The NightMare project as it came to be known augmented a set of large bodied mares from the north to conduct counter-piracy ops. This is a story of one of those mares and her determined supporter.
*Credit goes to NCmares for the NightMares headcanon idea and the cover art!* Equestria, having established friendships through Twilight with other nations around the world now has extensive trade networks. These budding, undefended trade routes quickly became favorite targets of pirates, looters, and state enemies looking for easy gains. When the Royal Guard went looking for a solution they found it in the far north. The robust Earth-pony tribe roaming the northernmost woods below the tundra did not disappoint, and the mares were augmented into a weapons platform- the NightMare. This story focuses on a very dedicated former NightMare I&T engineer and his favorite NightMare.
Chapter 1: The NightMare Special Counter-Piracy Operations Weapons Platform
Three feet tall at the shoulder, nearly seven feet rearing, four hundred pounds.
Large build, nearly all muscular bodies.
Robust framed, and thighs with the strength to crack skulls. These were the just some of the standard attributes selected for the project.
When the modern worldwide Equestria trade network was established, pirating and looting began to flourish as large amounts of valuable goods were now traveling in bulk very long distances, with little to no defense. These began to impact Equestria in a complex multitude of ways. For example, goods moving across the Bone Dry Desert to and from Klugetown were often subject to roving bandwagons that would loot, often so severely that the merchants were lost in the desert without vehicle or provisions.
Another route of importance was the Dragonlair-Kirin Grove route, which would follow along the eastern shore of the South Celestial Sea. Droves of pirates would often hide out in the coves, attack passing vessels, impress the merchants into their crew, and assume control of the ships and goods, sometimes holding them for ransom.
Undoubtedly the most damaging situation, both financially and politically, was the Northeast Equestria to Griffish Isles trade route. A torrent of money and materials would flow back and forth between Griffonstone and Equestria, covering this segment on the western leg. The geographic isolation in this region, combined with the poor climates allowed terrorist cells to establish themselves along the mountainous coast. The terrorists would ambush in isolated forests, dangerous mountain passes, as well as bridges, and often destroy, but not directly benefit from the seized cargo.
Generally, the goal of the terrorists was just that- cause terror. There were enormous political repercussions of this, considerably Equestria, the most plentiful and wealthy nation on the planet, was somehow unable to defend its northeastern periphery, was unable to provide adequate security to safeguard its assets, and was losing enough money to dent the yearly budget. Nocreature knew who was responsible, but the perpetrators were of all kinds of creature, hence the unturned changelings were suspected.
So when the Royal Guard came looking for a solution to their problems, the ideal image would need to face all of this. The requirements were thus to be large, innovative, intimidating, tough, and versatile in all environments the mission demanded. They would also need to be affordable, which largely disqualified the unicorns who either weren’t too keen to take risks, or so powerful that they would concentrate attacks on themselves like the Bismarck.
Naturally therefore one would look towards larger creatures with the potential to be menacing such as Yaks and Griffons, but these would present two potential issues- for one, Yaks and Griffons did well in cold mountainous areas, and would not have a fair fight in tropical jungles. The other potential issue, highly debated and controversial admittedly, is that there might be too much at stake in selecting candidates with familial ties to other nations that could create a conflict of interest if war ever were to break out between those nations and Equestria.
Therefore Equestria had to look inward, and find the meanest, toughest sons of guns they had, and outfit them as best as they could. Legends from the time the railroad was built had it that a large bodied tribe of Earth pony lived somewhere north of the Crystal Empire, in the cove forests between the Crystal Mountains, located just below the highland tundra’s arctic treeline and Hoofs Range, where it was said King Sombra was still looking for the shattered remains of Princess Amore with his BFF Radiant Hope.
The leading military scientists and engineers led an expedition into the forests of the Frozen North from Crystal Heart City into the Crystal Mountains and were not disappointed. The robust earth ponies who roam the dangerous, bleak lands of Equestria's northernmost woodlands made for ideal candidates and as expected, readily adapted to the augments which were to come.
The Northwoods Tribe, as it came to be known, was quite patriotic and delighted to serve Equestria. It really was a perfect match. The ponies were fierce, warrior types, but with a vast amount of discipline and respect for authority. They were also very cunning and could be quite intimidating. For example, in one such demonstration exercise, the ponies were asked to split into two teams and capture as many ponies of the opposing team as possible. That’s when one of the engineers running the test was approached and threatened to order the opposing team into the capture zone. Being ponies themselves, Northwoods ponies were not locked into any one environment- although their large bodies did lend themselves to the rougher and colder lands, it wouldn’t limit them- and their size and toughness would improve survival rates in the deserts and jungles.
Perhaps the most interesting thing of note is that during the selection process, one bright engineer determined that since their size was so superlative, gender selection wasn’t critical. He advocated for psychology, claiming “if we select ONLY the mares, the enemy will be so compromised with emotion in being overpowered by these large mares that they’ll lose their stomach to fight and be defeated physically and psychologically!”. The suggestion stuck. Only the mares would be selected for the project, later known as the NightMare Project, and they absolutely proved the engineer correct.
These fierce mares from the north featured excellent eyesight, having large pupils adapted for the low lighting and sun elevations at the high latitudes. When paired with a good pair of sunglasses or snowglasses it meant they could typically see their enemy before he could. Like most things in the north deprived of sunlight, their coats were largely of colors muted towards white. The Northwoods Mares and their escorting party trekked back into the Crystal Empire before boarding the express train to Tall Tale and the Western Transcontinental to Canterlot. Some say the town of Tall Tale hasn’t been the same since. The mares’ “loading gauge” was so large that they barely fit into the train.
The scientists and engineers at Ponyeon Industries worked hard upgrading their workhorses. Recent advances in magic technology had allowed the construction of compact gunpowder machines capable of firing off high speed kinetic projectiles- better known as guns. Normally one would expect a unicorn to wield such a complex device, but as the Mares were earth ponies, the engineers would need to rig something up. And so they did. An assortment of fingers and an opposable thumb, controlled with the cortex using nerves was designed and installed on all the mares, who were designated “The Night Mares” post processing. The exact heritage of the fingers and opposable thumb are not known, and the details surrounding the matter are classified.
Perhaps the most striking part of all of this was the calmness exhibited by the mares as their bodies were modified- the engineers were almost disturbed by their apparent lack of pain reception at all. During one installation mishap, the surgical machine missed the stopmark and put a hole straight through the mare’s hoof- and she had to be told this before she was aware of the mistake.
The subject matter experts assigned to work on the project were quire keen with their subjects; they got to know them, often talking to them in the same way one speaks to a machine, owing to their size and strength. Some of the technicians even went so far as to fraternize with them, though company leadership frowned upon this. Sometimes they went too far, catching the mares’ tempers. After the modifications were complete, the NightMares were given custom sized uniforms composing of three-toed boots to aid in stability, body cushioning for high power rifles and machine guns, armor, and nylon clothing to protect exposed skin. They also had many packs and pockets to carry all of their equipment. All NightMares were fitted with radios, a brand-new technology at the time.
They also underwent a rigorous boot camp training program which taught them their ranks, their commands, the chain of command, duties, and toned their already impressive physique. The NightMares were also trained to move about on two legs as much as possible, to maximize their physical prominence and enable the use of their machine guns. The NightMares once online for duty were super-soldiers so powerful and so well trained, they resembled something akin to Halo’s Spartans. However, once online, only minimal support staffing was needed to retrain and refit. As a result, many of the scientists, engineers, and military subject matter experts were reassigned to other projects as a cost saving measure once the NightMares went online.
The NightMares were nearly giants, at three feet tall at the shoulder, nearly seven feet rearing, and upwards of four hundred pounds. Compare this to our story’s main character, a pegasus stallion by the name of Polaris “PW” Wind, standing proudly at one foot eleven inches at the shoulder, four-and-one-half feet rearing, and four times lighter at one hundred pounds even. He was small, even for a pegasus stallion, but he was not intimidated by the mares.
PW was a technician that showed a huge respect for the NightMares, mainly out for their physical size. PW had a fancy for big things, whether it be a big cozy towel, a towering thunderstorm, big speed, or a big island. Thus for him, the NightMares were something superlative to respect with awe, and he would always ask their permission before touching them to make installations. The NightMares reciprocated by giving PW a little more attention and a little less flack than most of his coworkers got.
Unfortunately for PW he was one of those engineers selected to transition to another project. And worse yet for him, the Ponyeon Industries division responsible for the continual support was transferred to Norfilly at the tip of Horseshoe Bay, to be closer to the central trade network. And since this project was largely classified, it would be nearly impossible to resolve their whereabouts.
Much as he didn’t want to admit it, PW developed a strong bond with the NightMares, and longed to see them again. There was one mare in particular, Night Mare-2, that he personally had the honor of fitting prosthetics to in the cleanroom. And you had better believe he did it right. He fondly recalled one such instance where he got to direct a test with Night Mare-2’s prosthetics, as his coworker of the next rank up who normally performed it, called out sick.
The test director would typically stand opposite the NightMare and face her, examining all of the test steps for compliance. For this test the NightMare was rearing vertically, allowing her prosthetic fingers to be inspected by the test operator on a service scaffold (as seen in the cover image). PW stood there not two feet from the mare towering over him, watching it all go down. PW was absolutely breathless at her immense size, with her hocks reaching the same level as his cutie mark, her knees high enough to reach his chin, and his eyes were at the level of her cutie mark. She was massively built too, and just one of her thighs was as thick as PW’s entire body. To PW they were like the cylinders on a steam engine, immensely powerful, unstoppable, and all powerful.
PW was delighted to see that the Night Mare-2, instead of doing what most NightMares did, looking all around, was just gazing at him. Not a stare, just a curious peek behind her long silvery-white mane. Her bright copper eyes, though sharp, weren’t full of fury. Being the young immature stallion he was, this thought of her looking down at him encouraged PW to entertain the thought that the mare liked him, which caused him butterflies. Sophomoric yes, but to him, genuine.
“You’re doing great 2!” he would say with a wink. Though the mare’s eyes did not turn sour, she did not wink back. This day at work was obviously his favorite, but there was also another time he embarrassed himself. Quite often, the testing equipment needed to be carried around the room. Some of the less expensive equipment was carried by hoof, with the technicians required to walk around reared like the NightMares. Well this one time PW carried more than he should have, and he was famous for that. Loosing his balance, the toolboxes spilled as he careened forwards out of control, in a failed attempt to stabilize himself using his wings.
That is when he was met with a sudden stop. Like he was hit by a sack of rice. Though it knocked him up, he was fine. He looked out to see Night Mare-2’s thigh. He was amazed that even standing on two legs, after he had nearly done a tackling move right into her leg, she didn’t step back, didn’t even flinch. He was immediately embarrassed.
“I’m so sorry! That was so stupid of me!” he complained, trying to clean up the spill. “I know you’re tougher than Tartarus, and that couldn’t have hurt, but I’m sorry to get in your way, or touch you without asking. I…”
“PW.” the mare called. “Relax. I’m a piece of military hardware. I’m used to it. No hard feelings. Please” Night Mare-2 responded. PW nodded.
“You’re the best, 2!” he responded before excusing himself.
“Yup, those were the days” he said sitting at a desk in a cubicle. He had the honor to work on one of the most classified and significant projects undertaken by the Royal Guard but didn’t stay with the program because of a bunch of money hungry top brass. PW longed to see the NightMares again, and he did care about them. If anything, nearly side tackling Night Mare-2 and getting no flinch gave him confidence she wasn’t going to be upped.
“Then again, what if some creature takes her gun, turns it around, and unloads the whole clip into her throat? She’s a big girl, but I’m still worried” PW thought.
It got to the point where PW had to take a break from his work. And of course, he thought more of the NightMares. They wouldn’t be around to protect each other anymore. Since their missions were spreading out all over the planet, only one of them would be around at a time, likely each soloing. Finally, he gave in.
“I’m going to find those mares and make sure they’re supported with the care only I’ve shown them!” he said. He only had 6 days of vacation to spare, and with the weekend that gave him 9 days away max. “If I find them, I’m going to leave my job and support them directly. In the field!” he decided.
PW had a natural talent for geography and knew that would be the answer for how to find the NightMares. PW put his vacation on the calendar for the next week and as soon as quitting time came around, he bought some newspapers, piecing together the unrest.
“Gold cart ambushed in the Frozen North on the Yak Road. Sunday July 12 1029. Reports are flooding in from Yakyakistan that a few escaped stallions have claimed their gold cart, hauling fine jewelry out of Yakyakistan, was ambushed while enroute on the Yak road about fifty miles southeast of Yakyakistan. The cart was ransacked and broken at the cost of a few lives. This marks the fourth attack along the road this month. Bingo” PW read.
“Convoy ambushed in Starlight’s Cave. While accessing Starlight’s Cave pass to cross the Bug Bear Territory towards the Griffish Isles, a convoy of undisclosed contents was ambushed and the contents of the carts looted. Take caution and avoid the area. The assailants are at large and assumed armed… Hmm, I wonder what the “undisclosed contents” were! Hehe”. “But armed is good, because it means that there’s even more reason to send somepony to deal with it.”
PW managed to collect five more stories, but none seemed more convincing or more threatening than the convoy ambush in Starlight’s Cave. That was an exact location too. PW got a map out and started examining the train lines.
“Hmm… Starlight’s Cave is relatively near the Great Northern Line. That comes from… the Crystal Empire. I’ll need a passport.” PW found that he could take a train from Canterlot to Tall Tale, then another to the Crystal Empire, then the International Train which he’d catch in Crystal Heart City and hop off in the vicinity of Starlight’s Cave. The actual cave would then be a few miles of flying away.
PW spent the rest of the week packing his things. This would be a weird one- he could only pack for 6 days- after that was a big question mark. “How does the mare even eat? She must have rations, but those aren’t likely enough. In the cold climate doing hard labor they’d likely eat six times more than me” PW realized. He didn’t like the food situation but couldn’t do much about it.
With each passing day closer to his departure, PW became increasingly more impatient and hungry to leave immediately.
Departure day came and the excitable stallion descended off the mountain on the westbound train. Canterlot was miserable in winter, but in summer the weather was cool enough to be comfortable. Descending to the plains underneath Cloudsdale the weather was a hot ninety degrees or so, before cooling off near the West Coast. The first leg of the trip was uneventful, though it took the first three days of his vacation.
Before catching the train to Crystal Heart City, PW needed to display his passport. When asked about his destination and purpose of visit, he had to be very careful not to arise suspicion.
“I’m visiting my distant friend in the Bug Bear Territory, northeast of Rainbow Valley. Starlight’s Cave happens to be the closet station” he told the inspector.
“Are you aware of all the news coming out from the pass?” the inspector questioned.
“All the ambushes and stuff? Yeah. Very. I did some research to check the areas to avoid.”
“We have this brochure I’ll give to you- all the red areas are known hotspots. There’s some real firefighting going on there- you don’t want to be there” he said, handing PW the map.
PW grinned and whispered silently “and the red areas are likely the best places to go! All that firefighting is hopefully my NightMares’ standard issue Celestar D16!”. After two and a half more days on the train PW arrived in Crystal Heart City and transferred one more time to an old steam train. The line to Griffonstone was more antiquated and slower than the others. Finally, on the evening of the seventh night of his PTO he arrived at Starlight’s Cave, with an evening and a day left before he’d be due back at work.
PW took the evening to plot out all the red spots. There were five of them. One of them was in a hillock, two of them were in the cave itself, one was near the shore by the north cave entrance, and another by the shore past the south cave entrance. The train station was north of the cave by a few miles, so after alighting the train PW took to the sky and climbed a few thousand feet up to survey his surroundings. The landings at each of the spots looked doable, though he’d have to be careful around the cliffs.
He began descending when he heard a familiar “BRRRRRRRRRR!” sound of a high-powered rifle. PW whirled around in desperate hope. “BRRRRRRRRRR!” it went again. “Yes! Yes that is definitely the D16! One of the NightMares is down there!” he exclaimed. PW waited several more minutes to listen for more- since he didn’t quite get a fix on the sound. Unfortunately, no more firing would be heard and soon after PW tired himself, and had to land. This last night would be very difficult for him. So many questions flew through his mind.
“It was a D16 I heard, wasn’t it? Which mare's was it? But what if it got stolen and is being re-used? No. Not possible- the blow-back is too strong. Unless the gun were mounted? If the enemy captured a NightMare, would they keep her alive? Could she be turned evil? And who was firing? What do I say to them after nearly two years? What if it’s NightMare-2? What do I say to 2 if its 2?” PW said all at once. The poor stallion stressed himself out so much that his heartbeat became erratic. His thoughts dimmed away, and his chest felt heavy. A cold flash enveloped him in a wave, and his blood pressure fell. “No! Deep breath. In… Out… you’re going to kill yourself PW if you don’t stop this! It’s not worth going into cardiac arrest over…” he said, trying to calm himself down.
Evening came and morning followed- the eighth day of his PTO. Then PW said “it is time to find my friends and finally devote myself to their cause. It is not good for the NightMare to be alone”. He had a meal at the bed and breakfast he was staying at. Then he flew south out of town, approaching the first red zone. “I’m going to land early. Don’t want to be an open target” he told himself. PW landed and retired to the hedges for cover. The weather was party sunny- a veil of cirrostratus dimmed and yellowed the sunlight high above, smoothing shadows. The temperature may have been in the mid-forties, but it felt colder with the weakened sunlight and sea breeze. PW was unaffected by this though, himself being a pegasus from north of Cloudsdale.
PW sat waiting before moving deeper into the red zone and waiting again. If he covered the whole zone, he’d switch to another zone. He was about halfway through when he heard noises in the vegetation across from him.
“1, 2… 3, 4 legs” he said, silently counting its footfalls. PW noticed it was making towards the road, so he settled deep in the vegetation for cover. Then he began to hear the bushes on his side of the road making noise. At the same cadence.
“What should I do? Should I take to the road? The Sky? No. This is something trying to flush me out into the open where I’m vulnerable!” realized PW. He would stand his ground. He would be brave, like the NightMares. The noises continued getting closer, getting nearly ten yards from him- almost near enough to see. And then, they ceased altogether.
“What? Where the heck did it go? Is it staring at me? Is it moving silently now?” asked PW, trying different head positions in an attempt to see through the brush.
PW once read about a unicorn spell that would lift the debris on the forest floor, as well as bow the branches back allowing the caster to move all but silent through the forest. PW opened his wings just in case and waited.
“HALT! Hooves up! WHO are you and WHY are you here?!?” shouted a powerful mare’s voice.
“I know that voice…” realized PW, putting his forehooves up and turning around.
“Don’t even think about using those wings! I’ll shoot you out of the sky like a turkey!” the voice threatened. PW looked up and made eye contact with a heavy set bipedal seven foot tall mare who was fully kitted out and holding a D16 pointed right between his eyes. Though this would terrify nearly anycreature, PW knew the steady fingers that held it were in part his own work and took comfort in the familiarity of their wielder instead of fearing the rifle.
“Night Mare-2!” called PW, recognizing her unique cream white coat and silvery mane, and those now fiery copper eyes.
“Answer the question little stallion! Who are you!” the mare yelled.
“Yes, sorry! It’s me, Polaris Wind- went by PW back in the factory. I was the technician at Poneyon who installed your fingers! And ran one of your tests! Don’t you remember me?” PW questioned. The mare did not move.
“What are you doing here?!?” the armed mare yelled.
“I missed you. I worried about you. Especially with all the stories hitting the press. It was keeping me up at night and I had to do something. The bushes… I heard them rustling in front of me. I think somepony is…”
“It was a diversion. Nopony is there. It’s just you and me. Which means there’s no witnesses” said Night Mare-2, grinning with a sinister, toothy smile.
“Right! Good thing I’m on your side! I’d be dead otherwise! But I know you don’t take innocent lives, and unarmed ones!” said the now nervous stallion.
“Thanks for reminding me. I haven’t frisked you. Rear up” ordered the mare. PW did as he was ordered and his saddlebag was removed. The mare approached him; leaning over him and wiping his body down to verify he wasn’t hiding anything. As the mare leaned over, her chest pack covering her core muscles was pushing into PW's face and he was quickly developing a blush, making his normally grayish red cheeks go apple red.
Then the mare pushed PW back down to all fours and sat. “Dump your bag out. Do not grab anything” she ordered. PW did exactly as he was told. Night Mare-2 rummaged around the pile until she was sure there was no weapon, then she collected his notes and maps. “What is all of this? Looks like you might have been planning something!”
“No Night Mare-2- I was trying to find you. They transferred our department to the east coast so I wouldn’t have been able to find you other than in the field. These were my attempts to meet up with one of you NightMares. Looks like they actually worked!”
“Then what business do you have with me?” the mare asked.
“I told you- I was worried. I’m too attached to you girls. I’m going to support you in the field.”
“You are off the contract, Polaris Wind.”
“I know but I’m too emotional about everything to just not support you mares. I’m not able to stand by the wayside while you all are in mortal danger, growing day after day.”
“That’s nice of you. But this is no place for a volunteer. You are in a military engagement zone.”
“Are you alone, Night Mare-2?”
“That’s tactical knowledge” the mare replied. PW knew her enough to read the answer in her eyes.
“You aren’t alone anymore, 2. I’m here" PW said. The mare hesitated before turning away.
“You slow me down. Not to mention your reddish coat gives you away. Now I need to escort you back to town and break off my operation. We were expecting something big. And this must be reported.” Night Mare-2 grabbed her radio to make the report. PW gasped and shook his head, pleading with his hooves as the mare made her call.
"Please, I quit my job to find you!" he pleaded.
“Manehatten Control, I’m returning to base… I… need to refit” she said, keying down the microphone.
“Rodge.”
“As always, you’re the best 2!” cried PW.
“I’m doing you a massive favor Polaris Wind. Consider that my thanks for your good work back in fitment. Now into town.”
“Understood mam.”
PW began walking towards the road. “Stop. It’s not safe out there” called Night Mare-2.
“With your strength?” the stallion rebuked.
“All it takes is one well placed bullet through your chest. Then the terrorists here have what they wanted. An increased casualty count. Stay hidden” ordered Night Mare-2.
The duo snaked amid the evergreen hedges, pine trees, and maple bushes along the road. They also maintained silence for maximum stealth. Though Night Mare-2 was nearly silent, PW was smaller and able to cut his way through more easily like a deer. Thus it actually gave Night Mare-2 a challenge to keep up. She also lacked the geographical wayfinding abilities PW had, and it actually made things easier for her in keeping parallel to the road.
“Polaris Wind!” the mare whispered ahead. She waved him back. PW returned and Night Mare-2 sat, whispering down into PW’s ear.
“There’s a bridge up ahead. It’s a choke point ideal for ambush. I want you to run across first. If there’s somecreature watching the bridge, the first pony is likely to get their attention, but they won’t be ready to shoot in time. The second pony gets shot. If you’re ambushed on the other side, I’ll be able to draw fire.”
“But I don’t want you shot either, NM2” the stallion whispered back.
The mare sat back, unstrapped her kneepad, and pulled her nylon sock back, exposing her large right knee. The right side was wounded. “Oh that’s rough” PW whispered.
“See? I’ve been shot before and made it through fine. Run across the bridge. Don’t try to sneak” the mare added.
PW huffed. “Alright 2, I shall follow your orders as your subordinate!” PW declared, moving away before the mare could rebuke him.
The log beam bridge was short, only twenty yards or so long. It bridged an opening gully in a ridgeline on their right side, to the east. The bridge was exposed on the west side where the gully expanded into a valley. The valley had high edges to the north and south, creating a large theater like space. PW didn’t need to be a military strategist to know anypony on the bridge would be a target of opportunity.
