[RGM] Sword and Shield (Part 1)

ACT I: PHOENIX RISING (Line 9)

ACT II: INTO THE STORM (Line 770)

ACT III: BAPTISM OF FIRE (Line 1677)

ACT IV: STRANDED (Line 3204)

ACT V: ON A SWORD'S EDGE -> https://ponepaste.org/4580

EPILOGUE -> https://ponepaste.org/4580#1351

 

ACT I: PHOENIX RISING

 

>you are Sword Glitter, Private First Class

>you are a unicorn royal guard, living to serve

>honor and duty, these are your mottos

>and protecting Her Highness, Princess Celestia to your last breath, if it need be

>you're a pretty average royal guard though

>all the other guards hold the same principles

>and there are many unicorns among them, too

>you're pretty different in one aspect though

>in that, you're a mare

>not many mares get accepted into the ranks of the Guards

>but you got what what it takes to get through a strict selection process, and also the rigorious months of basic

>but now, here you are, standing tall and proud, guarding the castle of the Supreme Ruler

>wearing the standard issue armor of the royal guards

>that you always wanted to wear

>it's a dream came true to you

>becoming part of something bigger than you are

 

>that gilded armor is sure looking good on you

>secretly, when no one other is looking, you can admire yourself in the mirror for minutes

>that tight body, and shapely flanks you already had, only became tighter and more shapely as the result of your training

>you are pretty much aware of that

>you are a bit ashamed of this, but you know you are a pretty mare

>long lashes, silky mane and a perfect tail

>that, unlike other mares in service, you didn't trim

>you simply do your tail into a bun every morning

>of course, not much of that is visible under the armor

>and no one knows that you're a bit full of yourself

>everyone knows that you are a dignified, humble and duty-bound guard

>looks shouldn't be important, you think, but somewhere deep down, you remained a pretty Canterlotian unicorn

>but these two things can coexist, why not

>you don't have to be the Guard Code walking on four legs

>especially, if it's someone like you, always strifing to be the best

 

>and you are pretty great, no question

>always there at your posts on time

>always doing the right amount of rounds

>knowing all the manners, and executing them perfectly

>knowing exactly what angle your hooves should close with your forehead when you salute

>and always strifing to be even better

 

>it's another morning, another day of service

>you woke up, did your tail, donned your armor, and after the morning briefing, assumed your position ready for duty

>you gonna patrol the Castle Courtyard this shift, and around the living quarters, no less

>this is something that requires much responsibility

>not many guards get to do this this early into their service

>as you'd begin to do your rounds though, a pony in fancy clothing approaches you

>it's one of them royal curiers...

>he has a letter in his hoof

>"Private First Class Sword Glitter. Is that correct?"

>"Correct. How can I help you?"

>"I've got a letter for you. Your eyes only"

>you take the scrolled up letter from the curier

>it has the Royal Seal on it, no less

>the scroll also has a different seal, saying "Confidental"

>"Who's it from?" you ask

>"I'm not supposed to tell. But please, only read the letter when you're alone"

>"Understood"

>"Then we're done here. Good day"

>"Good day..."

>the curier quickly takes his leave

>he wasn't very wordy, to say the least

>but that doesn't matter

>what can be inside this letter?

>and who sent it to you?

>could it be...?

>no that can't be...

>you're not nearly that important

>but at any rate, you have to resume your duty right now

>you can find out about the letter later

 

>it's breaktime

>instead of the barracks, you go to the shades of the Royal Gardens this time

>it's not like you breach protocols with that, or anything

>you can go almost anywhere on the castle grounds during breaktime

>so, you take out the letter you got earlier

>you break the seal, and unscroll it

>you begin to read it

"To my most faithful and inspired guard, Sword Glitter"

"Dear Sword Glitter! I've been tracking your progress in the last few months, and I found that you're one of the best that served within my ranks in the last few years. I think it's time for you to move to the next level, and meet some very special ponies, that could use your skills just as much as you could use their guidance. If you feel like you're ready, and up to this, report to me in the throne room, tomorrow at 8 AM"

"I'm eager to meet you, Corporal Sword Glitter"

"Yours sincerely, Princess Celestia"

 

>wow

>WOWOWOW!

>can that be?!

>Princess Celestia HERSELF wrote a letter to YOU?

>and such an informal one, too

>and she wants to meet you?!

>sure, you already met her when you were officially inducted into the Guards, but that's protocol, every new guard gets to experience that

>but aside from that, only the highest ranking guards get to meet her

>the ones guarding the throne room, and the inner chambers

>veterans

>and you're far from being a veteran

>what could she want from you?

>and wait, did the end of the letter said "Corporal Sword Glitter"?

>does that mean...you're promoted?

>just like that, in a letter?

>and what ponies could "use your skills"?

>there are a hundred questions swirling around your head right now

>all of this has really put you off

>but you have to pull yourself together

>there is still the second half of your shift

>you have to follow protocols, you can't be distracted

>you scroll the letter back up, and put it away

>anything that letter implies for the future, can wait until tomorrow

>it's time to hit up the barracks now

>you gonna eat something, too

 

The next day...

>today, you woke up earlier than usual

>you get out of the barracks, and search for your commanding officer

>you find him nowhere

>well, of course not, the morning briefing isn't supposed to begin for another half an hour

>so, he must be in his office then

>you go to the commanders' barracks, and knock on his door

>"Come in"

>"Lieutenant Ironclad..." you salute

>Ironclad looks up

>"It's a bit early, isn't it Corporal?"

>wait, he knows???

>"Um, Lieutenant, it's just that... I have a meeting with Princes..."

>Ironclad puts up his hoof

>"I know, Sword Glitter... You are excluded from duty for today"

>"I don't need a whole day... Probably the meeting will be over quickly"

>"If the Princess wants to meet you personally, it's probably pretty important, and will take a bit more than just some briefing, innit? Besides, I don't even know if you're ever gonna serve under me again"

>"Because?!... Er, I mean... Sir?"

>"I don't know. Really. Maybe the Princess has plans for you. But she's gotta tell you whatever it is"

>"You don't know, sir?"

>"No, I don't"

>"Please, just give me a hint, sir. Like a soldier to a soldier..."

>Ironclad stands up

>he smiles, and walks up close to you

>"Listen, Corporal Sword Glitter. I. Don't. Know. Even if I knew what the Princess wants from you, I couldn't tell you anyways. But please, go now. We both have our duties"

>"Sir..."

>"Dismissed, Corporal"

>you understand that

>he either doesn't know, or not supposed to tell

>you salute, and leave the room

>there's still 45 minutes left until your big meeting, but as you're getting closer, you're getting more and more nervous

>some answers would have been good, but whatever now

>with nothing better to do until then, you begin to slowly walk towards the inner castle

 

>you reach the inner castle

>there are still 30 minutes left

>in an emergency, there would be 2 minutes to gallop down this same distance

>you're thinking about just going up to the throne room, being a bit early is okay

>but not this early...

>that would be against the protocols

>if the Princess said 8 AM, then 8 AM it is

>so you gonna pass the time somehow

>you take off your helmet, and hang out in the courtyard a bit

>you bump into Lancer, one of the night shifters

>"Hey, Sword. You were on night shift, too? Didn't notice you in the evening"

>"Hi Lancer. No, I wasn't. I'm supposedly off duty today"

>"How so?"

>"I have a meeting with uh...Confidental"

>"With Confidental? Now who's that? In which unit he serves?"

>"Hehe... Sorry, I can't tell you Lancer. I think it's a secret"

>"Secret? How much of a secret it can be if it's gonna happen on castle grounds? Come on Sword, just give me a name"

>"Okay, I guess you have a point... Princess Celestia"

>"You gonna meet... THE Princess? For what?"

>"I swear I don't know, Lancey. And I'm really nervous about it"

>"I would be too... So when's that gonna happen?"

>"At 8 o'clock"

>"Well, break a leg, and all of that, Little Dagger. I'm heading to the briefing now"

>"Yeah sure, and thanks. But hey, don't call me that!"

>Lancer laughs, and walks away

>chucklehead has it easy, his shift is ending

>but your longest shift ever might just be beginning

 

>it's almost 8 AM now

>it's time to begin this meeting

>you go up to the throne room doors, and salute

>the two guards there salute back

>damn, you always admired these guys

>they are the last line of defense between the princess and whatever outside threat that may approach, at any time

>you state your business

>"Yes, the princess is expecting you, Corporal. You may enter"

>the guards open the heavy double doors, and you walk inside

>there stands Princess Celestia, right in front of you

>for a moment you are so humbled, that you almost do a bow

>luckily, it quickly springs to your mind that you must salute

>she is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, after all

>"Corporal Sword Glitter, reporting for duty, Your Majesty"

>"Rest, Corporal Glitter. I was expecting you. Please, follow me"

>well, that didn't explain much

>it seems whatever the Princess wants from you should be shown, instead of told

>so you don't ask anything, and just follow her

 

>you two go to the other wing of the castle

>the aisle you walk is totally empty, as if the castle was abandoned

>you are silent, as you are still pretty nervous about all this

>and even if you weren't, protocols don't really allow you to speak to the Supreme Commander, unless asked

>although knowing the Princess, it would be probably okay to speak up

>but you will wait this out now

>"So, Corporal Glitter. You aren't even curious about where are we going?"

>"I understand you're going to tell me when the time is right, Your Majesty"

>"Oh, so strict about those rules, Corporal" Celestia chuckles "But, you are curious then, after all?"

>"Yes, I indeed am. And very humbled and nervous, to be honest, Your Majesty"

>"But you shouldn't be. Nothing bad is going to happen. We won't be walking into an ambush, or anything. Oh and please... Stop with the "Your Majesty". "Princess" is well enough"

>"Oh. Yes. Understood, Yo... Princess"

>Celestia visibly holds back a chuckle

>"Tell me, Sword Glitter: What makes a good soldier?"

>huh?

>is that a trick question?

>it's strange the Princess asks something like this, but you're kinda starting to guess where this is going

>"It's...Following...the protocols correctly?"

>well, it worked out for you so far...

>Celestia raises an eyebrow

>okay, you messed up...

>"Seriously, Sword? That is all?"

>Sword? That is so informal... Although the Princess, technically, isn't required to follow any rules, tenets, or protocols

>ah, screw this, Sword. You're not supposed to be a soldier RIGHT NOW. Now you're just another pony

>have some common sense

>"Well, Princess... My unit commander always said: "A good soldier thinks with his mind, but sees with his heart" I think that's the most true statement out there. Probably because that doesn't just apply to soldiers"

>"A very wise statement indeed" Celestia smiles "Courtesy of Lieutenant Ironclad, yes?"

>"Yes. That's him"

>Celestia goes silent for a minute, then speaks up again

>"In the aftermath of the...banishment of Nightmare Moon, I realized I'll need an armed force, protecting Equestria. But I also realized, and pardon my wording, that the average soldier of the EUP won't be able to protect Equestria from the most special threats"

>"And that's why you formed the Wonderbolts"

>"Well, yes. But against threats of the more magical kind, not even they were adequate. And there were always... more delicate matters, that the average guard wouldn't be able to handle"

>Huh? What are you speaking about, Princess? The Royal Battlemages are able to handle anything, magical or not

>maybe she forgot about her own special unit?

>"And that's why you formed the Royal Battlemages...right?"

>"Well, yes... But there is one more unit..."

 

>as you walk down the aisle, you take a left turn, then a right

>and then reach a dead end

>is this your destination?

>"Sword Glitter..." Celestia lowers her voice "Have you ever heard of the...Royal Paladins?"

"No, never... Who are they?"

>"Hm... and you were not supposed to. They are my special unit, ready to strike in the blink of an eye, if the situation requires. They were my sword and shield in situations where my Royal Guards would have not been adequate, but my presence would have been... diplomatically unacceptable"

"A secret unit?"

>"Very much so. Outside of me, only about a hundred ponies know about their existence. And now, you do too"

"It's an honor that you entrust me with such information. But why? You don't suggest that...I join them?"

>in the meantime, Celestia adjusted a painting on the wall, which then resumed its position

>then she stepped out of her front-right horseshoe, and touched the wall

>magical circles appeared around her hoof, and the wall opened, revealing a spiraling starcase, going down

>"This way, please"

>you take the lead, and begin walking downstairs

>when you reach what looks like an abandoned basement, Celestia resumes the conversation

>"Yes, that's exactly what I'm suggesting, Sword Glitter. Ever since Captain Twilight Velvet retired, I was looking for a new member"

"Yet again, I'm honored. But I'm hardly a veteran soldier, Princess. My short service record might seem...impressive, but that doesn't replace experience. So... Why me?"

>while you're saying this, you move through several long, dark rooms, approaching one that's actually lit up

>not like there's much to see here, aside from cobwebs, and ages old clutter

>"As I stated in my letter, I was tracking your progress. But that doesn't just mean your service record. I was looking for a pony with your mindset. Humble and friendly, yet strong and focused. I wanted to introduce some new blood into my unit anyways, and for a good while now. You're not just a replacement. I know you're probably a bit overwhelmed now, but things will come together on their own. You are young and determined, Sword Glitter. I know you can do it. So, you're in?"

>you exhale audibly

>that's a lot to digest at once, indeed

>Celestia stops before the entrance of the lit up room

>now you can see it's some kinda training room actually

>you can feel she expects an answer from you right now

>but this is a hard decision, some that shouldn't be made quick

>You? Being part of a super-secret special unit?

>yesterday you were just a run-of-the-mill Royal Guard, making her rounds around the castle

>but now, you're here, facing possibly the toughest decision of your life

"Must I give an answer right now?"

