Black Griffon Down

by Moonbeam the Changeling

First published

This story is about a downed Equestrian Defense Forces chopper.

On November 28, 2015, there was a riot on Crystal Empire, it's between King Sombra's supporters and non-supporters. Over 500 ponies were dead during the conflict. Most of them alive to tell the stories of a Black Griffon downed today, this is the story about, Black Griffon Down.

Inspired by Black Hawk Down
Image cover by Pandramodo or PJ, check PJ's DeviantArt!
Storyline by Moonbeam the Changeling
**Some of them were picked from the movie "Black Hawk Down" and National Geographic "No Man Left Behind".
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The Crystal War (Introduction)

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On 15th November 2015, King Sombra is running as a monarch on Crystal Empire, so the Equestrian Crystal Empire royalty Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor decided to defend their position as the current monarch. So after that, the Crystal Empire ponies split into two. The supporters of King Sombra and the supporters of Princess Cadence and Shining Armor. Over 500 ponies and changelings were killed in the conflict. The conflict lasts for 9 months. Crystal Empire looks well today, but the scars won't easily fade from the memories of the Crystal ponies.

The conflict day

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28th November 2015, Saturday.

It's 8:00 am on that day. Usually, soldiers get their rest on Saturday and Sunday. While soldiers were having fun with their activities, they got a distress call saying there is a conflict in Crystal Empire.

"All units quick go to Crystal Empire! There's a riot over there!" shouted the Commander.

Without wasting time, all soldiers rushed to wear their uniforms, packing their bags and loading their guns. Soon some of them will return, and some of them wouldn't return forever. They know the risk, they know the horror, but they are willing to sacrifice for others who need them even though they never asked to be a hero. Some of them hug each other, praising each other, even apologizing to each other. Without any hesitation, they ran towards the helicopter and immediately buckle their seatbelts tightly.

"Quick quick quick! Get in the helicopter!" shouted Soarin.

"Sit on tight because we are about to take off! Lock the doors and keep an eye on the ground!" Rainbow Dash reminding the soldiers at the back.

The soldiers that were sitting at the back were Thorax, Phyranx, Pinkie Pie, Maud Pie, Marble Pie, Sunset Shimmer, Suskii, Limestone Pie and other ponies. As soon as everyone was aboard, they took off and rushingly heading towards Crystal Empire.

They waited patiently until they reached the outskirts, some of them daydreaming, while some is crying thinking about their beloved ones.

5 minutes after airborne, they already reached the outskirts of the Crystal Empire without them realizing the time has passed so quick.

"Get ready pones, we're dropping you next to the restaurant!" shouted Soarin alerting them so they get prepared.

"The what?!" asked Thorax worriedly.

Soarin kept his mouth shut and won't reply to his question.

"Damn!" Thorax continued.

A lot of helicopters were dropping troops on the roof, most of them were Black Griffons dropping troops using ropes. While soldiers on the ground covering fire, while some helicopters covering fire with rockets and miniguns.

"Psst, Thorax. You nervous?" asked Phyranx.

"Yea," Thorax replied.

"It's a geopolitical war, why are we even involved?" asked Pinkie Pie.

"Insurgencies?" Marble Pie replied.

"Yeah," Pinkie agreed.

"Shit!" Thorax shouted.

"Why?" "Yeah why?" they asked.

"She never did that before!" Thorax shocked.

"She who?" asked Phyranx.

Then Thorax points at Limestone Pie. Soon after that, all the ponies looked at Limestone Pie.

"3 minutes before we arrived at the target, be prepared, get those ropes ready!" Soarin said.

"Aight!" they all replied full of spirits.

Each second passed, meant they are getting closer to the target. The nearer they approached Crystal Empire, the louder the scream and the more horror they saw. War is hell, even someone whose heart is tough as steel will cry and shed tears throughout the day.

While approaching the dropping point, Thorax decided to pray.

"Lord, keep us safe, forgive our sins, amen." Thorax prayed.

"Amen," along with the others replied.

They all look worried about dropping... the helicopter's tail might get shot by an RPG rocket as they were exposed in the open spaces.

3 minutes have passed, they already arrived at their dropping point.

"Go! Go! Go!" shouted Soarin.