PW stopped short just before the treeline and studied the other side. Nopony appeared to be hiding in the bushes. Then PW developed a full gallop and sprinted across at full speed. “That’s right PW, show this mare how fast you are!” he called. PW crossed the log beam bridge completely and vanished into the tall trees on the other side. He had made it with no ills. Then he turned around back south to face the NightMare. He looked back towards the southwest, the only tactical location he could see from his position and didn’t see anycreature. He then waived Night Mare-2 across.
It was just after the NightMare crossed the first of 3 beams. A loud shot rang out, with a wizz. “2!!!” PW yelled. The NightMare paused and briefly looked left before resuming the sprint across. Five more shots rang out, with two splintering the railings.
“Deeper into the trees” the mare ordered, pushing PW on like a tractor. Suddenly a Yak, two ponies, and a griffon appeared out of the woods on the road ahead, all armed with rifles. “Shit” called the mare, pulling PW into the trees to the east, up the hill.
"Did you get hit 2?" asked PW.
A spread of bullets from above rained down on them. “Let’s go!” she called, pulling PW back west across the road and down the hill.
“Manehatten Control, I’m taking fire at Bridge Number 1” the mare radioed. They took off down the hill and started seeing things in the pine trees below. “We’re surrounded” the mare said. Night Mare-2 saw a rock outcrop that would shield their eastern side and they ran for it. “Sit down” she ordered, pushing PW to the ground at the base of the rockface. The NightMare squatted just in front of PW, shielding him while she readied her D16 automatic assault rifle.
The glint of a gun barrel was seen below them. Finally, with no better option, Night Mare-2 aimed and pulled the trigger on her D16. “BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!” went a volley of fire. One of the pine trees collapsed at its base and fell.
“Holy shit that’s loud!” shouted PW, trying to cover his ears. Not a second later Night Mare-2 turned right on instinct. The creatures from the road were coming down the hill. “BRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!” Night Mare-2 fired. PW was amazed to see the power of this gun blowing back on the mare and though her forelegs vibrated, her chest and tremendously powerful legs remained completely motionless.
The mare drew her radio. “Manehatten Control, I’m engaging. Six down” she said. Before she could hang the radio back up a small pebble struck PW on the head. He looked up and saw a shotgun aiming down at them from the cliff above.
“Above you six O’clock!” yelled PW. The mare moved two hundred pounds of muscle and one hundred pounds of gear in the blink of an eye and opened the magazine.
“BRRRRRRRRR!”
A unicorn pony from above fell dead between them. Night Mare-2 was smiling at PW.
“That was cool, PW! Nice job!” the mare remarked as drops of blood from her battle splattered and dripped across her face and shaggy silver mane surrounding it. The mare didn’t react at all to the blood covering her.
“I was doing my duty, mam” replied PW, trying to be as professional as possible. Though he was giddy that Night Mare-2 had just called him PW again for the first time in over a year.
“Let’s get back to the road. I think we opened our northern periphery” the mare said, slapping PW's back to get him moving. The pair raced up the hill and after checking the coast was clear the NightMare stowed her D16 and they galloped out onto the road.
“PW, faster!” the mare barked. PW was already maxed out.
“Wait, you’re keeping up with me? I thought I was faster!” he replied. Night Mare-2 accelerated her gallop to overtake PW at more than walking speed, crossed in front of him, and dropped back to his right side.
“Nope” the mare said flatly.
“Please, no more embarrassment! You’ll cause me to slow down!” called PW.
“You’ve already slowed down.”
“I’m getting tired!”
“Do I need to carry you on my back like a foal?” the mare teased. PW snorted and started flapping his wings. “No! No flying. You’ll become a target. Just please keep going.”
“Maybe you can motivate me by telling me something I’ve wanted to hear since you halted me!” PW shot. He received no reply.
They came up to a bend in the road and Night Mare-2 ran out to the outside of the curve to see around it. She froze up and skidded to a stop. PW, on the inside of the curve was still hidden from what was ahead when he stopped. “What is it?” PW called. A spread of gunfire was heard as the NightMare ran towards the inside of the curve. “Oh” PW added. The NightMare pulled her D16 out and began sighting round the curve, heading back towards the outside. She paused.
“Fuck!” she yelled, running back as several bullets wizzed by. “Run” she shouted to PW.
“GO, now!” the NightMare yelled to PW. The escaping mare could canter pretty well on two legs but would not be able to gallop.
“What is it? Need to reload? Gun’s jammed?” an alarmed PW asked.
“Damn fingers acting up! I need to short it out with water. It’s been happening more lately.”
“2! I dealt with that in testing! There’s two wires in the j-box on your hoof that you need to cross. I can get it with my wings right now!” PW called, lunging towards the mare soldier. He took to the air in a hover and grabbed Night Mare-2’s hoof, with her junction box.
“You really know what you’re doing, Polaris Wind?” the mare asked sincerely.
“Promise. If I’m wrong I’ll shield you with my body” the stallion said, opening up the box. He grabbed the two wires with his wings.
“What’s wrong nightmare?!? Gun’s jammed?” yelled somepony with intent from around the corner.
PW crossed the wires and reset them to their sockets, causing a buzz and the NightMare’s index finger to shoot out. Then whence the wires were reconnected she could use her fingers again. Night Mare-2 flung PW from her foreleg, across the road and into the bushes- out of the line of fire. Then she opened fire just in time.
"BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT!"
The panic stricken crowd split, with some creatures scattering, and some hard minded individuals standing their ground. The NightMare’s trained ability to strafe prevented her from getting shot, and she took six more lives to end the firefight.
Night Mare-2 hung up her dangling radio, closed the junction box and approached the bushes where PW landed. “Hey. Sorry about that. Are you okay?” she called.
“That was so awesome! You just hurled me like a trebuchet! So much power!”
“Hehehe! Oh PW” the mare laughed.
“Is the fight over?” the stallion asked, getting back on his hooves. The big mare raised her head and looked both ways.
“It would appear so.”
“I’m glad that worked. That was scary.”
“You probably could have flown off safely at that distance.”
“I mean for YOU! If we couldn’t get your fingers working it would have been curtains. How long has that been “acting up”?”
“Too long. And it wouldn’t have been curtains, just embarrassing. I’m a weapons platform. It takes more than a few bullets to take me down.” The NightMare paused and huffed. “PW?”
“Yeah?”
“If you really do want to support me, in the field like you are now… you did save my six. And my twelve. I guess I wouldn’t find having you around to be a liability.”
“I can stay?”
“You may stay at your own risk” the NightMare answered.
“You rock 2!”
“You’re not so bad yourself, PW. Just know I don’t know how HQ is going to react to this. It may not work out.”
After checking their surroundings, they went back onto the road. “Manehattan Control, I dispatched another six enemies. It appears that I will be able to recover the weapons. More of the enemy ran off armed- this isn’t over yet. Also, I’m reporting another finger lockup.”
“During the firefight?” came the response.
“Yeah. Over.”
“So you poured water over it?”
“No, switched the wires up.”
“How did you get it open? Did the other fingers work this time?”
“No, a pegasus helped me out.”
“…” “A pegasus on your side? A bystander?”
“Yeah.”
“Well you can tell that bystander he just rescued the most expensive piece of military hardware this side of the equator!”
“He can hear you sir. And he knows that.”
“What are your plans? Are you still returning to refit?”
“Yeah.”
“10-4.”
Night Mare-2 stopped at the body pile and looked around again. “Watch the road for me please? I’m going to reload.”
“You got it 2!” the pegasus replied. “So 2, if I saved your life twice already- how are you still alive after a whole year?”
“Well, maybe not my life, but definitely my appearance. The reason is because normally my firefights with armed individuals are one-offs. Armed with cannons. Today was fighting a small army. It’s almost worse than training. Most of the time it’s hand combat or a single armed warlord."
“Yeah the newspaper I read said there was an undisclosed cargo and then said the perpetrators were armed. Sure leaves a lot of room open for interpretation!”
After the mare finished reloading the D16 she unloaded all the guns except for one, bundled all of the ammunition up and took a strap out of her pack and wrapped the weapons together into two connected bundles. “Hey PW."
“Hey 2.”
“I got a job for you. Stand up!”
“You don’t want to carry them?” the stallion asked, as it was becoming clear what the job was.
“It would be hard for me to see over my shoulders if I carried these. As well as defend us” the mare said, placing the double bundle of 3 and 3 guns onto PW’s back with a single outstretched hoof.
“Agh!” he squawked with the burden. His legs quivered and buckled, unfamiliar with needing to carry so much weight in the heat of the moment.
“Hehe! How cute.”
“Shut up! I got this!” the stallion huffed, walking off.
“So you do! Good job buddy” the mare replied before pausing in thought. "We need to make one stop on the way back. The townsfolk… they don’t like this stuff on my face” said the blood coated mare soldier, pointing a finger to the red spots.
“Aha! They don’t?” laughed PW.
“You have a pretty good tolerance for gore, PW. It almost creeps me out.”
“I’ve been conditioning myself. I’ve wanted to be here for so long at your side it’s like a dream come true.”
“The little stallion with such huge dedication!”
“Oh come on!”
Night Mare-2 inhaled and exhaled deeply. “Smell that cool air pocket? The pond is nearby.”
“Pond? Oh- I thought you were going to stop at some spring or something” replied PW, glad that he was getting a rest. He was nearly certain that the titanic mare knew he was struggling, and that she just kept quiet out of respect.
“Nope. Not out here.”
“I’m actually glad to know a mare who will go swimming with ice in the water.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah most mares complain about the water temperature being under seventy. I’m not that way. I’m like you.”
“You’re northern raised then too?”
“Yeah. Maybe not as far north as you. I’m from the skies north of Cloudsdale. Latitude sixty degrees. But also a few thousand feet up. You’re from the Crystal Mountains, latitude seventy degrees.”
“You’re just a walking encyclopedia aren’t you?”
“Yeah. Do you think it’s going to be safe though for us to go swimming here?”
“Well, we are close to town. But I do not think so. I need to wash off. You will stay out of the water and sit with the weapons.”
PW was bummed that he wasn’t going to go swimming with the mare, but also felt a huge obligation to be with the guns. “The guns don’t like the water I guess?”
“Nope. They plug up.”
“I see. I’m also honored that you trust me with the weapons.”
“Not the D16. You can’t fire that thing. Well maybe you could but you’d also get shot back. And as if you of all ponies, could stop me” the mare teased, leaning in sideways to bump him a bit.
“Hehe! So it’s the one small gun you left loaded?”
“That’s no small gun, PW, that is an AJ-47! You’d better act like it’ll knock you down because it will if you’re not ready!”
“Oh.”
“Have you ever fired a gun before, PW?”
“Uh… no.”
“Let’s fix that then. You’d better know how to do it before your life depends on it” said the mare, as they arrived at the rocky shore of a very reflective small lake.
PW couldn’t even wait for the burden to be lifted and collapsed. “You did good, PW. That’s a lot of weight, even for an earth-pony” said the mare, lifting the gun strap with a single hoof.
“Thanks. I know that’s nothing compared to you, you’re a machine.”
“Thank you!” said the mare, unstrapping the loaded gun. She inspected it for integrity before facing PW. “First cardinal rule of gun safety. Never point a gun at somecreature you don’t intend to kill. I do realize this means I was an ass earlier for aiming at you. I’m sorry.”
“No worries 2! I’d never aim at you- you should know that well.”
“Second rule of gun safety. Keep your barrel pointed below the horizon. See how I’m holding the AJ-47? Against my chest, firm stance, and gun aimed at the ground. For you, a good stance would be sitting. You need to get good before you can fire a gun standing. On the left side here is the safety. Third rule of gun safety. Safety is on unless you have made the decision to use the weapon. To shoot, take the safety off, look down the sight as I am now, look to line up the two needles here and here, and once the shot is lined up, pull the trigger once.
“BKK!” fired the gun as the NightMare continued. “Immediately turn safety back on! Do not hold the trigger. Ammo is precious. You can’t spray guns like the enemy did back there. Probably 3 shots went out. That would be fatal if you aimed right.”
“That’s intense!”
“As I said it’s not a little gun. I’m actually going to make sure you can even take the blowback first. I’m going to lightly sock you now.”
The stallion’s ears went down and his pupils shrank, and his wings began trembling. “Wait… wait” he said stepping back. “You’re huge 2! You could really hurt me.”
“I could. But I know what I’m doing and the strength will be exactly the same as the gun. Ready?” the mare asked, rolling up her sleeve.
“The gun is not going to be able to tell the difference so you’re getting recoil power.” Replied the big mare. The titan drove her hoof lightning-quick into PW’s shoulder.
“Oww!” he cried.
“Oh, hush. What’cha think? Can you handle that again?”
“I think so.” PW winced and rubbed his shoulder.
“Okay, then here’s your weapon.” 2 said, positioning the AJ-47 in the stallion’s grip.
“Without fingers you’ll have to use your wings. You should be able to hold it with your forelegs and work the safety and trigger with your wings. Sounds good?”
“Good!”
“Good. Okay; practice. There’s just you and me. Where do you point the gun?”
“The ground!” PW stated, recalling his own briefings back on The Farm.
“Okay. Say some-creature approaches. What are you going to do?”
“Point it at him?”
“No. Threat assessment.”
“Oh.”
“The ‘some-creature’ turns out to be a unicorn couple with a newborn. Now you feel bad for even having a weapon, right? Now, let’s say somepony approaches and shouts, “she’s in the water we got her!”” the mare called, deepening her voice.
“Hehe! Now I lift my gun.”
“Yes. Pretend the bad guy is that boulder on the other side of the lake. Now what?”
“Now I point the gun, and… turn safety off…” PW huffed under the weight of the weapon.
“Slow down. Establish your posture. Hoof, hoof, lean.” She instructed, demonstrating a secure, spread sitting position for firing.
“Okay. Form, gun up, safety off… aim… … can I fire?”
“Send it.”
“FIRING!” PW cried, pulling the trigger.
The muzzle spit a ball of flame with a deafening CRACK, sending several bullets into the boulder.
“You see? Not bad. Safety off.” 2 put a hoof on PW’s shoulder.
“Safety off! Oh my Celestia; I hit it! I actually hit it! And the recoil wasn’t any worse!”
“Not bad sport, just don’t get cocky.” 2 said with a wink. She stood to her full height and began to strip her uniform off.
PW turned to face the direction the road was. To him, most mares looked better with clothes on. Not this mare. 2 had well defined hips and thighs, a broad barrel and powerful abdominal muscles. PW tried to be polite and not peek, but once in a while he would peer over “for her safety” as he told himself.
PW watched with butterflies in his chest as 2 descended a partially-submerged basalt rock on two legs then slid into the water up to her shoulders. This mare, being so tremendously tall, was very good at wading; something PW loved to do himself. The water was crystal-clear and pure, amplifying the beauty of the scene.
"She’s probably in five feet of water!" PW thought to himself. "I’d likely be in over my head if I tried to walk out to her there. Completely submerged!" This only amplified his perception of her already-impressive physical size, to say nothing of his interest.
He imagined walking out to her and quickly being forced to swim. There, she could do anything she wanted to him. 2 would have no resistance whatsoever in pushing him to the bottom, denying him even the basic right to breathe in her presence. His meager struggle would vanish in only a minute, and his life would have been claimed by the deep water she was simply standing in. That was only a fantasy though, and one PW would not share. He knew the Night-Mares didn’t care for them, as per the stories from the other technicians. Still, PW couldn’t help but stare as 2 freshened up.
“Oh, Celestia; what I would give for a photograph right now – this is it! This is what I came for!" PW grinned wide. "I’m with her now; she’s so beautiful… she trusted me with her weapons, and I’m watching over and protecting her. Crystal-clear water, rockscapes, pine trees, mountains, deep blue sky, and glaciers above!" He all but hummed in thought as 2 began rinsing her face off. PW decided he would focus more of his attention from this point onward on her surroundings rather than on her. He would honor the Night-Mare’s trust in protecting her.
After another minute she made her way out of the pond. “Was it cold?” PW asked, playing it cool.
“Nope. Sun’s been warming it all day. It may have been fifty degrees.”
PW snickered at that. “Fifty-degree water! Not cold! I love it!”
2 ran her fingers through her mane and tail. “Any sign of danger?”
“There’s no danger when you are nearby, 2! Seriously though, I didn’t notice anything.” Replied PW. “Here’s your gun back.” He added, unslinging it and passing it off to her with the barrel down. “Also, can I ask you something?”
“What?”
“How did you go from suspecting I was a terrorist to trusting me with your weapons in one day?”
“Well, there are several reasons. First off; you had many opportunities to mess me up. Crossing the bridge. Then there’s the instance you warned me about the shotgunner above us. If you’d simply stayed silent the shot would have been taken, knocking me down and allowing for a finishing blow. But most of all you fixed my fingers, in a way that only the Ponyeon engineers would know.” 2 held up a forehoof and clicked the augments in and out of their sockets. “This could have been a sabotage, but you fixed it. And, in that moment, I remembered seeing the fear in your eyes – the same fear I saw in you inside the cleanroom. That same fear when you recognized a safety concern threatening myself or the other technicians was present. I know you. And I can read you. The same way you read me when you asked if I was alone. The answer is no – not anymore.” 2 admitted while she put her equipment back on.
PW smiled and absorbed the Night-Mare's words for a few seconds. “How’s your knee, 2?”
“It’s healed enough that it won’t re-open underwater. Thanks for your concern though. Ready?” She asked, offering the bundle of guns again.
“Yes ma’am!” He barked, positioning his back under her forelimb. He didn’t buckle as much this time when he took the load.
“I see some improvement! We’ll make a soldier out of you, yet.” She said, leading the way to the road. It was another mile or so back to the bed and breakfast in town. Night-Mare-2 covered PW’s back with a throw-tarp to hide his cargo just outside the town. She hid her own gun in her duffle and put a blouse on to obscure her combat gear.
“2, this is the same bed and breakfast I stayed at last night!” PW exclaimed in surprise. “I can’t believe it!”
“Oh; please refer to me as ‘Miss Snowheart’ in town.” She instructed, gesturing to nearby ponies. Miss Snowheart burst through the door of the bed and breakfast on all fours, as the door height was only five feet or so. The look on all the towns-ponies' faces… PW would never forget it. And he could tell that his stature, being a small stallion beside a monster of a mare, wasn’t helping them keep a low profile.
He chuckled to himself. ‘She’s the power. I’m the amplifier!’ He thought.
They approached a counter and 2 rang the bell. “Snowheart. Looking for a copy of my room key?” She asked the approaching attendant.
“Hmm… Miss Snowheart. Ah yes I do have a note here; room 426.” He replied and gave her the key.
“Thanks.” She muttered, walking off toward a grand staircase.
The staircase proved to be a little too difficult for PW and he had trouble climbing with the weapon bundle on. Miss Snowheart reached down with her foreleg and pulled him up from the strap for the rest of the first flight. Just before disappearing into the second floor, he shot a shit-eating grin at several gawking ponies in the lobby and giggled.
“What are you on about?” 2 asked, noticing his queer behavior.
“The ponies in the lobby were traumatized by our appearance!”
“That happens a lot. And you probably don’t help that being with me. A giant pony is one thing. A giant earth-pony mare with a… petite pegasus stallion is another.”
After the next staircase Miss Snowheart had enough. She walked in front of PW and went prone. “Alright. Walk over me PW, onto my back. I’m hauling you up.”
“Seriously?” asked PW, blushing for an ensemble of reasons.
“C’mon. You’ll have more chances to prove yourself later.” She said as PW climbed onto her back. “Hold onto my neck.” She ordered and stood up.
“This is so embarrassing! I hope nopony sees us!” PW whined as 2 took to the steps.
“If you stay low nopony will see you up here. My back is higher than their eye-level.” Miss Snowheart smiled. She was totally unaffected by the added weight, moving at her normal pace up the remaining stairs before going prone again in the fourth floor hallway to let PW climb off.
“I’m so glad nopony ran into us. But you mares with your power never cease to amaze me.” Said PW, clambering off. The room was 3 doors down.
Miss Snowheart knocked in a characteristic pattern and unlocked the door. “I’m hot and with a guest!” She announced.
“Come in!” said an older mare. “Welcome, Number 2. And I take it this is your lucky stallion?” She looked at PW expectantly.
“Hello, I’m Polaris Wind!” announced PW.
“He’s ex-project. Not currently cleared.” 2 warned.
“I see we’re in a safe house so if you need to discuss classified material I am perfectly happy waiting outside by the stairwell.” PW offered.
“No need,” replied the older mare. “You mentioned you were hot, Number 2?”
“Oh, yes.” the Night-Mare responded and yanked the tarp off of PW.
“Oh my. That’s quite a lot of gear for one stallion!”
“I carried it most of the way. But I needed help on the stairwell ultimately.” Answered PW.
“This one’s loaded. All the others are unloaded.” 2 inspected the AJ-47 and continued her statement. “Their original wielders were all dispatched.” She sorted the other rifles on the floor of the room.
“All that carnage doesn’t bother you, hon?” the older mare asked PW.
“I mean, I hate death. But as Night-Mare-2 mentioned; I worked on the project before and I developed a… very strong… bond with the mares. They mean so much to me. And I want to actively support them, like I did for Night-Mare-2 just now.”
“Then that answers my next question, which was if you felt “outclassed” around her.”
“Oh, no ma’am. I love large and powerful things. These mares are basically miniaturized locomotives and I’m so amazed at what they do. And they make me so proud watching them.”
“Good. In the meantime I’m not going to make the call but I can tell you the brass is not going to like a volunteer putting himself in harm’s way. You may want to consider your more realistic options for supporting them in the future.”
“Understood ma’am.”
She nodded and looked to 2. “Let’s review your tallies. Number dispatched?”
“13.”
“Escaped?”
“At least 8.”
“Captured?”
“0. Well, maybe 1 if you count this guy.” She teased, grabbing PW’s back.
“Care to explain?”
“He rendezvoused with me in a hidden location in the engagement zone and I wasn’t sure if he was friend or foe. So, I had to confront him.”
“I’ll bet that was terrifying!” The older mare said to PW, writing the note down.
“Nah, moreso thrilling. As I said I knew this mare during fitting and knew as long as I didn’t do anything stupid she wouldn’t hurt me.” PW replied.
"You say that like it's true, PW." 2 glared and leant towards him.
“Number 2, these numbers are not good for HQ. No captures, 13 deaths; 8 escaped? You know we would have liked to see 21, 0, 0.”
“With all due respect, S, I believe I was fighting a small army today. Up to now it’s been rag-tag bands of pirates, looters, and the occasional lone creature. I was unaware we’re fighting a war for the Royal Guard.”
“That’s a valid point, Number 2. Still, the brass will not see it the same way.”
“Will there be anything else, S?” Sighed the big mare in the room.
“No, Number 2, that concludes your debriefing. You can expect to return to your post tomorrow morning with the normal possibility of re-assignment should an emergency occur.”
“Thanks, S.” 2 turned to the door.
The mare was so heavy that PW could feel the floor shudder under every step. She pulled it open and motioned to PW. “Let’s grab some grub.”
“Yes, ma’am!” He ducked underneath a forehoof holding the door..
“Number 2?” S called. The big mare looked back. “Take good care of Mr. Wind. We’re going to get into trouble if he’s harmed. And I can tell he really cares about you.”
“You got it, S.” 2 said with a smile and shut the door.
Now completely unencumbered PW walked down the stairs normally. As expected, a hush fell over the lobby once they entered. Miss Snowheart dropped the keys onto the front desk and pushed the front door open for them both. By now the sun had set and the temperature was below freezing. A mighty wind had picked up and was causing PW to sway. He wasn’t sure where they were going and he came to a halt.