>"Of course not. You can think a bit"

"Oh, great! We should meet again tomorrow then, Princess. This is a very tough decision, that shouldn't be taken lightly"

>"Although I appreciate that you don't take this lightly... I'd expect an answer sooner. After all, a great soldier can make big decisions quickly..."

>well Sword, there you are

>you have to decide right here, right now, after all

>"Of course, I can take "no" for an answer. I that case, you can return to your original unit among the Guards. And don't worry, you will retain your new rank, whatever you answer"

>the prospects of the future make you afraid

>this seems like too much, too soon

>but one sentence echoes in your head: "I know you can do it"

>if Celestia has faith in you, why don't you have faith in yourself?

>you always wanted to be the best of the best, and this is your big chance

>a chance, that surely won't come back if you turn it down now

>so what's with the hesitation?

>there's only one possible answer

>"So?"

"Princess Celestia? I'm in"

 

>Celestia gently nods

>"Then enter the training room, Sword Glitter, and meet your new unit. Meet Phoenix Squad"

>you step inside the room, and six ponies walk to the middle, revealing themselves

>they wear similiar armor to that of the Guards, but they also wear blue robes underneath, with elaborate embrodiery

>you recognize this outfit, this is basically the same the Battlemages wear

>you also know that the embroidery is actually fine gold threads vowen into the fabric, enchanted, so it gives better protection against magical attacks

>but their helmets are different

>they don't have their snout guards, instead, they have a three-piece visor, that is retracted right now

>you can only wonder how good the visual awareness can be wearing that thing

>finally, you notice the insignia on the chest

>fittingly, it depicts a rising phoenix

>overall, this whole set looks pretty neat

>these are your thoughts as you lift your right hoof to salute

"Corporal Sword Glitter, reporting for duty"

>a mare, looking like 40, steps out from the group

>aside from her, there is another mare, who looks younger

>and four stallions

>one, who looks the oldest, wearing small glasses

>a really big, muscular one

>one, with a slightly mischievous, cocky expression

>and one, who looks only a few years older than you, wearing a pretty friendly expression

 

>"Right... What the hay kind of name is Sword Glitter, eh? Seriously, are you the best the Guard has to offer nowadays? You don't look too tough to me..."

>the mare looks at Celestia

>Celestia momentarily looks at the ceiling, then back at the mare

"Go easy on her, Starstorm. This is her first day on the unit"

>"Going easy is not how you're going to get your finest soldiers, Princess"

"Officer and gentlemare, Starstorm. Officer and gentlemare..."

>"Right, the attitude... So, are you SURE about this, Princess?"

"We've gone through this a few times by now, Major. She's going to be just fine. She is the best. Probably even better... You'll see"

>"O-kay... So, I guess an introduction is due, considering you don't really know us yet. I am Major Starstorm, as you might have put together already. I'm the commander of Phoenix Squad, and its ranged combat specialist"

>Starstorm continues

>"The other lady of the group is Staff Sergeant Sabersong, our long range combat specialist. She also knows a bunch about magical artifacts and enchantments, dangerous or not"

>Sabersong just gives you an unimpressed look

>"The old guy here is Captain Scroll Writ, the intel specialist. He basically knows everything about anything. There's a whole library in his head. Seriously"

"Welcome among the Paladins, Corporal" he greets you

>"The big guy over there is Lieutenant Breakpoint, our close quarters specialist. He excels at hoof-to-hoof combat, and as you could have guessed, he's also very strong. 'Nuff said"

>Breakpoint nods

 

>"And he's Gunnery Sergeant Longrun, our recon specialist. The best damn scout you will ever meet. Also, he's quicker than a pegasus in flight"

>mischievous one, check

>fittingly enough, he gives you a "watching you" gesture, but also winks at you

>"And last, but not least, this young'un is Sergeant Shield Edge. He doesn't have a special role yet, but he's shaping up alright. And as he's no longer the resident rookie here, he'll gladly pass that title to you"

"Hello there, Corporal. Glad to have you here"

>friendly one, check

>"So, that would be us" Starstorm resumes once again "Now, don't think we're some rock-paper-scissors unit, each of us could do any of these special roles. It's just that, with time, you gonna find out what you really have a penchant for, and hone those skills even more. Any questions?"

>actually, you would have lots of 'em

>but first and foremost: Why did you need to be such a flankhole at first, Major?

>ah, well

>maybe you were used too much to the "softie" Royal Guard customs

>this is a tough unit, with tough ponies

>so maybe you have to toughen up yourself

"No questions, Ma'am. And I'm honored to be a part of your team. And I guess now I will also introduce myself a bit better, since you..."

>"Spare the words. We already know plenty about you, Rookie. We read your files. Welcome among the best of the best, recruit. Hope you can live up to your hype"

 

>Celestia has left you with your new unit

>you just donned your new armor, and obviously, you gonna see how you look

>good thing there's a big mirror in this dressing room

>you take a good look at yourself

>ah, it's perfect

>you didn't notice it on the others, but this armor is bit tighter fitting than the standard Royal Guard one

>you stretch your back a bit, and yes, it emphasizes your shape pretty well

>Sword, no matter what you wear, you look great

>okay, enough of that...

>but one more good look won't hurt

 

>"Did you 'mire yourself enough?"

>you turn back

>it's Sabersong, standing in the doorway

>damn, you didn't even notice her

>you must have left the door open

"No...ye...I mean, I just checked if the armor fits well enough"

>"In front of the mirror?!"

"I just checked for dents. You know, it's a habit..."

>"Dents on brand new armor? Right... Whatever, Rookie. Right now though, Starstorm is expecting you in the -Arena-"

"Arena?"

>"Yeah. We've got a little test for you. Every new recruit have to go through this one"

>"Okay. I'll follow your lead"

 

>as you walk through the undergound compound towards this "Arena", you ask Sabersong

"Sooo... What I'm getting into in this "Arena"?"

>"You'll see"

>ah okay, fair enough...

>you walk some more, and try to melt the icy aura with another question

"Are all Paladin training facilites underground?"

>"Most of them"

>ah, right, ice queen

>a last one, maybe something a bit more personal?

"How long have you been serving with Phoenix Squad?"

>"Seriously, what's with all the questions?" Sabersong snaps "You will learn everything you need to know in due time"

"Okay, sorry if I was too nosy then" you answer, trying to not sound too offended

>"I really don't get what Princess Celestia's seeing in you... Starstorm is right: you don't look anything special... And what's up with this tail anyway? Why don't you wear it trimmed like any normal guard would?"

>so she's picking on your tail now?

>is this supposed to be some low-effort hazing?

"I just like to wear it this way. It doesn't get in the way of anything, and that's what's important"

>"You must have to do it every morning like this then, don't you? That's very impractical"

"I can do it really fast, so it's not like that is a problem"

>"Really fast, huh? Maybe you should have gone a hairdresser then, instead of a Guard"

"Hey... I can do yours too, if you decide to grow it. I mean, I guess that's where we're getting with this conversation"

>Sabersong doesn't answer immediately

>guess she was baffled by your sass

>"Right... We'll see how fast you really are very soon"

 

>you arrive at the Arena

>seems it's some kinda obstacle course

>it doesn't seem too hard at first glance

>there must be some catch...

>"Welcome to the Arena, Rookie" greets you Starstorm

>the rest of the squad is there too

>"In this test, you have to navigate the arena grounds, while defeating enemies on the go. Skipping an enemy unless I specify you can do so results in a penalty. Otherwise, you have 60 seconds"

"Enemies, Ma'am?"

>"They might not seem like much, but you can surely notice the several lumps of rocks, scattered around the arena. Those are actually golems, in their disassembled state. When I give the order, Swordsong will cast a spell, that will bring these things to life. Now, these golems can actually cast combat spells, and powerful ones. Forget the make-believe "live fire" exercises you had with the Royal Guard, Rookie, this is for real. If you get hit it, you will actually feel it, although your armor will protect you. But it will still cost you 5 seconds as a penalty. Everything clear?"

>okay, now there's the catch

>this actually sounds serious

>golems, just for training?

>this stuff must cost a lot

>also, it sounds hella dangerous

>but can't back out from this

>and you won't...

"E-everything's perfectly clear, Ma'am...Shall I start?"

>"Of course. Step to the line. Are you ready?"

>you just shut your helmet's visor as an indication

>"Then 3...2...1... GO!"

 

>you shoot yourself out from the starting line, and notice one of the golems assembling right away

>you fire your basic combat spell at it, instinctively, but it doesn't seem to register

>damn, are your magic bolts that weak?

>probably they are, your royal guard training instructs you to disable your assailants if possible

>so you only ever casted these kinds of spells

>"Hit 'em harder, Rookie, that tickle you cast won't cut it!" instructs you Starstorm

>okay, so you have to "kill" them instead

>you take cover, and charge up your spell

>two golems begin to move in on your position

>you pop your head out, and release your spell

>the one you hit falls apart into pieces

>Success!

>now for the other one

>you'd try to hit it, but you feel your magic is still recharging

>you won't have enough power to stop it

>think creatively, Sword...

>what could substitute here?

>Ah, you got it!

>the tree trunk itself you use as cover seems a pretty good weapon

>you grab it with your telekinesis, and whack it into the second golem

>it falls apart as well

>good, you move on, along the only route that seems to carry you forward

>now three golems spring to life, in a wider, more open area

>moving out there would be "suicide"

>good thing there is ample cover on your side

>now you can charge up your spell once again

>you pop out your head, aim, fire, but you miss

>"Damn it!" you say, but not too audibly

>you don't have time for this...

 

>you search for something to TK into the golems again, but nothing seems adequate

>but what if...?

>you pop out your head, and try to aim for the spot on the golem where the magic holds together one of the legs and the body

>you fire one of your weaker magic bolts, but it's enough to dissipate the magic joint, and the golem falls on its face

>you change cover, and do the same to the second golem

>the third one charges at you, but you remain in cover

>you're all outta magic

>it reaches your position, and as a last resort, you initiate a close-quarters takedown

>you are most surprised when it actually works, and you plant the stone construct face-down into the dirt

>nice work, but you don't have time to celebrate, you must move forward

>the last area seemingly wants to imitiate a forest

>here the two golems take cover, instead of being on the offense

>so you gotta attack

>you go from tree to tree, closing the distance between you and your targets

>they take potshots at you, but you are too fast to actually get hit

>when you are close enough to one of them, you charge up your spell, and shoot its head clean off

>it collapses

>now for the other and last one

>then again, not enough magic for another strong combat spell, but an idea pops into your head

>you take off your helmet, and throw it out of your cover

>the golem seemingly mistakes your helmet for you, and fires at it

>you take the opportunity in a heartbeat, and sprint to your enemy

>you tackle it, and violently kick it apart with your armored hoofsies

>that's it, you defeated all your hostiles, now to run to the finish line

>you quickly cross it, finishing the course

 

>Starstorm lazily walks up to you

>"52.67. You did it Rookie, but it's nothing too special. You'll need more than that in the future to keep up. Just for comparison, Longrun holds the squadron record with 19 seconds"

"I-I thought for first try, just finishing..."

>"No Rookie, there is no "just finishing". If you indeed want to be the best of the best, if you want to PROVE you are worthy to be part of the best, you must try harder. Understood?"

"Yes, Ma'am. I'll try much harder. I'll prove to be worthy of this unit. I swear..."

>"You'd better do. Okay, take a breath now, but don't get too comfortable. I'll have some more tasks for you soon"

 

>Starstorm and the rest of the team leaves the Arena

>you hang your head, and breathe out

>phew, that was a toughie...

>and here you thought you did good. and yet, it wasn't enough

>you can't even think what is to come right now, and just sit down

>you should indeed take a little rest

 

>"Hey...Sword"

>ah, an ambush!

>you got startled, although it's just Shield Edge, as it turns out

>these paladins sure have a way of sneaking up on you, don't they?

>maybe that's actually part of your training...

"Oh, hello..."

>"Tough obstacle course, isn't it, Sword?"

"It sure is... And I sure blew it" you say in a bit defeated voice

>"Don't be so hard on yourself. I'd say you aced it! You got really creative out there, and used all your skills to win the day. That's a very "paladin" thing to do!"

"Heh...thanks. But...Major Starstorm didn't seem to think so"

>"Major Starstorm is just like that. It's really hard for her to give any praise. And I'll tell you a little secret: Most of us didn't do any better times on this course when we were beginners. Look at me for example: I did 55 seconds or so when I first ran the Arena. So you really have nothing to be ashamed of"

"R-really? It's really nice of you to say that. I hope you didn't just make all that up to make me feel better"

>"Totally not. Believe me, Sword"

"Okay...I do. Thank you" you smile

>"You're pretty alright, Corporal" Shield winks "Just keep that up, and you will end up one of our best"

"It's hard to believe the rest of the squad thinks the same way though"

 

>"Each of us is a pretty different pony. So I wouldn't say it just like that" answers Shield after a bit of thinking "I think they all secretly think you're fine. Except maybe Sabersong. She always wants to one-up everyone..."

"She did seem pretty hostile to me... Although I'm not complaining, or anything. I think she just wants to give me some rite of passage, or something"

>"Uh...what did she say this time?"

>this time?

>so, maybe there were more recruits before you

>recruits who failed...

>you wonder for a second how many inspired newcomers did this unit "use up" before you ended up as the next rookie

>provided your guess is correct

"Oh, she just said how weird it is I wear my tail this way. Said I should trim it"

>"Yeah... Typical Sabersong. Now I really don't want to talk behind her back like this, so I'll just tell you to don't worry about it. Her attitude is harmless, as your skills speak for themselves. And besides, your tail is beautiful as it... Er, I mean it's fine until you can maintain it, so it doesn't get in the way"

>you chuckle

"Thanks...Sergeant. That's what I told her as well"

>"Of course... Just chill. And besides... how did you know my rank?"