They dropped the ropes while ponies entrenched on the ground returned with covering fire, allowing the Black Griffon to start dropping their troops. The feeling of the RPG's passing by them. The smell of the fumes. The thump of their hearts in their chest as they descend. The disorientation of everything going on making it hard for them to think; their training and muscle memory taking over from their higher brain functions.

"Quick get the f--k out of here quick! We're exposed!" Rainbow Dash feel uneasy and shouted at them.

"Go! Go! Go!" Soarin shouted at them.

They're rushing until one of them fell to the ground. It was Sunset Shimmer who fell to the ground from the height of 20-30 feet above ground level. The feeling of falling from 30 feet fall height with the military gear weight as much as 60lbs does not so good. As the gear squeezes Sunset Shimmer's body, it's too heavy that the medic rushed to get her to the safe zone. As they're picking up her, tons of bullets start to rain them.

"Let's get the hell out of here! Turning 180° and return to base!" said Dash.

"180° to base, copied!" Soarin replied.

Without wasting any time, they all turned 180° and head straight back to the base.

"120kts IAS, wanna increase the speed?" he asked.

"No, 120kts is fast enough!" Rainbow Dash replied.

"Uhh, Soarin?" Suskii asked Soarin trying to alert him.

"Not now Suskii! We're busy!" replied Soarin to Suskii

"Motherf----r!" Suskii talked to himself.

Meanwhile on the ground...

"There they are! Quick load the RPG, fire at will!" commanded one of the Crystal Ponies.

Without any hesitation, one of the Crystal Ponies fired a shot at the Black Griffon. Soon there would be tons of RPG's exploding around the Black Griffon trying to bring it down to the ground.

"RPG's!" shouted Suskii in the chopper. "Covering fire!"

On their way back to base the Griffon was struck by an RPG across its tail and descended into a screeching spin, throwing several ponies out of the side, eventually leading it to smash into the suburbs outside of town.

"Hold on tight!" Rainbow Dash shouted.

"Pegasus 6-4 going down! I repeat, Pegasus 6-4 going down!" Soarin sending a distress call panicky as the helicopter spins and crashed into the suburbs outside of the town.

The helicopter spin out of control. Soarin tries to make it controllable, but without the tail rotor, it is impossible to make the helicopter fly in a straight path and land smoothly. While an accidental recording shows footage of the last moment before Pegasus 6-4 crashed to the ground.

The commander watched that footage live. Without waiting any further, the commander ordered all units available to move to Pegasus 6-4 crash site so they can rescue the crew members.

"We got an order from commander to go to Pegasus 6-4 crash site." Sergeant Paper Mache told his units.

"But sir, some of us will not return. Besides, it's too dangerous." one of the soldiers resist to go there.

As Paper Mache heard that word, he instantly mad at the soldier.

"Boy! Think about your friends there! If you are afraid of death, why did you become a soldier? None of us forced anyone to be a soldier! Besides, nobody asked to be a hero!" Paper Mache shouted at the soldier. His act is right, selfish is not a soldier's attitude that should be kept nor encouraged.

Watching the useless moment, 5 soldiers including 3 mares asked when they could head to the crash site. Hearing the question, he stunned and speechless. All he could say is "You can go first if you know the risk." Then those 5 soldiers walked away.

As they were walking away, the others start their Humvees and Tanks engine.

"We're going too sir." replied one of them. Followed with the others.

"Alright, if you go there... I'll be following too." Sergeant Paper Mache replied as he agreed with the act of his 5 soldiers. "No more time to waste! Pack your things cause we're going to rescue our teammates! Chant 'Hurrah!' if you agree with me!" he continued.

"Hurrah!" they shouted as a sign that they agreed with the Sergeant.

Without wasting any precious second, they all rushed to the crash site. A lot of enemies will gather around the crash site to capture them.

Meanwhile at Pegasus 6-4 crash site...

"Get cover!" Suskii shouted. Then in a blink of an eye, bullets started to rain them.

"Get the Bizon!" Rainbow Dash shouted at Soarin.

"Covering fire!" Soarin shouted at Rainbow Dash.

It was chaos, enemies surrounding them from all sides. Even worse, most of them were in the under-construction buildings. It was 2:43 pm, Pegasus 6-3 came to drop some reinforcement. As there were only 3 survivors near the crash site.

While they were dropping some troops,