Miss Snowheart came up on his windward side and stopped beside him, acting as a windbreak. “Looks like there’s a lot of places to eat.” PW observed.
“Not exactly. I have special dietary needs. I know this great place called Horseshoe Inn and Restaurant. They serve good food at a reasonable price. And before you get too excited, you’re not employed and not covered under company expense. So you’ll be paying out of pocket. And if I understood you correctly you will be unemployed entirely starting tomorrow.”
“2, the last 12 hours have been my most exciting, ever. I’d offer my wings to eat dinner with a Night-Mare.”
“It’s Miss Snowheart. Very well, then.” 2 led the way again.
“So, it’s decided then, right? Horseshoe?” PW asked. The mare only casually glanced over her shoulder to acknowledge she heard him but didn’t say anything.
“Well, I dare not take back what I said.”
The dimorphic duo walked two blocks down the street where PW read a storefront sign. “Okay, it is Horseshoe. Hehe. Thanks for not gouging my wallet, Miss Snowheart. It makes me feel like you do care about me!” PW laughed.
2 hauled the door open. “Get used to the awkward silence you heard in the lobby.” She said, ducking her head into the restaurant. There was a greeter just inside.
“Oh, hello again! Table for one?”
“Two, actually.” Miss Snowheart stepped aside to expose PW behind her.
“Ah, you brought a guest! Very good.” Said the greeter, waving them through. As they began walking by, table after table of ponies were silenced as though a zipper spell had been cast on them. PW took it upon himself to reduce the awkwardness this time, smirking back at them and shaking his head, as if telling them off.
They were led initially to a booth but then the greeter seemed to doubt herself. She glanced back at Miss Snowheart and chose an open table for four instead. She pushed two of the chairs together to make the seat wider. PW swore he could feel the room shake as the Night-Mare sat down and caught some of the light fixtures swaying.
“Would you like to see the Eastern menu again?” the greeter asked Miss Snowheart.
“Yes.”
“And would you like one as well?” She asked PW.
“Erm – Eastern? I’d…”
“No,” 2 interjected. “I’m pretty confident he’s not going to order from it.”
“Okay, somepony will be with you shortly!” The greeter trotted away.
Though the restaurant was quiet, gentle murmurs arose as Miss Snowheart lifted her menu. PW leaned over to whisper.
“How do you deal with this? This happens everywhere you go? That’s so rude!”
“Yep. I just tune it out. The discipline training in boot-camp helps.”
“I now have newfound respect for you, Miss Force-of-Nature.” PW responded as a bubbly unicorn mare bounced toward them.
“Hi, my name is Windy Locks, I’ll be your server this evening. Are you all ready to order?”
“Hi, yes.” replied PW.
“You go first, PW.” 2 said.
“I’ll get the mashed potatoes, the tomato bisque soup and a lemonade.”
“Great. And for you?”
“I’m going to do an appetizer; the garden salad. And I’ll get the Rainbow Salmon.”
“T – er, Snowheart!” Whispered PW.
“I’ll also get the scrambled eggs. Then the Bacon Gnocchi. And for desert I’ll have the Carrotcake.”
“All at once?” The waitress gawked.
“One by one is fine. I'll have a glass of milk also, in the largest glass you have.”
“Um, all right just sit tight!” She bounded away.
“Mother-of-Celestia, Snowheart! How much do you eat?!”
“Standard caloric intake for us is ten thousand calories per day.”
“Good grief! Should I just offer my entire body up on the menu now?”
“Well, that would only feed me for a week. Then what?” She gave PW a glare that looked like she was actually considering it.
“Ahehe… and you eat meat?”
“I’ve had beef burgers before. Can’t say I like beef very much but meat is a must for us, too. I’m sure HQ won’t mind having you around once they learn you’re my contingency snack.” 2 said, licking her lips. PW’s ears folded and his smile was failing him.
“I-I- gotta go!” Cried PW, getting up at the mare’s cannibalistic threats.
“Wait, PW, it’s just a joke!” Miss Snowheart called after him as he fled.
“I know, I know; I just gotta wash my hooves.” He chuckled, walking to the bathroom knowing full well he’d stick with her no matter what.
When he returned Miss Snowheart had her serious face on. “PW, you know if that actually happened - an innocent pony cannibalized - I’d be dishonorably discharged and very likely terminated. Being eaten by me is the leastlikely thing to happen to you.”
“I know Miss Snowheart. It’s all a joke!” PW replied.
He placed a small card on the table.
“What’s this?” Miss Snowheart asked.
“My parent’s address. Kind of like your dog-tags. If anything should happen to me, you’ll make sure word gets back to them?”
“That’s very responsible of you, PW.” The big mare responded. Both ponies sat in silence until the waitress arrived with the appetizer.
No sooner did she turn away did Miss Snowheart devour it like a mad-mare. She didn’t even lift her eyes from the bowl until the salad disappeared only seconds later.
“Do you always eat like that?” PW asked, impressed.
“Like what?”
“Like, well - a dog?”
“I’m a piece of military hardware!” Snowheart scoffed. “What do you expect me to do?” She put on her best Canterlotian accent and sent her eyelashes aflutter. “Act like a lady?”
PW’s jaw dropped. “Now that’s my kind of mare!”
The scowl returned. “Don’t get on my bad side again, PW.” Snowheart warned.
The main course came next and by the time PW finished his mashed potatoes Snowheart’s fish and eggs were gone. Somehow they both finished eating at the same time (even counting the cake).
“This place was great, Miss Snowheart. Thanks.”
“Enjoy it while it lasts. Like I said, I don't know when HQ is going to separate us.” She muttered.
The bubbly unicorn server dropped the check off which Miss Snowheart looked at and deposited several bits into.
“How much do I owe you?” PW asked, reaching over.
“I got it, PW.”
“You’re paying for me?”
“…”
“Golly-gee, Miss Snowheart, that’s really generous of you!”
“It’s the least I could do. I thought about it and I’m glad I’m not reading about a you-know-what-Mare that got shot and only barely escaped. Maybe with an eye missing in the paper. That’ll embolden the terrorists.”
“Me too.” PW took on a somber tone. “... Snowheart. I don’t know what got into me but I’m glad I found you when I did. I feel like this was meant to happen the way it did.”
PW barely saw her tiny smile. “Ready to hush the room?”
“Heh. Sure.” Agreed PW.
The giant mare stood up and, as expected, the already quiet room went deathly quiet. Snowheart strode toward the door, causing several wine glasses to clink in her wake. PW followed and looked forward at the immense, bushy silver tail bobbing before him and was entranced by its enormity. It was just about large and long enough to jump inside! He noted that for the future, in case for some messed up reason he needed to hide himself there.
“PW you’re going to need to get a room. I hope you understand I can’t book that for you on a separate bill.”
“It’s okay, Miss Snowheart. ‘Tis a small price to pay.” Answered PW.
Thank Celestia there wasn’t anypony left in the lobby by the time they arrived back. Snowheart picked up her key, this time to a different room, from the attendant. “Meet me out back by 8. I’ll be working out there.” She ordered and departed up the stairs.
"Roger." PW acknowledged, walking up to the counter.
“Checking in?” The attendant asked.
“Actually, I’ll need to book and then, if I can, check in.”
“Sure thing...” The attendant said.
PW glanced at his favorite big mare ascending the staircase, the last he’d see of her for nearly 12 hours.
“We have several vacancies. 30 bits, with tax.” The clerk snapped him from his stupor.
“Er, no problem.” Said the short pegasus, fishing out his coin-purse.
“Room 427. Have a good evening.”
“Thanks!” PW said, relieved to be on his way. The day’s excitement had left him worn and he was only just realizing how tired he was.
PW checked in and found the room configuration to be exactly the same as the one from his previous night, but mirrored. This confused him at first, to his annoyance. Finally, after an exhausting first day in his new life he plopped down onto the bed.
“Boy am I going to sleep soundly tonight! Night-Mare 2 is safe, I’m on her team, and her safe room is across from my room!” he said excitedly as his eyelids wore heavy.
A sound sleep, however, was not to be.
–
A beaten, starved PW sat in a rusting cell. The sway of the ocean bobbed him back and forth and his throat ached from several bouts of sea-sickness. “Oi, cage rat! Get up!” A very angry diamond dog emerged from the gloom and rattled the bars.
“Ugh… do I finally get to eat?” Croaked the filthy pegasus.
“Better!” The dog flashed an evil grin. “You get to witness history in the making!”
With that he yanked on PW’s newly-discovered leash, eliciting a pained yelp. PW was led up to the deck of a great galleon. Sea-spray found its way into his myriad cuts, making him wince.
“Got the toadie, cap’n!” The dog yelled over the roar of the waves.
An enormous Doberman wearing a red and blue vest donned with a jolly roger hat reared up beside a large, covered box. “Commence filming!” He barked. A brand new film camera was brought forth.
The operator counted off. “Cap’n, you’re live in 5, 4, 3, 2… ”
“PRINCESS CELESTIA!” The captain bellowed with a flourish. “It is I! The Alpha-Captain of these South Celestial Seas! I think you might be interested in what we caught the other night!”
He yanked the cloth from the box.
It wasn’t a box at all, rather a large frame. Inside was Night-Mare 2; bound and a noose around her neck. A crate at her hooves was the only thing keeping her from certain death. “NIGHT-MARE 2!!!” PW cried.
“This Night-Mare is over PW!” 2 hissed from a thoroughly-bruised face. “Forget me and save yourself!”
“No! The Night-Mare never ends! Night-Mare forever!” PW screamed.
The captain sauntered up to 2 and was able to look her right in the eye.
“No! What?!” PW exclaimed in disbelief at the sight.
The diamond dog captain was so large that he was 2’s height including the box supporting her.
“Foolish Celestia.” He chided. “You thought you could simply out-size your enemies?” He struck 2 and turned to the camera. “Dear Princess Celestia! Today I learned that you can’t out-size your opponents. There is always a bigger fish! Yar-har-har! Yours truly, the Alpha-Captain of the Southern Seas!”
“You’re never going to win, Alpha!” 2 shouted. “My tribe will hunt you down like a pack of wolves!”
The captain turned on her. PW, meanwhile, was utterly defeated.
The project had failed. “The Night-Mare was supposed to be the ultimate weapon! The greatest, biggest, and strongest of all!” PW huffed in distaste.
The passing captain stopped.
“And what have we here?” He growled, approaching PW along with the camera.
“A rather small pegasus stallion from Marewaukee, cap’n. His name is Polaris Wind.” The handler spat.
The captain addressed the camera again. “A-ha! A fitting name for somepony becoming friendly with the NorthWoods Tribe. And, har-har-har, for apony sharing the same fate.” He slapped PW and lumbered back to the hanging Night-Mare. “Because, as you see, Celestia, we’re going to execute one of your so-called “super soldiers” today, along with her little assistant! A tiny, common young stallion. Isn’t it comforting knowing your weapon-of-terror is destroyed? And your merchants left vulnerable? After today, the free seas become free again! But, I digress. Enough talk; I’m all about action! Let’s see some!” The captain howled and approached the crate’s pull-rope.
“Polaris Wind! Equestria! Never stop fighting! Never give up! Size is measured in spirit, nothing else!” 2 shouted with all her might.
The crate was yanked away and sent the behemoth mare to freefall.
“2!!!!! NOOO!!!!!” PW screamed in horror. The captain was now suddenly beside him, as though appearing from thin air.
“And as for you, featherweight.” The Captain insulted, clipping a chained cannonball to PW’s collar. “Enjoy your final descent and landing!” He laughed, picking PW and the cannonball he was chained to up with sickening ease.
“I’m sorry 2! I’m sorry! It’s all my fault! I was so stupid! So naïve! So weak!” PW cried.
“Legend has it a shark with an appetite for flyers prowls these waters. Haar!” The captain shouted as he hurled PW over the side of the ship.
PW thrust his wings out on instinct, desperately flapping as fifteen feet above the water became ten feet, then five until impact. PW inhaled a deep last breath as he fell beneath the frothing waves. He sank deeper and deeper at a terrifying rate. “I need to breathe! Need to breathe! Need to!” He pleaded to a cold abyss. Finally, he realized that even if were to break free there was no way to make it back in time…
PW all but leapt from his pillow with a huge gasp. For a minute, it was all he could do to take in great gulps of air in a terrifying darkness eerily similar to the one he had just escaped. He wiped his forehead. The stallion was so drenched in sweat he would have to change the sheets.
“A nightmare! I had a nightmare… about my Night-Mare.” He admitted aloud to himself, recalling the whole thing.
He really wanted to see 2. No. He needed to see her. Immediately. He felt ashamed that he was unable to do anything in his dream. More than that; he felt sick at the thought of a physically-larger opponent to a Night-Mare.
“Oh, Faust! Please tell me what I need to do to protect this mare!” he prayed.
PW slept lightly after changing the sheets and ended up waking before his alarm just after 7:00 AM. He stumbled out of bed and looked outside, seeing that his room faced the back of the structure. There, down in the grass along with some overnight frost, was an enormous cream-white mare with a silver mane doing pushups. PW sighed in relief, falling back onto his rear.
“I wish I could preserve this moment forever, seeing her out there.” He said to himself.
He knew the dangers she consistently exposed herself to. After a quick shower he headed outside.
“... 455, 456, 457, 458… ” 2 huffed to herself, now doing situps. PW placed himself in her field of view to let her know she wasn’t alone but didn’t interrupt her counting. After another dozen or so reps she finally sat up. “You going to just sit there and watch me?”
“Your count; don’t wanna interrupt!” He said quickly.
“You’re observant, but I tend to lose count anyway after a thousand.”
“O - one thousand?”
“Yeah.” She wiped her brow. “This count isn’t from zero. It's from a thousand.”
“Oh my. Do you think if I sat on you you’d be done sooner?” He asked jokingly.
“Nope. You’re too light of a weight. But I might make use of you in a few minutes.” She said, answering his joke with her own.
“Hey, T– er, Snow… Snowheart? On a serious note; I had a nightmare last night…”
“Had a nightmare? You have one now!” She resumed her sit ups.
“Well, it was kind of both I guess. It was… a nightmare, with a Night-Mare in it.”
“Was it me? Did I kick ass?” She grinned.
“Actually, not a dream. A nightmare.”
“Ah.”
“You were in it! So was I. But, instead of kicking ass, we were captured by some sea pirate and on a ship. I couldn’t save you. He hung you. And then he tied a cannonball to my neck and threw me overboard.” PW shivered at the recollection.
The mare stopped exercising. “How did you feel about that?” She asked.
“Like I failed you.” PW admitted.
2 sighed and stood up. “PW, I am moved that I mean so much to you. But, I’m getting a little worried. You must remember that I am military hardware and my time might be at hoof any day. If you concern yourself with my wellbeing so very much that you become attached to me like that, you may one day find your spirit gone. And spirit is everything. Size is measured in spirit, nothing more.”
The stallion gasped. “2! You said just that in my dream! ‘Size is measured in spirit, nothing more!’”
“Snowheart, please.” She shook her head and looked down at PW. “I see. So, you are already pretty attached, huh?”
He beamed. “I can’t help it!”
She hummed. “Then you’d better be prepared to share your fate with mine.”
“I already am.” PW nodded. “Symbolically, that is. I never once regretted being on the ship. Just that I couldn't save us.”
2 only nodded at that and then resumed her situps in silence.
She finally stopped at 600. “Hey, would you mind laying flat on the ground and being my barbell? I don’t have one handy and you’re about the right size.”
“Please be gentle.” PW pleaded, prostrating himself on the grass.
2 reared, clicked her fingers from their sockets and grasped his hip and shoulders. Before he knew it PW was carried aloft to her chest, then straight up above her in a clean-and-jerk.
“Whoa. Just be careful with my cutie mark. There’s…” “I know. I’ll make sure what you’re worried about doesn’t happen.” She assured him, taking a moment to study PW’s cutie mark. “Hm. A blue compass with a howling wolf on it?” 2 remarked.
“Yeah I’ve been told that symbolizes loyalty, freedom, and wayfinding!” PW responded in a wavy pitch as he was repeatedly lifted up and down.
He found it comforting as it was humbling to witness firsthoof the power of a Night-Mare’s augments on his form without being injured. He likened the experience to an amusement park ride.
After a hundred reps he was starting to get dizzy when a voice called out. “Miss Snowheart!”
It was S, calling from an open window.
“Yeah?” 2 answered, stopping her exercise at full extension.
“Stop… whatever it is you are doing with Mr. Wind and come up to my room. Immediately!”
“Okay.” 2 responded, setting PW down with a chuckle. “Hooves down; you’re the most entertaining workout weight I have ever used, PW.”
After entering room 426, S instructed PW to deadbolt the door and close the viewport shutter.
“Number 2, you’re being reassigned.” S announced. “HQ is rethinking their options in the northeast given that firefight yesterday. But, there’s more. The annual meeting with Yakyakistan on the trade agreement with Equestria is coming up. Intelligence has intercepted a report that a party of changelings is planning to intercept the diplomatic mission’s caravan in the Frozen North along the Yak Road. They will be ambushed at a cliff located at latitude 75 degrees 46 minutes north, longitude 45 degrees 19 minutes west. Your mission, Number 2, is to track and intercept the party of changelings before they are able to reach this pass.”
With that S concluded the introduction and looked at her notes.
"You will ride by rail to Crystal Heart City and will need to trek up the Yak Road past the attack zone and into the staging area. There, you must locate and destroy the changeling encampment before the diplomatic caravan reaches the ambush. After doing so, you must escort the caravan until it reaches the Yayakistan gate.”
S turned to face PW with a smile. “Polaris Wind! You are going to like this request. Because the exact location of the attackers is unknown, HQ has made the decision to allow you to accompany Number 2 in the hopes that you can help locate the enemy encampment from the air and keep eyes on the caravan. Though we suspect the enemy is going to use white camouflage, this location is north of the arctic tree line and thus the environment is entirely tundra. Overflight should very well help.” S took on a serious tone. “This is unprecedented, Mr. Wind. Do well here - prove yourself - and you maybe eligible for a possibleassignment to permanently support Number 2.”
“Fuck yes!” PW shouted with unbridled spirit.
“We need to get you a code name, PW.” The big mare suggested.
“That’s easy! 2-point-1. Night Mare-2, accomplice 1!” He explained.
“That one won’t fly.” S immediately said. “Perhaps we can discuss that in a potential job interview in the future.”
“Equipment?” 2 shifted attention back to the mission.
“A supply depot in Crystal Heart City will be ready upon your arrival. We will have clothing and food available as well as the standard-issue D16. Sorry Mr. Wind, we will not be able to supply you with a weapon given your volunteer nature.” Admitted S.
“It’s totally cool! I completely trust this mare with my life.” PW pointed his hoof up at Night-Mare 2. She didn’t respond save for the ever slightest smile but PW wasn't looking at her to see it.
“Also available in the gearpack is a combination snowshoe / ice skate to traverse the frozen terrain. All your clothing will be camouflaged in a winter pattern, given the environment. We also need to get Mr. Wind’s measurements, before I forget. Number 2, mind giving me a hoof with that?”
“My pleasure. Just give me the smallest tape measure you have.”
“Seriously, 2?” PW scoffed.
“Ready when you are.” She nodded to S.
“Head circumference?”
“37.”
“Neck circumference?”
“23.”
“Neck length?”
“5.”
“Barrel length?”
“19.”
“Barrel circumference?”
2 couldn’t help but chuckle. “36! … PW, my thigh is thicker than your whole body.”
“Thanks for that tidbit of knowledge!” He shot back, turning away to hide his blush.
“Front inseam?”
“13.”
“Rear inseam?”
“Oh, this should be fun.” PW muttered.
“Hold this in your… inseam.” 2 hesitated. Now it was PW’s turn to laugh. The mare pulled the tape down to the floor and read the value there. “14. Not bad. Mine’s 26.”
“Damn, not even twice as much? Got to say, Night-Mare; I am disappointed!” PW teased.
“Hoof?” S asked.
“7. Wow, a size 10 is huge compared to a 7!” 2 teased.
“Wingspan?”
“45.”
“Beat ya!” PW grinned in triumph.
“I’ll give you that one, PW.” 2 admitted.
“So, Mr. Wind, despite all this teasing she’s doing - and she’s been trained to do this so don’t take it personally - of all ponies that could act as an accomplice you’re a good fit because you’re large enough to appear as an adult pony, but still small enough to make the Night-Mare look even bigger beside you. The enemy won’t know you’re on the shorter side. I’d list that on my job application if I were you.”
“Thanks, S!” Replied PW.
“You both should pack up immediately and head to the train station. The train will arrive in a little under an hour.”
“PW, plan to meet me at the train station. It’s safer to travel alone than together to avoid arousing suspicion in our appearances.” 2 advised.
“Number Two, your Stallion and Western pistol.” S hoofed over a box.
“This is the only armament we have on the road, PW.”
“You mean, besides your skull-crushing legs?”
“That’s classified information, PW. Now, start packing, I’ll see you at the station.”
PW excused himself from the room and started packing. There were a lot of consumed provisions that he was able to discard, now having established a supply line with Night-Mare 2. He was checked out and off to the train station with plenty of time to spare. PW was very excited to be traveling with her and his thoughts turned to daydreaming.
‘I bet her haunches take up the whole hallway in the train car!’He snickered.
PW purchased his ticket to Crystal Heart City in the station-house and proceeded onto the platform. He found 2 - or rather, Ms. Snowheart - already there, laying prone with most of her gear off. Probably for the better, to avoid advertising her size and identity. She simply looked really fat more than anything lying like that. Like a giant, frosted loaf.
“You didn’t get your ticket yet, did you?” She asked, forgoing greetings or even a glance in his direction.
“Yeah, I got a coach ticket. Why?”
“Heh. HQ arranged my room. We always travel that way.”
“It’s a two day journey, we’ll be getting there around lunchtime." PW said, before realizing something. "Wait - the roomettes are conversion sleepers… right?”
“Yeah, but…”
“With double-bunks, right?”
“Ah.” She clicked.
“So we get to be… roommates, right?”
“We can’t convert the room to bunks, PW. You of all ponies can probably understand but I don’t fit. The bed is only five feet long.”
“Okay.” He nodded. “So, how is this all going to work then?”
“I’ll show you onboard.”
Not too long after a whistle blast was heard.
“PW.” Snowheart whispered, encouraging him to lean over to her. “When we get on the train we always quickly look left and right just before stepping through the door. We’re looking for anypony making eye contact with us as we’re boarding. If somepony distant is looking at you, note their appearance but DO NOT stare.”
“Looking for ponies trying to do us dirty?”
“Precisely.”
The approaching train rounded the bend and rang its bell. Heading the train was an old 4-4-0 locomotive originally from the Friendship Express. PW felt as if he was shrinking as Ms. Snowheart rose to stand.
“Remember what I told you about looking.” She whispered.
The train came to a halt and four other passengers got up. After a few ponies alighted Snowheart ducked her head, glanced left and right, then fully boarded. PW did the same. Once onboard the mare twisted her head back. Just as PW thought, things were really tight. Her enormous body took up the whole hallway and her ears were scraping the ceiling.
“Anything?” She asked. PW shook his head.
“Tickets please!” Called the conductor, gawking for a moment at Ms. Snowheart before punching her ticket and stepping into a seat to make way. “Uh… ma’am? Your cabin is two cars down.”
“Thank you, sir.” She replied in her most polite tone of voice.
“I’ll catch up with you later… Snowheart.” PW called.
“Ticket?” the conductor asked PW after she’d plodded away. “You’re right where you need to be, pick any seat you like.”