"Well, I noticed my robes have two little lines as a distinct marking, yours have three. So, I guessed that's the rank insignia"

>"Ah, you're pretty...observant. Good. Well, see you. Rest a bit. You need it"

"One more thing. I'm pretty thirsty. Can you maybe lead me to the mess hall, or the equivalent? This underground base of yours is a maze to me"

>"Sure, happily. Come this way, Sword"

 

A FEW WEEKS LATER...

>"Thank you for coming, Scroll. Most appreciated"

"Princess, please. I do as you wish"

>"Like when you refused to become squad leader, and I promoted Starstorm instead?" Celestia gently teases

"Your Highness, I always told you I'd do anything, except becoming the leader of the unit. And I will remain consistent about that. Especially since my retirement is drawing close. But it's not without hope..."

>"Which brings us to the point: What about my Sword? Is she all right? Is she all I imagined her to be?"

"I can already say you were right about her. Physically she is very fit, and has good all-around common sense. Although her actual combat skills are somewhat lacking due to her initial Royal Guard training, she is making up for it by improvising on the spot. She even seems to know fencing, if I judged it correctly from the spear fight she had with Breakpoint. Impressive for such a young mare, with not even a year of duty"

>"She was actually the Youth Fencing Champion when she was 17. And if she is already so good, just imagine her a year later..."

"Well, *I* have no doubts about her. And what's even more important: she seems to posses many passive skills the other members of the unit mostly lack. With the exception of Shield, but you know about that"

>"Ah, very good. Just as I have foreseen! I felt my Paladins have been lacking ponies like her and Shield. Hopefully in the future, the old pony values will be embraced by my unit once again"

"You mean like friendship, compassion, empathy and such? The Paladins saw a turning away from that for decades now. And after Twilight Velvet left, it became Starstorm's world. And she doesn't think these values have any place in a military unit... Damn, speaking about my comrades like this... It almost feels like betrayal, Your Highness. You know about these issues, I should really just stop talking"

 

>"Starstorm thinks I'd like a unit I can use as my personal hit squad. Like some hammer I can just drop on problems. But that is not true. There were times when Phoenix Squad only consisted of three members. And they were still very effective. They were more like family, not just a unit. A tradition I'd like to bring back"

"Well Princess, YOU convince Starstorm the Fire of Friendship isn't just an old pony legend, for example. Or that your Ponyville Six are so capable because they're friends"

>"I'm afraid that this is gonna be a lengthy process, and it won't necessarily begin with Starstorm. But make no mistake, she is an excellent soldier, and her skills are indisposable to me. As a matter of fact, I have to speak to her..."

"So, we DO make a move, then"

>"Correct. But please, don't spoil the fun for her"

"Sure. Shall I direct her to you?"

>"No. I'll just send the Courier"

"I bet poor guy would like it better if you sent him on a mission already"

>"Come on, Scroll. He has a child now. He'll be better off in Canterlot for a while"

"Fair enough, I guess. I'll take my leave then"

>"Scroll? One more thing..."

"Yes, Your Highness?"

>"Sword Glitter might be very skilled, but she is also very green. Please...do keep an eye on her"

"You mean...we should bring her along?!"

>"Yes, that's exactly my request. Let's throw her in at the deep end..."

 

>"Come on Rookie, this isn't your Aunt Fanny's dance! Keep up the pace!"

>this is your 67th lap on the running course, and you could spit out your lungs any moment now

>good thing you're topside and not wearing any armor, but still, this is more than you bargained for

>you imagined the 10 kilometer endurance test much easier, but actually running it is a bit different

>there goes your personal "Sword Glitter is very fit" meme

>68th...

>only 33 laps now...

>Starstorm looks at you with her usual stark expression

>she seems a bit angry too, like always

>that's basically her base expression

 

>while making the laps, you can see the others around, too

>Breakpoint have been pumping iron all this time

>what a guy...

>Sabersong is casually chatting with him, while randomly levitating some ball around

>Shield Edge is working the jump rope

>you can't see Scroll Writ or Longrun anywhere, but it's not like you really care right now

>who you can see though, is a pony in fancy clothing approaching

>it's one of them royal couriers again...

>as the pony comes closer, you can see he is actually the same one that delivered that faithful letter to you...

>he walks up to Starstorm, and whispers something into her ear

>"Alright, thanks. I'll be there very soon" she says with a nod

>the courier leaves, then Starstorm shouts

>"Hey Breakpoint, can you fill in for me? I have to go and speak with the Big Mare"

"Sure thing, Ma'am"

>Breakpoint puts down his barbell, and comes over

>"Just pick up the pieces when she's finished, okay?"

>the big stallion nods, and Starstorm trots away

>27 laps remaining...

>lung status: liquified

 

>during your 81st lap, you finally collapse

>you never ran this much this fast in your entire life

>but you couldn't finish...

>whatever comes next, you surely won't resist in the next fifteen minutes

>you're just that exhausted

>as you lie in the fine gravel, you only have enough energy to turn your eyeballs around

>you can see Shield have put down his jump rope, and looking at you

>he seems concerned

>Sabersong doesn't seem to care

>well, no surprises here

>and Breakpoint slowly walks up to you

>"Finished, Corporal?" he asks in his deep voice

>you can't tell in your state if his tone contains a pinch of mockery or sympathy

"Ahm...used up" you huff

>Breakpoint doesn't react initially, just walks to your other side, positiong himself between you, and the burning sun

>"It's alright, Corporal Glitter. You're not supposed to finish the track anyway"

"W-whaaat?"

>"It's an endurance test. You run as much as you CAN run. And your time was pretty good, so you shouldn't be TOO concerned"

>you steel yourself, and slowly get up into a sitting position

"But the Major said I should finish or else..."

>"Yeah, yeah. The Major is a flankhole, everyone knows that. But she also wants to bring out the best from you. You were hyped up to her, so she will go even harder on you. You did okay so far though, so you should chill"

>you don't know what to say, but that's definitely good to hear

>you also stand up properly and sweep off the gravel from your coat

"Thank you. That's high praise coming from you" you finally manage to say

>"I'm just saying the thruth, no need to thank me. Now if you excuse me, Imma do some more curls. My barbell is crying missing me"

 

>Breakpoint walks away, and you pick up your canteen to drink some

>you take a good chug, but spit it out

>of course, it was in the sun this whole time

>although your standard issue Royal Guard canteen is insulated, the water in it still got pretty warm

>maybe this is a later model, with reduced insulating lining...

>you throw down your canteen, and just go for the shade

>you really need some rest now

>meanwhile, Shield also got closer to the running track, but now that you're alone, he walks up to you

>"Hey Sword. Everything okay?"

"Out of breath. Thirsty. Tired" you simply say, but not without a smile

>Shield has been nice to you ever since you joined up Phoenix Squad

>and he never missed a chance for conversation either

>"Saw that. Here, take mine. Have a drink. Of course, if you don't mind that I already drank from it"

"Nah..."

>you usually never drink after others, but this is gonna be an exception

>strangely, Shield's canteen doesn't feel unsanitary to you, despite that being the reason for your usual aversion

>you take the canteen, and chug down a few mouthfuls

>the cool water now feels like if it was some magic potion, and rejuvenates you

>you wipe your mouth, and give back the canteen

"Thanks. I really needed that"

>"Don't mention it. So how was your running? How many laps did you manage?"

"I just passed the 8km mark. Breakpoint said I did fine"

>"You indeed did fine. I watched you doing your laps, and was amazed how well you kept up your speed. You have good stamina, Sword. And for a new recruit, incredible"

"Aw, shucks. Thank you... But you really give out praise too easily, Shield. It will go into my head if you keep that up..." you answer, while also doing a little "oh you" gesture

>wait, what?

>that felt very...flirty to you

>you don't do things like that

>pull it together, Sword!

>Professionalism!

 

>"That's not true. I really only give praise when praise is due. But maybe I am a bit soft-spoken compared to the others, that might be true. I say many in the military think you can only be tough if you have an attitude. Falsely. You're tough if you have the right training and act bravely in the face of danger. And that doesn't require you to be an abrasive little shit, pardon my wording"

"Well put. I agree. Luckily, I served in a company that almost felt like family, and had a super cool unit commander to boot. And none can say the Royal Guards aren't tough!"

>"I can agree with that. I learned a bunch about their past feats at the Academy. Too bad I never actually served with them"

"You didn't? Where did you serve then? And wait...The Academy?

>"Ah yes. You see, I graduated with honors at the Military Academy of Canterlot. I wanted to be an officer in the Guards. But before I could be transferred to my unit, I got a letter with an offer. Probably similiar to the one you also got. Of course, I just couldn't refuse it"

"Fascinating... But you're a sergeant. If you graduated, then you should be an officer. As in, 2nd Lieutenant at least"

>"Ah yes. Funny story! When I got into the squad, Starstorm got me demoted, saying it could lead to some bad blood between me and some of the guys if she didn't do so. Admittedly, it would have felt strange a rookie outranking half the unit..."

"When put like that, it's actually understandable. Really, can you tell me about Phoenix Squad before I got here? But only if it's not against protocols, of course..."

 

>"I don't think sharing unit history would break any of the rules" Shield laughs "Well, I can only really tell about the short time I was already here. So... You were maybe told you fill in the place left by Twilight Velvet, our previous magic expert. She was a skilled, but compassionate Paladin. She was always pushing against Starstorm's more rough ways of leading. She was actually called "Unit Mom" by Longrun and Breakpoint. It was kinda fitting, since she's actually a mom... She retired for good about half a year ago, but they say once a Paladin, always a Paladin... She and Scroll were the oldest members of the unit. And on very good terms too, since they both dabbled in magic on the scholarly level. You know, intellectuals. He was actually pretty sad when she left. Said Phoenix lost its best"

"I don't even know how could I fill in for her then..."

>"You don't have to fill in for anypony, Sword. Each and every member of Phoenix Squad adds his or her own value to the unit. We might have lost a mage with Twilight, but got a cute...I mean, cool Royal Guard in turn"

"Um, uh...heh... So, can you tell me more?"

>"Well... You might have guessed by now that we Paladins have pretty diverse backgrounds. We were not all soldiers when we signed up for this. Scroll was a sort of a mage before, just like Twilight. Breakpoint worked in the private sector, and always described himself as an "advanced bouncer". Longrun lived on the frontier in southern Equestria, where he basically did what he still does best: he was a scout and tracker. Funnily enough, Sabersong used to be a Royal Guard just like you. Maybe that's why she doesn't like you. She sees you as competition"

"Huh. She never told me"

 

>"Well, she only spoke about those times on a few occasions, and always called the Guard "incompetent fools", so she probably didn't like it there"

>ah, the nerve!

>how dares that little...

"Or maybe then she just simply looks down on me, doesn't she?"

>"Maybe. But you're everything, but incompetent"

"Heh...Erm...And anything about Starstorm? If we're already gossiping, let's go all the way..."

>"Oh, yeah. Her. I don't know what she was. She never spoke about her past to us. Twilight apparently knew about it, but she kept it a secret. I dunno why though. Maybe it's shameful, or it's just painful to her? But Starstorm blew her fuse when Longrun once asked her, so I guess it better remains a secret"

"Amen to that. No one should tease that mare. She seems angry enough anyways, and all the time"

>"Yup. So, are you feeling better? Or still short on breath?"

"Nope, I'm alright. I guess listening to you rejuvenated me!" you joke

>"Alright, good to hear! So...up for some tennis as a post-workout stretch?"

"Wait... There is even a tennis court around here? Never knew about that"

>"Yeah, a small one... It's supposedly for officers only, but hey, I'm -technically- an officer!"

"Alright then, El-Tee. Lets' go!"

 

>you've been playing with Shield for half an hour now

>you're not a big tennis player though, actually, last time you played was in grade school

>you just missed another serve, but it's not like you really want to win

"Ow, missed another one. I'm not much of a challange eh, Shield?"

>"Come on, Sword. You're already getting the hang of it. Besides, we're playing just for fun, don't we?"

"I do... But you're still acing it. And actually knowing how to play well must be more fun than the opposite"

>"That is true... But you're a proper sportspony, Sword. A dozen more matches, and you'll wipe the court with me!"

"Oh yeah..." you say, lowering your racket for a bit "That's like saying a dozen more weeks of training, and I'll become the most skilled Paladin ever..."

>"Whatever you mean? Don't sell yourself short. Sure, it will take more than a dozen weeks, but you DO have the potential to be the greatest Paladin ever. Have faith"

"Thanks, but... Ahhh! I guess I was just too much used to the fact that I was an instant expert at everything I tried in life so far..."

>as you say that, you wave around your racket a bit, thinking about your fencing skills

"...Guard duty felt like a breeze compared to this. You're saying I'm doing good, but I'm struggling. And I don't know how much longer I can keep up"

 

>"Of course you're struggling. This is Celestia's most elite unit, after all. I think you're supposed to struggle. The Princess didn't pick you because she thought you an instant expert, but because she saw the potential in you to BECOME one. Don't give up, Sword. Just keep walking the walk"

"You mean: Keep running the 10 kilometers..."

>"Yeah, hehe. That's one way to put it. So, did my EXPERTLY constructed pep talk convince you to don't worry about things you're not supposed to worry about?"

"I think it did... Hey, do they teach that at the academy?" you ask teasingly

>"Well, I did learn motivational speech. It can actually be an invaluable skill in the repertoire of an officer"

"I bet it comes right before the "commanding your soldiers in battle" skill"

>"Nonono, it's actually before the ""proper etiquette in the mess hall" skill" he responds to your light-hearted nonsense

>you laugh

"So, finally I meet a proper "officer and gentlepony" in this unit"

>"Bow ties and top hats not included..." he says really fast

>you laugh again

"Right... Then let's finish that game I was about to lose, shall we?"

