?” Spooks said in a voice filled with worry for her mare-friend and nosed the side of Windy’s head causing Windy to groan weakly and flutter her eyes open.
“Spooks?” Windy asked weakly before adding, “Why does my back hurt so much?”
Looking at Windy’s back Spooks saw long gashes on her back which were bleeding, tinting the water around them red.
“You’re bleeding from your back,” Spooks said as calmly as she could, “Don’t move, I’ll go try to wake up Night,” Spooks said with a reassuring kiss on Windy’s cheek.
“Night?” Spooks said while poking said mare into her side causing her to open her eyes with a groan, “Windy needs your help,” Spooks told her and Night Heart gained a determined look in her eyes before she walked, more like stumbled, over to her daughter and started treating her wounds.
“You rise? How...Admirable,” Daring mused at the Night Stalker. “But such a sentiment is unfounded for thy intruders need to be removed from our palace.”
To Winter's horror, Alta lifted up Evelyn before her, taking the key from Winter's grasp and turned it into a beautiful, curved, sapphire sword. She brought it up to Evelyn's neck with her ethereal grip, smiling evilly as the tip made contact with her cheek, but before Alta could kill the trembling Doe. Stephen sent out a jet of black fire from his maw, causing the possessed Daring Do to drop everyone in order to protect herself.
"Luna!" Winter shouted in her mind as she went invisible to temporarily hide from the recovering possessed, Pegasus.
"Yes? What do you need?" Luna inquired, her metal tone telling Winter that she was very tired.
"Daring has been possessed by Alta! What do I do?!" she begged with worry.
"HOW DARE YE!" Daring shouted, causing the entire room to reel back from the immeasurable volume as her entire body was wrapped in armor made of the wind itself.
"Hurry!" Winter begged to Luna before firing a few Air Blades at Daring. The Air Blades flew at her before being completely obliterated by Alta's wind armor.
"It will take some time. Give me a minute. I have to access my personal library," Luna said, leaving Winter alone to deal with Alta.
Winter bit her lip, ducking from a body that belonged to Redbeard as he was tossed to the other side of the room with his shotgun in his hooves. She took to the air keeping a safe distance as she launched Air Spears at Alta as Stephen and Evelyn tried to break through her wind armor with their unique flavor of magic. The Air Spears were instantly sent back at Winter, causing her to dive back down to the watery floor before she was skewered by her own weapons.
"Damn it," Winter growled, flying at full speed in the large room around Atla. The possessed mare took instant notice of her retreat and sent a wave of green lightning out from her, causing Stephen, Evelyn, and A.T reeling for a few meters before collapsing into unconsciousness. Before the wave hit her, she sent one out of her own. The two waves of pure electricity collided, creating a horrid sound of static as Winter landed on the floor, panting from such a strong spell and so was Alta.
"Thou art such a nuisance, but thy body is so powerful and beautiful. So holdeth still my young filly, and embrace me!" Alta screamed, sending out another green lightning bolt at Winter.
Winter’s eyes went wide as she couldn’t dodge in time from the attack. She closed her eyes, taking the bolt into her chest. The impact cracked her ribs and sent her flying into the wall, causing cracks to appear on the mirror-like finish. She cried out in pain as she fell into the water bellow. Her back hurt, but nothing was broken except for her cracked ribs.
“Luna, I need some help here!” Winter called out, causing Alta to laugh at the gesture.
“Thine Princess of the Moon won't save you from thy nightmare I shall befall upon ye, filly.” Winter looked up, pain strong on her chest as she tried to stand up to face the possessed Daring Do.
'Winter, I have something, but it may be difficult,' Luna said in Winter’s mind. Winter hissed as she fell to the ground from a feeble attempt to stand, sending a shock of agony throughout her body as Alta strode closer with a smug smile.
'Tell me, Luna, because I might not make it without using my Limit Break,' Winter responded while trying to stand once again.
'You need to take off the winglets and place them on another. They act as a Soul Jar so once they move onto another, Alta's spirit will surely follow,' Luna explained as Winter hobbled away from the wall to give her some fighting space. This gesture brought joy to the possessed Daring's face, electing another response from her.
“Thy foal has some will. Tis' makes us wonder who was thine mentor?” she asked with glee. “Thou wouldst love to have such a strong bond but names are hidden from us.”
“Fuck you,” Winter spat back. 'Luna, she's too strong at the moment and we don't have anyone to move the winglets too. So do you think you can give me Snowball and my swords, if they are finished, I have a plan?' Winter asked mentally to Luna.
“Oh? Hath thou blood taught you any manners? Or is that wonderful tradition still among the race of the pure and holy?” Alta beamed before slapping Winter across the room again with her magic.
“Ow,” Winter cried while trying to stand again from the abuse caused by Alta. 'Luna? How's that plan? I need some help here?' Winter choked, coughing up blood that she spat on the floor.
'I've sent them there by following your unique Dreamscape signature. Give it a moment,' Luna said with growing worry, knowing that Winter's life was on the line.
“Such wonderful hair, gorgeous eyes, and delightful scars. Tis' reminds us of our old body. Such battle we faced. Such love, we stole. Our daughters loved our touch as much as we loved theirs. Oh, the moans and pleas for release! Such music to thy ears,” Alta cooed as she rubbed the tip of her sword against her groin before bringing it in front of her with a smile and licked the liquid from the edge of the blade. “Mm, thine host has a wonderful taste does thou not agree?” she purred, licking her lips.
“I...I d-don't...Fucking care how my grandmother's pussy tastes like. All I care about is this!” Winter screamed just as two flashes of light appeared beside her, electing a raised brow from the possessed Daring.
Within a flash of a second, Snowball appeared right beside Winter with concern in her eyes, but she knew what to do. She backed away, keeping an eye on Daring as two, black, three-foot long, straight-edged katana's, appeared in their eloquent sheaths. Winter instantly grabbed them and drew them from their scabbards, revealing the blades that looked like the night sky. This motion made Alta's smile grow three-times larger as she did a curt bow with her sword to Winter as she took them in her dragon's claws.
“I know how to beat you, Alta. I just hope I don't hurt the greatest explorer in all of Equus with my Limit Break!” Winter bellowed while pointing the tip of one of her blades at Alta.
“Hahahaha! What a humbling yet pitiful sentiment! Thou wish for us not to play with ye? Then so be it!” Alta laughed before lunging at Winter with blinding speed, but this didn't phase her in the slightest.
Just as Alta hit the halfway point of her lung, Winter's body erupted into white fire and blue lightning. The whites of her eyes turned black and the pupils into razor sharp slits. She let out a venomous hiss and charged at Alta faster than her eyes could track. Her smirk was whipped off of her face as Winter's foot impacted her chest, breaking ribs and sent her flying faster than what she did to Winter just moments ago into the wall, creating a large crater in on impact. Winter stopped just next to the throne worried that she might have killed her grandmother, but that worry vanished as Alta stood back up, laughing like a maniac.
“Thou art more powerful than what we could not have imagined! Thy shall be our host forever and more! Just think of thy children could produce! My bloodline shall return, stronger than before!” Alta screamed, her body healing itself like there wasn't any damage in the first place. Winter bit her lip and got her fangs ready. She knows she has to drink the mana straight out of Daring to weaken her just enough to pull Alta out from her and into Snowball, who shouldn't be able to sustain the demon because she didn't have a soul.
“Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not having kids,” Winter hissed. “The pain would be just too much since I took a cream and pill to make me three times more sensitive in all my lady parts.”
Alta tilted her head, licking her lips. “Thou feels more pleasure than an average mare? Thy filly is turning into more than I could have ever wanted! I must have you!” she proclaimed before lunging at Winter again, this time at full speed.
Winter jumped back, barely dodging a downward swipe that cut the throne in half and crossed her blades to block another that caused the water around them to splash away, making a dry spot where they stood from the immense pressure from the clash of the blades. She pushed forward, forcing Alta to jump back as the water returned where it once was.
Without hesitation, Winter strafed to the right, sending Air Blades and Spears at Alta, whom just batted them away with a demented smile on her face. Winter growled at this and charged head-on at Alta with her swords flipped around so that the tips were facing behind her with the hilt in front. As she charged, so did Alta. Both ran at each other, their hooves didn't disturb the water with one holding an expression of insanity with the other of pure calmness.