PW sat down in an empty row and watched the train pull away. He was elated at the thought that he was going to bunk with a Night-Mare that night. He suddenly wished his special talent was music. He could have written a song about it right then and there! After a few minutes of going down the line the stallion sensed a huge presence behind him.
“Hey, Miss Snowheart.”
“I think I got things set up pretty well. You want to check it out?”
“Sure!” He said, getting up.
She didn’t move right away, prompting an expectant look from PW.
Ms. Snowheart fidgeted and gestured down the aisle the way she was facing with her finger. “I can’t turn around here. We need to keep going to the vestibule.” She explained as PW led the way there. With ample space she was able to spin about and led PW back to their room.
As they approached the sleeper car they passed by some first class rooms where the aisle narrowed.
It was on a particular corner that Snowheart stopped abruptly and grunted.
“Ugh.” The hallway plug groaned in response.
“What’s wrong?”
“... I’m stuck. Hey, PW; want to learn an interesting fact about Night-Mares?”
“Um, sure!”
“Our bodies were perfectly matched to the width of the aisles and hallways of a standard train car. That’s why we’re the size we are.”
“Really? That’s so cool!”
“Nah; I just made that shit up.”
Just then the train went over a switch that caused the whole car to sway back and forth. “Ah, the train fixed things!” She sighed in relief, moving forward again.
“That’s a real liability, Miss Snowheart.” Teased PW.
“I’m not made for this, PW. Though, wouldn’t you be terrified of some-creature that plugged the hallway from floor to ceiling?”
“Not terrified, more like in awe.”
“Hm. You’re funny. Funny and weird.” The mare responded, slithering into an opening in the hallway. “Home sweet home!” She announced.
PW looked around in the bedroom. The upper bunk was actually down while the lower bunk was not. However, the seats looked broken. “Upper bunk is for you. Everything else - for me.”
“Can you sleep on that? You’re taller than the room is wide or long.”
“It’s tricky… but with the seats like this, I can *huff* recline here on this seat, drape one of my legs on this one, and *hup!* point the other off into the corner.” She sighed as she demonstrated a diagonal posture.
“That doesn’t look very comfortable for you.”
“It’s actually worse with the seat completely down. Putting the upper bunk up doesn’t change anything. If you’re worried about taking my space in here it actually doesn’t matter in the end if you’re here or not.”
“Okay, that’s good! So I guess it's just a question of how I get up there. There's definitely not enough room to open my wings here.”
The big mare slapped her thigh and made a curling motion with her foreleg.
“Right.” PW agreed.
“There’s also the ladder, if I’m asleep.”
“You can’t lift in your sleep, Night-Ma–” PW started but suddenly found his mouth - and most of his face - plugged by her hoof. She shut the roomette door before freeing him. “I’m sorry, Miss Snowheart. It's a bad habit and I know I’m in trouble if I don’t stop doing that. What was I talking about again?”
“You were criticizing me for not being able to lift in my sleep.” She muttered.
“Mmm, I’m going to withdraw that.” Said PW.
“Smart. You want to get lunch?”
“Sure.” He replied.
The pair worked their way to the dining car without incident.
“Table for two?” Asked the head waiter.
“You should probably count me as two ponies.” Miss Snowheart said.
They sat at an empty table. The large mare had to squeeze in and nearly didn’t fit.
“Do you have an Eastern Menu?” She asked.
“Yes, actually. Would you like one?” The waiter asked.
She nodded and he turned to fetch one.
“So, who would win in a fight? You or the locomotive pulling the train?” Asked PW.
“Me.”
“So what you’re telling me is you’re the most powerful thing on and off this train?”
“That’s right. If the engine breaks down, I’ll pull the train. Andthe locomotive.”
“How much torque can you put down? Is that measured?”
“That’s classified.”
PW shot her a deadpan look.
“Also for the record, I’m planning to eat all the other meals in the berth.”
“Why?”
She raised an eyebrow. “Look at me. My ears are touching the ceiling. My body is touching the wall and hanging into the aisle. My thighs are ready to pry this table off its feet. And we haven’t even started with hoovsies.” She planted her hind-leg on PW’s seat for emphasis.
“Hey, be careful!”
“What?”
“I just don’t want to die playing hoovsies, okay?”
“No. No, you don’t.” She warned as the menus arrived. When the waiter turned away she muttered. “It’s a horrible way to die.”
PW’s eyes went wide and he half-whispered. “You’ve done it?”
“Enough yap in public, little stallion.”
“You say that as if you intend to shut me up.” He challenged her with a wry smile. She frowned and her leg thumped closer to him. “Point taken; I’m done!”
“Ready to order?” Asked the waiter.
“I’ll have the garden salad, the grilled cheese, and a lemon tart.” Replied PW.
“And for you?” Asked the waiter, turning to Miss Snowheart.
“I’ll have the garden salad… filet mignon… chocolate cake. And - sorry about this - but also the hay bacon… and the barbecue sausage.”
“Give me a few minutes.” He sighed, clearly annoyed with the amount of food she ordered.
“Miss Snowheart… sausage?” PW stuck out his tongue.
“It was on the menu.” She shrugged.
“You’re not a griffon!”
“You know, PW, if they’re going to hire you you’ll eventually run boot-camp. I reckon - since my job is really dangerous - they’ll make you a special regimen. I think a fair one would be getting all five Night-Mares in my squad together to bully, poke, prod, and sock you until you stop yeeping from it all. How does twenty size-10s going at it free-for-all sound?”
PW gulped under flat ears. “Like a closed-casket funeral.”
She grinned. “That’s a really good description, actually. Here’s a good boot-camp story for you. One time; I dropped the soap. Can you guess what happened?”
“…”
“Everypony ran out of the shower before I could bend over to pick it up.” She smiled as food was placed in front of her like some trophy.
Ms. Snowheart didn’t hesitate and began wolfing the spread down. One particularly rude earth-pony stallion passed by. “What are you supposed to be? An oversized freak of nature? You must have some disease.” He barked.
“The hell, dude?!” PW yelled back, his chest floof rousing.
“Ha, didn’t see you there! You’re her little coltfriend aren’t you?” The stallion scoffed.
“Alright sir, please keep moving! We have a lot of food coming this way.” The head steward said, ushering him on. “I’m terribly sorry about that, ma’am.” He apologized.
“It’s fine. I get that a lot.” Snowheart muttered as the platters were placed.
“Why didn’t you speak up? I thought you’re trained to intimidate?” Asked PW.
“I can’t just intimidate a common citizen because they call me names, PW. That’s not how it works.”
“You do it to me?”
She paused. “You’re… different. I know you. And it doesn’t work on you anyway. It, like, does something weird to your brain.”
PW smirked as she resumed stuffing her face.
It took Miss Snowheart a full minute to shimmy out of the seat without breaking it. There was a visible depression in the upholstery that didn’t fade after she got up. She was leading the way back to their room when they encountered a couple in the hallway.
“See, PW? This is why I usually stay put in my room.” She called back to him.
“No, I don’t see! All I see in front of me is your rump!” He answered. He wasn’t lying- his head didn’t even reach her shoulders.
“Sorry folks; I can only move forward!” She announced.
“Are you sure you can’t move backwards?” Teased PW.
A size-ten hoof reared, ready to buck. “Forgive my transgression!” PW pleaded.
The untimely couple in the hallway yielded back to a suitable passing area.
“Thank you, please excuse me and sorry about that.” Snowheart nodded as she passed them by. Luckily these ponies were understanding and weren’t annoyed by her.
Back in her quarters 2 fixed up her berth so she and PW could use it as a seating area again. Even sitting opposite each other her knees extended all the way into PW’s seat, pushing hard into the cushions. Thus PW had to insert his legs into the gaps on either side of her enormous knee.
“Hey, PW.” She called.
“Yeah?”
“I’m going to use the downstairs bathroom. I recommend you don’t for the rest of the day.”
He furrowed his brow in thought. “How does that even work?”
“How does what even work?”
“The bathrooms are not spacious, even for me.”
“Exactly. Avoid it. The shower’s even worse. I can’t fit, period.” He blanched as she stood. “Oh, that’s right. You’re going to have to deal with a stinky, sweaty, dirty Night-Mare for the next two days!” The mare said, pulling the door open.
“No worries, Miss Snowheart.” PW responded, properly addressing her this time.
“Good boy.” She responded, walking off.
Finally, PW was able to spread out. Though it wasn’t like he couldn’t just put the bunk down and climb up there to have the whole bed for himself. But, there was no window up there, and certainly no Night-Mare. And when the big mare did return, he had to climb up into his bed above to let her get situated again. As promised, she ate her dinner in the cabin. There was no extra room, so PW ended up being the table, and had to smell all of her “eastern food” on his lap (and as the Night-Mare ate with mess hall ethics, some of the food did in fact end up on him).
After the sun set PW went off to take a shower. There was barely enough room for him- even less than in the hallway, so he knew if somehow the mare got into the shower, she definitely would have plugged the stall up and created a bathtub with her back. He also looked up at the showerhead, which wasn’t much higher up than his back.
‘She’d probably rip it right off its mount!’ PW realized. He laughed out loud to himself, imagining what a disaster that’d be. ‘Imagine if she drowned that way! Supersoldier got stuck in the shower, sheared the head off, water started pouring out, unable to stop, and surface tension holding her in place until the whole upper part of the stall became a tank. They’d likely have to dismantle the car just to get her out!’
PW came back up the stairs to find Miss Snowheart draped over all the lower seats, seemingly zoning out.
PW climbed up to the top bunk and shut the door to the room. ‘I’m sleeping over with a Night-Mare!’ He reminded himself in gleeful disbelief. “Nighty night!” He called down, hoping the night would go better than the nights in coach on the way up to her.
He really got behind on sleep due to a great deal of stops and squealing brakes, so he hoped laying down would solve the issue.
“G’night.” The simple reply.
He silently squealed like a filly. ‘She told me goodnight!’ He mouthed.
PW was just about to fall asleep when the train lurched left and right, passing over a switch and he was jarred awake for the seventh time. “Ugh, not again!” He complained to himself.
But there was now another noise. A grating noise below him. It was growing louder, in pulses. PW peered below and found the source; it was the Night-Mare herself!
“I didn’t know the girls snored! That’s so cute!” Snickered PW, rolling back over.
Then it got louder. A LOT louder. “Kwhkhkhkhkaaaaaa!” She rumbled.
PW’s eyes snapped open. “Oh no!”
In a few moments it got so loud that a conversation in the room would have been impossible. Even the train’s noise was washed out by this world-class snoring. By the time the brakes were applied for the next signal, the only indication PW got that they were in fact applied was the tugging force pulling him forward.
“Sweet Celestia, make it stop!” He complained, smashing a pillow over his ears.
“Hey, PW.”
"..."
“PW.”
".."
“PW GET UP!”
“AGH!” Shouted the stallion, suddenly shaken awake. He was met with 2’s face taking up the majority of his groggy vision.
“It’s 9:30. We’re making a smoke stop soon at Rainbow Falls. Why’d you sleep in so late?”
“Night-Mare 2, you snore so damn loud I couldn’t sleep!”
She cocked her head at that. “I snore? Really?”
“Yes, really! I would have thought that to be a liability in the field!” Barked PW.
Her ears folded back and her voice went unusually quiet. “Well, you’re not wrong, PW.”
His expression softened. Was she… embarrassed? “Erm, sorry for snapping. I should be kinder to a Night-Mare.”
In a flash she was back to herself. “Not wrong about that one either. C’mon.”
PW leapt and used his wings to cushion the fall.
“Cool move.” She complimented.
A few minutes later the train stopped and they could get off.
“Have fun. I have to work out.” Snowheart said, bolting off on all fours like an ox. PW could only imagine how much momentum she carried once she got up to speed. She ran out a ways and then towards the engine before suddenly stopping, turning about and running towards the end of the train. One there, she would stop and reverse back and forth, doing laps.
PW took to the sky, taking in the lay of the land and keeping a close eye on his favorite Night-Mare. After several dozen laps she began doing pushups and then sit-ups. Finally, the ‘all-aboard’ call was made. PW intercepted her far enough from the crowd to avoid the antics he had planned from going too far.
“Oh no; not you, ma’am. You’ll have to walk. Your snoring is too loud!” Challenged PW, holding his hoof out to stop her.
“You really want to try and stop me?” The giant mare growled. Her augments clicked from their sockets and she reared to her full height to leave PW eye level with her thighs.
“No, but I’d sure love to see what you can do to somepony!” He squeaked, yielding the way to her.
She fell to all fours and kept walking to the train. “Then you’ll like this upcoming mission. Interceptions make for great takedowns.”
“Nice, I can’t wait!” He called, heading back onto the train with her.
After another day of travel, the Night-Mare and her adoring assistant arrived in Crystal Heart City around noon. “Where are we going?” He asked as they deboarded.
“We’re looking for a stallion wearing sunglasses and a saddlebag with an all-black mare on it.”
“Is that the secret sign?”
“That’s classified.”
“One of these days I’m going to get it for not knowing.”
“Then get a job working with me or beat it, colt.” The mare fired back.
A slim figure on their left moved into their path. “Ah, Quarter.” Snowheart greeted him.. The slim stallion lowered his sunglasses and swept the bag with the all-black mare around so it was hidden again.
“Miss Snowheart.” The stallion responded in a refined Trottingham accent before looking over at PW. “Ah yes; and you must be Polaris Wind!”
“Yes, sir!” He replied.
“Well, Miss Snowheart, I’m impressed. At a glance I can tell you actually got a set of measurements right! For once.”
“Yes, I wanted to make extra sure they were true.” Said Miss Snowheart, shooting PW a creepy smile.
“The auto-wagon is just outside, if you please.” Quarter said, leading the way to a waiting pony-less carriage.
PW gawked at this remarkable and incredibly rare example of equine ingenuity. Whoever was running this operation had powerful friends. He wouldn’t be surprised if things went straight to the top - to the princesses themselves. He clambered inside after Quarter and Snowheart.
“So, Mr. Wind.” Quarter addressed him as they departed.
“Yes sir?”
“You were on the contract during Fitment, if I’m not mistaken?”
“Yes sir, I was a Ponyeon employee who had the honor of testing a Night-Mare with the augmentations. This one, actually." PW gestured to 2. "And, I remained their employee up until yesterday.”
“Am I correct in assuming that your attachment with the Night-Mare was what drew you out here?”
“Yes, that’s exactly it. Did somepony tell you?”
“No, all of us at Lockhoof Colton are selected because of certain qualities. Chief among them being intellect.”
“Lockhoof?” PW’s ears perked at the name.
“Yes, that’s right. Ponyeon lost the sustaining support contract and the department was reassigned to Lockhoof Colton by the Royal Guard.”
“Oh! Uh… That’s really good news! Because, I, well... I kind of vanished from my previous job at Ponyeon. To do this.”
“Well… you were chasing your passion! Mr. Wind, there are a lot of recent murmurs at the top; of potential in-field support opportunities. That was already being discussed when the contract was reassigned. And lucky you have walked on and shown management firsthoof how to do that job!”
“Which means I have a good shot at staying?”
“You have experience working with the Night-Mares for one. If you’re Lockhoof Colton material - and I for one think you are - I recommend getting in contact with this individual.” Said Quarter, slipping PW a contact card. “I do wish you good luck. And that reminds me, if you are awarded the job you will see the classified information that your Night-Mare friend here is holding hostage from you. There’s a whole fascinating datasheet on each Night-Mare if you’re into statistics. And I have a hunch that this is the reason the Night-Mare tried to get your measurements as best as she could. She too believes you’re going to get it and is collecting, shall we say - ammunition.” Said Quarter.
PW looked over at the large mare who crossed her forehooves and was developing a deep look of disgust with a scrunched nose. “I agree with you!” PW laughed. 2 began pumping her hooves in a flurry of mock punches in a display of power.
“Let us get you some lunch.” Quarter said, pulling into a Hayburger drive-through such that PW’s window was beside the call-tube.
“Can I get a number 13 with a lemonade?” Asked PW.
“Yes, and what else?” Asked the voice through the call tube.
“That’s it for me! Miss Snowheart, what would you… S- Snowheart?” Asked PW in terror as the goliath began climbing over him to the window, practically burying him under hundreds of pounds of muscular earth-pony.
“Relax, Mr. Wind, she intends to order for herself.” Quarter chuckled as he watched the show.
“I’ll have two number 9’s, a number 9 large, a number 6 with extra dip, a number 7, two number 45’s, one with cheese, and a large soda!” Snowheart gruffed and slumped back into her seat.
“Holy mother-of-Celestia, Snowheart!”
“That’s what happens when you make me miss breakfast, PW!”
“You kept on snoring Snowheart!”
"Seriously PW?!?"
“Can I confirm that with you once more…” the voice said, snapping the ponies out of the argument.
In fact, it took two more attempts to get the order right and they ended up waiting a good half hour for their food to be prepared.
“Mr. Wind; the secret to the Night-Mare program is that while they require a great deal of support it pays out tenfold in an instant when they unload the D16 magazine. Do drop that statement in a job interview.” Quarter suggested.
"Thanks!" Responded PW, looking over at Night-Mare 2 and her mountain of food. “Do you even know how many calories that is?” He asked.
“Mmf - shumver veteen shix an eigh-houshand haloreesh?” She shrugged with a faceful of food.
PW bent his head and shook it as crumbs above the right seat fell to the floor.
Quarter dropped them both off at the Grand Crystallton. “Briefing is at 0800 hours in my safe house. Meet me here for pickup.” He ordered.
“I’m gonna work out. Meet me at the Heat Brewery by 1900 this evening.” Snowheart said as she clambered out of the vehicle.
The auto-wagon pulled away as PW shot her a quizzical look. “You’re going to drink? The night before a briefing?”
“I’m a heavyweight.”
“And you’re going to use the gym equipment in the hotel?”
“And probably break it!” She added, speaking PW’s mind as she sauntered into the ornate entrance.
PW had to book another hotel room and wasn’t too thrilled about the price.
“I seriously need a job working with her. I can’t keep dropping dough like this to keep up with this mare!” PW admitted, seeing his cash reserves depleting.
He checked in and crashed until dinner time, having a sound sleep for the first time in two days.
Polaris was always a very punctual stallion and showed up to the brewery right at 7:00. He found the Night-Mare already seated at the bar with a drink in hoof and a bunch of stallions egging her on. He realized he wouldn’t be able to get her attention with the paparazzi of stallions shouting around her and would have to do something drastic.
‘Menaces. He soured. Enthralled now but will flee for absolutely anything including a scratch to their baby faces.’ He sighed and cleared his head. ‘Relax, PW. She does this all the time. It’s not like she picks up stallions regularly… right?’
Polaris snaked through the crowd, grabbed a hoof-full of Snowheart’s tail and tugged it hard. The large mare swung her stool about and grinned.
“Heyyy, PW! You’re here!” She shouted, waving him closer. “This is the guy, guys! Get this stallion a seat!” She thundered as several ponies vacated the area of the seat next to her.
“I heard you put up with this gal daily!” A nearby unicorn slapped PW’s back.
“Er; yeah, you bet!” PW answered with hesitation, unused to the spotlight. “Thanks for pulling me into your fold, Snowheart!” PW called.
Another glass was placed down in front of a very pleased Snowheart.
“What’s your shoe size?” A stallion asked as she gulped it down.
She sat the now-empty glass on the counter with a THUD.
“Ten!” She breathed.
“Are you taller than Princess Celestia herself?” Asked another.
“Maybe!” She answered.
“How many drinks have you had, miss?”
“Eight!”
“And, how drunk are you?” Came the reply.
Snowheart scoffed and took a filled wine glass from a neighboring stallion and balanced it flawlessly on her prosthetic finger. The crowd erupted into cheer.
“Wow, Snowheart, I didn’t know you were such a heavyweight?” PW said.
“Hmmm, and how about you, PW?” The big mare asked, pointing right at him.
“Me? Oh, no; I don’t drink.” He responded with an innocent shake of his head..
“Really?” Asked a nearby stallion.
“C’mon dude!” Said another.
Another drink arrived on the counter which Snowheart slid to PW. “Now ya do!” She said to the crowd’s delight.
“C’mon, buddy! Show the big mare you care!” Sompony shouted.
Polaris fidgeted.
“Don’t drink at all?” Snowheart hummed.
“I’ve never had a drink.” Polaris admitted.
“Then this one’s on me!” She grinned at him.
“Um, I’m nineteen!” Lied the small pegasus.
“Nice try, but drinking age in the Crystal Empire is eighteen anyway. Bottom’s up!” She shouted.
“Chug Chug Chug Chug!” Everypony chanted.
“STOP!” Interrupted the bartender. “Let me see your ID.”
Snowheart leaned back in her seat and laughed heartily as PW passed up his ID.
“HAH-HA-HA-HA-HAH!” She laughed, her leg thumping the bar stand until a splintering *crack* was heard.
“You’re older than I thought.” The bartender handed the ID back with a raised brow.
PW hefted the glass aloft.
“You trust me, right?” Snowheart asked.
“Um, yeah?”
“Then down the hatch! It’s only one!” She reassured him, forcing the drink towards PW’s mouth. PW lifted the cup from her to his mouth and drank it.
The crowd cheered. “You’ll always remember your first drink now!” Said the fellow next to him.
“Guess so!” Replied PW sheepishly, fighting the sour taste lingering in his throat.
“Now, are you ready for your first blackout?” Said the stallion behind him, passing him some unknown green liquid in a glass.
“Get lost! No way!” Polaris shouted.
“Kidding, kidding.”
“Hey do you want something to eat?” Asked a suddenly concerned Snowheart.
“I… hic! my stomach kind of hurts. So not hic! now.” PW squeaked.
As it turned out, Polaris Wind was such a lightweight that the single drink was enough to wreck him. Pegasi were already known for their lack of alcohol tolerance, and PW certainly more than most.
“C’mon, PW. We need to get back to the… the hotel.” Snowheart slurred after drinking her twenty-fifth glass. Her crowd was a mixture of gone home or passed out.
“Wha… hotel? I - we’re still hic! on the train?” PW mouthed near-unintelligibly.
“C’mon, you silly. I’ll help you!” Snowheart smiled wide and stood.
“I’m gah fall!” He cried at the shift.
“No, you’re not.” She soothed, providing a sturdy support with her strong frame. She patted his head and squeezed him close. “See? I got you.”
Polaris hummed against her warm body. ‘She’s just… just a big ol’ softie when she’s tipsy. The thought disappeared as quickly as it came to him.
Miss Snowheart walked him all the way back to his room, taking his key in her fingers to look up his room number. She unlocked the door, set him comfortably on the bed, said goodnight, and didn’t give him any flack for his situation.
Though she didn’t expect his night to end quite like that, she did have to admit that she liked the experience of taking care of Polaris without him being able to judge her the next day.
She blushed and made her way to her own room.
Polaris checked out the following morning and walked up to the front patio of the hotel. Miss Snowheart was already there. “Um; what happened last night? Did I do anything stupid?” PW asked.
“What do you remember?”
“Nothing, not after my stomach started hurting.”
She nodded. “We stayed a little while longer and then went back to the hotel.”
“Did I do anything stupid?” PW insisted, begging to know.
“Nah, you were just tipsy. No embarrassments.” Reassured the mare, keeping her role that night a secret.
A different auto-wagon promptly arrived. Quarter got out and opened the rear door for them.
“You first.” Snowheart motioned PW in.
The only seat large enough for her was the rear-most one anyway. They drove a few blocks down the road to a seemingly random, detached home in the outskirts of the inner city.
Inside the living room were 2 piles of equipment and clothing for each of them. “Wow; a winter-suit? For me?” PW exclaimed.
“Hopefully it fits. We had to tailor a retail purchase given you’re not participating in an official manner.” Admitted Quarter.