 

>you resume playing, but after a few minutes, a loud and raspy voice interrupts you

>"Drop your rackets this instant!"

>you get startled, but instead of dropping it, you hold up your racket like a sword

>you look at the source of the sound, but see it's actually just Longrun

>damn, these Paladins are REALLY good at startling you

>"Lower your weapon Corporal, comply!" continues Longrun, in the same voice

"I surrender!" says Shield

>"Good. Now you. Come on girl, I can't keep up this voice much longer"

>you decide to go with the banter, and drop your racket

>Longrun always seemed like the least serious member of Phoenix Squad, so why not

>"I...Win...Again! Ahem... So, about the serious stuff: Starstorm expects everyone of us in the briefing room. She sorted through her papers, and she very rarely does that, so this is probably serious. We better hurry"

"Okay. Let's go, Sword"

>"Not so fast, Sergeant. I have to talk with you" says Longrun, stopping Shield

>"Alright... Then just go ahead, huh Sword?"

>you just nod, and begin to go towards the briefing room

>you let the two guys talk, as it's probably some secretive Paladin stuff

 

>the briefing room is part of the underground base of Phoenix Squad

>there are certain secluded parts of the castle which provide access

>right now, the access from the southeast wing seems the closest, so you gonna go there

>Shield and Longrun are lagging behind somewhat, outside of hearing range

 

MEANWHILE...

>"So, Shield... She's real pretty, right?"

"Huh, what?"

>"You'd rail her, wouldn't you?"

"What sort of talk is that?!"

>"Come on, Shield. You can't fool me. You look smitten. And with good reason. I mean, I also think "Oh wow, dem legs!!!" You have good taste like me"

"Stop this! I don't think anything of the sorts"

>"Nuh huh. Because you actually think "I could really take up offensive formation in that pussy!"

"I solely think of her as a comrade, nothing else. And stop being this rude!"

>"Pssssh... Dude, that talk is more canned than our rations. But what do you think of her tail? It's beautiful, isn't it? Personally, I love mares with a long tail"

"How she wears her tail is none of our concern"

>"Oh, so you're not a tail-stallion then, okay. So, to cut this short, as I see you can barely contain your true feelings anymore: out of 10, how is she?"

"I'd say she's a 9, if you asked her combat skills, that is"

>"I don't think you think that only applies to her combat skills, but whatever Mr. Academy Guy"

"Surely you can read my mind, but let's get serious now: What about this briefing? Are we going on a mission?"

>"I know as much as you. But the Major seemed unsettled. And you know what that means..."

"I actually don't. She can actually be like that?"

>"Oh yeah. That means, my friend, that shit's gonna start flying"

 

>you arrive in the briefing room

>Shield and Longrun come in too about a minute later, and close the door

>"Is everypony here? Good. Gather 'round"

>everyone steps closer to the huge table in the middle of the room

>you look with a bit of awe, as all of this is super exciting to you

>you never had briefings like this at the Guard

>you feel like a general, or something, with the huge map lying on the table, with assorted papers and folders around

>now you notice that this map isn't that of Equestria

>it's a map of the whole world

>Major Starstorm starts the briefing

>"Phoenix Squad. About an hour ago, I had a talk with Princess Celestia about our alliance with the Hippogriffs, and her personal good friendship with Queen Novo. Words upon words, the gist is this: we gotta rescue an important Hippogriff diplomat from here - Felin al Kot, the capital of Abyssinia..."

>the Major points it out on the map

>that's literally the other side of the world...

>"...Which city will be hit by the Storm King's forces in less than 24 hours. We have to snatch this guy before the city gets taken over. Especially because he also happens to be an old friend of Novo. I know this is a bit confusing all at once, but... Scroll, please take over"

 

>"Squad, we already had a briefing about the Storm King's growing presence in the southern hemisphere, but the situation got serious recently. If our Hippogriff informants are correct, he have amassed an army so large by now, that he can easily steamroll all realms in the south. All, except Mount Aris. The Hippogriff air and land forces could still stand a chance against them, but obviously Novo wouldn't want to risk an open conflict against the Storm King just yet. So that's why she pleaded Celestia to do this instead. Introducing a third faction into a conflict is always risky, but we're far enough from the Storm Army that they'll probably never reach us. As Novo would be ready to stop them by the time they'll reach Mount Aris"

"So then" Longrun interferes "Why do we even have to take part in this conflict? Novo just defeats Stormy Kid when he gets too bold, and that's that. And that diplomat can just fly away. I hear Hippogriffs are some of the strongest flyers in the world"

>"Because wise guy, if the Storm King decides to attack Equestria instead, we can count on Novo to send help. All because of one little favor" says Starstorm angrily

"And why would he attack us instead?" Longrun insists

>"Because" Scroll takes over once again "the Storm King recently taken to hoarding magical artifacts. No doubt to empower his army even more. He already has an army of combat airships. Now imagine this same army outfitted with magical weapons. He would become utterly unstoppable. And to answer your question directly: Equestria has more than half of the world's magical trinkets and gizmos. Roughly speaking"

 

"I get it now: now we do the dirty work for Celestia AND for Novo as well" says Longrun his conclusion

>"You're a real smart cookie, Longrun. How did you figure THAT out?" chimes in Sabersong, who was surprisingly silent so far

"Because I'm smarter than you, Songy Blades. You're just jello of my intell..."

>"SHUT IT! Both of you" Startstorm interrupts the banter "I get it we're all unenthusiastic about going on a mission so far from home, that is basically about bartering loyalties. But think about it this way: this is a mercy mission. We're picking up some hapless paper pusher, before the enemy could reach him. We all saw the intel about how brutal the Storm King can get, so we're still the good guys here. And there is a silver lining: if we're fast enough, we can beat the Storm King's forces to Abyssinia, and escape with the diplomat without firing a single magic shot. Now, is all of this clear?"

>all silence

>you're silent too, but mostly because you're overwhelmed with all this information

>who knew Celestia had an alliance going on with the Hippogriffs?

>...whose queen is called Novo?

>and an entire ARMY is rampaging in the south? that's just scary

>and what is even more scary, is that you only got to know this now

>how many more things there are, that you wasn't aware of as a simple Guard?

>time will probably tell...

 

>"Okay, no questions then? Good. Then I want all of you dressed up, armed and ready in the airship bay within the hour. This means you too, Rookie. Welcome to the big time"

>you're surprised

>you thought you would be excluded in the last moment, as a new recruit wouldn't be of much use for such a difficult mission

>but it seems the commander thinks otherwise

>you're happy about that, but also scared

"Wait, SHE comes too? With all due respect Major, but what the hay?!"

>"Discipline, Sabersong. Yes, she comes too. Celestia insists that Phoenix is one, so ALL members shall participate. I would have chosen a simpler mission for her first one, too. But let's admit, she'll learn more this way than if she remained and scrubbed up the base"

"But..."

>"No buts. Time is of essence! Phoenix, dismissed!"

 

ACT II: INTO THE STORM

 

>you're looking at the pony, clad in armor, wearing a bit frightened expression

>she's almost ready to move out, just needs to put on her helmet

>she is unsure about what is to come, but whatever it might be, probably won't be simple

>it never is

>as Sword Glitter's looking back at you from the mirror, you realize how wrong your mindset is

>you shouldn't fear what's to come, but take it as a challenge

>but also, this is your first real mission, your baptism of fire

>you aren't just a former Royal Guard, you're a Paladin

>you were born to do this!

>you will prove just how good you are, and help win the day

>whatever it takes

 

>you adjust your chest plates one last time

>the padding underneath feels just right, it provides a tight fit for your armor

>you're just wondering how hot this outfit will be where you're going

>as far as you know, Abyssinia has an arid mediterranean climate, which turns into deserty at some places

>it will be probably worse than wearing the Royal Guard armor, which only features a thin felt lining

>but at least you will surely make it out alive wearing the Paladin armor

>this is seriously some heavy duty stuff

>the plates are much more stiff, and the padding is thicker

>and don't even mention the robes underneath

>it almost feels like the armor is wearing you, and not the other way around

>of course, this isn't a problem, you just hope those storm creatures (you hopefully won't actually face), aren't faster than you in armor

 

>last, but not least, you pick up your Close Quarters Defense Weapon™

>it's a short, retractable, spring-loaded spear

>like your armor, it has a glossy, gilded look, and it's almost indistinguishable from it when it's unequipped

>it can be worn on your side, and two claws hold it firmly in place, so it doesn't dangle all around when on the move

>it feels unique, yet practical, like every Paladin equipment you encountered so far

>despite that, the rest of your team doesn't like it, as it's extra weight added to the already heavy armor

>they probably know what they're talking about, as all of them have mission experience

>Starstorm says magic is a Paladin's preferred weapon anyway

>but you will bring it along anyway

>even if your combat spells aren't that strong, at least this arm will give you some peace of mind

 

>ready to move out, you go to the airship bay

>there you see her once again, the Wind Razor, the fastest airship in Equestria

>it was purpose built for the Royal Paladins, and it's the only ship of its class

>its engines are pure magitech, apparently based on some ancient design shared by Celestia

>Shield states it's actually alicorn tech, hence there aren't anything like it in the recorded history of engineering

>the ship itself is sleek, and just looking at it tells the viewer it must be fast

>the envelope resembles a swordfish, the gondola is also long and narrow

>it features three decks, the topmost one being the observation deck, the one under having firing ports is the "combat deck", and the bottom one is the crew deck

>Shield have told you much about the ship, but now it seems you're actually gonna ride it

 

>"Okay Phoenix Squad. I hope everyone is ready for a long ride, and for whatever the situation throws at us. We'll fly over the ocean to the southeastern continent and land in Abyssinia. We'll be moving into territory where most of the populace potentially never even heard of ponies, so don't expect a friendly welcome. And although the cat people living there are reported to be...sleazy, they're rather peaceful, so there's that. And finally, remember: our priority will be extracting the hippogriff dignitary, not fighting a war. We go there, pick him up, and get the hell out"

"That sounds WAY too easy" says Sabersong

>"It will actually be easy if we can beat the Storm Army there. Then it will be a non-combat mission. So let's not waste anymore time. Squad, onboard!"

 

>you march onto the ship, and look around

>it's actually rather spacious inside, considering it's only for a single squad

>a strange feature you only notice now, is that the steering wheel is right here, on the crew deck

>two view ports, looking forward, separated by the gondola's spine provide visual awareness

>"Right, everyone's onboard. Longrun, you're at the wheel..."

"Aww, again?!"

>"...Breakpoint, you release the ship, and open the hangar bay doors"

"Aye!"

>Longrun walks to the end of the deck, and opens a door

>it leads to the engine room

>the engine looks really compact, without any obvious moving parts

>that makes you curious

"Shall I jumpstart it, ma'am?"

>"Give it some juice, sergeant!"

>Longrun casts a spell on the engine, which syphons the magic inside itself

>it starts up with a strange buzzing sound, which is followed by the whizzing of the propellers

>Longrun leaves the room, and slams the door behind himself

"Yup, up and running"

>"Good. Now, Breakpoint, the ropes!

>the big pony unties all the ropes around the ship, while Longrun assumes the driving position

>finally, a big lever is pulled on the hangar wall

>you await for the ceiling of your secret base to open up, but that doesn't happen

>instead, the wall facing the bow of the ship slides apart

>now you can see the hangar is actually positioned right behind one of Canterlot's many waterfalls

>that's some seriously nice camouflage

 

>the ship begins to move a bit, and after the bay doors fully open, flies right through the waterfall

>"Woohoo, that's right! My favorite part!" says Longrun with enthusiasm

>"Take it easy, cowboy. Circle around the mountain, and ascend above cloud level. Then flank speed to the southeast"

>Starstorm sits down

>"Well, here we go Rookie. I hope you aren't afraid of heights. Or flying"

"...Or getting shot at" Longrun quips from the front

>"No, ma'am. I'm okay with them. Actually, I already rode in an airship once"

>"Psssh! Then it was just one of them civvie cruising ships" says Breakpoint from the other side of the deck "They ain't nothing like this baby. This one's hull is made from dual-layered wooden planks, with steel plates sandwiched in-between. It's practically indestructible!"

>"Don't paint Tirek on the wall like that, Breakpoint..." (StS)

>"I see. Impressive. But then we must be one heavy ship. That engine is really something else, if we can fly this fast with all that extra weight" you say

>you hope can tease out some more info about that freakshow called an engine

 

"Ah yes" answers Scroll "The engine is pure magitech, presumably of an ancient alicorn design, as it was Celestia who shared it with the ship's builder. Which was more than a hundred years ago, by the way"

>"The ship is THAT old?!"

"Indeed. But you should really ask "ONLY that old?" instead. As the Paladins had a ship of this class for hundreds of years by now. It's just that sometimes it was completely rebuilt, as nothing lasts forever. So only the current incarnation of this ship, the Wind Razor, is about a hundred years old"

>"Then this ship must have seen a lot"

"Definitely true. And it always served faithfully. I like to say she is the only permanent member of Phoenix Squad. If only she could talk..."

>"...Then she could tell all the horror stories about Longrun's erratic driving" chimes in Sabersong

"Hey! It's not "erratic", it's simply making well-defined turns, okay?" (LR)

>Sabersong only snickers in response

>"Going back to the engines a bit" you talk to Scroll Writ again "Are they reliable? Do they need much maintenance?"