Winter ducked from a thrust and parried with her right blade, giving her enough room to spinning into her recovery to land a kick that forced Daring's stomach to implode for a second before she went tumbling towards the far wall again. Alta was quick to recover and stabbed her sword into the floor, stopping her from colliding into the wall again.
To Winter's horror, the insane mare cracked her head before coughing up blood, most likely from the kick. She licked her lips, moaning at the taste with a flutter of her wings of demented pleasure before charging at Winter once again.
She hissed that she had to go for another round and met Alta halfway again, this time, she was even faster than before.
'Where is she getting all this speed?' Winter thought, deflecting a few of Alta's Air Blades with a flick of the wrist as she brought up her twin blades again, just in time for a mad barrage of wild swings and jabs for her body.
This answer would never be answered as she locked blades with Alta, the mare who was no stronger than Autumn when Winter and her first fought. She shoved the mad mare back while throwing on of her swords up, causing the mad mare to look up at it on instinct. Winter pulled out Ash and fired three rounds at the cross guard of the sapphire sword. Alta hissed in pain as she was forced to drop it from her mental grasp. Before she could re-take it into her grip, however. Winter teleported it to the Oculory where Alta couldn't use it before teleporting herself right behind her.
Winter caught the sword she lost and sheathed it with it's sister before jumping into the air in a spin, bringing her hoof around with untraceable speed. Alta looked back in surprise just in time for Winters hoof to collide and send her sprawling with a bloody face towards Spooks, who was recovering with the aid of Snowball.
“Thou can't defeat us! We are Alta Tempest! The Goddess of Storms!” she screamed in defiance as she stood up, coughing up blood that was healing far slower than before, making Winter realize that she must have wasted most of her power, cleaning the temple. “You art just a foal! A child! How can YOU be so strong!?”
Winter raised her head, tall and proud as she walked up to the recovering mare as she sheathed her claws. “My mentors are the Goddess of the Moon, The Elder Dragon Jormungand, and my mother, Spitfire Hawk Moon, Daughter of Hawk Fury the first Wonderbolt. You never stood a chance against me, Alta, because I represent freedom and just like the wind. You can't stop nor bend me to your will!” she proclaimed, earning herself a long, insanitary laugh before Spooks whipped the butt of her rifle into the back of the laughing mare, causing her head to jerk forward and eat the ground with gusto.
Seeing this as an opportunity to finish the fight. As Alta stood back up and violently attacked Spooks, she bolted at the mare with her fangs out. Before the possessed mare could react, Winter chomped down on her neck and started to suck the mana out of her.
“What art thou doing!” Alta screeched in pain as her body went limp from the shock, but Winter didn't answer. “Let us f-free!” she demanded as the colour faded from Daring's coat telling Snowball to put on the winglets like she was instructed to by Luna.
As Alta thrashed weakly, Winter watched Snowball put both winglets on, causing the frighted demon in Daring to be pulled into the Flesh Golem in a haze of sickly green smoke that entered the mare's mouth, nose, ears and eyes. The process was so fast Winter almost forgot to pump Daring's mana back into her so that she wouldn't die.
After a few moments, Winter pulled away from the whimpering Pegasus and watched with scrutiny at the twitching Flesh Golem before it stopped and the left eye changed from red to amber.
“Snow. Are you alright?” Winter asked weakly, being the only one able to talk to her since everyone else is sleeping from head trauma.
“Yes, Mistress Rose. The spells that Princess Luna placed on me has successfully trapped the being known as, Alta,” Snowball replied.
“Is...Is that a good thing?” Winter asked again.
“Yes, however. Since we are now sharing one body, her powers have been complexity nullified. She is just a soul, trapped by the Soul Jars that are her winglets. She won't have any influence unless you command me to do so.”
“But?” Winter sighed with a long breath of relief as her Limit Break turned off, bringing her back to normal.
“She is quite angry and wishes to torture you slowly and painfully. How should I respond?” Snow asked curiously.
“Tell her that I like pain just as much as pleasure,” Winter chuckled lightly.
“...”
“What?”
“She thinks that having scarabs birthed in your womb would not feel that pleasant.”
“Sounds like a weird fetish of sorts,” Spooks coughed as she walked up to them with her right hind leg held close to her body with Winter and Snowball looking at her the whole time, one in confusion and the other in curiosity.
“How are you still up?” Winter asked the Night Stalker. "You've been beaten pretty hard."
“Takes a lot more than a few slams against the wall to knock me down,” Spooks replied with a tired smile, “Anyway. Is there a place where we can get some rest and tend to the injured?” she added with a nod towards the knocked out members of the group.
“Alta should have a bedchamber near the main hall,” Winter replied causing Alta to rage inside Snowballs head.
“Right, let's go,” Spooks said before walking over to Windy and helped her up with Night Heart draping A.T. over her back.
While they did that, Snowball helped carried the unconscious members of the group towards the bed chamber with the raging Alta screaming various creative ways to torture Winter and Spooks with their own tails in her head.
Winter limped along with them, keeping an eye out for any more traps that could cause them harm. The main hall looked like all the others in the Temple, but it was far bigger and had more pillars than the front entrance. She used what little energy she had left to use her Air Sight to find the secret door that should lead into private bedchambers of the demonic being that once called this place home.
It took Winter a few minutes to find the door and the switch to open it. After she opened the secret passage, she lead Spooks and Snowball down a beautifully painted hall that opened up to a round room with various doors and halls that spanned out like a web. She blinked for a second, her vision starting to blur from the immense strain that she pushed herself through and guided Spooks and Snowball down a hall towards a large door that had the same carvings as the throne rooms door.
She opened it up, revealing a large room with a giant, cloud bed. The walls were painted to look like there were standing in a meadow of twilight. Even the floor looked like there were grass and flowers around them, however. When Winter took a step into the room, she quickly learned that it was real grass and flowers.
“Wow,” Spooks exclaimed in awe as the group walked into the bedchamber. "This is insane."
"Yeah, makes my room look like crap," Winter chuckled weakly. "But enough of that. I can't go on for much longer without falling asleep on my hooves."
"I agree," Spooks yawned as she placed the group on their bedrolls around the bed and before she too fall asleep. She wrapped her hooves around Winter with teary eyes.
“Umm, Spooks, what are you doing?” Winter asked, taken aback at the warm hug.
Winter awoke to a strange sight through blurry eyes and unable to move. To her right, she could see a disheveled, dirty-yellow mare snuggling with her with as much love that Spitfire gave her. Her wing was draped over her, protecting her from the cold air that was just right in the strange room with sleeping bodies snoozing around them. She cracked a soft, but weak smile and nuzzled closer to the mare beside her. From the sigh of content that came from the mare, Winter knew that she must have woken Daring up as she left a gentle kiss on her head and curled even tighter around her little body.
"No wonder why my little Hawk Moon cares so much about you, Winter," Daring whispered lovingly into her ears. "you are so talented, so smart, so skilled. I bet she saw potential in you when you first met, but your sour attitude must have clashed with hers with a passion."
Winter cracked a soft smile, remembering how she used to fight every, single, day with her mother during the first few months before she was sent off to private school. "Y-Yeah, we fought," she whispered back with a light chuckled.
"Oh!" Daring gasped in pure shock. "Did I wake up up, Rose?"
Winter slowly moved her sore head away from Daring's soft barrel, knowing that it was her soreness from the fight yesterday that woke her up periodically throughout the night, preventing her from dreaming and shook her head. "No, you didn't." Daring let out a breath of relief and smiled at her warmly and planted a soft kiss on her cheek and was even happier that she leaned into it with a slight flutter of her stiff wings.
"Well—" she paused to pull out a pocket watch from her destroyed shirt and checked the time for a quick second. "—It's six in the morning, and I doubt I can fall back asleep in this creepy place. So, want to talk for a bit?" she asked. Winter gave her a simple nod in return, wanting to have some private time with the mare that she thought she lost.
"Are you alright? Did Alta torture you?" Winter asked first with immense worry in her voice as she looked up at the mare with fear in her eyes. Daring smiled back, rubbing her ear with her wing and shook her head.
"No, Rose. She was more focused on you than me... and it wasn't the first time I was possessed and frankly. I should have seen it coming," she chuckled warmly.
The worry that Winter had washed away. She was thankful that Daring was alright, that she didn't have to bring home a broken mare and expect someone to fix her from the torment that never happened. She leaned back in, tears falling from her eyes in pure joy that the pain that she was forced to inflict on her, didn't leave her scarred and shattered.