PW gawked at a very large pair of snow boots next to him. ‘Sweet Celestia, these things are gigantic!’ He thought to himself.
He wondered if he could even put it on. The boot looked longer than his entire leg! He’d satisfy his curiosity later, to spare him embarrassment. No doubt 2 would tease him. Or, worse, if he couldn’t manage to put it completely on.
They each strapped on their gear. Night-Mare 2 was provided with her standard tactical uniform layer: nylon leggings, an undershirt, knee-pads, and a hoodie. Over this would go the snow gear, including a white, woven cloth helmet, a pair of goggles with snow visors, white scarves, cloaks, long warm socks, and snow boots.
The Night-Mare naturally began her teasing tirade, holding up a sock to PW. “This comes up to your back, PW. I guess this one must be mine!”
“Yeah, I think you might be right. Probably. Still not sure.” Replied PW, bouncing off her jab.
Once all of their uniforms were in order Quarter showed them to their kit.
“Enclosed for the both of you are saddlebags containing provisions of food and water, heating pads, fire-starting equipment, tarps, mess gear, radio equipment, and first aid kits. For Number 2 we have the standard amount of ammunition, your D16, 3 flashbangs, 3 smoke grenades, and your Stallion & West pistol sidearm. Mr. Wind, if you were hired we might be able to supply you with your own weapon. In lieu of one I have gained permission to provide 3 smoke grenades and one flashbang. Use them wisely.” Quarter said.
“He probably doesn’t know how to use them.” 2 said honestly.
“Er, no. No, I don’t.” PW admitted.
“I’ll teach you with pinecones. It’s really easy.” She said and looked to Quarter. “He’ll be fine.”
“Of that I have no doubt.” Quarter smiled and moved into what was once a dining room. Only two tables remained and supported a large map and assorted cartographical accessories.
“Ooh the briefing room!” PW said with awe.
“You catch on quickly, Mr. Wind.” Said Quarter. “This will serve as your briefing to Operation Smash-Smash.”
“Hm. I like it. Go on.” Commented the big mare.
“For the record, this mission is declassified. However, it is SBU. You obviously have a need to know but do not tell any-creature about this mission, Mr. Wind. Now, I know you were given some run down, so I shall spare you the details and cut right to the deltas.”
With a quick clear of the throat Quarter began. “The Equestrian-Yakyakistani trade summit is in two days. However, the stakes are now elevated. The diplomats Equestria has chosen to represent us are royalty: Princes Shining Armor of the Crystal Empire and Blueblood of Canterlot.”
“My goodness.” Exclaimed PW.
“Indeed. You both understand that failure in this mission would mean our royalty would be rendered unable to accomplish their objective.”
“That’s one way of putting it.” 2 muttered.
“While several rogue changeling hives exist, the current understanding is that Queen Chrysalis herself is still plotting revenge even after being released from lithification. An individual we suspect as being a spy for the changeling hive has retrieved a large amount of information relating to the specifics of this event.”
Quarter leaned over the map and indicated where the ponies ought to look. “Intelligence reports that three days ago a party of changelings was seen by a group of fisher-ponies moving up the Luna Bay coast. Another report has come in confirming that there is an ambush planned on the road at a cliff located at latitude 75 degrees 46 minutes north, longitude 45 degrees 19 minutes west, henceforth designated as point Alpha.”
“Now I am sure you all are aware that, in our past, Queen Chrysalis successfully infiltrated Canterlot and took royalty hostage. I cannot stress the severity of that outcome enough. Though we do not expect the Queen herself to be active in this operation.”
He pointed to the map again. “The changeling party was last seen trekking inland from the coast of Luna Bay around latitude 68 degrees 33 minutes north, longitude 70 degrees 47 minutes west, henceforth designated as point Bravo. You will be escorted up the road as far as an auto-wagon may travel to point Charlie. Point Charlie is approximately 20 miles from Point Alpha. Mr. Wind, you will then take to the skies and generate a cloud about yourself for cover. Number 2 will map the engagement zone as well as locate and neutralize any enemy scouts that may be on the move.”
“While she is doing this Mr. Wind will attempt to track down the current location of the changeling party. We expect that by the time you arrive the party will be located around latitude 71 degrees 30 minutes and longitude 52 degrees zed, designated as point Delta. Mr. Wind, you will find a hoof-watch barometer included in your pack. Please remain above seven thousand hooves mean sea level to avoid detection. Do bear in mind that the changelings may be in flight. Unfortunately we do not have any information as to their flocking altitudes. Once you have located the party, radio their coordinates in with the enclosed engagement map. Your radios will have two channels. Channel 1 is Vanhoover Control and Channel 2 is your partner. The radios will likely only reach Vanhoover Control from the top of a mountain or in the air. Number 2, this means you may be reliant on your partner for communication to base.”
She gave a small nod of understanding.
“Once we have the location, an interception of the interception will be planned. Hence the mission code, Smash-Smash. The changeling party will then need to be neutralized by Number 2. The use of deadly force is not permitted unless deadly force is displayed by the changelings. Although we do not believe the changelings, save Queen Chrysalis, have the ability to transform into a Night-Mare they certainly have the ability to take on Polaris Wind’s form. Therefore, you will need to establish a passphrase to secure identity.”
“That’s easy. My cover-name PW?”
“Miss Snowheart.”
“Done. We can use it as a safety word too, during practice.” She added. PW raised an eyebrow in confusion at that but didn’t interrupt Quarter.
“The exact method for neutralizing the enemy is at your discretion, though as I stated please avoid deadly force whenever possible. HQ was not happy with the results of your last mission. They desire intimidation, not bodycounts.” Replied Quarter sternly.
“Sounds plenty intimidating to me.” She growled.
“In her defense sir, we were fighting a small army armed with rifles and machine guns.” Polaris jumped in. The mare’s glare softened and she looked down at the small stallion defending her.
“I only relay what I’m told. That said, I also advise you in particular to not take any lives. Leave that to Number 2. A civilian making a kill is a BIG no-no. Are we clear?”
“Yes sir.” PW acknowledged.
“Once the threat is neutralized we will enter the third phase of the operation; escort. To protect against unforeseen counter-attacks you will escort the royal convoy through the mountain pass from a point no later than point Alpha and the Yak gate. I recommend Mr. Wind take to the skies again to spot the royal convoy’s position from the air. Note the terrain is entirely bloody tundra. There are no trees nearby for cover. Upon arrival at the Yakyakistani gate the mission is completed. Remain very vigilant during the escort. If an assassin is present they will need mere seconds to complete their task.”
Quarter took a step back. “This concludes your formal briefing, any questions will be fielded onboard the auto-wagon. Time is of the essence and we must depart immediately.”
Without another word the trio entered the waiting vehicle and they were off.
It wasn’t until they were on the Yak road that Quarter broke the silence. “Mr. Wind, be sure to remain near Number 2 while on the ground. We do not want the enemy capturing you, holding you ransom, or getting information out of you. I’m also rather concerned about Number 2's fingers. They tend to seize in cold conditions. I trust you have had experiences unsticking them?”
“Yes, actually. Both in testing and the field. Enemy weapons were on us and I unstuck her junction box in the heat of the moment.”
“Is that so? Good for the Night-Mare then.” Quarter said, impressed.
He looked up in his rearview to find 2 looking out the window with a frown.
Quarter knew Mr. Wind was telling the truth given her predictable response. “Yes, so having you around her may prevent a mishap.” Quarter admitted.
“Um, Quarter?” PW asked. “Why don’t the Night-Mares work as one team?”
“They used to, Mr. Wind. But with numerous trade-routes come numerous pirates and bandits. HQ decided one Night-Mare per mission would have to do. It was an untimely and reckless decision if you ask me – one that was made during the contract change. I for one fancy your methods in supporting a single Night-Mare’s operations. Ultimately I do hope the Royal Guard determines it for the better.”
The auto-wagon drove high into hills that soon became mountains. Gradually the spruces grew shorter and shorter along the road until they reached the arctic tree line, where the landscape consisted entirely of gravel, rock and snowy mountains. The road condition began wearing out until they were barely moving faster than walking speed. Finally, a field of small rocks brought their ride to an end.
“We are now at Point Charlie.” Announced Quarter.
The two field soldiers got out of the auto-wagon (which lifted considerably on its right shocks as they did so), then tested their radios and synchronized their chronometers.
“Quarter, where do we rendezvous after the mission is completed?” Asked PW.
“That remains to be determined, Mr. Wind. But we are going to try and get you a spot back on the escort. Assuming the initial onslaught is too intense for the enemy there shouldn’t be much worry on the way back.”
“Thanks Quarter.” Said 2, adjusting her gear.
He smiled. “Take good care of her, Polaris. The convoy should be coming up the path in about 24 hours.”
“Yes sir!” PW barked with all his energy as the vehicle departed back down the road.
The Night-Mare and her small accomplice strapped down all of their gear and began trekking up the road.
Polaris scrunched his nose at the biting breeze. “So windy and desolate, isn’t it?” Said PW, noticing a snow-devil being stirred up ahead.
“Reminds me of home.” 2 said.
“We’re a little further north than that aren’t we? Your tribe are forest dwellers?”
“Yes, just a little bit north of there. We’re likely only a few days’ walk from there.”
“2, what was growing up for you like? Did you get to live a normal childhood?”
“As you would describe it, yes. We even have a school endorsed by the Royal Educational Society. Families are close, led by the father usually.”
“Are stallions even larger than the mares, typically?”
“Yeah. Especially my dad. He’s enormous… and not too thrilled that I joined the Guard.”
PW gulped at that, knowing if something happened to 2 on his watch then he’d have a tough customer to answer to. “What did they call you back home?”
“That’s classified.”
“Oh. I wish I had classified things about me…” PW moped.
“Hey, if they hire you then you likely will.” She cheered him up.
“I really like that about you 2.” PW smiled. “You’re great at reading my emotions and know when to lob a joke or be cool.”
“We go back a ways, PW.” She shrugged.
They continued up the road, having lunch at some point where the road doubled back, providing a wide vista. Then, in the afternoon before the sun went down too low, PW flew up to get his bearings. He did look around the nearby vicinity but didn’t see any sign of the changelings.
He took several breaths before finally speaking into the radio. “Vanhoover Control, Number 2’s number 1, how do you read?”
After several seconds the crackly reply came. “5 by. But please change that callsign to something easier on the ears!”
“Um, Northwind reporting! We’re halfway to point Alpha, currently in section G-Q. I do not see any sign of trouble yet but plan to look more tomorrow.”
“... Copy all.”
PW then landed. “Did you hear that?”
“Yeah, I was tuned in. Agent Northwind.” 2 said.
“No fires allowed right?” He asked.
“Nope. None at all. Could give our positions away. Your MRE’s should have a spell-activated heater pack in them to heat the food up. We just need a water source.”
“Everything’s frozen over. Ugh it’s going to be a cold night.”
“This time of year the streams are usually accessible under a thin sheet of ice. Just be careful not to fall in. We like to boast about how hardy we are but this is not the time to yield body heat.”
“I like how you think, 2. I’ll head down the ravine to see if I can find any water.”
Sure enough, there was a small stream running at the bottom of the steep valley which he flew into. No sooner had PW filled his containers than he heard a growl and looked up at a large, blue creature.
“U-u-ursa minor!” He cried, looking into its sickly, yellow eyes.
He hurried to get air under his wings as the giant bear charged. He tried flying back up the hill but his gear and water proved too heavy. While he didn’t make it all the way up the hill in one go he did get far enough to escape the Ursa. The beast glared at him before finally sauntering away, finally allowing PW to let out a huge sigh.
“Did you find any?” 2 asked upon his return.
“Ursa minors? Yes. And water!”
“That’s what I thought I heard. Glad to see you were still able to fly with all that water.” She said, taking her share.
“Yeah, that was close.”
“This is also Ursa Major territory. We should take care to avoid those. The Ursa Major fears nothing and I’m going to admit it’s the one creature I am unable to defeat.”
“I thought you’re trained to take anything?”
“There’s always something bigger out there, PW.”
“So, how do we protect ourselves from it?”
“Run and hide. It’s got nowhere out here to sneak around. When we see a big purple blob on the mountain it’s time to start burying yourself in snow.”
The peculiar pair poured water into their MRE’s to start the cooking process. Just as Night-Mare 2 said, in five minutes they became piping hot and were ready to eat. Though Polaris Wind only ate a single MRE, more than a meal for a stallion, his companion wolfed down five. All in nearly the same time, at that! After taking care of their trash and cleaning their mess gear with newfallen snow 2 held up a pinecone she had packed.
“I promised you earlier I’d teach you how to throw a grenade. You ready?” She asked, looking down to PW.
“Sure!” The stallion eagerly replied.
“Okay. The ones marked SMOKE are smoke grenades and the ones marked F.B. are flash-bang. See?” The behemoth asked, holding some real ones out. “The smokes are straightforward. They create a cloud of smoke that obscures the area and makes the eyes tear up. They are affected by the wind, so DO NOT throw these upwind. And since they make a lot of smoke they will get any-creature’s attention. So do not use it when you are at risk of more enemies showing up. Generally, a good use-case for a smoke grenade is when escaping. Think of it like an oil slick. Pull this pin, wait for it to envelope you, then run. Ready to demo?”
“Okay!” PW nodded and took the pinecone.
2 reared up in an aggressive posture. “Okay; so I’m a scary, giant changeling! Crackle-crackle-hiss! Now what?”
“Check my surroundings for more changelings?”
“Right. You don’t see any and you know the real me is right past that hill.” 2 said, pointing a finger to the hill on her right side.
“Okay, so I pull the pin and drop it.” PW yanked a blade of the cone out and dropped it.
“Good; there’s lots of smoke coming out now. It’s hard for me to see you.”
“So I run now for 2’s position.” He trotted off toward the hill.
“Perfect! Now, the flashbang." 2 called as PW returned to her.
"The flashbang is a very loud popper that also produces a very bright flash that will literally blind you. You and I are both north-bloods, so our eyes are affected EVEN MORE than the average pony. And still worse for you, being a flyer, the concussive blast will ruin your vestibular system, meaning you won’t be able to develop a sense to fly for several minutes. Although the flash bang is not supposed to be lethal, it actually can be at point-blank range. Generally though that’s not a problem since aim is almost never perfect and the enemy will try to dodge.” 2 lectured to the eager pegasus sitting before her, as attentive as a puppy.
“The effective range of the flashbang is about ten yards. If you are inside that radius you will be defeated. If the enemy is outside that radius, they will be unaffected. The fuse lasts three seconds. When you are preparing for detonation, face away, close your eyes, cover your ears and open your mouth. Got it?”
“Yeah.”
“A typical situation you might need to use one is if you’re in imminent danger. An example would be a hostile taking aim at you with a weapon. Remember to hold it as long as you can and lob it as close to detonation time as you can. Now, ready for a demo?”
“Sure!” Piped PW, picking up the pinecone again.
“Okay; now I’m a scary, overfed changeling and I have a gun! Now what?” 2 asked.
PW chuckled and shrugged. “Nothing. You got me! You’re too close.”
“Exactly!” She gave an impressed nod and trotted backwards a few yards. “How about now?”
“Not quite!” Replied PW as the mare trotted a few yards further.
“And now?”
“Yeah, I’m good!”
“So I’m taking aim at you!” Barked the big mare, holding her hooves up as she would hold the gun.
“Pull the pin; one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, throw!” Counted PW, lobbing the pinecone at her.
“DEAD!" She shouted. "You didn’t leave enough time to get into the detonation position. Try again.” She tossed the pinecone back and furrowed her brow.
“This one will be really nice to kidnap and hold ransom!” She growled as she played the part..
“Kiss my ass! Pull the pin; one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, throw!” PW shouted, chucking the pinecone at her.
“Eep – a grenade!” Cried 2, sprinting away. “KABOOM!” She yelled, freezing up.
She turned to her student. “Good job PW, I see you’re in the correct position. So you did well, now let’s check what happened to me.” She dropped to all fours and scooped up the pinecone. “Not bad, PW. At this range even I’d have been downed. Always remember that if you throw too soon the enemy can deflect it back with their wings and end your mission.”
The pair came towards each other as a chilly breeze blew through. The sun had already set ten minutes ago and the sky was starting to turn a deep purple.
“Alright my assistant. We’re getting an early start tomorrow so let’s get a quick camp set up. Wind’s out of the southwest so let’s head back around this hill to the northeast side. I want to be up before sunrise!” She declared as they headed around the hill they used in their demo.
The pair set their sleeping pads and bags out, packed their gear up and settled in. Polaris made sure to set up his bed a few extra yards away as he remembered 2 snored like a monster. Despite even his best efforts she still managed to wake him up. Not soon after this did he discover another problem: shivering.
“I’m so cold!” He mouthed.
Entering a shivering fit, the poor stallion found himself unable to sleep. He activated the heating pad but it did little for him as his core was chilled and the pad was only intended for extremities. After nearly an hour of suffering the great mare’s snoring suddenly abated.
PW could hear the large mass near him stir but he wanted to be a tough stallion and ignored her. She stood up and shuffled around to him, finding him awake.
“PW?” 2 muttered. No response. “PW, you’re shaking!”
“S-s-so I a-am.” He hissed through chattering teeth, refusing to admit that he was cold.
She knelt and felt his cutie mark. “PW, you’re freezing.” She exclaimed.
“Not like we c-can do anything.”
“Actually, I can help.” 2 bit his bag and dragged it, PW and and all, to the warm spot where she had been laying.
When the pad settled again PW rolled onto his side. The giant approached his backside and mirrored him, laying down on her side so they were back to back. She scooted up to him until they were firmly against each other. PW stopped shivering.
“Wow…” He sighed as the trembling finally stopped as it was met with Night-Mare warmth.
“It gets better.” 2 smiled, flicking her massive tail over him. “Oh my – this is nice!” He practically melted under the warmth. “Now if only I could just ignore the snoring.”
2 rolled her eyes and rummaged through her saddlebag. A pair of combat earmuffs was retrieved and placed over PW’s ears.
“You’re the best 2! I really, really mean that!” He could hardly hear his own voice.
“No problem at all.”
“Thanks for being cool about… me being cold. Instead of giving me a hard time about it.”
“This cold is life and death – no laughing matter.” She shrugged. “And if anything else is on your mind and you need to wake me up; stomp on me if you have to!” She laughed and finally settled in.
Polaris Wind sunk under the cozy embrace of her tail and finally drifted off for a time.
His eyes snapped open. It was still dark out. The moon had risen off to the east and was now high in the sky, casting a soft, white glow over the snowy tundra. PW didn’t know why he woke up. Nothing was wrong with him. He was warm, the night was quiet, the air was still fresh.
Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling of something seeming... off. Unmoving, PW looked about. That’s when he noticed it.
The light of the moon was suddenly extinguished, throwing the landscape into a marginally-visible gray.
‘Odd for a cloud to roll in that fast…’ He thought, not wanting to turn his head up to the moon. Then, as quickly as it had disappeared, the moonlight returned for a few seconds then vanished again.
Polaris’ heart quickened.
“Luna, what are you doing?” PW whispered, finally gazing up at the moon.
Then, he saw it.
The face.
Not the mare-in-the-moon but a pair of luminescent, yellow eyes. Full of interest yet lacking any emotion at all, like a snake’s eyes. They belonged to a semicircular purple head, and below them was a nose that looked like an anvil. Underneath that, a terrifying, monstrous maw filled with sharp teeth hung open, fangs glistening from both jaws. Polaris’ heart raced as he beheld the rest of the monster’s massive body. It was truly enormous, extending all the way down to the horizon and framed by the mountains in the southeast. The broad, midnight-purple torso had two muscular arms, each bearing a paw ending in five gold claws each that looked like they could dig through solid granite.
“U-ursa! U-u-ursa major!” Polaris’ voice escaped him as he froze in terror before the massive monster.
The creature roared with all the force of a thunderclap. Impossibly, Night-Mare 2 continued snoring. PW remembered what she told him and he kicked her shoulder to avoid making any sound.
“Mmf, PW? Whatever is the matter now?” The normally-biggest female asked.
The Ursa meanwhile took a ground-shaking step and lifted its shoulders, totally eclipsing the moon and casting the tundra into darkness. The Ursa moved her head as she repositioned, tracking her prey despite her movements. PW knew they were definitively spotted.
2, realizing from her times as a filly what was upon them, spun around and looked up.
“Oh no!” She cried in real fear as her ears went flat against her mane.
“Is it too late to hide?”
“Was she looking at us before she took that step?”
“Yes, and for a full minute before that. Maybe more before I woke up!”
2 pursed her lips and nodded. “Fuck. I’ve really enjoyed my time spent with you, PW.” She pulled out her D16 and took aim. “I wished we had more time together. Maybe we could have grown closer.” She smiled.
“Agreed.” Was all PW could say, reaching down in a futile attempt for his flashbang grenade.
The creature roared again and began its quarter-mile attack lunge.
“Finally, an easy target. No aiming necessary!” 2 squeezed the trigger and the D16 roared as it unleashed everything it had at 750 rounds per minute.
*CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CLINK!*
With the Ursa twice as close and undeterred, 2 nonetheless slapped a fresh magazine into her weapon in less than three seconds.
*CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-CLINK!*
The superweapon spent all 50 rounds and once again clicked empty. The pair of ponies pulled their grenades on instinct and lobbed them into the creature’s mouth as a last ditch attempt. Finally, the teeth sailed through the explosions until the inevitable finally reached them...
“AGH!” Polaris shrieked and bolted upright, beads of sweat glistening in the frigid air.
“PW? PW what’s wrong? What happened?” 2 was instantly awake and visibly alarmed.
He looked up and saw the moon and only the moon; thank Celestia. 2 looked about and, seeing there was no immediate danger, relaxed and gave a sigh.
“Did you have another nightmare?” She asked.
The defeated stallion hung his head and nodded. “I’m sorry.” He whispered.
“It happens. D’ya wanna talk about it?” She crawled over and pressed her foreleg down on him for emotional support. “Was I in it? Another Night-Mare in a nightmare?”
“Yeah, along with an Ursa Major.”
“OH.”
“See... in my head, Night Mare-2, you’re all-powerful. My logical brain says that’s wrong, but my emotional brain says yes; you are. I can’t process you not winning a fight in a stable thought. You know?” He turned to face her. The moon reflected teardrops now forming around his eyes and cheeks.
2’s expression softened and she wiped his tears away with a finger. “Maybe you’re right PW. Maybe I am invincible. It hasn’t been proven. A fight between an Ursa Major and a Night-Mare? We’re good. Even better when size isn’t on our side! But your biggest task tomorrow is making my presence even more powerful. But you can’t do that if you don’t sleep through the night.”
PW laid back down and sighed. “I’m sorry about all this. My worrisome-ness. I know it’s getting annoying.”
“It’s not PW, really. Actually, it’s been a long time since somepony cared about me this much. A very long time. It’s nice to know that.”
“Thanks. Good night Night Mare-2. Really, this time.”
“Nighty-night PW.” She replied.
This time, PW would go all the way until the great mare woke him up.
“PW. PW! You made it! It’s time. Get up!” She shook him.
He stretched and set to rolling up his bag. “What’s the plan?”
“I want to get up to the ridgeline. We’ll be able to see more from there, be able to hide faster and be less likely to enter a direct confrontation which could force me to increase my body-count. Then, we’ll discuss our roles.” She explained.
After a quick breakfast of oats they ascended the hill.
“Hey, PW, it looks like our timing might work out for an amazing sunrise.” 2 realized.
The eastern sky was turning into a growing blaze of orange. No sooner had PW’s eyes peeked over the hill than a narrow, orange sliver was seen on the horizon. The peculiar pair stopped to admire the view.