"Not at all. And this is one of the wonders of magitech. It can serve thousands of miles without as much as looking at them. You only need to charge up the magic container crystals from time to time. So don't you worry, Corporal. Even if nothing else, this ship will surely pull through"

>well, that surely gives you peace of mind

>if anything, at least the next group of paladins can inherit the ship from the perished squad

 

>you've been riding for some time now

>at this point, you're over the ocean, getting further away from the coastline

>you've never seen Equestria from this angle

>and you've never seen such pure, azure sea, that's all around you

>it's really too bad you can only get a look through your viewing port

>looking at them from the top deck would be real nice

>actually, why not...

>"Ma'am?"

>Starstorm looks at you with her usual expression

>"Requesting permission to get topside"

"For what reason?"

>"Just to get some fresh air? And maybe to stretch my legs a bit"

"Granted"

>you nod in appreciation, and go towards the stairs leading to the combat deck

>"Just don't get lost on your way there, huh?" says Sabersong as you pass her

>you just roll your eyes without further reaction

>this mare is an idiot

 

>you are on the observation deck now

>the high winds of the sea blow through your mane, as you just took off your helmet

>the scenery from up here is beautiful

>you can see almost the entire Equestrian shoreline

>and in the other direction, the seemingly endless ocean

>you feel really comfy right now

>you wish you could remain here for the whole ride

 

>but obviously, that's not to be

>Shield comes up to the deck

>"Hello Sword. Sorry to interrupt your pleasant sojourn, but Starstorm wants you to get back to the crew deck. Protocols and what not..."

"Okay... Though I hoped I could stay a little longer. It's so comfy up here"

>"Well... I could say I checked up on the rigging. And you helped me"

"Gee, thanks! Then let's stay a bit. I love this salty air!"

>"You love it? Heh, turns out a sailor's been lost in you!"

"A sailor? Please... A pirate!"

>you close one of your eyes to do a silly impression

"Arr, ye landlubber rats! Ye going overboard right now! Get on the plank!"

>"Heh. I'm sure not even /actual/ pirates have thick accents like that"

"You'd know, wouldn't you, El-Tee?"

>"Well, if you WANNA know... One of my first missions with Phoenix Squad was chasing away a group of pirates that got dangerously close to national waters"

"In the SKY?!"

>"They were SKY pirates, Sword. Harpies, or somesuch. On an airship. We even got boarded! Hence I heard them talking"

"N-no way... And what happened next?"

>"Luckily, they realized quickly enough what they were up against, and left with broken pride and smoking tail feathers!"

"You don't think we could encounter them on our way to Abyssinia, right?"

>"No pirates were sighted since then, so I guess we should be in the clear"

"Okay. But it's not like I fear them, or anything. As a matter of fact, I could fight anything right now!"

>"I believe you, Sword. But at any rate, you can always count on me"

"Heh... Thank you, Shield" you blush a bit "But I feel like I am ready. Let this mission throw anything at us, I'll prevail"

 

>"Nice of you to join us, sunshine..."

>you get startled as your "dearest" squadmate shakes you up

>you dozed off for a bit there

>no wonder, you've been up for almost 24 hours now, after running almost ten clicks

"Sit down, Sabersong... Scroll, what do we have?"

>Sabersong sits back down on the other side of the deck, while still giving you that nasty look of hers

>Scroll Writ speaks, who just came back from the observation deck

>"I have no good news, Major. I can already see some Storm Army ships on the horizon. They're still really far though, so in the case we find Ambassador Seabeak fast, we could still pull this off without bloodshed"

>the Major looks at the floor with visible concern

"Do we know exactly where in the city the ambassador lives? Do we have an address?"

>"Sadly, no. Apparently these cats are rather finicky with their street namings anyway. They like to change them every few months or so. That's probably why the hippogriffs didn't include an exact address in their intel. As to don't confuse us"

"So all we have is: "southeastern portion of the city"?"

>"I'm afraid so, Major"

"Damn, so we will have a bloodshed, after all..." says Starstorm quietly

>"You knew that from the start. Otherwise we wouldn't have been sent..."

>all of Phoenix Squad looks together

>it's not a look of fear, more like the silent acceptance of something inevitable

>maybe not even the battle hardened veterans are REALLY up to this?

>right now, you're not too sure about the prospects of the immediate future either

 

>"Alright, listen up" says Starstorm, again in her usual, loud voice "You all heard what Scroll have said. The Storm King's army is close, and they will probably hit the city while we search for this Seabeak guy. That means he will also need extraction once we find him, and it's VIP protection 101 from then on. With the added little fact it will all happen in a war zone. So be extremely mindful of your sorrundings, and always have the VIP in a place where he can be easily guarded. Since we'll have to haul flank fast, this will probably be a box formation on the move. Not easy... But I have confidence in us"

>now Starstorm looks at you

>"As for you, Rookie... I just want to ask you to don't get yourself killed. You will surely face combat, and I know you're not a hundred percent prepared for this, so just use whatever skils and spells you can. And stay close to one of us, preferably me or Scroll. I never had to write a KIA letter, and I don't want to start it today, so watch yourself, okay?"

>you look right into Starstorm's eyes and pull out your most determined voice

"You won't have protect me, or watch after me, Major. I will be just fine. I won't bring shame to Phoenix Squad, I promise"

>"Well, let's just hope then Celestia was indeed right about you. You have the stage to shine, Rookie. Just don't try to play a hero, or this can turn into a tragedy"

 

>a small time later, Longrun speaks up at the wheel

>"Ten minutes, and we reach the coast, Major"

"Good. Circle around the peninsula, and land in the desert. We don't want any unnecessary attention"

>"Ma'am?"

"You heard that right, Sergeant. Go around the city. Better if these cat people don't notice us. Play it safe"

>"Ironic you say that with an army not far out... Why don't we just dock to a tall building or tower? I can already see there are some of those. Screw these cats, they can gawk all they want. It's much faster than taking a hike from the desert"

"Really, wise guy? And what if they are ACTUALLY prepared for the Storm King's assault? They could easily mistake us for one of their recon ships, and open fire at us"

>"And with what? Weaponized catnip?"

"Just follow your orders, you understand Sergeant? Dammit..."

>"Yessmaam. Landing in the desert..."

>Longrun settles with his definite orders, but very soon speaks up again

>this guy seemingly just can't shut up, even when on the brink of a battle

>"Hey Breakpoint, I heard these "Storm Creatures" are really big guys. Almost as big as you..."

>"Really now? Well, even if they are THAT big, there's nothing a good whackin' can't do"

>"Or a shot to the face, hehe!" speaks up Sabersong as well

>"Try to take this seriously, lads. These creatures tower over the average pony. Yes, even you Breakpoint" says Scroll "And they are wearing armor as well. They will be hard to take down in any way. And we know nothing about their magical resistance. If they have any, we might just have the most difficult fight ever ahead of us"

>"Whatever!" continues Sabersong "They're dangerous, but we're as well. And nothing says that better than a charged up magic bolt to the face. Isn't that right, Rookie?"

>Sabersong winks at you, but you heard her sarcastic tone

>she knows your combat spells aren't really up to snuff

"Spells are fine, but I have this too" you say, slightly levitating up your CQDW "And I happen to know some advanced fencing skills. I'll manage"

>"Ohhh, damn! I'm sure those Storm Creatures are gonna run in fear when they'll see you swinging that thing... Well, whatever Rookie, just don't make us babysit you"

 

"You won't have to. I already told the Major that" you answer coldly

>"Come on, Saber" Shield speaks up "We're a team, and we help each other as needed. Being a soldier isn't a solo game, and it never was"

>"Right, but if you aren't good enough, you're just an unnecessary burden on your team. You can expect help, but also have to play your part"

>"Yes, and I am pretty sure Sword will do just fine. Maybe her combat spells don't have the same yield as yours, for example, but you saw her sparring with Breakpoint multiple times. Her telekinetic skills are excellent. And if that's not enough, she can still just use the old Noble-Double in a pinch"

>"Yeah... First, that's for wussies, second, it's only good for better penetration of hard targets"

>"And that's exactly what these Storm Creatures are. They wear armor, so you need to punch through that first to get any results. Pulverizing shots won't do much good before that"

>ah yes, the so-called "Noble-Double"

>it got its name from a Paladin of old named Noble, who invented this spell

>the spell is basically two weaker magic bolts fired in such quick succession that they hit the exact same spot

>so their penetrative power is also doubled

>it's perfect for casters who can't charge up their magic quickly enough to cast one stronger destruction spell

>like you

>it sounds simple enough in theory, but this spell still requires great skill and concentration, as one needs to cast twice almost at the exact same time

>Shield suggested this technique to you, and you tried it on the firing range, but you obviously didn't become an instant expert

>"Okay, academy guy. We'll see how tough that armor is, but I doubt I will have any problems. In other words, I'm gonna be right"

>"Saber, combat never determines who is right, only who is left. On the ground. Dead"

>"Pff, bwahaha! What the hay Shield, did you take philosophy courses as well at the academy? What sort of talk is that? I bet if I was facing off against..."

"Shut it already! Stop arguing, we don't need any of that right before a mission" Starstorm cuts them off

 

>meanwhile, your ship flew past the peninsula where Felin al Kot is located, and reached the desert

>you watch the landscape through your viewing port, and it seems like all of Abyssinia is a desolate wasteland

>the city itself mostly has single storey buildings, with flat rooftops

>and an impressive palace near the port

>that's probably the King's residence

>besides, you can feel the temperature rising already

>taking that sort of heat, in armor, will be a challange in itself

>"How much further I should go?" asks Longrun

>"Steer the ship towards that large sand dune, and land on its other side. That should provide ample cover from any prying eyes"

>"It's not like they couldn't see us already, but fine by me"

>the Wind Razor starts to descend, and soon hits the sandy surface of Abyssinia

>you've arrived

 

>"This is it ponies" Starstorm speaks after you landed "We're gonna leg it from here to the city. And since we'll stick out like a sore thumb among these cat people, they will surely give us looks. But play it cool, we're just merchants here, wanting to do some trade. Got that?"

"Sure! They will probably just think we're selling our armor! Nothing suspicious about that!" says Longrun, mouthing up the situation yet again

>"I thought about that part..."

>Starstorm pulls out a few white, hooded robes from a closet, and presents them to the squad

>"...They won't see our armor underneath these. And they will also double as protection from the sunlight"

"Oh, great! I have no further questions, Major!" says Longrun sarcastically

>now most of the squad smiles, including Scroll, who's otherwise always very focused and professional

>"But really Major" he says "Wouldn't it be better to just play it straight, and tell our business? Maybe these poor souls don't even know yet what threat they are facing"

>"No game, Scroll. Such honesty can backfire. We might just induce panic with such info, and we'll have plenty of that anyways when those airships hit the city"

>"You're the commander..."

>"Don't worry captain, it's gonna be alright... Okay Phoenix, don these robes, and let's move out. We have an ambassador to save!"

 

>after you all put on the robes, Starstorm drops down the ramp to leave the ship

>compared to the dim interior of the Wind Razor, the sudden desert sunlight almost blinds you

>you walk down the ramp, with Scroll being the last

>he closes the ramp, and locks it down with the security spell only squadmembers know

>except you, as you weren't told during your short service with the team

>probably nopony expected you would be sent on a mission so soon

 

>stepping on the sand, you can already feel it's even hotter than the air around you

>it heats up your armored horseshoes in seconds

>you try to show discipline, but the other members of the squad apparently have the same problem too

>"Damn... This desert surely wasn't made for ponies. I'll get cooked in my armor here!" exclaims Breakpoint

"Yeah..." answers Longrun "Next time we could really ask Celestia to turn it down a bit..."

>you look up at the Sun for a moment, squinting your eyes

>thinking about it, it indeed almost feels like Celestia is playing a cruel joke on certain parts of the world

>but probably it's part of the "great natural balance of things" you learned about in school

>that makes sense, but some realms definitely got the short stick

>anyway, you start to walk towards the sand dune, then circle around it

>from here, you can already see the city gate

 

>you find something that could be called a road with some goodwill, and walk it down right up to the gate

>the gate is flanked by a guard tower on both sides

>the gate itself is open, and only two cat folks stand guard

>one of them steps right before Starstorm

>"Halt! State your business! And also: just who are you creatures anyway?"

"Greetings to you! We're travelling pony merchants, and we just want to sell some...product. On the market of the great Felin al Kot. Can we enter please?"

>for the first time ever, you heard Starstorm being actually polite

>so that's a thing too...

>"What kind of "product" do you ponies sell?" the guard asks back

"Um...rare herbs and medicine. Straight from Equestria!"

>"Equestria you say? That's where you ponies are from?"

"Indeed! We're from there!"

>"Say... Can it happen y'all came with that airship that just touched down in the desert ten minutes ago?"

"Well... Yes! We are travelling merchants, after all"

>"Strange. I never saw a merchant travelling in an airship" says the guard, while he slowly starts to walk around the squad "And I also never saw a merchant wearing...a HELMET!"

>just as he said that, he pulled off Shield's hoodie

>then yours, then quickly everypony's

>so much for Starstorm's plan

>these cats aren't stupid after all

>now the other guard steps ahead too, readying his spear

>somepony should really say something, real quick

>before this whole situation ends in a shootout

 

>Starstorm starts babbling something, but before she could say a coherent word, you decide to take over the conversation

>you fear some hothead might just shoot one of the guards, and then you'll have to fight your way INSIDE the city as well

"Listen, please. We're indeed not merchants, you're right about that. We're actually Princess Celestia's honor guards, and we're bringing an urgent message to the feline king. But we're undercover because...the message is secret. And we aren't sure who we can trust"

>"I see..." says the guard "Well, if that's the case, just give the message to me. I will relay it to our king. You can surely trust me, ponies, I'm a member of His Majesty's military"

"We... can't. King's ears only. That's what we were told. Sadly we are only supposed to tell him personally, that's why we wanted to enter the city"

>the cat guard puts a paw on his chin

>he turns to his comrade

>"Hmmm. What do you think, Leaper? Shall we let them in?"