She couldn't think of how Spitfire would react to the mare that she vowed to bring home, in a sobbing, trembling mess, but that was a lie. She did know how Spitfire would react. Spitfire would be absolutely devastated to see her mother as terrified as she was back at the mansion. Winter could see Spitfire, at Darings side in the hospital, crying and begging for her to return to the real world.
"Are you alright kiddo?" Daring asked with worry, taking Winter out of her train of thought. She shook her head and gave her a soft smile while struggling to stand up, but I couldn't move an inch.
"Yeah, I'm just thinking about how mom would react if I brought you home, broken and terrified," I replied with a mix of fear and anguish if such a thing were to happen.
"Trust me kiddo. I have the same thoughts some days too, but it's best not to focus on them so much," Daring cooed while helping Winter up with her muzzle, only to have the filly fall back down from trembling hooves.
"Yeah, got to think on the positive more," Winter grunted, realizing that she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. "And...Fuck..." she groaned, also realizing that she didn't have enough energy to get the key so that they could leave the temple.
“You okay, kiddo?” Daring asked, pulling the filly out from her train of thought. She shook her head and gave the worried mare a reassuring smile, telling her that everything should be okay now that she doesn't have to worry about the pain of hurting her mother.
“Yeah, but we should get the key before everyone wakes up. It should be in the Oculory,” Winter replied.
"Fine. I'll help you up."
Winter rolled her eyes as Daring got out of the floating bed and did a quick stretch, arching her back for a second before grabbing her by the scruff of her neck and gently placed her on her back. Winter frowned for being treated like a little puppy but didn't complain. She felt Daring Do adjust her with her wings for a quick second before tip-toed her way out of the room, filled with sleeping, tired bodies. Just as Winter and Daring left the room, they hear a voice call from behind, wondering where they were going. "Master? Where are you going?" asked Snowball, fully awake and out of her bedroll that was rolled out in the master bedchamber of Alta.
"We are just going to get the key, Snow, and how is Alta by the way?" Winter asked, causing her horse to groan in annoyance as she turned around to meet the pure white, walking cloud with mismatched eyes.
"She is...Passive, to say the least. She has stopped talking about murder and has started to study the magic that binds us," Snowball replied as they walked out of the room.
"That does not sound good," Daring commented. Telling Winter that she wasn't too happy that they couldn't just talk together alone and without company.
"I had the same thought, however, she gave up after she realized that it was too advanced to tackle without information that she does not have. So now, she is planning on trying to offer Master Rose with deals for her freedom."
Winter let out a chuckle as they entered the main hall and turned towards the throne room. The sound of clip-clopping of their hooves echoed in the decorated chamber that followed the same Roman, Celtic mixture of architecture that made up the entire temple. "Well, tell her that if she is a good girl. I might give her, her own 'Artificial Body,' to use, and if you haven't told her already, Snow. They last for an eternity."
"She say's that she might consider if the Worshipers of Celestia are killed," Snowball acknowledged.
"Did you tell her that I rule an entire country that is currently at war with the Crystal Empire with Equestria using the fight to try and call for a cease-fire in order to stage another assassination attempt for my head?" Winter asked bluntly. "And that the ponies and the deer in the room are on my side not, Celestia's?"
"WHAT?!" Daring shouted in pure shock as she stopped in front of the door to the throne room. "That can't be true!"
"..."
"She has retracted her wish to murder the others, but now wants revenge for Celestia cursing her people with the Plagas monster that consumed her body."
"The Plagas monster is dead, but she can't have her revenge on Celestia herself, however. She can—If her powers are limited—Act as a Valkyrie within my Black Knights and be one of my personal guards. I just hope she can get along with an Eldrich Void Knight and the Angel of War, Azrael, herself," Winter smiled in response.
"WHAT?!" Daring gasped again with even more volume. "You can't be serious!? She's a Demon!"
"I thought you have some trust in me?" Winter inquired back.
"I do, but in my line of work, you can't trust anyone. It took a rainbowed-maned mare to at least trust family. How can you trust her? She tried to make you her host!"
Winter nodded in response, knowing that what she had in mind was risky. Having a demon with a wicked affinity for lightning magic and winglets that act as a unicorn's horn would cause a major problem if they had to fight again, but if she can bring Alta to her side. She could use the knowledge of lost, Pegasi arts, that she held within to her advantage. Plus, having all three ethereal factions: Void, Dark, and Light on her side, fighting for her. Celestia and all those that support her won't be able to believe in the lies that the Alicorn of the Sun, anymore. Winter let out a sigh and nuzzled Daring's mane. "Trust me, I know what I am doing."
"Argh," Daring hissed as she walked into the throne room with Snowball quickly following behind. "I trust you, but don't you dare hurt, Spits with this choice."
"If all goes according to plan, no one will be hurt anymore," Winter replied through a whisper, earning herself a sigh of defeat from the older mare.
"Master?" Snowball asked again as they walked through the thin layer of water towards the door leading to the Oculory.
"Go ahead."
"Alta has considered the offer, but on one condition."
"Continue," Winter said as they entered the hall towards the Oculory.
"She wants...a dress."
Winter, Daring, and Snowball returned with the sapphire ocarina to the master bedchamber in relative silence. The mood was a mixture of disdain for the demon trapped within Snowball by Daring, the annoyance of not being able to move with trouble being able to breathe by Winter and the curiosity from the Flesh Golem looking around the halls in awe as Alta told her the majesty of the artists that made her palace.
"There you guys are!" Stephen exclaimed as they walked back into the room to find that all of their stuff was packed and that everyone was ready to move. "You, see Red. They were just going to scout ahead for anything out of the ordinary. Right?"
Daring paused for a second in the door, slightly miffed that her stuff was touched, but before she could say anything about it, the filly on her back spoke up.
"Yeah, they way is clear and we have a straight route back to the bridge. It's only a ten-minute walk from here," Winter interrupted. "Oh! And don't worry about me. I'm just suffering from extreme stiffness that's preventing me from moving on my own, so I'll be out of commission for the rest of the way. Sorry."
"Don't worry about that, Princess. You've done enough," Redbeard chimed in. "We're just sorry we couldn't be useful as much as we could. Stephen here may not look it, but he is quite the scholar, even though he doesn't sound like it most of the time. And I? Well, my eye for detail hasn't been all that good in this place. Too much magic in the air makes it hard to see sometimes."
"It's alright, but being able to see nothing but magic sucks even more," Winter smiled at the old stallion. He let out a throaty chuckle and left the room with Stephen with Nova, who gave a curt nod to the Empress on Darings back.
"So, what now?" Spooks asked with a cheeky smile as her forked tongue stuck out to tastes the air.
"Well, now that everyone is up. We'll head back to the fort and take a ship back to Arcadia. From there, we separate with me taking Evelyn to the castle to see what I can do to help the deer people," Winter replied, causing the Doe in the room to freeze in place. Daring and Spooks took instant notice of this while everyone else left to join the others, leaving them alone with the petrified Doe.
"Something the matter, Evelyn?" Spooks asked with a raised brow.
"W-What makes you think I'll go willingly to Arcadia?" Evelyn gulped as she reached for her spear.
"Because, if you don't then how are we going to help the Deer people with their Princess running away from their aid?" Winter said bluntly, causing the Doe's jaw to hang open. "Thought so. Now come along and if you behave. You will get a guest room in the castle and not the dungeon." Evelyn bit her lip, her ears flattened as she couldn't think of a way to counter that statement, knowing that if she ran away, the Empress would use that as a symbol to her people that they had no one to follow other than the Empress, herself,
"Fine, I'll go with you. Only because I don't want my people being used," she said reluctantly before she left out the room with a huff.
"Women," all three of them said in unison.
As a group, they all walked down the main hall with the same thought in mind: Get the fuck out of there. Daring walked at a brisk pace close to Snowball with Winter nestled comfortably on her back. She could tell that she was sleeping soundly and comfortably from the steady, heavy breathing escaping her lips. Daring cracked a smile at the little filly before they were stopped at a large door that opened on its own, revealing the first room that they entered, clean like there was nothing there in the first place.
"Damn, talk about going the long way, huh?" A.T chimed as the sun from outside shone into the room from the door that was slightly ajar at the other end.
"Yeah, let's just hope that the guards outside are still there," Evelyn added.
Daring sighed as she followed along, knowing that Alta killed them all and threw them into the vicious ocean below when she cleaned her temple from intruders. She could only hope that the filly on her back knows what she was doing with the demon trapped within the Flesh Golem that trailed close beside her.