“Now that’s a beautiful sight.” Sighed the big mare.
“I’m so glad to witness this here with you. What a great experience with you, 2. I’m never going to forget this!” Replied PW.
The lower limb of the sun popped off the horizon and a large gust of wind suddenly blasted them, kicking up snow sheens.
“You ready for the Night-Mare’s orders?” Asked 2.
“Yes, ma’am!” PW answered and stood to attention and saluted with his wing.
“My plan is to walk the ridgeline in view of the Yak road. If anything is there I’ll be able to hide quickly and complicate things. I want you to do the following. First, we need positive identification of the changeling force. Fly southwest, halfway from Alpha to Bravo. You should encounter them by then either in the air or on the ground. Remember to stay hidden. It’s actually easier to spot them on the ground against the white snow. Unless they’re using camouflage but they’re not expecting company so I doubt they’ll be taking on any forms.”
PW nodded his understanding and 2 continued.
“Radio back to Vanhoover Control when you’ve spotted them or reached the turnaround point. I’ll be on the ridge, so I should receive the call. Once you get their position, make back for point Alpha and do your best to look for scouting parties. Notify me of every one you see. Then, land back at Alpha, where I’m planning to be. We’ll develop an attack plan then.” She finished. “Questions?” She asked.
“None, ma’am!” Replied PW.
“Then it’s getting bright.” She put on her goggles. “And time you get up there.” She added.
“Woah, you look great with those on!” Exclaimed PW, seeing the mare's mane blowing in the wind as well. She opened her mouth and grinned, throwing up her thumb and pinkie finger.
“What’s that mean?”
“I dunno, exactly. Something like ‘go get ‘em.’”
“Alright 2; you stay safe!” With that Polaris soared into the air.
“Stay hidden!” 2 called after him.
PW leveled off around five thousand feet until he reached point Alpha, then he flew southwest towards the Luna Bay as he clicked his portable radio.
“Vanhoover Control, good morning. Northwind flying Southwest from Alpha.”
“Good copy. Northwind, we need to nail down your callsign when this is all said and done. I can’t have Norths flying South and Number 1 and Number 2’s Number 1.”
“I totally understand sir.” Replied PW with sincerity, fearing his bad call-sign might jeopardize his chances with the company.
PW flew over a veritable sea of frosty mountains. Finally, a low, southerly valley broke free of the heights that hosted a vast forest.
“This must be where the Night-Mares are from.” PW noted.
It was at this point that he noticed some black streaks in the sky. They were moving against the apparent motion of everything else.
PW brought up the mouthpiece again. “Vanhoover Control, I’m halting my advance to check something out in the sky.” He said, using his wings to create a venturi.
“Get hidden.” Came the crackling reply.
“Already done.” He settled into his newly formed cloud.
PW wisely moved the cloud at an angle towards the moving objects, keeping them relatively motionless. From an enemy perspective his hiding place would simply look like a building cloud. He took note that the formation these objects were in did not match migratory bird patterns. It did not match the often chaotic formations of pegasi, nor the single file of griffons either. This formation was organized into 4 rows, front to back, and solid columns from one side to another. PW also noted it must have been another thousand feet up, which would place it some six-thousand above the terrain.
“Changelings.” He muttered, finally within distance to recognize the characteristic blue blur of their insectoid wings.
“Vanhoover Control, Northwind. I’ve spotted changelings in flight.”
“Count and description?”
He paused to double-check.
“Count and description?”
“4 rows… looks like eight across. 32 in formation!”
“Location?”
“Um, quadrant F-F!”
“Copy, 32 bad guys quadrant F-F. Good job Northwind. We want you to withdraw and make your way back to point Alpha! Once you’re out of sight range of the main force cut in front of their path. Changelings are slow fliers and you should get ahead of them. They will likely have scouts out ahead. You can descend if you need to. Report back all you see with positions!”
“Yes sir! Returning to Alpha, looking for scouts! Did you read Number 2?”
“Great job, Northwind! I’m proud of you!”
“Thank you so much Number 2!” PW answered back.
PW withdrew his cloud eastward from the area and evaporated it. Using the changeling’s formation as a vector, he then accelerated and overtook them. Once out of sight he adjusted his course to get in front of them as instructed. It was at this time that PW spotted four groups of black spots on the white snow spread out from one another. He hastily condensed another tuft of cloud and lowered his altitude to resolve the black specks. Each of the four groups turned out to be a pair of changelings. Another 8. PW then ascended.
“Vanhoover Control, I’ve got scouts. Location D-H. Almost to point Alpha.” He radioed.
“Count?”
“There’s 4 pairs, spread out.”
“Copy, four pairs. Zigzag on your way back to Alpha at your discretion. Could be more, keep your eyes peeled.”
“OK.”
PW flew his zigzag pattern but did not see any additional scouts. During the descent to Alpha Night-Mare 2 hailed him.
“Northwind!”
“You called?”
“Look down and to your right.” She said, waving her black D16 against the bright snow.
“On my way down.” He replied.
He made his landing extra perfect to try and impress her. She lifted her goggles and cocked her head to the side. “Well?” She asked.
“Northwind reporting for duty!” PW responded.
“Take off again and climb up there. Tell Vanhoover that I’m going to engage one of the scouting parties.”
“Yes, ma’am!” Replied PW, taking to the air.
“Vanhoover Control, relaying a message from Number 2. We are going to engage one of the scout parties.”
“Roger.”
PW began descending but Night Mare-2 called out to him.
“Ah-ah-ah, PW!” She warned.
“Now what?”
“I want their location.”
“Got it.” He replied, flying southwest again to get a better fix. “The most southerly pair is five miles by my guess and southwest of your position. If you track with the sun on your left shoulder you should run into them.”
“Copy that.”
“I’m returning to your side now.”
“I feel safer already!” She joked.
PW met her and they continued their southwest offroading. “So, 2, why are we only intercepting one pair?” He asked.
“Biggest reason is the hassle afterwards.” She explained. “We’re going to try for capture. If we succeeded, we’d now be marching two prisoners by the time the main force arrives. Now if we went for all of them, we’d be marching eight; a much bigger hassle. But the other reason is information. If we can isolate two changelings we should be able to make them spill the beans.”
PW periodically flew to validate the position of the scouts. Finally, once they were in visual range on the ground, 2 laid out the plan.
“Alright, PW. I’m going to drop here. I want you to go over there and make contact with them. Distract them. Stand in one location as long as you can and make sure they keep facing your direction.” She said.
“Yes ma’am!” PW responded, knees aquiver in anticipation.
“Vanhoover Control, we’re engaging.” She radioed. There was no response – they were out of range.
Polaris glided down the hill to the scouts. As he neared them he could see them flinching back in concern.
“What is that?” The one on the right exclaimed.
“It’s a pegasus!” Replied the other.
“I know that, you nitwit! What’s he doing here?” Right hissed.
“Maybe he got lost?”
“We’re in the middle of nowhere! This is bad. Be ready to nab him.”
PW landed in front of the pair.
“We’ll ask him ourselves.” Left muttered before calling out to PW. “You there! Who do you represent and what are you doing here?”
“H-hey guys! Did you see the sunrise this morning? Wasn’t it beautiful? I mean – wow!” PW asked in jollity.
“Who do you represent pegasus?”
“Me? Why, I represent myself! I’m out exploring. I’m like the Daring Do of the north!”
“Who is Daring Do?” The changeling on the right asked.
“What? You don’t know who Daring Do is?”
“I think he means to –” Left began but was cut short.
“Daring Do is this awesome explorer down south in the jungles of Arimaspi!” PW exclaimed. She explores the jungles for amazing artifacts and hidden desperados!”
“You’re in search of desperados?” Left asked.
“Yeah, and historical artifacts!” Polaris answered.
“Hmph, I’ll bet you couldn’t even recognize a desperado right in front of you.” Left muttered.
PW noticed a pair of copper eyes behind them, creeping across the snow. They didn’t look very happy that he made contact with them. PW stretched back to mask his lookaway.
“Ha, sure I could! What makes you say that?” PW all but yelled as 2 neared them.
“We don’t have time for this… should we report, ignore, or dispose?” Left muttered to right.
“He’s in the middle of nowhere exploring with no gear and just happened to run into us? Something is wrong; I say dispose.” Right said.
“Dispose of what exactly?” Asked PW.
“You, nuisance!” The changeling hissed.
“How? I’m a pegasus in my prime. You can’t catch me, scale-wings!”
“Then be off already!” Shouted the changeling as a behemoth image was growing behind them.
PW had to try hard to mask his heavy, excited breathing.
“Your buddy here doesn’t seem to be giving you any trouble? Why don’t I just deal with you?” Replied PW.
“My so-called buddy doesn’t follow the rules of the hive. He’s nearly a Thorax-sympathizer! Now then, I think it’s time I put an end to you!” Declared the changeling, forming up into a stance.
“Just try and see what comes of it!” Replied PW, putting on his best high-schooler taunt.
The changeling opened his mouth and coiled his neck up. As he went to strike a size-ten hoof knocked him headfirst into his partner.
Already stunned by the blow, the quiet changeling was pinned underneath his comrade. The large, size-ten hooves moved quickly to crack his right wing with a great *SNAP*!
“OW– MY WING!” He shrieked.
“Great job, PW! Two captured.” Night-Mare 2 commended Polaris and moved to pull tie-wraps out of her bag.
She quickly secured the Changelings’ wings to their bodies with them and chained their hind hooves together for good measure.
“Ugh– I swear I’m gonna pummel that freak!” The noisy changeling grumbled, coming to.
“You didn’t have to get me!” The quiet one whined as he tried not to strain his wing.
“Hmph– I didn’t know you had that much fight in you, pegasus!” The loud Changeling said. “W– who tied me up?!” He added in alarm.
“I didn’t do a thing. Then, or now.” Polaris smiled.
“Then, who…” The words fell as he turned.
“I did.” 2 declared, stopping what she was doing and rearing to her full height, seven-odd feet with her snow-boots on. Although PW would have said she was even taller.
“For Chrysalis’ sake; wha– what is that! We can't morph into that!” Cried the noisy changeling.
The quiet one could only stutter as he took in 2’s shifting augments, let alone her sheer size. “Run for it!” He finally shouted and sprang to his hooves. He didn’t get far before his chain tying him to his partner stopped him and fell to the ground whimpering.
“Get up, you idiot!” His partner shrieked.
The Night-Mare circled around to their faces like a cheetah stalking its prey and stomped hard into the ground.
“You are captured!” She shouted. “I’m calling the shots, now. You; loud one. Rear up; you’re being frisked!”
The changeling was unhappy and resisted by moving slowly.
“Move it or else you’re getting a bullet in your head!” 2 thundered, yanking his shoulder.
Polaris looked up at his towering companion, awed as she moved about frisking the changeling. Night-Mare 2 recovered his saddlebag and tossed it to PW, who dumped it out..
“You! You’re an accomplice! This whole thing was a trap!” He shouted in complaint as PW shifted through his things without a word.
“Your turn!” The imposing mare barked to the other changeling.
He reared up immediately and did not resist being frisked. His saddlebag was also chucked to PW who’d already neatly organized the first bag’s contents into tactical and non-tactical piles.
“Good job, guy!” Number 2 complimented his workmanship, pleased to see PW had sorted it for her as she too looked through the items.
“What’s the deal here?! You boys are apparently planning something!” The intimidating mare bellowed, throwing several maps before them. “What is this?!” She demanded.
“Uh, i-it’s…” Began the timid changeling.
“Quiet, you idiot! Don’t rat us out!” His partner cut him off.
Polaris and 2 exchanged glances, impressed at his resolve. “How many of you are out there?” She snapped.
“It’s just us lot.” He muttered behind a glare.
Night-Mare 2 turned to PW and gestured for a fact check. “Wrong, dirty liars!” He stamped the ground to directly assist the interrogation.
“Do you take us for fools?! Try again. How many of you are there?” Night-Mare 2 thundered and whipped her tail against their equipment with a great *CLAP*
“Us and two others.” The changeling held his ground.
2 looked down at PW. “Still not coming clean.” He said.
She closed her distance with the noisy changeling in a slow, snaking motion until they were inches apart. “I’m going to ask you ONE MORE TIME. How many of you are there?” The mare growled, building a temper to her words.
A forehoof found its way to the back of his head. Her metal fingers clicked from their sockets and gripped his skull. He gulped and shut his eyes tight.
“There’s eight of us on our own. A-and a group of thirty-two lagging back there.” He finally relented through a clenched jaw.
PW nodded that he was telling the truth. 2 backed off and took a look at the maps.
“This seems to describe what’s going on here.” She pointed. “I see a big blob and four small arrows converging on this location which looks like a cliff along the road. Then this big arrow is running up to the same cliff. You two seem to be on the path of the southernmost small arrow. So tell me; what is supposed to happen here?” She pointed to the cliff on the map.
“Um, we…” The quiet changeling grumbled.
“Shut up!” Rebuked the noisy one. He found his resolve again and said, “It’s a picnic!”
“A picnic? Where’s your food, then?” 2 chuckled.
“We don’t have it. The other guys are carrying it!”
“Really? If all five groups of you are going to converge on this one spot, after entering from the same location; why take separate paths? You’d think flying in formation would save time and energy.”
“We are explorers!” He explained. “Like the, erm, the Daring Do!”
“I don’t buy that…” 2 muttered and rose.
She thumped over to the quiet changeling and sat down in front of him. “You there. You look like you’re the kind of guy that doesn’t like to get bit for saying the wrong thing. Am I right?” The mega mare asked with a toothy grin.
“Leave him be, he doesn’t know anything!” Complained the noisy changeling.
She ignored him and clicked her fingers out before his snout. His breathing quickened at the sight, even more so when she gripped his shoulder.
“Are you going to talk to me? Or am I going to need to break even more of you?” The mare asked, leaning into and forcing herself over him.
The changeling gulped and shook in terror but said nothing.
Polaris, meanwhile, was having a field day watching this go down. ‘I’ve got to get HQ to let me take a film recorder if I get hired! For evidence, of course!’ He lied.
The huge pony next reached out and took the changeling’s unbroken wing in her fingers, examining it.
“Such an interesting, scaly complexion. Compared to my friend’s feathers.” She said as the changeling in her grasp trembled. She then worked her fingers against the wing, starting to bend it.
“So, um… here’s your chance to speak. Without it costing you.” She warned as she bent the wing back.
“Stop, please! I’ll talk, I’ll talk!” He finally cried and was immediately released.
“You pussy!” Mocked the other changeling.
2 rolled her eyes, reached over and yanked a neckerchief out of her bag and tossed it towards PW. “Give us some peace and quiet please?”
PW rolled up the cloth and gagged the noisy changeling, much to his irritation.
“That’s better. We don’t need to worry about your partner here lobbing insults at you while we have our conversation. You need to get your point across the first time. Unless you want these thighs to use your exoskeleton as a one-time exercise tool.” She sat down with a low *THUMP*. “So, why are you here?”
“It’s an ambush. We’re here to ambush the royal caravan.” The changeling whispered.
“You mean to drive it over the cliff?”
“Yes, exactly that.”
“And why are you separated from the main group?”
“Scouts went ahead to look for any Royal Guard!” He answered.
“Too bad. I’m Guard. I guess you could say you found us.” 2 next pointed to the map’s ‘x’. “Is this your rendezvous point?”
“Yeah?”
“What time is the rendezvous set for?”
“Tonight. At sundown.”
“Aw, yeah. Momma’s gonna hunt in the dark. See these eyes?” She pointed to her amber pupils. “They’re specifically suited to seeing in the dim light common at northern latitudes.” She stood and fished another gag from her pack. “Well, I think we have all the information we need. I’m glad you decided to talk and you should be, too. You’re still in one piece! Keep being good and I’ll put in a word for you. Might even get you a softer sentence!”
With that she inserted the gag and rose.
“I do believe you both know the way. Unfortunately, we’re going to have to travel across the ground now. Lead the way.” She ordered and turned to her companion. “PW, take their map into the sky and cross reference it with ours. Reassess all the positions.”
“Yes ma'am!” He said, taking off into the sky.
Night-Mare 2 pushed the changeling pair in front of her and the hike began.
Polaris meanwhile retraced his first flight and quickly found the 6 other scouts in the air. ‘No time to confirm the others!’ He realized, turning back. “Vanhoover Control, two changelings captured. Six more scouts will be arriving momentarily.”
“Copy, great job.” Was the response.
It wasn’t long before 2 and her captives arrived at Alpha.
“The scouts are nearly upon us! I didn’t even have time to confirm the main line’s position. What is the plan?” PW asked her.
“Changelings are predictable. They’re going to land beside the ice cliff where the ambush is intended. I’m going down there and we’re going to smoke them.” She caught herself and muttered. “I mean, subdue. We’re going to subdue them. Without casualties. As for these two.” Her voice went low as she withdrew her pistol and handed it over to a wide-eyed PW. “You’re going to have to watch them! If they move an inch, shoot them. No words. Just shoot.”
With that she saddled her bags up before trotting down the hill to the road. Polaris Wind was terrified but could not voice any reservations in front of the enemy. He eyed the weapon and mentally noted how he would aim something clearly designed for something with fingers. He wasn’t sure if he could even handle the recoil.
2 meanwhile trotted to the ice cliff, dug out some fallen snow from a snowbank and then burrowed into it to hide herself from view. Just a few minutes later a gaggle was heard entering the valley.
“That’s it!”
“How do you know?”
“I have the map, dummy.”
One changeling landed only yards from 2’s hiding spot.
“So where the buck is Chitin and the other guy? I ain’t a dummy and count six of us, not eight.”
“We’re at the right location so those idiots must have gotten lost!”
A gray object popped out of the ground and hissed a cloud of smoke.
“The hay is this?!?”
“Volcanic vent!” Another shouted as the cloud enveloped them.
“No, you imbecile, it’s some ca-AAUGH!”
“What’s a ca-aaugh?”
“Probably some stupid ei…”
“What the hay is going on?”
“Help…” Cried a voice familiar to PW.
“Who is that?”
“Idiots it’s a…”
“A what?”
“Is there somepony in the cloud?” One of them asked, finally escaping the smoke cloud.
A titanic hulk with a coat to match the smoke flew out of the opaque cloud like a giant wrecking ball and knocked the poor changeling back several yards.
“Sounds like a fight!” Cried yet another voice.
The mare instinctively turned for the sound and ran through the cloud again.
“It’s– !” Yelled yet another, silenced voice.
“It’s what…? Hello…? Guys…? EEP!” Went the last voice alongside an audible *CRACK.*
Despite the smoke 2 bundled up her catch and emerged from the smoke walking on two legs, with a changeling tucked under either of her forelegs. She simply dropped them onto the ground beside each other like sacks of rice and repeated the process until there were six in a row. The titan got to work binding their wings down, followed by chaining them together. Gradually, they began to regain their senses one by one.
“What happened? What is this?” One of them asked blindly.
“Don’t look now, Abbie, but we’ve been dropped.”
“That’s impossible.” The changeling stammered. “There’s nopony out here!”
“Wrong.” 2 stood and thumped over to the changeling. “Your little game is up. I know why you all are here; you’ve already lost. Now, keep your mouth shut. You’re of no use to me.” She quickly gagged the struggling creatures and shouted in Polaris’ direction. “PW! Take to the air and locate the main force. Radio the capture quickly, before dark!”
“I’m still holding a pistol!” Shouted PW.
The mare rolled her eyes and raced up the hill to meet PW and retrieve her pistol. The mare lifted the gun so strongly she almost pulled PW off the ground with it. She then yanked the two scouts off down the hill towards the others while he took off.
“Vanhoover Control, six scouts neutralized. Eight captured. Looking for the main group.” Radioed PW.
He found the formation flying in the twilight sky a few minutes later. “Vanhoover Control the main force is ten minutes from Point Alpha. I believe Number 2’s intention is to engage almost immediately.”
“Yup.” She piped in.
“Northwind, please radio back when the threat is understood to be neutralized.”
“You got it.”
PW landed just as night was falling. By that time 2 had relocated the captured changelings up the hill again, reuniting all of the scouts just above their planned attack location.
“Hey, I didn’t know you were into Daring Do!” The big mare teased.
“I mean, they’re good books!” PW defended.
“Uh-huh. Sure…” 2 scoffed.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Whatever you want it to.”
“Shut up!” He chuckled.
“Careful, now. I’m the one with the gags and I’m pretty sure you’re not stopping me. I got eight in the line and could easily squeeze in a ninth.” She fired back.
“Alright, focus now! What’s the plan?” Asked PW.
“Wow; you’re starting to sound like me! We’ll wait until the main party arrives and I’ll flashbang them.” She said.
It wasn’t long until the distinctive buzzing of changeling wings were heard overhead.
Night-Mare 2 walked out to the cliff's edge above the path and started counting them as they landed. “Thirty. Thirty-one. Thirty-two! With the scouts that makes forty.”
“Form up!” One changeling shouted below as Polaris rushed to her side.
2 grasped her grenade in her fingers as the changelings below organized themselves into ranks.
Hearing the *clang* too, Polaris looked over at 2 and saw a genuine look of fear and panic in her eyes but it vanished when she looked down at her forehooves.
“Oh…” She whispered. “I am so glad my fingers were not over the ring. They just locked again.”
PW, still beside her, opened up the junction box on her fetlock and crossed the same wires, unlocking the mechanism.
“These things are really badly made! I couldn’t believe the amount of times they froze up even during testing.” He whispered back.
After flexing her fingers several times Night-Mare 2 pulled the pin and lobbed the flashbang down onto the changelings below.
“Tuck head, eyes and ears closed, open mouth!” She hissed.
“I hear…” A changeling started before he heard nothing more.
PW saw a bright flash with his eyes closed and heard a blast orders of magnitude louder than the D16. By the time he opened his eyes again the Night-Mare was descending down the bluff, scampering down the vertical escarpment like a mouse. PW jumped off the cliff into a glide but she was nonetheless faster. There were just a few changelings that were running off. One of them was trying to fly but had about as much control as a moth with one wing. Polaris Wind targeted this one and scored his first combat victory by giving him a jab in the side of his head which sent him down.
“A giant pony!” One of the changelings shrieked.
PW looked up to see 2 chasing her quarry down as a hungry dog would rabbits; smacking, punching, tackling, or just simply running down changeling after changeling without pause.
“PW! Hogtie the ones lying still with your paracord!” She shouted.
He got right to work, first tying his combat victory then the rest of the ones lying helplessly discombobulated. Eight were secured by the time Night-Mare 2 showed up again, dropping several more changeling bodies onto the pile. Her face had blue juice splattered over it. PW was entranced by the threatening look in her eyes there in the low light, covered in changeling blood, huffing hot puffs of air out as she threw hundred-pound changelings around like they were bags of food.
“A steam engine with a heart!” PW squeed silently.
“It’s just one mare! We have you outnumbered!” Shouted one of the changelings.
“You should be terrified! This is the best fighter the world has to offer. One alone is more than a match for your hive!” PW answered.
“Help me tie them in!” 2 yelled, quickly getting out her chains, cables, and anything else they could use to tie the captured together.
PW worked alongside her and every so often a changeling would wake up and have to be knocked out again.
“One, two, three…” 2 counted all of them up. “…Thirty, thirty one, thirty two. All alive.”
“I take it you had a good hunt?” Joked PW.
“Yes- actually, we have thirty-two live changelings here. And add eight more up the hill – I think we have every single one!” She smiled.
“Should I leave them hogtied?” The Night-Mare helper asked.
“We don’t have enough chains to make a walking line. Besides, now that they’re caught, we’ll not need to march them around. Stealth is no longer needed. The goal now is to keep them here until morning. I’m going to pull the other eight down here.” She gave PW the pistol again before heading up the road to get to the climbable portion of the hill.