>"I dunno. You're the boss. But we could, I guess. They seem pretty peaceful. And I never heard anything bad about ponies either"

>"You never heard ANYTHING about ponies at all, smartass..."

>the guard turns back to you

>"Alright, here's the deal: I'll let you in. You'll go straight to the royal palace, and state your business there. And you won't start any trouble, or the city guards will beat you up, then kick you out. Simple, right?"

>"Of course. We're not here to cause any trouble. We're just here to relay that important message!" says Starstorm, taking back the conversation

>"Then you may enter now. And remember: we'll be watching you"

>all of you nod as you move past the guards, inside the gates

 

>once you're a bit further away from them, Starstorm takes off her sheepish grin

>"Phew, that was a tough one... I thought for a moment we wouldn't make it"

"Good thing Sword remained on top of the talking game. Good going, Sword!" says Shield

>you just blush a bit, but say nothing

>"Indeed nice one, Rookie. And I'm glad you didn't spill the beans about our actual objective" Startsorm continues

>"I was just sticking with what you said, Major"

>"At least now we know you're good at lying, if nothing else" Sabersong chimes in too

>you give Sabersong a nasty look

>why is she so preoccupied with giving you a hard time, even during a mission?

>"Quit that shit Saber, and concentrate. You can continue being a hardass on the Rookie AFTER the mission. Okay squad, let's find Mr. Seabeak, then get the hell outta here. We're getting really short on time"

 

>you start to walk the streets, and get a glimpse of city life

>the streets aren't paved, there is only sand under your hooves

>there are cat people everywhere, and they all basically tower over you

>you get many weird looks, and lots of comments too

>most of these cats never saw a pony before, obviously

>"Damn, what are these creatures?"

>"Who let these freaks in?"

>"I wonder if they are poisonous..."

>"Really weird camels, they are"

>"Nowadays, we just let in every creature into our city. Big mistake..."

>as the cats pass you, they look behind themselves as well

>their gazes are starting to become unnerving to you, although the rest of the squad seems pretty chill

"Well, we're a sore thumb alright... So, where are we supposed to look after that dignitary? Southeastern portion of the city, right?" (StSt)

>"Yup" says Longrun "But I doubt we're anywhere near the embassy. This seems to be the poor district of the city. And no Hippogriff would hang out in a place like this"

"Then maybe we should split up. We'll choose a recognizable landmark, and meet there in, let's say, 30 minutes. That way one of us will surely find the embassy building"

>"Y'all just get lost without me. This is a big city. And I'm not too fond of splitting up anyways"

>"I'm with Longrun on this one. Splitting up would be a mistake at this point. Trouble can strike at any moment. And after that, have good luck finding each other..." says Breakpoint, in a lowered voice

>"I suggest we should ask one of these merchants. Perhaps they are a bit more comfortable talking to such "weird creatures" than the citizenry" (SW)

>"Or we could just ask one of the guards. Ultimately, the ones we talked to seemed okay with us..." you suggest, after hearing the alternatives

"Forget it Rookie, that will just make us suspicious" Starstorm snaps at you "I said: no talk about the attack"

>"Would it be so bad if we helped these folks a little? Perhaps if the guards knew it first, they'd have a way to calm the citizens. We don't know their culture. Maybe there is..."

"I said NO!" Starstorm interrupts Scroll "Let's just ask a merchant, that seems a solid idea"

>you and Shield look at each other

>the situation is starting to get a bit tense...

 

>the street you're walking right now is lined with many merchant stalls

>they're mainly selling clothes and other smaller trinkets

>Starstorm stops momentarily

"Okay, let's ask around a little. Shield, you have a penchant for this: who is the most sympathetic out of those merchants?"

>"In all honesty Major...none of them? They all seem kinda sleazy..."

"Damn right... Then let's just start with the nearest"

>you all walk up to the nearest stall

>the merchant, a younger female cat, measures you up, with some amusement on her face

>she probably finds it funny that a bunch of little ponies are gonna be her next "customers"

>Startstorm starts up the "deal", forcing a smile on her face

"H-hey, hello! Nice stall you have here... Can we ask something?"

>"Why hello there! Of course you can ask! And please, peruse my goods. And if you like what you see, I have even more stuff under the counter"

>she talks fast and snappy

>she's obviously used to "talking up" her customers

>if it's gonna be up to Starstorm to get info out of her, this will be a long conversation...

 

"We really just wanna know where the hippogriff embassy is. There is one in the city, right?"

>"Yes, that's correct. But please, choose first! Just look at this silk, so soft!"

"Um, can you tell us where it is then? It would be really important"

>"Of course. But please, make your purchase first. Then we'll talk all about it!"

"We don't actually want to buy anything. We just want to know this single little thing"

>"Oh, you don't?!" says the merchant, sounding a bit offended "Then why do you expect me to give up information for free? Everything has a price, you know..."

"O-kay. How much it would cost then? We just want some directions, really..."

>"The better question is: How much do you have?"

>oh, now you get it

>the cat is getting into a thing called bartering

>it's a big thing in some cultures, and apparently, in this one too

>you expect now comes the part where you just leave this cat alone, and move on

>but to your surprise, Starstorm pulls out a small satchel, and levitates some bits out of it

"I can give you 50 Bits at most. That's all I have"

>"Bits? Excuse me?"

>the Major levitates the Bits closer to the cat's face

"Bits. Equestrian currency. They're really valuable"

>"Yeah, no. We don't accept such trash here. Only Feline Crowns, or maybe Camel Coins. But not that whatsitsname..."

"Right. I... understand" says Startstorm, obviously forcing herself not to blow her fuse "Is there maybe some other way to strike a deal? That info would be really important to us..."

>"Without proper money? No way. But... I know a cat who collects all kinds of old and rare coins. Maybe he would be interested in your "bits". And then maybe you could come back to me, with real money you got for them"

"And... Where is this cat?"

>"He lives on the other side of the city. Near the port"

"Okay. Then I guess we will just find that embassy on our own"

>the cat merchant shrugs

>"Suit yourselves"

 

>"Well, that was a disaster" says Longrun, a bit further away from the merchant's stall

"Indeed, she was a real hardass. But there are still a few stalls we can try... I say we split up. One of them ought to say something useable. Then we can still make it to the target location in the nick of time. We'll meet at the end of the street in ten minutes"

>"Aw, come on Major! This didn't work, and won't work. I say, let's just grab some lonely cat, bring him into an alley, and beat the information out of him. No guards involved..."

"Are you out of your mind?! After the act, ALL the guards in this damn city will be after us! Get it out of your head, Sabersong, not everything can be solved with violence"

>"With all due respect Major, that might be true, but your method wasn't very effective either..."

"Well then how about you stop talking to me, and start asking more Celestiadamned cats about where that Celestiadamned embassy is?!"

>"S-sure, but..."

"I don't want to hear even one more damn "but". Merchant asking, now! Move out squad, double time!"

 

>the Major's quiet, but agressive backlash all spread you out on the street, doing as she told

>but you have to agree with Sabersong on this one

>this probably won't work

>the intel was right: these cats are sleazy

>you're indeed getting out of time now

>probably the Major is used to missions where the problems can be solved by shooting it enough times

>but this is not one of those missions, at least not yet

>at least she's trying though

>as you're walking up to a merchant stall further up the street, you see a pair of kittens in an alley

>they're arguing about something

>one of them has a small pouch, and the other tries to take it away from him

>this gives you an idea...

>what if you asked the kids about that damned embassy?

>they might know too, and kids tend to be pretty friendly in general

>so they might just tell you exactly what you need

>all you need to do is walk up there, gently break up the conflict, then act as a mediator between them

>then they'll gladly tell anything you will ask them

>it's the perfect plan!

>with great confidence, and with great determination, you walk up to them

 

"Hello, kids! How it's going? Why are you arguing?"

>the kittens get frozen in their act, and stare at you

>one of them, who's only wearing some rags, seems only surprised

>the other, seemingly from a richer background, wears a little coat and shorts, and seems a bit scared

"You know, whatever conflict you have, you can talk it out! You don't need to fight over it. You seem friends, so why don't you handle this like friends?"

>they still just stare at you, saying nothing

>of course, you could have guessed that butting into the situation just like this would cause confusion

>but it seemed such a solid plan at first...

>finally, the ragged one talks

>"Whoa, just who are you, freak?"

"Um... I'm a pony. My name is Sword Glitter. I'm here because I'm searching for a hippogriff friend of mine. But I saw you might need some help with your problem"

>"Then go and search for your friend. We don't have a problem, and we wouldn't need help from a weirdo like you anyway"

>the kitten sticks his tongue out to you

>rude...

>but now, the other kitten begins to talk as well

>"That's not true! We always have this problem. He has catnip, and he doesn't want to share it! Last week, I had a whole bunch, and gave more than half of it to him. But now he doesn't want to share back..."

>"Yeah, because you always have a lot, but this little I got should be mine. That's how it's fair, since you always have a lot!"

>"Not true! Your mom always said sharing is caring. I will tell on you that you didn't share!"

>"And I will tell on YOU that you're using catnip! And your momma will whoop your ass, because you're just an itty-bitty kitten who shouldn't do such a thing"

>"Oh no, you wouldn't..."

>"Oh yes, I would..."

>"It's treason, then!"

>the kittens promptly resume their little tug of war over the catnip

>well, damn...

>this way, you will never get to the actual point

 

>who would have thought you'd need serious pedagogical knowledge to dissolve a seemingly simple conflict?

>because right now, you're pretty clueless as to what to do

>you should say something nice and inspiring, but that didn't exactly work last time either

>and these kids don't seem that friendly anyway

>at least not the ragged one

>and besides, isn't catnip some sort of drug?

>this just feels so wrong

>at any rate, you don't want to say or do anything that would hurt their feelings

>they surely won't tell anything then

 

>suddenly, Longrun appears next to you

>"Hey Swordie. Having fun? What are you up to?"

>"Oh look, another weirdo... How many more of you are out there?" says the rude kitten

>"Five. And about three million in Equestria" Longrun says casually "So Corporal, what's the deal with these kids?"

>you pull Longrun aside, and lower your voice

"I thought about getting the info out of them, since they might actually know, but I just can't do anything with their conflict! I need to solve that first to make them talk"

>"But why?"

"Well, would angry little disappointed kids talk about adult things?"

>"Are you for real, Sword? That's not how you deal with kids. I bet you're a single child..."

"Correct... But do you have an idea then?"

>"Sure. Just watch"

 

>"Heyyy, kids! Are you arguing about something?"

>"Yeah! This meanie won't share his catnip! Despite I shared mine with him last week!"

>"Oh, that is all? Gimme that thing"

>Longrun snatches the catnip from their little paws

>"Since you were such little inconsiderate kittens, here's a new deal: Whichever of you tells me where the hippogriff embassy is, will get ALL the catnip. Tempting, right? Here's a little help: we're looking for a huge building with banners on it, in the southeastern portion of the city. Another weirdo lives there, with wings and a beak"

>"No deal, freak" says the rude one "The catnip is mine. So give it back. Or I call the guards..."

>"Oh really? They would just confiscate it. You're just a kid. But maybe your friend is smarter than you..."

>the other kitten actually starts to talk

>"Oh, that rings a bell. That's not far from where I live"

>"Where?"

>"Corktail road. You walk down this road, then turn slightly to the right at the large intersection. Then walk for another good ten minutes, and you're there at the fancy building"

>"Thanks! And don't do drugs, kids!" says Longrun as he tears up the pouch, and lets the contents blown away by the wind

>on the kittens' face, you see utter betrayal

>but before you could react anything, Longrun turns back, and walks away

>the information you seeked finally collected, you don't see much point in staying either

"Heh heh... When you grow up, you'll understand. See ya!"

>with that, you quickly leave the scene as well

 

>you catch up with Longrun

>"See Sword? That's how it's done. But admittedly, you had the right idea about the kids. They indeed knew shit"

"Perhaps you could be a bit nicer next time... But admittedly, your method was most effective"

>"I know right? Old Starstorm could learn a thing or two from me!"

>the rest of the squad is already assembled on the street

>you walk up to them

>"I've got the location. Corktail road, about 1,5 clicks to the east. Follow my lead" says Longrun

>"Whoah..." Starstorm says with a bit of awe "I knew you were a good tracker Longrun, but this is something else"

>"Don't thank me, the tracker this time was Sword. I just gave a push in the right direction in the end"

>"Well then... Good job Rookie. Bringing you along might not have been a mistake, after all... Okay squad, after Longrun. On the double, let's go!"

 

>you and the squad start to walk in the direction the unlikely informant suggested

>Longrun takes the lead, you all follow him

>as you make progress, you slowly start to leave the poor district of the city

>the buildings are becoming more elaborate, and the citizenry on the streets less downtrodden

>after some time, you indeed reach an intersection, just like the one described to you and Longrun

>you take the slight right turn here

>"Now we should be close" says Longrun

>as you're walking on, the street view really clears up

>you are now obviously in the middle district of the city

>there are more guards around as well

>you get many looks from them also, but you trot on, racing against the time

 

>finally, you reach a larger building, with two Hippogriff banners on the front

>this is it, you found the location

>now, you just need to get inside

>"Well, about damn time!" says Starstorm relieved "Now, on me"

>she tries to push inside the courtyard door, but it seems to be locked

>"Huh?!"

"Well, there we go..." says Breakpoint a bit amused

>"Oh, come on!" Starstorm exclaims in a muffled voice "Why everything needs to be so difficult?"