"Man, it's good to be outside again," Spooks chirped as the sun warmed her scales as they left the temple, and the first thing they all saw was how clean the bridge was as well as the tower, both looked like they were repaired as if the battle on them never happened in the first place.
"Damn, let's hope the ship is still there. I don't want to swim my way back," Night Heart chortled to everyone's agreement as they picked up their pace down the bridge.
Daring frowned as they walked into the courtyard to the fort and found that no one was there, but there was a pile of armor in the far corner of the yard next to a tree. Adjust to the pile was the ship, untouched and ready to fly. Snowball and the others ran ahead, wanting to head back to the mainland as soon as possible while Evelyn started in horror that everyone she came with was most likely dead.
Daring pressed up against her side and guided her to the ship just as Winter stirred awake on her back, letting out a cute yawn as she looked around, wondering where she was now as Daring boarded the small ship with Evelyn having a hard time looking away from the pile of armor.
"Hey kiddo, we're on the ship, but the Doe is in shock right now," Daring said, causing the Doe to acknowledge her statement.
"That's good, just don't drop me," Winter replied, just as Evelyn let out a sigh and went straight for the crew quarters not wanting to watch herself leave behind all the armor of her fallen comrades that she promised to bring back to their families.
Daring let out a quiet sigh as the ship lifted into the air and began the trip home. With Winter on her back, she walked over to Stephen at the wheel wearing a pirate hat and eye patch as she flew the ship with Red Beard at his side, looking through a spyglass. She turned around one last time to watch the airborne archipelago shrink in the distance.
Fire. Battle cries. The *boom!* from cannons blasting from afar, echoed louder the closer the ship flew across the safety of the southern Arcadian mountain range. Not one could see the wonderful blue sky. The same sky that told the world that everything was okay, but it wasn't. Ever since Stephen flew the ship over the hurricane at Evelyn's direction, we were engulfed in the black clouds that covered the Arcadian countryside.
Winter and Daring knew full well of the dark nature of the clouds covering Arcadia. It was a method of war. A scare tactic, but much more sinister. In history, Commander Hurricane used these types of clouds to mask a horrible storm that would decimate the enemy army with lightning and tornados during a siege. The black color was just to intimated them, however. The only way to create such a color was with fire, death, and a hint of magic.
Winter sat at Daring's side, still a little sore from the fight with Alta. It was thanks to Night Heart's magic that she was able to walk around on her own power, but it was limited without placing a heavy strain on her little body. She thanked Night Heart for her medical skills just as Evelyn joined the group on the main deck of the ship, wearing leaf-like armor like the Equus version of an Elf. She gave Winter and the others a curt bow before helping Stephen guide the ship over the Endless Storm. As Evelyn stood beside the smiling pirate, helping him fly the ship, Spooks walked over to Daring and Winter, armed and ready for the oncoming threat that looms in the distance.
"Looks like there's a storm brewing over yonder," Red Beard groaned, taking a sip from his flask as he did so. Spooks nodded in agreement as she sat next to Winter and Daring while keeping a keen eye of the lightning flashing in the distance just over where she believed was, Silent Hill as snow started to fall around them with Stephen flying close to Mount Gilgamesh.
"I agree, and not a good one either," Spooks added, turning to the disheveled Empress that was leaning against the adventurous mare. "What do you think this means, Empress?"
Winter let out a sigh, already knowing what was over the horizon as she leaned against her grandmother, Daring Do, for support. “Battle. Fire. Death. It looks as though the Crystal Empire has broken the line and, somehow, made it to the city. So except conflict when we get there.”
"How can you tell, Kiddo?" Daring asked in slight confusion, unknowing of the threat that cried into the air as the ship flew closer.
"The clouds are filled with soot and the sounds in the distance aren't natural," Spooks answered for the filly. "It's a common sight during a siege...And a big one at that."
"Thanks, Spooks," Winter nodded with a sigh before she grabbed her two guns and checked them over, making sure that she hand enough ammo for any foe that she will face.
“You're welcome,” she smiled with a flick of her tongue.
“Just... don't push yourself, kiddo. You look bad enough as it is,” Daring chimed warily while pulling the filly close with her wing. Winter cracked a smile and continued to clean her guns in silence.
The group watched in horror as they made around the mountain that protected them from anyone that may or may not want to fill them with holes, and not the good kind either. The first thing they saw were ten, giant, crystal spiders trying to climb the walls of Silent Hill, but were having a hard time with the dragons pushing them back. The second thing they saw were six, large ships that were covered in a crystal that glowed brightly when something smashed against their hulls.
They all watched as they fired round after round into the city streets with cannon balls made of crystal that, when they made contact, would turn a small portion of an area into a crystal. The last thing they saw was the castle itself and the spells that were being thrown in and around it. Winter could instantly tell whose magic was being cast and she didn't like it.
“Damn, even Luna is having a hard time against, Shining Armour and Cadence,” Winter hissed in anger, causing the group to look with more worry of their situation.
“Where should I go, Empress?” Stephen asked as several crystal cannon balls whizzed past the ship.
“I need to help Luna, but those ships are causing major problems and with the main force at Luna Bay. I don't think help will arrive for some time. Plus those crystal spiders need to be taken care of as well,” Winter replied.
“So, what's the plan?” Spooks asked, taking out her rifle, Cue. Winter bit her lip, looking over the city with a worrisome eye as her cutie mark started to burn as if it was on fire, causing everyone to take a step back.
She knows that the group had to split up to take different tasks, but she had to go to the castle no matter what. Without Luna, things could go from bad to worse if she wasn't on the front lines like she was supposed to, but she understands why with Cadence and Armour fighting her in her castle. She gave Spooks a quick glance, worried that if she sent her and her friends to deal with the giant spiders, that they might never return and that their trip together would be all for naught, but knowing of her explosive background. Having them there could help the Dragon Guard immensely in taking them out, however. She couldn't just land at the castle in an Equestrian Speeder. She had to land where Cadence might want them, but where?
Winter scoured the areas around the castle, looking for a place to land the ship. She knew the military docks would be a good place to get killed since they were practically wearing a flag that said, 'they are the bad guy.' No, she and the others knew that they had to land in a place that was under immediate threat so that they could cloak in the shadows of their enemies.
Her eyes traced briskly over the city, looking for the right place to land the ship. Winter was heartbroken the second she saw the Residential District. It was nothing but fire with soldiers desperately trying to put out the flames as they escorted civilians to safety. Winter pulled her eyes away from the recently homeless, remembering the pain of living under bridges and turned her eye to the school and noticed something off that instantly pulled her away from the fires. In the track behind the school was another, Equestrian, ship, parked there with an honor guard trying to get into the school but was having trouble. She instantly knew why they were there and was livid that Celestia would use this upheaval to try and kill her friends while she was away. She pointed at the school, marking that as the perfect place to land the ship.
"Stephen, park us at the track behind the school right beside the other Equestrian ship. Once we land, I want; Spooks, Windy, Night, and A.T to help out with the giant, crystal, spiders at the wall. I'll take; Daring, Red, Nova, Evelyn, as well as you, Stephen to take the school and take out the ships flying overhead. Is that agreed?" Winter asked sternly.
"Agreed," they all replied in unison.
Stephen guided the airship down through friendly fire and enemy fire alike. Shells, magic, and anti-aircraft whizzed by the ship, yet none found their mark with his expert flying skills as he skidded close to one of the grand archways leading to the castle over the city below, using it as a shield for his decent. With a cheeky smirk, the Faunas wolf flew close to the city streets below. Skirting just over the heads of evacuating civilians and soldiers, preventing the ponies that were on his side from firing upon them further, else they would kill those that they were trying to protect. Winter smiled at the cleverness of the Faunas and prepped her weapons as they quickly made their way to the school that was under siege, however. That smiled died as quick as it came at the possibility that her friends were in danger, even though she knew that they could handle themselves in the face of such a danger with relative ease.
No. That was not the way she should be thinking. It was unbecoming of her to have uncertain thoughts that were unfounded in their roots. She knows that her friends were alright and were fighting to protect the school. No matter the cost.
She watched as Stephen guided the ship over the large academy of learning towards the track at the back of the school and right beside the unsuspecting Equestrian ship that shared their flag. She and all the others took notice that it was mostly unguarded with the majority of the forces trying to enter through the gym entrance of the school, but were having immense trouble doing so.