No doubt the eight chain-ganged changelings did make an attempt to escape, though they didn’t get very far by the time they were run down again. Unfortunately for PW at that time the group of 32 changelings had started to wake and were making a cacophony in front of him, discussing a potential giant pony. Finally, one of them contacted PW directly after he turned his lantern on.
“You! Did you tie us up? Is there a giant around?” He asked.
“Shut up! Or I’ll unload this sidearm into your gut!” PW shouted.
“Joke’s on you, pony!” Yelled a different-looking changeling with green eyes.
“Unlike these nitwits I’m the leader. Which means I have enough brains to know you can’t shoot that thing! You can’t handle the recoil enough to keep firing.”
“Yeah, so what of it?”
“What of it is that you’re defenseless! All changelings able to stand – DO SO!” He yelled.
About five other changelings managed to stand after a great deal of effort.
“I’m taking aim at you, leader!” PW warned, angling the pistol towards the leader.
PW heard a scraping noise behind him in the dark but he couldn’t turn around.
“All changelings prepare to attack on my command!”
“I have another flashbang!” PW yelled.
“Prove it.” The leader dared but PW didn't move.
“Changelings charge on my command! 3, 2…”
“CHARGE WHAT, EXACTLY?” Asked a booming voice behind PW.
PW turned his head to see 2 dragging the entire scouting part in tow. Her thighs, belly, and face illuminated in the lantern light. She took the pistol from PW.
“I’m up for shooting you! But let’s reunite you with your scouts first!” She blurted.
“There is a huge pony here after all!” Exclaimed the squad leader.
“Anything else to say before I gag you?” She asked.
“Imma radio this in!” PW squeaked and took off in excitement.
“Vanhoover Control, NorthWind. We have four-zero in captivity. That’s four-zero in captivity. We believe the threat to be neutralized.”
“You’re kidding? Four-zero? As in for-ty?”
“That’s correct.”
“That’s unheard of!”
“What can I say? We make a great team!”
“In that case, yes. I can update you on the position – the caravan left last night and they should be reaching your position around sunrise. Now, what do you intend to do with the captured changelings?”
“My thoughts were we’d just march them with the convoy?”
“Are they well secured?”
“Yup, chained up good.”
“Alright, you may do that.”
“Roger.” PW responded, beginning his descent.
"Northwind."
"Here."
"HQ wants to use them as a bargaining chip in the negotiations. 2 will understand what we mean. Make sure they're ready to be marched all day tomorrow."
"You got it."
“Well?” 2 asked as PW landed.
“They got the message that all changelings are captured and approved taking them into Yakyakistan. Convoy will be here around sunrise.” He saluted.
“Great. In that case, you need to get some sleep.”
“Well who’s going to watch them?”
“I am.”
“But, you just captured them!”
“I know. I got it. Also, I need to find more lines to tie them up with so we can march them tomorrow. You go to sleep, then when it’s cold I’ll wake you up and my snoring will keep you up. Deal?”
“Okay.” Responded PW, gathering up his bedding.
“And you lucky bastards get to sleep through the whole night!” She boomed.
Having disarmed a small army, PW slept comfortably that night. That is, of course until he was woken up by Night-Mare 2. As expected, of course.
“Uuugh!” He gave a groggy groan
“Oh, come on, PW. This girl is tired and wants to sleep.” PW sat up suddenly, as quickly as if a snake was about to crawl on him. “Wow, that worked well!” She muttered, getting her bedding situated.
“Who am I to keep you waiting?” PW asked. She yawned and laid down, offering her pistol to him.
“Here. Don’t underestimate the recoil but you can handle it. If anything bad happens just shoot it. I’m not sure I’ll wake up any other way, anyway.” She admitted.
Polaris was fond of the way her messy, gray mane spread all out over the sleeping pad as she was speaking. 2 next looked at the gagged changeling leader. “And don’t you threaten him! You’re all still alive but I won’t think twice about changing that.” She looked back to PW. “If he threatens you again, shoot him. I want him dead before I wake up.”
PW gulped and nodded, realizing she was completely serious. He glanced at the head changeling. In just that amount of time, PW heard snoring and looked down to find 2 already asleep, and did it keep PW awake. As a matter of fact most of the changelings were woken up and they had to bury their faces between each other, hooves covering ears in a failed attempt to muffle the snoring.
PW marveled at the fact that the sound echoed off the canyon walls. He looked down at her and noticed she was drooling as well. “I’m going to remember that if for any reason we share the same bed or blankets.” He told himself with a chuckle.
The snoring kept the changelings quiet and PW found himself lost in the stars, looking at the various constellations above. About the time they disappeared in the morning light, so too did the snoring.
“Nn – we need to get this place cleaned up before the convoy gets here.” 2 said suddenly, still laying down.
“How do you wake yourself up like that?” Asked PW.
“Discipline. I tell myself what time I will wake up and then I do.”
“Amazing.”
She rose and immediately rolled her bag up. This action got the changeling’s attention – they were getting uneasy at seeing her awake. PW and Night-Mare 2 ate a brief breakfast of crushed oats and then she approached the changelings.
“Alright! The caravan is coming! Get into formation now; four columns of eight. Do it now or I’ll blow your heads off!” She thundered and dropped to all fours.
The changelings formed up without incident. While they stood the sound of galloping hooves heralded a stallion in gleaming Royal Guard armor.
“Good day! The convoy is just minutes away! Has the threat been neutralized?” He shouted ahead.
“What remains is beside us!” PW answered.
“Good, because… they are… almost here and… yeah.” His voice trailed as he approached and beheld Night-Mare 2.
His ears fell and his tail tucked as she stared at him.
“Are you okay sir? You look like you’ve just seen an Ursa!” PW teased him.
“Erm, fine! The prisoners; what are we doing with them?”
2 approached him and his eyes went wide as she leant to speak into his ear. “Per Vanhoover Control we’re going to march them to the Yak Gate and ask them if they’re interested in using the prisoners as bargaining chips against Queen Chrysalis.”
“I-I see! Ah; where are my manners? Marble Shields, at your service! Wh–er, who are you?”
“I’m Ms. Snowheart and this is my assistant, Polaris Wind.” She answered simply and gestured to PW.
PW nearly blushed at being introduced by none other than Night-Mare 2!
The noise of grinding wheels and squeaking axles was heard.
“Ah, the first carriage has caught up.” Shields announced.
The group stood still as three carts passed before the largest and last of them approached.
“Stop this cart!” An ill-toned voice shrieked from within the ornate carriage. A white unicorn stallion with a golden mane and blue eyes stuck his head out from the wagon's window.
“Goodness gracious, we’ve found quite the disgracious circus! What is this? Barley and Bales?” He mocked.
“Seriously, Blueblood? They have my Royal Guard’s insignia on their equipment!” Came another, irritated voice.
“Then, Shining Armor… why in the world are there changelings everywhere?” The pony, Blueblood, sneered.
2 leaned down to whisper a warning in PW’s ear. “Royalty, PW. Don’t get defensive.”
“Your Majesty, the changelings are being detained. The pair in front of them are our own. The mare is an elite; one of our best.” PW imagined Shining Armor to be rubbing his temples as he said that.
Prince Blueblood leaned out of the cart again and asked. “I see. Then who is the little Pegasus beside her?”
“State your name and role!” Commanded one of the officers.
PW snapped to attention. “I – um – your majesty, I am Polaris Wind! It is my duty to support the N– erm, her in the line of duty!”
“Tactical support, your majesty. Much like myself.” The guard added.
“Hrm…” The prince’s mind worked. “Shining Armor, do you think that stallion is short enough to stand underneath her? As if her foal?” PW saw the NightMare’s mane shift as part of a confused gesture, and she gasped in disgust.
“Knock it off, Blueblood. The Wonderbolts are roughly the same size. Stop teasing.” Ordered Shining Armor.
“And who do you think is bigger? That mare, or Celestia?”
“Ugh; get this cart moving!” Shining Armor shouted.
Polaris and Night-Mare 2 exchanged glances. She shook her head, acknowledging the impoliteness displayed.
“We are terribly sorry about that.” Replied a rear guard as the clattering wheels resumed turning.
“We’ve had to deal with shit like that since this expedition set out.” Said the guard next to him. “We’re the tail end of the escort. You can bring your prisoners in line in front of us.”
“Alright you gross bugs; start moving!” 2 yanked the slack out of the line like a locomotive.
The first few changelings were dragged until the changeling line woke up to the fact they needed to move immediately. “PW, you’ll be the mid-guard. Patrol the middle of the line between me and the rear guards and report any foul behavior back up to me.” She ordered.
“Yes, ma'am!” PW responded.
Their journey took the majority of the day and, aside from a single hour-long break for lunch, they followed the road with no delays. At around 3:00 in the afternoon they arrived at a massive, wooden gate.
“Yakyakistan.” Announced one of the rear guards. They sat for several minutes as the caravan’s arrival was processed. Finally, one of the forward guards came running to them.
“The Yaks want to see the changeling prisoners.” He informed them.
“Alright,move it!” Bellowed the Night-Mare, hauling the now extremely-sore first line of changelings again.
As they neared the gate the Yakyakistani guards came into view. Their eyes, normally hidden underneath a great mop of hair, widened upon seeing 2.
“Wow… Yak never see Yak-size pony before!” One of them exclaimed.
“How do you do? Miss Snowheart. Royal Guard.” 2 bowed her head.
“And pony-size pony?”
“My assistant, Polaris Wind. Any-how…”
“Allow me.” Shining Armor interrupted and came forward.
2 stepped back in reverence.
“This troop of Changelings was caught attempting to disrupt our visit. Now, thanks to my crafty Royal Guard.” Shining Armor nodded up at the towering mare behind him. “We eliminated the threat and wish to start this trade summit at once by offering these prisoners to Yakyakistan. There is no expectation of repayment. We trust that this troop may provide Yakyakistan with bargaining power against Queen Chrysalis should the need arise.”
“Hm… this sounds good! Will ask the Chief. Take them in for now.” The yak said.
Two particularly large yaks came out of the gate and took possession of the changeling line, much to their dismay.
While all this was going on a hoof tapped on PW’s shoulder. “Yes?” He asked, turning around to find Shining Armor.
“Hey, can we chat over here?” He said, motioning backward.
PW followed him a few steps off the road and away from everypony. “What is it?”
“I’ve heard you doing good work alongside her. From saving her face to helping her capture forty changelings with no casualties! So… fantastic job. Unfortunately, you’re not Guard. Let alone have an active clearance. Which means you technically aren’t allowed to work with her…”
“I knew this was coming. I knew I wouldn’t be accepted and that I’d be denied trying to help her.” PW responded, turning his face to the ground.
“That’s why we want to take you back home to Equestria and offer you the chance to set things up legitimately.”
“What do you mean?”
Shining shifted his eyes about before leaning in close to whisper. “We’re going to get you in touch with the Night-Mare project management so that you’ll have a chance to rejoin the project and legitimately start contributing again.”
“Okay.” PW said, seeing 2 approaching.
“Did you?” He asked her.
She shook her head. “I still heard everything though. Polaris?”
“Yeah?”
“You’ve helped me big time, but don’t worry about me. I’m a big girl and you know that. These last few days have been very successful for me. Even fun!” She patted his head. “It’s time you get back home but don’t give up hope. Who knows? You may just end up stuck with me again if you try hard enough.”
The stallion leapt up to the mare to hug her so fast it even surprised her. “Goodbye, 2. Just for a little while! I’m going to miss you. Don’t have too much fun without me, okay?”
“Heh, okay.” She responded softly, placing her foreleg and fingers across his back in a hug. “There. I hugged you, now my last order is for you to leave me happy and stay that way until we meet again.”
PW laughed and snapped into a salute. “Yes ma'am!”
“Alright, let’s go.” Shining led him to a pair of pegasi who escorted him southward.
Once the trio of pegasi had leveled off Polaris Wind began thinking.
“Was this Shining Armor’s idea?” He asked aloud.
“Oh no, this action has been in the works for some time now." The escort to his right replied.
PW hummed in thought. “Wonder what I did wrong.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong – other than getting involved. There’s just... limitsto how much classified information you can know uncleared. And how much contact a volunteer guard can have with Royalty – you know? Without having your background cleared we can’t rule out the possibility of an insider threat.” Responded the left escort.
“Right.” PW gave a pout of agreement.
They flew back in silence until landing at the Crystal Heart City train station.
“Alright, Mr. Wind. As promised, before we leave you – catch!” Called the pegasus Royal Guard, throwing something at Polaris which he caught in his wing.
“Mister Stablecolt. It’s a business card.” PW realized, reading the name on it.
“Not just any business card – that’s the N.C., or Night-Mare Coordinator, who handles the Night-Mare assignments. And his contact information, of course. I will also add that he is expecting a call from you.”
“Thank you so much!” Replied a gratified PW.
“And, to smooth things over, here’s a first class rail pass that’ll take you back home to Canterlot.”
“Thanks guys. Really.” PW called as the guards took to the skies once more.
Polaris boarded a train to Talltale similar to how Night-Mare candidates would for augmentation and commissioning.
“I hope this is my journey to my future too, like it was for them!” PW pleaded.
The first class ticket enabled him to ride a single berth to Canterlot, so when the train arrived in Talltale his car was shunted overnight to the Western Transcon and he rode all the way to his journey’s end in Canterlot. Though, of course, he had wished he could have shared it with his Night-Mare.
The temperature was only seventy degrees in town but PW was already sweating due to acclimating to the north. He had a bad feeling that this problem would only get worse in the near-future. Upon returning to his apartment he made a bold decision.
“Job or not; I’m convinced I need to move to Norfilly. If I’m rejected I’m going to keep trying. And I’m closer to them anyway in Norfilly, just being there.” PW convinced himself.
He informed the building management of his intentions before going to purchase several packing cases.
Later that afternoon Polaris composed himself for what he believed would be the most important phone call of his life. He inhaled and exhaled deep before rotary-dialing the number on the business card.
“Be cool, PW. This guy runs the program. Don’t buck it up.”
The phone clicked.
“Lockhoof Colton Office 222.” Replied a mare's voice on the other end of the line.
“Hi!” PW said a little too eagerly and squeezed his eyes shut in embarrassment. “My name is Polaris Wind, I was told to contact Mr. Stablecolt regarding a potential job offer?”
“Ok, hold on hon; I’ll connect him to you.” She replied.
Almost immediately a gruff voice was on line. “Hello, is this Polaris Wind I am speaking to?”
“Yes sir. I wanted to apologize for using unofficial channels to interact with your team members.”
“It’s fine, Polaris. I’m Rex Stablecolt. Night-Mare Coordinator, or N.C. We’re impressed with what you were able to accomplish in your time with 2-2. You used to be on the project, correct?”
“Yes sir, I was a Test Operator Technician in the cleanrooms during fitment. I was involved with the fingers, in particular.”
“Familiarity and former clearance, very good. We could use more bodies with I&T experience. So, why did you leave the project?”
“I was part of the team that ran out their roles. There was a hiring freeze and they transferred my entire department off. I was simply debriefed and told to expect another assignment.”
“And, how did that make you feel?”
“Terrible! Like I wasn’t worthy to work on the project.”
“You’re aware that the contract has since transferred from Ponyeon to Lockhoof Colton?”
“I’ve been slowly finding that out, yes. That’s good, because Ponyeon would not let me move back. They blocked my horizontal move.”
“Are you still with them?”
“No, I quit.”
“Because you were not allowed to move?”
“Initially, yes. But obviously my pleading became moot because the contract changed without my knowledge. They just kept ignoring me.”
“So, just to be clear; you quit because the contract changed?”
“No sir, I quit to work with the Night-Mare.”
“You quit immediately for that?”
“Yes sir.”
Rex paused. “You got guts, kid. All that because you wanted to work on this contract?”
PW smiled. “Yes sir; I love those girls. They are so powerful, so fierce, so prominent, and so dear to my heart. I have dedication to their mission beyond profession. For me, it’s personal. I don’t want them working out in the field risking their lives alone. They deserve support.”
“Wholeheartedly agreed.” PW couldn’t make out whatever Rex next muttered away from the phone but he was quick to return. “Alright, Polaris, I think I know the answer to this one but would you like to support the 2-2 as you did this past week officially?”
“I’d die for it!” PW nearly shouted. “And yes – I do understand the risk. I don’t care.”
“Alright! Then I’d like to set up an interview with you. I’ll see you Monday morning.” Rex declared.
“Monday morning!” PW agreed.
“Great. You’ll be reimbursed for travel fare. You’re in Canterlot?”
“Yes sir. Although I’m moving to Norfilly.”
“Oh yeah? Nothing is guaranteed yet.”
“I understand, but if I’m rejected I’ll even sweep those streets just because it’s the city the program’s in.”
Rex chuckled. “Okay Polaris, we’ll see you Monday morning. 10:00 AM.”
“Yes sir.”
“200 Coltumbia Park Circle in Norfilly. Just let the gate guard know you’re here to see Mr. Stablecolt for an interview.”
“Will do so, sir.”
“All right. See you soon.”
“Thank you! Bye-bye.” Polaris said as he hung up the phone.
“YEEEEEEEEA!” He screamed so loud it disturbed the neighbors. PW began packing right away.
After spending the previous day packing up Polaris Wind was off to the train station for the last time. He could barely control the luggage cart on the way, however.
“I wish 2 was here! She’d be able to truck this thing around like it was made of foam.” He grunted, trying to get it unstuck from a cobblestone gutter for the umpteenth time.
In the train station PW boarded a Ponyvania Railroad express to Baltimare. He was a colt the last time he’d gone that far east and in that time the railroad had experienced a revolutionary upgrade in adding concrete ties and a wired catenary to allow for mainline electro-magic trains. These machines were far faster than traditional locomotives, at times reaching 100MPH! Polaris couldn’t even fly that fast. Given that speed on the Eastern transcon he arrived in Haysburg in just 8 hours. Here, he transferred to another train that worked the southern shore of Horseshoe Bay to Norfilly. Though he arrived at midnight it was a humid eighty degrees.
PW booked a room in the railroad hotel for two nights while he looked for a place to settle. He ultimately chose a place in the Farrell neighborhood. Far from the city center and the beach but near the defense contractors’ business park. He paid to have his belongings stored at the train station until he was ready to move in. Compared to Canterlot the town was completely flat and moving the cart was far less of an ordeal. PW nonetheless worked up a huge sweat in the soggy summer heat.
He had the evening to set a few things up before retiring early to bed to ensure he was well-rested for the interview. An hour ahead of schedule he trotted from his apartment into the business park and approached the gate guard of building 200.
“Hi. I’m here to see Mr. Stablecolt for a job interview with Lockhoof?” He addressed a unicorn guard.
“You can proceed into the building and repeat that to the front desk.” Came the reply as the gate clicked open.
The diminutive stallion entered the large, stone building and went through a revolving door before approaching a singular desk in the center of a lofty atrium framed by two staircases.
“Hi, I’m here to see Mr. Stablecolt for a job interview?” PW asked the lone clerk.
“Wait right here, he’ll be down to escort you in a few minutes.” The mare replied and picked up a P.A. call phone.
Several minutes later hoofsteps clacked to PW’s right. He looked to see a broad, suited earth-pony stallion with a khaki coat and a no-nonsense visage descending the stairs.
“Polaris Wind?” PW recognized the commanding voice immediately.
“Y-yes sir! Mr. Stablecolt?”
He nodded and looked PW up and down.
“You’re just as 2-2 described.” He said, motioning for PW to follow him.
“Oh? How did she describe me?” PW clambered up the steps.
“In her words? ‘Coat of a faded barn, eyes like a changeling, a mane the color of shit and small enough as to barely qualify as an adult.’”
“Geeze, that’s high praise.” PW muttered.
“Behind my tail, their description of me is ‘blocking their view of the floor.’ Don’t sweat it. In my experience the worse the description, the more fond they are.
PW laughed at that.
“The conference room.” Rex gestured to an open door.
Two other, similarly-dressed stallions were waiting for them.
“This is Swifthoof, Royal Guard Special Operations Lead and Westheart, our Chief Medical Officer.” Rex first pointed to the pegasus on his left and a unicorn sitting beyond him. Both nodded at their name’s mention without a word.
“Gentlecolts, this is our mystery assistant. Polaris Wind, you may be seated. Your check reimbursing you with a little bonus is there, too.” Rex motioned to a seat in front of him.
Swifthoof tapped his chin. “This is a first. I can’t say I’ve ever seen somepony so excited to put themselves in harm’s way.” He said in a curious tone.
“For the Night-Mares!” PW pumped a hoof as he sat.
Swifthoof narrowed his eyes. “Let’s hope it doesn’t prove to be a liability.”
“Polaris Wind.” The N.C. declared. “This is your official interview for the role of Initial Field Technician.”
“Alright, gentlecolts, I’ll go first.” The N.C. began. “So, Polaris; your volunteer work has inadvertently exposed a position that should have existed from the beginning and didn’t. We’re frankly surprised that Ponyeon didn’t have any in-the-field support and that firefight you took part in exposed a glaring flaw – almost to the point of suspicion. It is clear that Poneyon wanted to rid themselves of the contract and were trying to cut things off early. So, regardless of whether you get hired or not, this job will need to exist and we need somepony with experience to train the others up. Let’s see if we can get you back on the team. My first question is simply: why do you want to work with the Night-Mares?”
The excited candidate leaned forward. “Well sir, I can tell you that since I was little I’ve always had a fascination for big things. As you can see I’m a pretty small guy so I’m not big on myself – I’m big on big ponies. So, the idea of this Night-Mare as an unstoppable machine that commands the room and fills the enemy with fear is something I almost nearly worship. The opportunity to serve such an enormously powerful mare is very exciting for me! And in my time working with three of them in I&T I've found they’re great ponies. I feel bad that they’re all alone in the field, too. I set them up for success and up until a few weeks ago I was in a cubicle with all the knowledge on their augmentations while they’re in a swamp, in the tundra, or Celestia-knows-where.”
“I’m glad somepony else thinks so highly of my Night-Mares!” Rex smiled..
“I’ll go.” Swifthoof raised a hoof and looked to PW. “This role requires clearance and access to knowledge hidden from the public. Can you tell me what you know about how the sun and the moon work?”
“Sure.” PW paused to collect his response. “So, they have and generate gravity on their own but are moved across the sky by the princesses – Celestia and Luna – per the almanac.”
“Not on their own?”
“Right. Because I remember years back that mom and dad told me about how the Storm King got a hold of the celestial powers during an attempted coup. When that happened the sun started flashing in and out of the sky!”
“Very good – you’re not one of those… crazy kids.” Swifthoof muttered. “And how do you feel about the current state of government and policy in Equestria?”
“I like it. The multitude of creature diversity is a big plus for me because it ties in several parts of the world beyond Equestria. For example, I had the chance to visit the Crystal Empire and Yakyakistan while working with the Night-Mare. Friendship with other nations is good. I know that’s been the biggest policy recently. Also I know it matters so I’ll say Cozy Glow, Tirek, and Queen Chrysalis are all my enemies, though I also believe they can be reformed.”
“So, foreign policy; you’re happy with things as they are?”
“That’s right.”
“Hm.” Was all he had to say as he scribbled something onto a paper.
“Polaris.” The N.C. addressed him while looking at his paper. “Are you prepared to be killed in action?”
PW frowned, taken aback at how nonchalant Rex was in asking such a heavy question. He glanced at PW expectantly.