>"Just shoot the lock, Major? We're in the finish line, after all. I bet your horn itches, too"

>before Starstorm could answer to Sabersong's idiotic suggestion, Longrun chimes in

"Now, I know you ladies are eager to rip each other's head off, but before any squadmember would do anything stupid, take note THAT guard over there is watching us, and will probably come here within a minute asking what the hay are we doing, so let me take over this..."

>Starstorm visibly takes a second to get over the cockiness, then says

>"This better be good, Sergeant"

>Longrun takes out a lockpick and a pocket knife, and starts working his magic

>the door opens in seconds

>then he pushes it wide open for everyone

"See Saber? Easy"

>"Prick..."

 

>the squad walks through the courtyard, right up to the embassy's door

>since you are the closest to it, you gently knock

>"So Longrun... You pulled that trick a lot you're such an expert?" asks Breakpoint while you're waiting for someone to answer the door

"Nah. Only when I needed a room for the night"

>"Whoa buddy" Breakpoint chuckles "On which side of the law you stand actually?"

"That depends on my momentary needs..."

>"Shush! Someone's coming..." Starstorm interrups the banter

>you indeed hear steps closing in, then very slowly, the door opens

>a cat in a tuxedo gives you all a good, (and not too friendly) look before he speaks

>"Yeees? How could I help you?"

>Starstorm speaks up

>"Greetings. We're at the Hippogriff embassy... right?

>"That would be correct" answers the cat, his voice lacking any sort of enthusiasm

>"Great! We're here on the behalf of Princess Celestia of Equestria AND Queen Novo of the Hippogriff Kingdom, and we have to speak to Mr. Seabeak urgently. He is inside, right?"

>"I'm sorry, but the audience with Mr. Seabeak is out of session. Please come back tomorrow"

>the cat starts to close the door, but Breakpoint puts his hoof between it and the doorframe, then forces the door open

>the cat gets a bit surprised, but also a bit angry

>"Perhaps you ponies didn't hear it correctly last time, but..."

>this is the moment Starstorm loses her cool

>"Listen Mister, this is an emergency, and we don't have time until tomorrow. As a matter of fact, we don't even have an hour. Now, is the ambassador here, or not?!"

>"He is here, yes, but he is also very busy right now, so there is a good reason he's not welcoming anyone right no...WHOA!!!"

>Startstorm pushes the aide aside, and enters the building

>"Come!"

 

>you all follow inside, with you being the last

>you feel a bit bad about how this all came together, but you close the door behind yourself anyway

>"What is the meaning of this??? I'm gonna go and call the city guards! You can't just break into an embassy! What do you ponies think of yourselves?!"

>the cat aide is really mad

>and with a reason, you have to admit

>but your reasons for being forceful might be justified right now

>"Lead us to the ambassador. Now. No stupid moves, no shouting" says Starstorm

>"Please... It really IS very important" you add

>Startorm gives you a weird look, just as the aide

>well, he's probably weirded out by the dichotomy of the two requests

>"All right... I'll give in to the violence. But I assure you, none of you will get away with this, unless you give a REALLY good explanation" says the aide, as he starts to lead you upstairs

>"Oh buddy, if only you knew... Not a single soul might get away with what's gonna happen real soon" quips Longrun

>"Shut it" says Starstorm

>the cat aide looks back, both weirded out and curious, but doesn't say a word

>soon, he stops in front of a door, and knocks on it

 

"Yes? Who is it? Jeeves, if it's you, you can just come in"

>"Actually Sir, it's... Augh!"

>Starstorm gives the cat a little cautionary punch

>"It's...me. May I come in?"

"Yes, that's what I was saying, you can always come in Jeeves!"

>Jeeves opens the door, and jumps inside

>"I'm so terribly sorry, Sir! I swear, I can explain! Th-these burglars, these pony burglars, they shoved me inside when I answered the front door, then DEMANDED that I lead them to you! We should probably alarm the City Guard, but who knows what they would do if we did..."

>the Hippogriff ambassador looks up from some folders behind his desk

>he takes off his monocle as you pour into the room

>"Mr Seabeak, I assume?" Starstorm asks

"Yes, correct. And you are the pony "burglars", I assume?" he adds, with the hint of a smile

>"No sir. We're Equestrian Special Forces. We're here to... Relay a very important message to you from Queen Novo. Your ears only"

>at this point, you've all taken off your hoodies, revealing your helmets

"Special Forces? So military? Hm, very well... Jeeves, could you leave us alone for a minute?"

>"Um... Of course, Sir" says Jeeves, with a bit dumbfounded expression

>he's probably surprised his superior isn't freaked out like he is

>he makes a little bow, and slithers out the door

 

>Seabeak turns back to Starstorm

"So um...ponies, what is that message you have to get accross?"

>"Uh-hum... Breakpoint?"

>Breakpoint casually kicks the closed door with one hind leg

>a somewhat high pitched "Meooowch!!!" comes from behind it, then the sounds of footsteps moving away

>Seabeak nods with approval, as someone who knows he's constantly eavesdropped upon

>"Sir, let me introduce myself. I'm Major Starstorm, commander of Phoenix Squad. And we're here to get you out of here"

>the hippogriff raises an eyebrow, but Starstorm continues

>"In less than an hour, the forces of the Storm King gonna hit this city with a sizable fleet of airships. There are so many of them that the city will SURELY be overrun. Your Queen doesn't want you to be here when that happens. Due to some... diplomatic considerations, we are your escort team. I know this is very sudden right now, but I implore you to grab your most, but ONLY your most important belongings, and follow us. We have an airship landed outside of city bounds, if we move out right now, we can still make it without a firefight... Sir"

>Seabeak waits a few more seconds, as if waiting for a punchline, then bursts out laughing

"Oh-hohohoho-hahaha! Oh please, you must be kidding me! That's rich, that's indeed very rich! The Storm King? That creature? The Storm King is just a petty little tyrant from one of the smaller island states, with a loud mouth, but little actual power. One of those "southern despots" that we Hippogriffs throughoutly despise, but make no mistake, would crush in a heartbeat, if he would be of any significance. He is an annoyance, but surely not a menace. But you ponies are a riot! You have some more?"

 

>"Mr Ambassador! I'm not joking! Do you think we would have come all this way here from Equestria to just crack some jokes?"

"I understand what you're saying, but it's just so... unbelievable. Do you perhaps have some evidence to back up these claims?"

>"Evidence? We saw the Storm King's ships with our own eyes on the way here! Isn't this enough?"

"To be quite honest? I think even if an "army" is approaching right now, Abyssinian forces will surely be able to handle it. These cats can be fericious warriors, you know. I'm sure the Storm King's pathetic army will be scattered in no time"

>"Maybe he had only a small force some years ago, but this is an invasion fleet we're dealing with right now! Times are changing ambassador, and it seems you're out of the loop. Whole realms are going to go down in flames very soon, and Abyssinia is the next on the Storm King's list"

>Seabeak puts together his claws

"I still think you're giving that cloven-hooved mongrel too much credit. We're in no danger whatsoever. And if -I- was in danger, the Feline King would have surely warned me. We're on quite good terms, you know"

>Starstorm is almost bursting from anger at this point

>"Aggggh... Why do I even bother?! You're coming with us, like it or not. You're not staying here for the attack"

"And what are you gonna do? Just drag me away?"

>"If I have to..."

 

>as you're listening to these two thickskulls arguing, you realize you gonna be here for a while if up to them

>since neither of them budge, somepony else should do something

>you're just surprised that Scroll, who's by far the smartest out of you, didn't interfere yet

>so you gotta do something

>"Hey Scroll" you say "Do you have anything that could convince Mr Seabeak to come with us?"

>"I still have Novo's letter to Celestia on me. That ought to do it. Here. Show it to the ambassador"

>Scroll discreetly levitates the letter over to you

>"Wow, cool. But Scroll... Why didn't you say so you have this? You could have broken this argument before it even begun!"

>"Oh, you know Sword, I am too old for this. And Commander Starstorm just likes her hardass role too much, so I better not interfere"

>oh, well...

>that's pretty weird, but you can't think about that now

>you should give the letter to Seabeak instead

 

>"Ahem. Excuse me. Can I have a word?" you speak up in the middle of the heated argument

>both the Major and the Ambassador looks at you

>"Would THIS maybe convince you that the threat is real?"

>you levitate the letter over to Seabeak

"What is this?"

>"A letter from your ruler to ours"

>he puts on her monocle, and starts to read it

>as he makes progress in the letter, his expression visibly darkens

>he finally finishes, and puts down the letter

"I see... Well, perhaps we could give my dear Novo a visit, and talk this out with her"

>"Finally... But hey, if you're still not convinced, just fly up into the sky a bit, and look towards the sea" says Starstorm

"No, no need... Let's go. Time's-a-wastin'. We still have to pick up my family, after all"

 

>"Y-y-y-your WHAT???!"

>Starstorm almost gets a shock

>the squad grumbles, too

>this is indeed not good

>there was only supposed to be one VIP to extract

>but if this hippogriff has a family, he surely won't leave without them

"Why yes" Seabeak continues "My dear wife, and little Flurry Tides. And she was already born here. It's high time she saw her homeland anyways"

>Starstorm turns to all of you, and says in a defeated voice

>"Okay, change of plan squad: THREE VIPs. Get ready for the mission of you lives"

 

"You seem surprised. You wasn't informed I moved here with my wife when I became ambassador?"

>"I surely wasn't... Scroll?"

>Starstorm looks at the Captain

>"The intel we got didn't contain it. But it's not like it would change anything at this point"

"Then I'm so sorry... It seems Hippogriff intelligence made a mistake. They also made a mistake that *I* wasn't informed of an impending attack... Gentleponies, I suggest we leave right now. I'll make sure to be as little burden as possible"

>"Thank you for that, but I'm afraid that's not how it works... But anyway, grab what you need, and let's move out"

>Seabeak opens a safe behind his desk, takes out a folder, and puts it away

"I'm ready. Let's go"

>"You sure don't need anything else? This place will be captured by the Storm King's forces, and all the intel within"

"They can have it" Seabeak scoffs "What is really sensitive, I have right here" he says, showing his briefcase

>"Alright then, Mr. Ambassador. Lead us to your home then, pick up your family, and try to leave before this city goes down in flames"

 

>you all leave the ambassador's office, and go down the stairs to the hall

>there you see Jeeves, the cat butler

"Just a moment, please..." Seabeak excuses himself

"Jeeves, my good friend, I have to leave urgently... I have an..."

>Seabeak looks back at the squad

>Starstorm very subtly shakes her head

"...emergency meeting with Queen Novo, and I honestly don't know how long it will take, so please, take care of the place while I'm away"

>"Of course, Sir. That's just natural, Sir"

"And please... don't invite over your friends to party like last time, right Jeeves?"

>"But Sir, how could I... Whatever you mean?!"

"It's alright... Just take care of yourself, right? Goodbye to you, and... stay safe"

>"Of course, Sir. Goodbye, and have a good travel. I hope you'll come back soon"

>Seabeak nods, then turns to Starstorm

"Alright. Let's go"

 

>you leave the embassy, and turn right, continuing down the same street

>the huge Hippogriff merely walks, but his long legs propel him fast enough you have to trot to keep up

>good thing too, you must be almost out of time by now

>"Please tell me you don't live very far" says the Major

"Oh no, my house is just further down the street. We'll be there shortly"

>along the way, the ambassador is greeted by the city guards, and in turn, you also don't get weird looks

>it seems he is well known around these parts

>well, he better be, he is the ambassador

>luckily, Mr Seabeak was right, you indeed arrive to a tidy house in no time

>it's much smaller than the embassy building, but it still stands out among the houses of the locals

>it's facade also bears all kinds of sea themed masonry, giving it an elaborate look

>Seabeak walks through his garden, and enters the house

>you all follow inside

 

>the first thing that strikes you, is the luxury of the place

>it's nothing like the relatively simple insides of the embassy

>there's expensive stonework and furniture everywhere

>the second thing you notice, is the young cat maiden, dusting off the shelves

"'Afternoon, Katja, I'm home" the ambassador greets her

>"Ah, Mr Seabeak, greetings! You're home so early! Of course, it's a welcome surprise, but I'll be honest, I didn't even begin making dinner yet. Oh, and you have guests, too... Greetings, and feel welcomed!"

"Don't worry Katja, I'm leaving soon anyway. Where's my wife?"

>"Oh, she went out for some shopping to the market. She told me it wouldn't take long, and she's been away for awhile now. Could be home at any moment"

"I hope so..." answers Seabeak, with some concern in his voice "And what's with Flurry? Where is she? Is she all right?"

>the questions seemingly surprise the cat maiden

>she can't possibly know why his master is concerned...

 

>"She is in her room, of course. Sleeping. Peacefully"

"Did you check on her?"

>"I just did ten minutes ago. She's alright"

>but Seabeak flies upstairs anyway, and comes back with her baby daughter

>he seems nervous now

"Katja, you sure my wife didn't say when she'll come back?"

>"Why yes Sir, she didn't say a specific time. Just: Soon"

>the ambassador turns to you now

"Well, my wife is known to take her sweet time... I never minded it, but right now, I just don't know what to do. I could go after her, but I'm afraid we might just miss each other"

>"Honestly, I'm more concerned about the baby. Are you gonna carry her along just like that?" asks Starstorm

>the baby Hippogriff, comically small compared to her father, still sleeps wrapped up in her blanket, obviously not aware of the oncoming danger

"What do you mean?"

>"Two Hippogriffs already stand out as good targets for the enemy, but with a baby in your claws, you just gonna get her killed. Isn't there something around to protect her? Like some armor, or the like"

"A-armor? For a baby?!"