Once they weighed anchor, Winter, and the group jumped out of the ship out of sight of the golden-clad guards coming towards them. She prepped her weapons and checked her mana pool, making sure that if she needed to use magic again, she wouldn't kill herself while casting an Air-blade.
“Control your shots,” Spooks said as she checked on her pistols magazines and switched the safety into burst-fire mode. “We don't want to hit the civvies inside.”
“Sounds like you have experience with this type of situation?” Redbeard commented as he loaded bear slugs into his SPAS-12
“Unfortunately, I do,” Spooks replied, happy that her gear was primed and ready. “Why?
“Been trained in for this type of situation as well, that's all,” he said, lighting up his last Cuban cigar that sat comfortably in the corner of his mouth. “And what's the plan here, Empress Rose?”
Winter perked up at the mention of her name and turned to the older stallion with a long exhale. “Go in, and clear out all Equestrians and Crystalians,” she said simply. “And stay out of the way of the Seven if you see them. Especially Autumn. You don’t want to be killed by her swords when she starts swinging,” Winter added while adding more bullets into her bottomless mags, much to everyone's surprise.
“Who's: 'The Seven?'” Stephen asked with slight worry. Winter cracked a smile and turned to the handsome wolf.
“They are ponies that have the potential of becoming the Alicorn of War, and I'm one of them,” she smiled with the “Click!” of both hammers being cocked on her guns.
“That...That explains why the Equestrians are here,” Daring sighed. “Such foals could be very dangerous if they ascend.”
“I agree, though I'm the closest to achieving that goal, but enough about that. We need to get moving,” Winter motioned as she made her way around the stern of the ship to the bow, listening to the “clip-clopping” of hooves coming from the welcoming party trotting closer from the other side. Spooks was right behind her along with; Daring, Nova, Redbeard and Stephen with the others going around the corner of the other end of the ship. She stopped right behind the young Empress just as the Equestrian guards shadows came into view, showing them that they were poorly armed.
Winter turned and flicked her head at them towards the oncoming threat and said, “Remember: No Equestrian.” They nodded back as the guards came into full view and froze in shock.
“Y-You're not back-up!?” the leader of the group said in pure shock before three, “Bangs!” echoed from Winter's gun, ending the noise of battle that was close by as the three guards fell to the ground, staining the grass crimson with their blood.
“Move!” Winter ordered as she bolted from the ship with a hard flap of her wings, creating a heavy gust of wind that stifled the others in their tracks temporarily as she charged for the gym door that was occupied by two, frightened guards, holding their spears close to their chests with trembling hooves.
Spooks charged right behind the filly as she fired two more shots in quick succession with lethal accuracy into the two guards keeping an eye out on a set of double-doors leading into a large, Victorian-styled building that must have been the schools gym and main auditorium judging from the sheer size of the complex. She quickly caught up with Winter with the others hiding behind a giant set of bleachers that could fit easily one thousand people and skidded to a halt once she saw why the filly was hiding.
Just over by the large, wood carved stage was, at least, two hundred well-armed Equestrian soldiers around a small group of children trembling in fear as the leader─A large stallion with a blue, blasted back main and white coat, sporting black armor that he wore with pride─Shout at a light brown filly, who was holding a shaking, battered and bruised, blue filly in her arms.
“Where is Winter Rose!” the stallion demanded just loud enough for them all to hear as half of the group sneaked to the other side of the bleachers from underneath them.
“I don't know!” the brown filly shouted back in a cute, tomboyish voice that sounded strangely like maple syrup.
“Bullshit! We know that you are closely connected to her from your time at Canterlot's School for Gifted Individuals!” he boomed with a hard *Stomp!* of his hoof. Spooks turned to the enraged filly in question, wondering what was going on. “Now where is she!”
“Right here!” Winter shouted, coming out from hiding, much to Spooks's horror for possibly ruining their perfect, potential ambush, but stayed hidden to see what she was planning.
Winter walked without fear towards Soarin of the Wonderbolts in pure rage that her friend, Astral Aria was hurt. She watched as the smug stallion turned his attention away from them with his entourage smiling smugly at her as she walked with her head held high in stride.
“Well-well-well. If it isn't the Black Queen herself?” Soarin smirked, causing the group of children to look at her with tremendous amounts of worry in their eyes. “Finally, came out of hiding to fight like these brainwashed foals said you would? Tired of whipping your slaves, human to die like the coward you are?!”
“Oh, shut up, Clipper!” Winter shouted back, causing the Wonderbolt to stare at her in shock. “I've been fighting for the past three days without rest! Have you ever fought your way through a fuck-ton of mercenaries armed to the teeth with dynamite in caves older than Equestria itself!? Battle your praetorian guards in the Endless Storm? Or fight one of the thirteen Plagues of Tartarus that was followed up a duel with The Queen of Storms, Alta Tempest, herself?!” she hissed, cause everyone, including the Wonderbolt, eyes to go wide with shock, horror and awe.
“You are fucking lucky that I'm drained of energy cause I could have ended you all in a matter of seconds!” she exclaimed, causing the all the guards, but Soarin, to tremble in fear. Spooks took notice of this facade and moved into position along with the others and aimed her weapon, waiting for the right moment to strike.
“Heh, big words for a liar. Only a fool would believe you!” Sorin shot back.
“Oh really?” Winter hissed as she turned on her Mangekyo Sharingan illusion spell, causing the guards closest to her to back away slowly with sweat beading down from their collective brows. “Then explained to me why Evelyn Stronghoof was at The Temple of Alta? Or is that a lie as well?”
This caught Soarin off guard as his eyes went narrow, turning into slits in pure rage at the mention of that name. “How do you know that?” he hissed back.
“The same reason that I know Celestia wanted the Winglets in order to control the demon trapped within and use it as a weapon and resource for all the lost magic it contains and trust me, Soarin. I will make you pay for hurting Spitfire's heart,” Winter growled as the whites of her eyes turned black like Soarin's with her pupils became slits as well.
Spooks slowed her breath as the spectacle unfolded and aimed her pistols at the closest guards while turning invisible and nodded to the others to get ready to which they responded with a nod of their own as Winter's coat flickered with fire while Sorin's pulsed with condensed air.
“Oh yeah? You and what army?” he asked with a dark smile with his wings flexing out menacingly.
“The Salvation Army, eh!” Winter shouted with a smile, telling the others to open fire.
“Wha─?” Soarin said dumbly as the gym was filled with loud *Bangs!* *Clacks!* and slicing metal, from Winter's declaration.
Spooks chuckled as the guards pissed themselves as they watched their comrades died like insects in paralyzing horror, just as Winter tackled Soarin to the ground while he was dazed and threw him with staggering strength into the far wall, knocking him out cold from the painful impact before sending one, large, AOE out, decapitating the surviving guards while they were still petrified in fear from the sudden onslaught on their brethren as Spooks and the others reloaded their weapons.
“Is that all of them?” Spooks called and got a few affirmatives from around the gym making her let her guard and holster her guns, “Alright, Night, Windy, can you check the foals?”
“On it,” they both replied in unison.
Spooks watched both Windy and Night Heart moved over to the foals in the middle of the gym before walking over to Winter, who was being stared at by all of the children in the room with wide eyes with a few bowing down to her out and others whispering in childish glee at the sight of her. She gave them all a warm smile and a curt nod before walking over to the unconscious form of Soarin, the Wonderbolt and prodded his side to make sure that he wasn't moving.
“So, what are you going to do with him?” Spooks asked as she walked up to Winter with two fillies close behind.
“Honestly? I have no idea,” Winter replied with a shrug, “Probably put him into a dungeon with the rest of the Wonderbolts that I’ve captured for Intel. Other than that. I don’t know what else to do with him other than have Spitfire chew him out.”
Spooks just nodded in response as the two fillies walked right up to Winter with worry in their eyes.
“Winny? What’s going on?” the dark auburn filly said in a warm, tomboyish syrupy tone, bringing a soft smile to the Empress’s face.
“Just the usual: Wake up, stretch, coffee, yoga, adventure time, explosions, pain, regret, misery and almost dying. Ya’ know, my average day,” she shrugged and booped the milky blue filly that was leaning against the brown one on the nose.
“Yeah, that sounds like you,” the filly smiled and pulled her into a warm embrace, nuzzling Winter with adorable affection.
“Так мило,” Spooks muttered, looking away at the sight.
“I’m guessing you want to know where the others are as well as the teachers?” the filly asked with a knowing smirk, pulling away from Winter so that the other filly could give her a hug as well.