Polaris cleared his throat and answered. “Um, well; obviously that would be less-than-ideal and I am very trusting of my safety in the Night-Mare’s shadow and think they can handle anything. Should it happen though; yes. I don’t have a marefriend, wife, or foals and I’m an only child. So there’s just my parents and some extended family. I have no looming debts or bad things that would happen if I vanished one day. And those NightMares are really important to me. If they are gone, so too is my purpose. Yes. I can die and will die for a Night-Mare if it comes to it!” PW exclaimed.
The medical officer, Westheart, leaned forward. “Polaris Wind, it’s my understanding that you saved one of our Night-Mares on multiple occasions. Elaborate.”
“Yes, though just to be clear she insists she would have survived it. I think she’s right since she’s too strong to be downed by a random spray of bullets from a regular rifle, but there were two cases. The first time was during an ambush after crossing the bridge nearest the village by Starlight’s Cave. We were surrounded on all sides by armed creatures that had stolen the contents of an arms shipment and were using the weapons for terror. We were sheltering in front of a rock escarpment. A lucky stone fell on me and I was just in time to look up and see a unicorn aiming a shotgun down at us. I quickly alerted Night-Mare 2 about it and she dispatched the enemy.”
“The second case was approaching armed enemies on the road. Her fingers locked up, which I’ve dealt with in testing – and, Mr. Stablecolt, when that keeps happening it means the circuitry in the unit is going bad and you really need to have her j-box replaced right away or it’s going to keep happening. And now I’m not there to fix it! The other thing I saw being done wrong is trying to short it out with water. That’s not a good response because over time the water will corrode the internal circuitry, leading to more problems. That’s probably what’s going on now. Anyway, I taught her the crossing of wires 2 and 3, which I did for her in time for her to fire back. I really think it’s important that we send somepony with the Night-Mare who understands this stuff in the event it breaks. These are advanced gadgets, and they need expertise.”
Stablecolt cocked a brow and leaned forward again. “That’s very eye-opening, Polaris. We’ll send to have that unit replaced. Maybe I’ll even credit you with saving her a third time, just now. Now, you just started pushing for assistants and that goes right into my next question: what do you think the role of Field Technician entails?”
“A whole lot! For starters, what I just said – ensuring her equipment is working and troubleshooting when it’s not. Furthermore, I was her eye in the sky during Operation Smash-Smash. I also held her captured changelings for her while she did more work – and that’s probably why her kill count ended up as zero. I carried her captured weapons from the first mission. I think it comes down to the following: equipment operation and troubleshooting, reconnaissance, task management, navigation, transport, safety management, and de-saturating the Night-Mare’s tasks as she gets them. Plus, having a normal sized pony beside her is likely to boost her perceived size. Ah – and possibly physical adaptability! For example – the Night-Mare cannot fit into a small opening. I can. Which means I can get into places they can’t!”
“That last point is a big one.” Replied Stablecolt. “And just some information for you; this position would report to me. So the Night-Mare would be considered a superior officer but the chain of command leads to me.” PW nodded in understanding. “What did you learn in your volunteer time and in Integration and Testing?”
“I think the most glaring issue is that the Night-Mare is not properly being supported and is endangered by a failing support structure. I don’t mean you all – the contact just switched. This mainly started with Ponyeon cutting a whole bunch of us with experience. Other than that, I learned of how sweet the Night-Mares really are, a little bit about them, their augmentation systems and how those work, and how integration works and the relationship between poor quality and poor results. Which is why I was absolute and thorough in my work. Once on my own I learned about how the Night-Mare actually operates in the field, the threats that she faces, the strategies to deal with those threats, radio usage, and basic gun safety.”
“You learned gun safety?”
“Yeah, Night-Mare 2 taught me.”
“That’s good. I’m proud of her for doing that. Assuming she did it right.” Stablecolt muttered..
“Do you have any experience with weapons?” Asked Westheart.
“Okay, there’s a question you probably won’t like my answer to.” PW fidgeted but tried to dress things up as best as he could. “Other than a little bit of gun safety and pulling the trigger for practice once on an AJ-47, and the weapons the Night-Mare has built into her body, that I helped test, no other experience unfortunately.”
“That’s what boot camp is for, right Westheart?” Stablecolt said but only got a curt shrug from his compatriot.
Stablecolt looked at his paper again and read off the next question which especially interested PW. “Polaris, if you did get the job as our first Night-Mare Field Technician Assistant, and you could choose, is there any particular Night-Mare you wish to be matched to?”
“Yeah; without a doubt Number 2. I mesh with her really well. I did in I&T too. I think I’m actually growing on her; forgive the pun!” PW smiled.
Westheart cocked a brow. “Just to be clear who we’re talking about, it’s… er, Stablecolt, is he cleared for me to give the full designation?” Westheart asked.
“No he is not, but it is 2 that he worked with a few weeks ago.” Replied Stablecolt.
“Copper eyes, cream white coat, silver mane and tail! Goes by Miss Snowheart in public.” Replied PW.
“Indeed. Knowing her it doesn’t surprise me that she gets along with you well.” Added Westheart.
“Polaris, how do you view your relationship with 2?” Stablecolt asked.
The small stallion paused, carefully selecting his response. “I guess you could say we’re longtime friends… but with very limited contact only spread out two years. It’s kind of tricky explaining it, but what I can say is I want to be with her. Even right now. ‘A friend I really long to be with’ I think explains it well.” Replied PW.
Rex nodded and jotted some notes down, finally reaching the end of the page. “I hate to end this interview on a bad note- but there is one more question we need to ask. What will you do if you don’t get this job?”
“If I don’t? Ugh.” PW looked about the room and sighed. “I’d be defeated. I guess I wouldn’t try to do what I did a few weeks ago? I can’t. But I would keep trying to apply every time the position opens and would take classes, train and earn certifications to continue raising my chances every time!”
The N.C. hummed with a frown and jotted down one final note. PW couldn’t help but fidget in silence as the three interviewers looked to their notes and occasionally at him. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity Rex looked up with a polite smile.
He turned to Westheart. “Good?” He asked, and after receiving a nod turned to Swifthoof. “Good?” And received another nod. “Alright Polaris, I’ll escort you out.”
It was at this time that the stallion sprang his strategically withheld question. “Did you all get my new telephone number? I’m living in Norfilly now!”
“Erm, not that I’m aware.” Rex put the pen to the paper one last time.” Go ahead.” PW was glad to receive this reaction as he read the number, as it meant that, at minimum, his interview was strong.
Stablecolt escorted PW to the front of the building and they said their goodbyes. “We’re going to move really fast on this one; you should hear back by the day after tomorrow.”
With that, PW spent the next day settling into the apartment. That done, he found himself growing nervous. He took a flight to the beach and saw Horseshoe Bay, though it was yellow-brown and cloudy as it almost always was. The anticipation grew.
The next day was agonizingly long for PW as he waited for the call. Though it arrived early sooner than later, every minute felt like days to him. PW yanked the phone from its cradle, hearing his heart beating in his ears.
“Hello, Polaris?” Came the voice of Mr. Stablecolt.
“Hello, Polaris Wind?” Came the baritone voice of Mr. Stablecolt.
“Yes, this is him! This is Mr. Stablecolt?” The pegasus chimed, eager to learn of his fate.
“Yes, although you can now call me N.C., because congratulations! You’re the First Field Technician Assistant to Night-Mare 2! Officially!” Declared Stablecolt.
PW was so excited he dropped the phone onto the table, sending a *bang* through the line. “Sorry, I dropped the phone! This is the happiest day of my life! I’m actually officially getting to keep helping her!”
“Yes, Polaris; you’ve ticked all the boxes. And just between us, Number 2 asked me to choose you.”
“I’m so glad I fit your selection criteria!”
“Me too. Now, let’s discuss some less attractive topics. You’ll need to go through boot-camp for Intel Officers and clearance onboarding.”
“Ok.”
“When can we get you in? Training will take one seven day week. Are you free this Monday to begin?” The coordinator asked.
“Actually, I can be ready tomorrow morning!” PW exclaimed.
“The enthusiasm is appreciated but the next class doesn’t even start until Monday. Does that work?”
“It does!” Replied a very excited PW.
“Great. Since you’re already here that makes things really easy. Your training center will be at Thalassa Naval Station. It’s almost within walking distance; only a few minutes by air. If you’re around tomorrow we’d like to bring you into the office to get your onboarding paperwork taken care of and get your initial briefing in. We’ll also get you cleared to know the classified details for when you are processed for the first mission.”
“I’ll be there!” Vowed PW as he hung up.
“There goes my beautiful mane!” PW complained as the shaver buzzed it nearly flush with his coat.
His tail was likewise cut short and bundled up. He then was issued his uniform and shown to the barracks where he waited for training to begin with several other recruits.
The door flew open, revealing a large, green earth-pony with a flat top and an angry look on his face. “RECRUITS! I AM SERGEANT WHIPPING POST! FROM NOW ON YOU WILL SPEAK ONLY WHEN SPOKEN TO!” He bellowed, approaching the line of stallions. “SOUND OFF!” He ordered.
“Yes sir!” The unsure chorus replied.
“YOU BETTER TRY THAT AGAIN LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!”
“YES SIR!” They cried.
“YOU LOSERS WILL ONE DAY BE INTELLIGENCE WEAPONS OF WAR, HANDLING CLASSIFIED INFORMATION! BUT, UNTIL THAT DAY YOU ARE LITTLE PANSIES, MUSHROOMS, AND MOSS GROWING IN THE GROSSEST RECESSES OF THE EQUESTRIAN DUNGEONS! NOW, WHAT IS YOUR NAME?” Whipping Post hollered into the face of the nearest recruit.
He went on down the line, mocking and insulting them as they went. Each of them was given a nickname. Some weren’t half-bad but most were humiliating. Of course, PW hoped his would be badass but the drill instructor had other plans.
“WHAT IS YOUR NAME MY LITTLE PRIVATE?” He yelled at PW.
“POLARIS WIND, SIR!” PW shouted back.
“CLEAR YOUR FUCKING MOUTH OUT PRIVATE IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE CHOKING ON PISS!” He yelled, mocking PW’s scratchy voice.
“POLARIS WIND, SIR!” He tried again, cleaning his voice.
“I DID NOT ORDER YOU TO REPEAT YOURSELF, LITTLE PRIVATE! NOW WHY ON EQUUS DO YOU THINK YOU ARE WORTHY OF MY CORPS?” He challenged.
“SIR, I WAS SELECTED FOR A CLASSIFIED OPERATION, SIR!”
“PRIVATE POLARIS WIND YOU USE ONE SIR AT THE END WHEN SPEAKING TO ME! NOW REPEAT YOURSELF!”
“I WAS SELECTED FOR A CLASSIFIED OPERATION, SIR!”
“BULLSHIT, YOU’RE BARELY TALLER THAN MY GRANNY!”
“I AM THE HEIGHT OF AN AVERAGE PEGASUS, SIR!”
“ARE YOU FUCKING WITH ME LITTLE PRIVATE?”
“NO, SIR!”
“I WOULD CHOOSE MY NEXT WORDS CAREFULLY LITTLE PRIVATE! NOW WHY ARE YOU IN MY CORPS?!”
“IT REALLY IS CLASSIFIED, SIR!”
“BULLSHIT! YOU MOCK ME LITTLE PRIVATE!” He yelled, knocking PW down and back towards the bed. “GET UP, LITTLE PRIVATE!”
PW gasped and floofed his chest tuft.
“DO YOU THINK I’M FUCKING STUPID? I SEE YOUR CHEST HAIR, LITTLE PRIVATE!”
“I AM BEING TOUGH SIR!”
“BULLSHIT! LIKE HELL YOU ARE, PRIVATE POLARIS WIND! YOU ARE NOT ONLY A LIAR BUT YOU ARE A TINY, MISERABLE MIDGET! I WILL CALL YOU PRIVATE SQUAT!” He yelled.
There was snickering in the room.
“DO I HEAR GIGGLING? TIME TO MAKE SQUAT HERE PROUD. ALL OF YOU LITTLE PRIVATES GIVE ME FIFTY ‘SQUATS’ NOW!” The sergeant yelled.
“Nice job, Squat!” The stallion next to PW hissed, obviously upset about his poor performance impacting everypony negatively.
-1 Week Later-
Once the week had passed, PW managed to graduate with most of the class. While they would continue their rigorous training for more specialized tasks PW was accelerated through training because of concerns regarding the situation of the Night-Mares. The coordinator, Stablecolt, was there to congratulate him on passing.
“I would have asked Number 2 to join us but she is currently on assignment.” He said.
“I get it.” Replied PW.
“She will be returning tomorrow for a refit so we are just going to process the both of you tomorrow.”
“Great!” Replied PW, anxious to see 2 again.
PW was awarded his rank in a small ceremony and was surprised to see the N.C. approaching him.
“Private Wind, are you aware of the tradition of rank advancement? I see your boss is here to help you celebrate the moment." Whipping Post asked.
“No?” PW responded.
“A friend or family member is invited to punch your badge.”
“What?!” Exclaimed PW as Rex stepped up to him and punched his shoulder.
“Oww!”
Rex placed a hoof more gently on his shoulder. “Polaris, when your new rank is awarded in the Royal Guard somepony you know gives you a celebratory punch on the badge. In lieu of any such persons present I did the honors. Just know that in the future 2 has volunteered herself to be the familiar doing the congratulatory-punch next time. You should feel proud, PW. And terrified.”
“… oh nooo!” He cried, fearing the next promotion.
“I’m sorry we’re not able to give you a day off.” Said his boss.
“I know what I signed up for, N.C. The sooner I’m beside her, the better. Have you replaced her j-box yet?” Asked PW.
“Yes, immediately. So far so good; you helped us out again, Polaris.” The N.C. said.
The exhausted training graduate went home and slept the best night’s sleep he had in several weeks. The training was done, he was back in his own bed, and now he was officially on team Night-Mare 2, to be at her side professionally.
The next morning he walked to the office with great excitement and was surprised to see somepony he wanted to see so badly already there in the waiting room.
“Night-Mare 2! I’m for real now!” PW exclaimed to the earlybird.
“PW! Nice haircut.” The large mare called back with enthusiasm before reaching down into a saddlebag.
“I got something for you!” She removed a small object from the bag.
“Ha, a plushie?” He cocked a brow and chuckled.
“Not just any!” She held it aloft.
“Oh Celestia! It’s you! As a plushie!”
“Yup, they’re making plushies for the Guard now. Thought I’d ask for one too.”
“She’s so CUTE! I love her so much!” He exclaimed, embracing the toy.
“Size is measured in spirit, nothing more!” It cried.
The surprised stallion took the toy in his hooves and squeezed it again. “Move in to engage!” It squawked.
“Oh my Celestia, 2! She even talks! This is so great!” PW added.
“I’m glad you like it! Well, me.”
“This is so cute!”
“Boop your nose to hers! This one’s special – a one of a kind.”
“Okay?” PW responded, pressing his nose into the plush’s one.
“PW, you’re my number 1!” The toy replied.
PW looked over at the Night-Mare who was now a bit red and looking down shyly. PW jumped up and hugged the mare around her chest.
“Thank you. Really.” He said sincerely. The mare raised her right foreleg to place her fingers over his back.
“What did you name your rifle?” She asked.
“You really want to know, 2?”
“Yup. Tell me.”
“Snowheart!” PW bleated.
“After me?”
“Yes.”
“Did you cuddle with Miss Snowheart in bed?” The mare asked in a teasing way.
“N- no!” PW responded, turning red in the face.
“It’s ok- it’s only natural for you. So how about this- how many times did you drop the soap?”
“Just once.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“And did you do it?”
“Yeah, I sang ‘I’m a little teapot.’ Let’s be honest. What am I unarmed when I can’t fly...” Admitted PW.
“You’re a lot of things PW. More than you realize.”
The door on the other side of the waiting room opened and the boss walked out. “Ah, the former Night-Mare-series-2-serial-2, now Night-Mare team. I’m glad to see you both catching up. Come on back.” He led the way with the size-reversed dimorphic pair in tow.
“Polaris, this is the ready room. This is where the Night-Mares prepare for their missions. It’s really a series of rooms. You started in the creatively-named Waiting Room. We have a series of rooms grouped together with various functions, but we normally refer instead to the stations within the rooms. The stations aren’t set in stone and can change. Like this mission for instance; Station 1 is entirely dedicated to you, Polaris.”
“I’m the reason?”
“Yes, you are. I am going to be sharing very sensitive information now. 2’s portfolio." Rex hoofed PW a folder that looked like a piece of machinery. "This IS classified, and you have the right to know.” He added.
“Ponyeon Systems Night-Mare Weapons System Platform Series 2 / Serial No. 2… Frosty.” PW read. A tear fell onto the paper, which his observant boss picked up on.
“Everything alright, Polaris?”
“Yeah! Absolutely! I just cannot believe that I am worthy to read this!” Exclaimed the fountain of joy that was PW at the moment.
“You barely made the cut...” Teased the NightMare. PW laughed out loud, then opened the folder.
“Oh, the ID!” He read. “Series 2… Serial number 2… codename Frosty. Frosty! Is that what I should be calling you?” PW asked.
“Yes. That’s my handle.” She responded.
“Public alias is Miss Snowheart… Your birth name! Tiny Hooves? Your REAL name is Tiny?!” PW asked.
Frosty stood and walked into PW’s file, into his hoof holding it, and stopped only once they were hoof to hoof. With her muscular chest directly above and in front of the small pegasus stallion's face, and the mare’s face staring down with an expression of disgust so foul it looked as if he’d deeply insulted her. “Look at my hooves. Do you think they are tiny?” She asked.
PW looked down and was convinced he could have fit three of his own hooves in one of hers.
The terrified stallion squeaked. “I… fucked up bigtime! Forgive my transgression!”
She grinned and backed off. “You are forgiven PW. If you must know, my dad named me Tiny Hooves because, when I was a foal, he thought I had tiny hooves. And before you ask; yes, my dad is BIGGER than I am.” PW gulped, hearing another reason it was better to die alongside the Night-Mare than survive her in action.
She noticed Rex smiling at her.
“He likes it when I do that.” She muttered.
“Really?” He gave a curious look to PW, who remained completely motionless, unable to confirm or deny that statement.
“Moving on!” PW all but shouted, desperate to change the subject. “Stats… standing height 60.4 inches… full ancillary clearance height including mane and ears 65.4 inches… width gauge clearance 27.9 inches… body length 56.0 inches… rearing height- holy shit! 80.9 inches! Commissioned weight 394 pounds. Woah! Strength stats! Deadlift 1,685 pounds, bench 882 pounds, torque 1,605 pounds, thigh contraction pressure 79 psi!” Read PW.
“Do you see why it’s a bad idea to fuck with me PW?” Asked the mare.
“Yup, this is insane!” He replied back, completely nerded out.
PW started paging ahead in the file. “Leg augmentation system… finger augmentation system – ah, here’s all the stuff I knew from I&T!” PW mentioned as he paged through the detailed design drawings.
“Sounds like you have the lay of the land.” Rex noted.
“Actually, sir, I really want to go over this and memorize everything by heart.”
“I really do admire your dedication. The more you know the better, as it’ll be your job to look after her. For example; the clearances on missions. You will need to ensure she’s able to move around safely.”
“Consider it done!” PW exclaimed with a salute.
“Great. Then we’ll move on to Station 2 where we’ll confirm everything is up to date on our Night-Mare and also get your stats down for my file on you. We won’t need to collect strength stats or anything like that though.” The N.C. motioned to the other side of the room where a small team of nurses came in and greeted Frosty.
One, a blue unicorn, climbed up a stepladder and released a measuring tape. “Height on fours: 60.25!” She announced, before climbing up higher.
“Rear up please?” She asked, to which 2 reared to her full height. “Height rearing: 81.” The nurse said as 2 dropped all fours, producing a light tremor.
The other nurse, a yellow earth-pony, measured her width. “Width: 28, body length: 56.” She read off.
By now the first nurse had put the ladder away and now was wheeling a spring scale out. The unicorn set the large notch in the 300’s position and started advancing the 1’s all the way up to 50. Then she reset for 350, advancing the 1’s towards 400. The scale did not tip. The mare then advanced the first notch to 400, it’s final position, and began advancing until a balance was reached. “404!” Called the nurse.
“Beat that, shrimp-boat.” Teased Frosty, stepping off the scale with a loud *clack*.
“Alright Polaris, we’re ready for you. Since the scale’s out let’s get that taken care of first!” The unicorn waved him forward.
The mare reset the 50 and 1’s weights to 0 and took the 100’s weight back to 100. The scale did not tip. The nurse set the 100’s weight to 0 and moved the 50’s weight back up to 50 and worked the 1’s column out, taking forever to balance. “99!” She called.
“Feathers; he’s lighter than I am!” Called the earth-pony nurse.
Snickering could be heard from the other side of the room where 2 watched.
“I’m four times bigger than you, PW.” She said as the scale was wheeled back. The nurse started wheeling out the ladder.
“Oh hon, you can leave that. I think I can reach.” Said the yellow colored nurse. “Rear up sweetheart?” She asked. She did the same with PW and held the tape up to his ears. “Got it- can you read it?” She asked the blue unicorn nurse on all fours.
“54.25!” She called as an embarrassed PW looked over at the big mare, barely at eye level with her as she sat. PW returned to all fours as the nurse put pressure on him to do so.
“Height on all fours is 40.0! Width… 11.5! Body length… 36.50!” She called off.
“Okay, mister Stablecolt, we’re done!” The unicorn said, passing the clipboard over to the N.C. while the other started clearing up the room.
“Thanks girls! Ok you two, into the next room!” He ordered.
“Beds?” Asked PW, confused.
“Yes. We need somewhere comfortable for you to rest while you receive your immunizations.” The N.C. explained.
“Immunizations?” Asked PW, gulping.
“Yes, shots PW! Big ones.” Teased the mare. He looked back at her to find a stupid grin on her face. She was having too much fun terrorizing her small teammate.
One bed was obviously sized to her (and structured accordingly) while the other to a normal pony.
“We’re back!” called the blue unicorn, carrying a tray in her magic. “You’re due for a booster, Frosty!” Called the mare, lifting a syringe nearly as thick as the nurse’s leg, and nearly as long.
“What the buck is that?!?” PW cried.
“Immunization.” Frosty called back.
“Don’t worry hon, yours is much smaller.” Reassured the nurse.
The nurse unsheathed the inches-long needle and drove it deep into the Night-Mare’s thigh. The Night-Mare continued smiling at PW for the thirty seconds it took to deliver her dose, never once changing her expression.
“Would you like the auto-wagons or the fuzzy dice?” Asked the nurse, holding up two bandages.
“I’ll take the fuzzy dice.” The enormous mare responded.
The yellow earth-pony nurse came out carrying a normal sized syringe and pushed it against PW. “This is Cutie Pox.” She said, delivering the dose.
“I’ll take the autowagons!” PW called.
“Oh noted sweetheart but you’re not finished yet.”
“Ugh!” Cried PW, dropping his head onto the bed.
“Influenza…” Replied the nurse performing the injection. She discarded that needle and picked up another.
“Roots…” She continued.
“Fuck, that hurts!” Complained PW.
“Didn’t you go through boot camp?” Asked the big mare.
“That doesn’t change everything...” Replied PW.
“I don’t know what this is...” Said the nurse, stabbing him again.
“Are you kidding me? What if it’s a lost lethal injection?!?” Complained PW.
“It shouldn’t be – it came with the Night-Mare care package. It's likely a classified pathogen.” Added the nurse, finally putting the bandage on PW.
The door to another, dark room opened. “We’re ready!” A familiar voice announced from within.
“Shall we?” Rex motioned.
The combat team stood up and walked into the room. The floors and walls were colored scarlet. There was sound deadening everywhere, low profile lighting, and red padded cloth seats facing a table and map at the front of the room, where a particular stallion sat.