“That would be helpful, Maple,” Winter smiled in response.
“A bunch of guards went chasing the other students down the hall. There of them was wearing the same black armor as Soarin. Our gym teacher went with the guards with a strange smile on his face and since they have been gone. There have been sounds of clashing swords and explosions every other minute, probably caused by Autumn and Summer, by the sound of it.”
"That would explain how they got into the school," Spooks frowned with a slight growl. "He better have not done anything to them."
"I highly doubt that Snake-thing," Maple said simply. "Autumn beat Shining Armor in a duel and Summer beat the best sniper in the world. They won't have a hard time. Right Rose?" Maple boasted.
"Right, and by the feel of it. Both of them are currently at a standstill with the remainder of the Equestrian Guards," Winter replied, causing Spooks to look at her in confusion.
“How is that possible?” Spooks asked dumbly as Windy and Night Heart tended to the wounds inflicted on the children just a few meters away.
“You'll find out, Snake Thing and Winter?” Maple inquired.
“Yes?”
“Take it easy. You look like you are ready to keel over and die from exhaustion. Don't push yourself more than you have too. It would suck to see my herd mate in a coffin,” Maple said weakly as she helped the other filly, who passed out leaning against her, towards Night Heart and the other children.
“No promises,” Winter chuckled half-halfheartedly and turned to Soaring one more time before an azure glow wrapped his body, causing Spooks to jump back, ready to fight again, but this cautionary step was unfounded as the Wonderbolt flashed for a quick second and disappeared.
“Damn it! Where did he go!?” Spooks hissed at the missing Wonderbolt.
“I teleported him to the dungeon so we don't have to worry about bringing him along. So let's not delve further into the matter. We have to move,” she replied and proceeded past the bowing children deeper into the school with her head held high with Nova Blade following right behind her along with Daring, who was also the center of attention among the group of the innocent.
“What?!” Spooks gasped in shock, completely forgetting that the young Empress could teleport like a Unicorn before shaking her head, and reluctantly followed right behind her while the others stayed with the group of children.
Winter trotted at a brisk pace down the once pristine halls of her personal academy. Blood, slashes and burns marked a struggle on the decorated stone walls, curved and carved to match the Gothic style with a mix of elvish fantasy, turning each corner, nook, and cranny into eloquent art that was unmatched to the rest of the world, even the lost temple that she left a few hours prior.
Bodies in gold armor littered the floor, sliced, stabbed, burned and skewered with arrows with surgical precision. It was clear who had done such damage, just the thought of her friends fighting off an army filled her heart with pride, knowing that they were safe for the moment.
“What did this?” Daring asked as they passed a guard that was drawn and quartered with something big and sharp.
“My friend, Autumn and by the looks of it–“ she paused and saw a giant hole in the wall that went through the entire school. “–The Eclipse twins as well. Why?” she asked as the sound of shouting blared out from down a hall leading to girls dormitory that didn't sound like they were friends.
“Foals did this?” she asked again in shock.
“Yes,” Winter replied. “We were all assassination targets for being terrifyingly skilled in combat. Just ask Spring Rose, she's been following us since we've passed the bathroom a few minutes ago.”
“What do you mean? There is no one else here?” Spooks pointed out.
“Spring Rose! I know you are hiding in Nova's shadow!” Winter shouted causing everyone to look at the confused Thestral before a green filly appeared, quite literally, out of her shadow.
“How did you find me?!” she gasped, causing Spooks's eye to twitch slightly at the tiny filly.
“Your own shadow gave it away,” Winter smirked. “You still have lots to learn before you can get the drop on me again, Spring Rose.”
“How in the hell?” Nova gawked at the Earth Pony filly as she walked up the wall without a care in the world and vanished into another shadow.
“Whatever, Empress fuck face. The others are held up in the girls dormitory. The remaining Equestrian guards are just outside of it in the courtyard, hiding behind a portable gem shield. Wonderbolts Thunderlane, Misty Fly, and Surprise are there also, now if you need me. I'll meet you there, chow!” she said before disappearing as quickly as she came.
“Well, that happened. I'm guessing she is one of the Seven that you mentioned?” Daring blinked, trying to figure out how the filly shadow stepped, despite not being a Unicorn...or walked up the wall like a Thestral or Changeling when she wasn't one.
“Yep,” Winter responded and went back to walking to the courtyard that Spring Rose mentioned. “Master of theft, espionage and the art of disappearing like a ghost. She makes Nova Blade here look like a novice when it comes to breaking and entering.”
“That's impossible!” Nova exclaimed.
“I agree,” Daring added.
“Indeed,” Spooks finished.
“Well, it is. Just ask Celestia or Luna. They can tell you that she managed to break into the Black Archives under Canterlot Castle and stole a book about Shadow Walking. Man, they were pissed when they found out but were too late cause she mastered the lost arts in that tome before they could take it back.”
“I'm starting to see why these Seven are so dangerous now. They sound a lot like the Seven Knights of Twilight: The great warriors that once protected the Tree of Harmony from the demon hoard before Tartarus was built thousands of years ago,” Daring explained, earning her a raised brow from Winter and Nova.
“That's...Interesting, but history lessons can wait. The rest of the school needs us,” Winter silenced before bolting down the hall at a brisk pace with Nova trailing right behind her.
“She's right, let's go,” Spooks nodded to Daring and chased after the others, however. Daring was reluctant after the sudden realization of legend incarnate causing chaos in the world. With a sigh, she followed after them, wondering if the world's most mysterious legend was true.
Winter bounded around a corner straight towards the last set of doors, guarded by two guards that Nova Blade killed the second she laid eyes on them. They both took cover on either side of the doors with Spooks and Daring right behind them.
“How many do you think is out there?” Spooks questioned, her tail rattling at the strange static in the air, making her uneasy. Winter closed her eyes with a long exhale and a twitch of her wings. Her eyes moved beneath her eyelids erratically as if she was trying to look everywhere all at once before opening them again, showing all three of them that her eyes changed color to a clear silver.
“There is at least ten of them: five standard soldiers, the three Wonderbolts and two Archmages,” Winter replied.
“How can you tell? And what's up with your eyes, kiddo?” Daring asked warily.
“Mana Sight, which has a side effect of changing my eye color and making me temporarily blind. Why?” she asked back as her eyes returned to normal.
“Isn't that very dangerous Black Magic, your Highness?” Nova questioned with the same amount of worry in her voice as Daring.
Winter shook her head. “It's not the actual spell, just a mock version of it. Completely safe. I promise.”
“I just hope you know what you are doing,” Daring sighed and turned back to the double doors and pressed her ear against them to listen in on the shouting from outside.
“So, take out all the guards but the Black Ops?” Spooks asked, pulling out the Safe Twins.
“Yes, I'll deal with them. Once I have them in my line of sight. I can teleport them to the dungeon. The archmages are the ones that are going to be a problem, though.” Winter commented as she pulled out her own guns.
“Not going to be a problem with these babies, Empress Rose,” Spooks smirked and shoved Daring and Nova to the side before slamming the doors opened and fired a few rounds before rolling behind a statue of the Empress in adult form.
Winter smirked and followed right behind the Night Stalker, who gave her just enough of a distraction to get a read on the three Wonderbolts that were more focused on Spooks than her, and teleported them to the dungeon before ducking behind a bush, barely dodging a jet of fire that was sent out by one of the archmages.
“It's the Empress! Kill her!” one of the Equestrians ordered as a giant fire rune appeared right under Winter, forcing her to roll into the open as a geyser of fire erupted where she once stood.
“Winter!” Spooks shouted as the filly disappeared from her line of sight as she fired a few rounds into the guards in golden armor, killing them all, but leaving the two unicorns wearing black robes unscathed. Spooks hissed in irritation as she spotted her bullets hovering right in front of the faces of the smug Unicorns before they sent them back at supersonic speeds. “Motherfuckers,” she hissed as one of her own bullets skimmed against her shoulder, causing a slight gash while she reloaded from behind the statue.
“Winter! Are you alright?!” Spooks called out in worry.
Winter frowned at the call as she went invisible and moved around the center of the courtyard, keeping an eye out for the two unicorns with the smuggest, shit-eating grins on their faces. She didn't want to alert them archmages to her immediate presence as she prepared a lightning bolt that will kill them both in a single hit: an Aether Bolt. She could only hope that the Night Stalker didn't do anything rash while she remained silent.
“The filly is nothing but a pile of ashes, freak!” one of the archmages laughed. “She didn't know that I had that trap placed there just for her!”
“They killed Winter?” Spooks muttered breathlessly, “You bastards!” she shouted before unleashing a volley of fire until the Safe Twins clicked empty making her duck down behind the statue in order to reload and to take cover from the bullets that were sent back to her.
Just as Spooks was about to load fresh magazines into her pistols to continue firing at the Archmages. A strange arrow landed at her hooves with a note attached to it. While they were distracted by a few more of those strange arrows firing upon them, Spooks took the time to open and read the note.
"They're protected by a portable gem shield. Fire at them during the repulse of the electromagnetic charge that surrounds them. You can tell by the grass under them
-Umbra Eon."
'Thank you, Umbra Eon, whoever you are,' Spooks thought with a smirk. She poked her head out from behind her cover while the archmages were distracted by a volley of arrows and watched the grass underneath them carefully, looking for a change in its natural behavior. After a few seconds of watching with unblinking eyes, the grass froze solid for a split second before turning back to normal.
Acting as quick as she could, Spooks side jumped out from behind the statue and fired a short burst of bullets at each of the Unicorns. Unfortunately, only a few rounds found their mark in the shoulders of the two Unicorns while the rest were deflected by the reactivated shield. Realizing her mistake, she scrambled back up to her hooves in a struggle to get back in cover, but it was futile. She was yanked hard by her tail and pinned to the ground with vines with her guns tossed to the side.
“It was fun while it last, but I think it's time for you to die,” the archmage that set the fire trap said with a sadistic smile on his face as the vines around Spooks wrapped around her neck and started to strangle her.
Spooks vainly struggled against the possessed vines choking the air out of her lungs. The corners of her vision blurred as focused on breathing rather than escaping and, just a few meters away, was a set of disembodied hooves in the grass. She cracked a weak smile, knowing that Winter was still alive.
“Why are you smiling?” the archmage demanded angrily.
“B-because...Y-you're...About to…Get...Fucked up,” Spooks managed to choke out before she passed out in his magical grip.
Just as Spooks said those words, Winter came out from her cloak, covered in black lightning. The two archmages froze in horror as their horns lit up in a vain effort to defend themselves, but she knows that it was impossible.
"Go to hell," she hissed before sending out a black lightning bolt out from her body. The two archmages eyes went wide in fear that was erased from existence as both of their bodies were swallowed in a sphere of pure darkness and what was left behind was their bloody stumps for hooves.
"Now...Stay dead," Winter said, panting heavily, her vision blurry from the instant drain of magic from her final attack. Taught to her by Luna as a last resort.
"Manipulating...dark energy...is hard...fuck," she groaned, limping slowly over to Spooks as the teachers, guards, and students poured out of the dormitory, safe from the threat that was slamming against their doors.
"What was that?!" Daring gasped as she leaned up against Winter to give her support, just as five strange fillies, clad in light, leather armor ran up to her with weapons of their own. One of them held a giant bow, made from the bones and scales of a white dragon that was easily the size of Iron Will, a Minotaur she met on the road, giving inspirational speeches from town to town.
"Winter!" shouted one of the armored fillies, causing the filly leaning against her side to turn and limp away towards the filly with the bow before she was tackled into an affectionate snuggle fest of adorable, apocalyptic, proportions.
"Hey, Summer. Miss me?" Winter choked out before coughing up blood all over the whitish-pink fillies neck, making her jump in shock.
"Are you alright?!" she gasped as she forced herself away and began looking over Winter like a protective kitten. "I didn't hurt you more than you are?"
Winter chuckled slightly, coughing up more blood as she did so as streams of her crimson liquid poured out of her eyes. "No, kitten. Just severe mana atrophy."
"We should really get you to the hospital," Daring said as she looked over and saw that Spooks was coming back to her feet. The Night Stalker coughed slightly, shaking her head in a daze.
"No time," Winter wretched, puking up blood before she collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. "G-Got to...Activate the AA cannons."
"Winter!?" both Daring and Summer gasped as they both leaned over to check on her, but Daring was shoved to the side by the filly with terrifying strength. "Here, you need it more than I do right now," Summer said, bringing her neck to Winter's mouth. Daring frowned at this, not understanding the filly's gesture until Winter chomped down on her neck, earning a slight whimper of pain from Summer.
"What are you doing!? Winter stop that!" Daring shouted as she moved to the other side to try and pull them apart but the other four fillies held her back with their weapons, especially a golden filly hovering twenty swords with her magic with ease against the older mare's throat. "Stay out of zis. Wintier is just getting a boost to keep 'er from dying. Fucking moron," the golden filly said before Winter pulled away from Summer's neck and jumped up, wiping away the blood that dripped down from her maw with Summer smiling weakly as she stood up as well.
"Better?" she asked warily, struggling to stay up on her trembling hooves.
Winter gave her a gentle peck on the cheek with a smile, further confusing Daring beyond the point of no return. "Better," she smiled, before coughing up a little bit of blood again. "Well... almost better."
“I think you broke her,” Spooks commented, with a slight croak in her voice, as she poked Daring into her face with a hoof to which Daring didn't react in the slightest.
"She break's everyone. It just takes a while," Summer smiled as she leaned against the golden filly with a million swords sheathed to her back in a way that makes her look like she had wings made of steel.
Spooks just shrugged in response before coughing up the permanent marker she ate a few days prior and drew a mustache, monocle and a burning cigar on Daring's face. “Classy,” Spooks admired her work with a smile before swallowing the permanent marker again with a sigh of satisfaction, “The advantages of not having a gag reflex.”
"That's...gross," the filly said in disgust with silver hair and a dark gray coat. "Where does it even go?"
“Now, that's… a very good question,” Spooks replied with a thoughtful expression before shrugging, “It definitely goes somewhere?”
"Talk about the freak of nature some other time," the filly with black hair with red streaks in it said with a roll of her eyes and pointed to the flying ships bombing the city. "What are we going to do with those fuckers?"
Spooks frowned at being called a 'freak of nature' and decided to take revenge on the filly in the form of spitting out the permanent marker and hitting her straight in her face with it.
She caught the marker in her mouth and shattered it into a hundred pieces. The ink dripped down from her mouth, making her black fur even darker around her chin. "Do that again fuck face. And I'll turn you into snake stew!" she snarled, spitting some of the leftover ink into Spooks's face before walking away with her exact twin, walking right behind.
“Wow, talk about someone being a bitch,” Spooks muttered while wiping her face clean of the ink.
"That's just, Lunar Eclipse. She's always a bitch," Winter chuckled weakly, her eyes opening and closing in and out of consciousness.
"You need to get you some rest, Wintier," the french filly said with worry. "You 'ave pushed yourself too far. You are lucky to even be alive let alone awake!"
“If mana atrophy is really that dangerous you can try and feed off of my mana, if you want to,” Spooks said in concern.
"I wish I could, Spooks, but your signature and mine are too different to mix without feedback," Winter yawned. "Plus, if you are an External Magic user, the feedback could kill you for how different we are. Autumn can explain. I need to start moving to the AA-batteries on the castle wall."
"It depends on the pony and what 'mehzod 'zey use," the golden filly said. "Most Unicorns use Zee Ley Line principle as it uses 'zee 'orns as a muscle to bend 'zee magic around 'zem to use spells, but 'zee problem with that is if you were to go into a place 'zat 'as a magical suppressor, You can't do simple things like levitation, however. It is the safest to use," she explained. "Zee ohzer method is Zee Lexarious Internus mehzod or otherwise called an Internal Mana Pool. Unlike zee former, it draws energy stored within zee body. Most Pegasi use it as it costs less and allows 'zem to create, convert, and control lighting and, as you can see. Once your Mana Pool 'its zero, you can and will most likely, die."
"Now, if Wintier would 'ave borrowed from someone like you, as she said, 'your signatures are too different,' you will, quite literally," she coughed nervously, "explode from zee feedback."
Spooks took in what the filly had said before nodding in understanding, “Anyway, should we get on with our plan?”
"Yeah, tell the others back in the gym to regroup with me at the training grounds while your group deals with the war spiders. Once the threats are dealt with, I'll give you a medal or something," Winter chuckled before being smacked upside the head by the three fillies.
"She won't do anything until I say so. Tell whoever it is to meet us at the portable Medic station by the docks, alright?" Summer said, frowning at Winter who was smiling as her eyes slowly closed until she fell over into unconsciousness.
“Sure thing,” Spooks said before departing back towards the gym.
I absentmindedly rubbed at the forming bruise on my neck as I walked back towards the gym to meet up with Windy, A.T. and Night to tell them the plan.
'Windy's going to kill me when I tell her that we are the ones taking care of the spiders,' I thought with a cringe as I continued my walk towards the gym, 'And how are even going to do that? Maybe rappelling down and placing explosives on their legs? Hmm.' Before I could expand on that thought I arrived at the gym.
“You look like shit,” A.T. remarked with her trademark smirk as I walked into the gym.
“It's good to know that you think so highly of me,” I said to her before turning my attention to Windy and Night, “How are the foals?”
“Other than a few bumps and bruises they are fine,” Windy said as she finished on checking up on one of the foals, “So- What happened to you?!”
“Oh, you noticed,” I said nervously as Windy continued her fussing over the bruise on my neck.
“It is kind of hard to not notice,” Night said with a deadpan look on her face.
“How did it happen?!” Windy asked angrily after getting nose to nose with me.
“An arch mage animated some plants and choked me,” I said quietly and nervously while slowly backing away from my fuming marefriend.
“WHAT?!” She shouted before taking a calming breath, “You know what? I am going to let this slide. Now, what's the plan?”
“Well…..”
“If we survive this I am going to kill you,” Windy said angrily as we made our way out of the school and towards the battle spiders, “And where do you plan on getting the rappelling gear anyway?”
“I was actually planning on tying a piece of rope around my waist and having one of the dragons swing me from spider to spider.”
“….You can't be serious.”
“I am serious.” I replied.
My reply seemed to anger Windy because she stalked closer with a frightening look in her eyes. You know the look your mom gives you when you mess up and she can't kill you yet? Yeah, that look. Only ten times worse.
I slowly backed away from Windy, with my eras splayed back and my tail rattling with fear, until I backed into a wall and Windy leaned in until her mouth was right next my ear.
“I will let you do this. But keep in mind that one day I will come and make you regret this. Am I clear?” she whispered threateningly to which I could only give a little nod, “Good,” she said as she stepped away from me and looked at the other members of our little group of misfits, “Now, shall we go and squash some spiders?”
Her question was met with resounding agreement and we started walking in the general direction of the city walls.
The walk to the city walls was a relatively short one but the destruction around us was immense. There were houses that seemed to have been destroyed by some kind of crystal, some destroyed by conventional explosives and some simply burning down.
The houses weren't the only ones that have taken damage. Every now and then we ran into the bodies of soldiers, both Arcadian and from the Crystal Empire, and in one occasion even a group of Injured civilians that seemed to have been hit by a stray mortar shell of some sort.
“Nearly there,” I panted out as we ran the last leg of the trip to the city walls.
I skidded to a stop near one of the dragons defending the wall and quickly caught my breath.
“We're here to help.” I said to the dragon after catching my breath.
“You?” the apparently female dragon asked before sighing, “Better than nothing, I guess. I am Tohru by the way.”
“Spooks.” I said to the dragon with a small smile.
“So, Spooks, do you have a plan how to take care of the spiders? Because we pretty much threw everything we got at them.”
“I am going to swing down on a rope and place explosives onto the joints of their legs.” I replied simply which was met with only stunned silence from Tohru.
“…That is the most stupid plan in the history of plans. Ever.” Tohru said before grinning “I like it.”
“Glad you approve,” I said before turning back to my group, “Now, I think it would be best if you guys found somewhere safe to hide until this blows over. Oh, and here take care of Cue for me.” I said and handed the rifle to A.T.
“Give 'em hell.” A.T. said as she took the rifle from me.
“Make sure that you come back.” Windy said before giving me a quick kiss.
“I'll be sure to do so.” I said with a confident smile.
“Stay safe.” Night Heart said to which I nodded.
With our goodbyes said I turned back to Tohru,
“Now, let's take care of the spiders.”
Tohru only nodded and tied a piece of rope around my midsection.
“Make them pay.” Tohru said as she gave the rope one final tug.
I grunted in acknowledgment and jumped over the edge of the city wall. The moment my legs left solid ground I felt a rush of adrenaline and excitement wash over me. That is until the rope went taunt and painfully dug into my ribs.
I only had a chance to let out a small hiss of pain before being swung towards the legs of the nearest spider. Once I was within reach I firmly latched onto one of the spiders left legs and made my way to the middle joint of the leg into which I crammed a hoofful of semtex along with a detonator.
With this leg done I made my way to the leg opposite to it and repeated the process before moving on. Within a minute or two I had placed explosives onto four of the spider's legs and jumped off it and towards the next spider.
As I swung through the air I pulled a remote detonator from my pocket a pushed the spider's off button. With a resounding boom of the explosives and the sound of shattering crystal the spider peeled off the city wall and fell towards its demise.
With a victorious grin I returned back to work on destroying the other spiders which was somewhat more difficult thanks to the fact that the crews of the other spiders focused some of their fire on to me instead of the dragons on top of the wall. But thanks to me being such a small target none of the incoming fire hit me.
As I swung from spider to spider I noticed one spider that seemed to be hanging back. This spider seemed to be more armored than the others but lacked most of the armaments the other spiders had.
'That must be the commander's spider, ' I thought as I finished off another spider.
I have no idea how long it took but between me attacking the spiders from close and the dragons targeting them from afar the spiders were all destroyed. All except one: the command spider.
I looked back up towards the top of the wall where I saw Tohru give me which I returned and swung towards the last spider.
As I careened towards the spider I felt the rope tied around me suddenly go slack and my speed of descend rapidly increase. Twisting around in the air I looked back up and saw the tattered end of the rope and Tohru's shocked face.
'Well, shit.' I thought and twisted back around just in time to slam chest first into the body of the spider with the remains of the rope landing nearby.
I slowly rose from my landing spot and coughed up a small amount of blood. Putting a hoof onto my ribcage and applying a bit of pressure rewarded me with a sharp stab of pain. Also, I am pretty sure I felt something move underneath my skin. My self-assessment was suddenly interrupted by the sound of a hatch opening nearby.
“Foul creature!” An extremely self-centered voice called out, “Your days of terrorizing are over! For I, Commander Astral Hammer of the Crystal Army, shall smite you for your crimes!”
“Oh, piss off.” I growled out as I looked at him.
This so-called Commander was an extremely sparkly stocky unicorn clad in a full suit of battle armor and carrying a big war hammer in his magical grip.
“HOW DARE YOU?!” the unicorn roared out and swung his war hammer towards me.
Ducking underneath his attack I pulled out the Safe Twins and fired two bursts at him to little effect as the 9mm Makarov rounds simply bounced off of his armor causing him to laugh and swing his hammer back around.
I ducked once more and rolled off to the side and aimed for another burst but the unicorn swung his hammer back much faster than before. This time I wasn't fast enough and the hammer slammed into my side further damaging my ribs and knocking the wind out of me.
I laid on the ground wheezing and trying to regain my breath as the unicorn slowly made his way towards me, monologuing the entire time.
“Is this the best the Black Queen has? This pathetic creature that crumbles after one blow? Hmph. It---“his monologue was rudely interrupted by a swarm of bullets hitting him in the visor of his helmet. Luckily enough one of the bullets found its new home inside his head.
I wheezed as I held Keep Safe up, the pistol's slide locked back signaling the emptiness of the magazine and the end of this small battle.
“I told you to piss off, didn't I?” I said, holstering the Safe Twins and making my way towards the nearest leg of the spider.
The process of placing the explosives was a slow and painful one but I managed to place the last of the explosives and crawl back onto the top of the spider where I sat down on my haunches and pulled out the detonator once more. I looked at the detonator for a while before smiling sadly and pulling the trigger.
The explosives did their job and destroyed the spider's joints along with sending thousands of crystal shards into the air. I screamed out as I felt multiple od the crystal shards dig into my flesh. However, my scream was overshadowed by the groan of the command spider as it peeled off and fell from the wall, taking me along for the ride.
Darkness was slowly creeping into my visions as we fell towards the ground that is until I felt two clawed hands grab a hold of me.
“Gotcha.” I heard a familiar voice say.
“Tohru?” I asked weakly, “Did we win?”
“That we did.” Tohru answered as she carried me back up to the top of the city wall, “Now stop fidgeting. You are hurt pretty badly."
I only smiled in response and let unconsciousness claim me.