>Starstorm looks at the ambassador as if that was the most natural thing in the world

>well, she is a soldier, not a parent...

"I'm afraid we don't have anything of the sorts. But I'm sure my wife will think of something. If only she was here..."

 

>the Major turns back to you

>"If she doesn't come back in 10 minutes, one of us will have to go, and look for her"

>"We split up? Now? Very unwise. If we get hit while one of us is out there... I won't continue..."

>"ONLY if she doesn't come back soon... Calm down Scroll, this ain't like you"

>"You know she won't. And things will go fubar as soon as one of us goes out there searching for Mrs Seabeak"

"I have to agree with your comrade, Major" Seabeak chimes in "You would get lost on your way to the market. It's rush hour. And you're small. You wouldn't see anything with all the cats on the streets right now. I'll just send Katja out there. She knows the city very well, and knows the routes my wife usually takes"

>"Hmm... Fine" Starstorm gives in "But I won't let her go without escort. One of us will have to go with her"

"That's all good. Katja will lead the way, while one of you will act as a bodyguard. Although I hope that will turn out unnecessary..."

>"So which one of us will go?" asks Longrun

>"We still have some time..."

>"Why wait, Major?" says Shield "The sooner the three VIPs are together, the better. You heard the Captain, Mrs Seabeak probably won't be back anytime soon"

"I can only support that notion" says Seabeak

>"Then call your maiden here, Mr Ambassador" answers Starstorm, but not without a slight grimace

>she's probably not delighted she can't fully be in control

>then she turns to you

>"Corporal Glitter? You're going with the cat"

 

>"Yes Ma'am" you respond without a hitch in your voice, although feeling uneasy about the situation

>"What?! Why her? You want the Rookie to escort back the VIP?" huffs Sabersong in protest

>"Calm yourself, Saber. I have my reasons... Corporal, I understand you have some serious crowd control and escorting skills"

>"Yes, Major. As a Royal Guard, I was trained to act as a stand-in escort for the Princess, if the need arises. Although I could never put that skill into practice..."

>"Well, then now's the time Rookie. You have to make sure Mrs Seabeak makes it back here unscathed. These cats will go crazy when the Storm Army attacks the city. Panic will ensue, and you have to cut a way through the crowd"

>"Um..."cut" a way through?"

>"Do whatever it takes, Rookie. Improvise"

"Just make sure to use a non-lethal approach" says the Ambassador in a lowered voice "These cat folks really don't deserve what will hit them soon, so no need to pile on that... Um, Katja, do you have a moment please?"

>the cat maiden pokes her head in from the neighbouring room

>"Yes, Master?"

"Please Katja, go after my wife to the market. And take this pony with you. She will help you in the search. Find her, and take her back immediately"

>"Right away, Master Seabeak. But could I ask why you and the Mistress need to leave so suddenly?" asks Katja, now right in front of her Master

"Oh yes, Katja. You see... I have an emergency meeting with Queen Novo, and...decided my family should visit home too. So that's why"

>"Ahh, makes sense! Duty calls, right Master? Very well, I'll go and bring back the Mistress right away!"

>"Alright Rookie. Move out. And make it fast" gestures the Major towards the door

 

>you and Katja leave the house and hit the streets

>the maiden, still donning her distinctive outfit, didn't seem very streetwise to you, but now that she's out here, started wearing a very different expression

>that of someone who knows exactly what she's doing

"This way. Less crowded here"

>you take a turn to the alleyways

>this seems like a longer route, but you can definitely move faster

>now that it's less busy around you, Katja speaks up

"So, who are you anyway? Are you with the pony military? Or some mercenaries?"

>"Former. We're...uh...Princess Celestia's honor guards. We're here to act as escorts to the Ambassador"

"Strange... Why didn't he get hippogriff escorts? He's a hippogriff..."

>"Because... We also had an urgent message for your king, and if we were here, well, why not escort back the Ambassador too?"

"That story is smellier than camel dung. Why don't you tell me why you guys suddenly showed up? If you can't, by all means don't, but I'm still not gonna believe your tall tale"

>damn these cats are REALLY smart

>especially this one

>right now you feel all your lies weighing down on your shoulders

>they have the right to know the truth, yet you were ordered to shut up about it

>and you rolled with it...

>but now you feel like it would be time to tell it, even if to this cat only

>she doesn't seem like one who would start to panic...

>"I have strict orders not to tell this to any of the locals but... If I tell it to you, do you promise not to panic, and still lead me to Mrs Seabeak?"

 

"I grew up in the slums, my little pony... My parents were very poor, so much that I resorted to petty thievery and begging to get food sometimes. I think I can take a shitty deal, whatever that might be. And don't worry, we'll find you Mrs Seabeak. They were always nice to me, and I owe them this much. Because, let me guess, it's not an "emergency meeting" they have to leave for?"

>"Indeed not. It's an attack on this city by the Storm King's forces. We have to escort them out of the city before it happens. In a nutshell"

"Well, no shit... You guys indeed lied to us big time. But here's the deal: We'll go the market, and find the Mistress. Then I'll go, and find my parents. Maybe we can still seek shelter before any of this happens. Then maybe try to find a way out of the city, as I feel I won't really serve any hippogriff ambassadors anytime soon"

>"You indeed won't..." you blush in shame "Most likely the city will be overrun in no time. The Storm King has a massive army of creatures and airships. Not sure how well your military will hold up..."

"Honestly, I don't care... It was always every cat for themselves in this damn city. I'll take my parents, and try to start a new life somewhere else. I have some saved money. Luckily, the Seabeaks payed me really well"

>"I'm sorry I -we- lied to you. To all of you... Maybe your military could have prepared a bit if we told our business to the guards right away"

"Save your apologies, they won't change anything now. And stop feeling bad about lying, we cats do that all the time"

>"But, I'm really so..."

"Shush! I'm not actually mad, so stop apologizing already. Let's stay focused, and find our hippogriff lady instead. You don't want to disappoint your boss, do you?"

 

>you reach the market with Katja in no time

>now that you're here, it would be good time to start looking for Mrs Seabeak

>except that all you can see are cat tails and bellies

>as you are about that tall compared to them

>you also realize that bipedal creatures can crowd up a place even more than quadropeds

>you solely have to rely on Katja to find Mrs Seabeak now

>thing is, you can't really move forward in the crowd to search all of the market

>and it seems to be a really big market

>at least a hippogriff should really stand out from the crowd, so you will surely notice her when she's close

"Damn it, this is really too much, even for rush hour!" complains Katja "All we seem to do is to go with the flow"

>"Don't try to simply push away folks. Push them with one hand, AND squeeze your body through to move forward. I could show you if I were taller..."

"Hey, don't you try to teach a street cat how to handle a crowd! I'm doing my best, all things considered"

>"I'm just giving some advice..."

"You're one mouthy little pony... Listen, I know what I'm doing, and I'm......"

>Katja bumps into a fellow cat head-on

>or, it seems more like the cat bumped into Katja

 

>and the cat speaks, too

>"Katja! What a pleasant surprise! And it's been a long time..."

"Capper... What are YOU doing here?"

>"Oh, just perusing the merchants' goods... You know"

"Yeah, I know you must be planning something with Chummer"

>"Now, that would be the last thing I would resort to... Hey, who -or what- is this?!"

>the cat named Capper points to you

"It's a pony. But none of your concern"

>"Ah, what a colorful creature... Friend of yours?"

"Told you Capper, it doesn't concern you... Instead, could you do me a quick favor?"

>"So, we're doing business again, Katja? How delightful!"

"Business?! It's no business, Capper, you still owe me after that failed casino gig... So, did you see the hippogriff ambassador's wife? She should be hanging around here at the market"

>"If I tell you Katja, will you forgive me, and everything will be like in old times?" asks Capper with kitty-cat eyes

"If you tell me, I won't claw your face off... Now spit it out. Fast"

>"Okay, okay. I saw your hippogriff at the pearl diver's stall, about five minutes ago. The old sack only brought up some seashells again, but the hippogriff's all over it anyway"

"Perfect. Come on pony, let's catch Coral"

>"Anything else, my most wonderful partner in crime?" asks Capper

"Yeah. Let us not speak ever again"

>"Alright, Katja. See you soon!"

 

>Katja doesn't answer, and starts moving on instead

>luckily, the crowd thinned out a bit, so you can make some good progress

>with less commotion around, Katja speaks again

"That was Capper. A fellow street cat. Or at least used to be. We helped each other out on occasions, but he's even sleazier than most. Ah, doesn't matter.. Old story"

>"Strange character. But who's Coral?"

"That would be Mrs Seabeak's proper name. Coral Waves. She actually prefers it. Try to call her that if you wanna make a good first impression. Well, if that matters right now..."

>"Okay. Are we still far from her? This marketplace can't be THAT big"

"Not that far, but the pearl diver has his stand set up on the other side of it. Heh... Coral likes to hang out there. Admires the seashells Water Whisker brings up. It reminds her of her home. She misses it..."

>"I can understand that. This seems like a desolate place for a hippogriff, no offense"

"It's a desolate place for cats too, except for the really rich. But as I understand, Coral will go home very soon... Lucky her"

>"Yes, it seems..." you blush, understanding the implication

 

>atfer a few minutes, you arrive

>Katja points at a slender female hippogriff

"There she is, Coral Waves. She will know the way back. And with that said, my journey here is over"

>"Don't you wanna say goodbye to her? You said you liked her"

"No game. She'd try to convince me to go with them, and I really don't need that conversation right now. I never liked to be a burden anyway. Maybe say goodbye for me, but that's it"

>"Alright then. Thank you for leading me here, Katja. Very much appreciated"

"No need for thanks, you seemed fine to me...uh...I don't even know your name. How can I call you, pony?"

>"Sword. Corporal Sword Glitter. It was my pleasure too, Katja. Too bad we had to get to know each other in such circumstances"

"I feel like it wouldn't have happened in any other way... But I'll take my leave now. And take care of them hippogriffs, would you? They don't deserve to get hurt"

>"That's exactly what we will do. And... Thanks again"

"Yeah... Well, goodbye Sword Glitter. May you have nine lives!"

>"Goodbye to you too, Katja. And take care"

>with that, Katja hurries away, and disappears in the crowd

>you turn back, and approach the hippogriff

>it's time to do what you came for

 

>you step closer to the cream-colored hippogriff

>she is perusing the assortment of sea shells on the market stall in front of her

>the owner, a cat with long whiskers forming a mustache, looks on with some satisfaction

>the hippogriff, properly named Coral Waves, doesn't notice you initially

>she seems having great joy browsing the sea-related goods

>"Um, excuse me?" you speak

"Oh?!"

>she turns to you, putting down the shell she was examining

>the merchant also looks at you

>out of the two, he seems the more surprised

>he probably doesn't see many ponies, and in armor, nonetheless

>"Greetings, Miss. I'm Corporal Sword Glitter, Equestrian Special Forces. I was asked to escort you back to your residence, where your husband and my squad are awaiting you. It's imperative that you come with me right now. I know this seems sudden, but I swear, everything will be clear very soon"

>well, that was a mouthful

>it actually sounded a bit more official than you were going for

>very Royal Guard-ish

>which wouldn't be necessary right now

>but you just can't defy your Guard training

>and you're not a full Paladin yet anyway

>at least you don't feel like so

 

>Coral Waves looks down at you, silently for a moment

>probaby she's still processing what you just said -or more like, declared- to her

>it's funny how tall she is

>it feels like you're talking to Celestia

>and funnily enough, her voice is a bit like hers too

>at least, it's a nice voice to listen to

"Equestrian military? This is about my husband, isn't it?"

>she speaks quietly, and in a serious tone

>in a tone someone uses when they wanna share a secret

>"Yes. And you. Please, follow. Your husband will explain to you everything once we...Whoah!"

>Coral Waves grabs you, and puts you down several yards away after a wing-assisted leap

"I don't need any expaining. I knew it would come to this. My husband has vital information that HAS to escape the city before -they- arrive"

>and whoah again

>this mare is in the knows

>maybe YOU'd need some explaining right now

>you lower your voice too

>"You know..."

>the hippogriff bends down to you, expecting what's coming to be sensitve

>"...about the impending attack? From the Storm King?"

"I don't, but I was expecting this. How far away are they?"

>"We could already see them as we came here"

"Damn... Then let's go. Now"

>Coral turns back and says goodbye to the merchant

>gotta pretend everything's alright, yeah?

>before you'd throw yourselves into the sea of cats in the market, you extend a leg in front of your VIP

>"Crowd's real thick. I gotta make way for us to advance faster. Don't worry ma'am, I have training"

>the hippogriff looks at you with a somewhat bemused face

"I really appreciate the offer, Corporal" she says, as she extends her wings "But I don't think that will be necessary..."

 

>oh yeah

>you almost forgot she can fly

>well, that makes things easier

>"That seems the fastest way home for sure... I guess I'll see you there" you say, in a slightly defeated voice

"Don't speak nonsense, Corporal Sword. You're coming with me. We don't have much time anyway"

>"Indeed not, but I'm afraid in my armor I would prove to be far too......Eeeep!"

>you can't finish the sentence, as Coral Waves grabs you under the forelegs, and lifts you into the air like you were a pillow

"We fly, Corporal! Hang on!"

>you can't really react to the sudden air hike, so you hang in your huge VIP's claws like some unlucky prey

>your armor and robes aren't configured for these sort of rides, so they begin of slide off from your back and flanks

>luckily, they are strapped on pretty good, so they don't fall off

>as you gain some altitude, you can see the dusty marketplace, and the crowd of cats, between your spread legs

>honestly, you feel pretty awkward right now

>this trip isn't very becoming of a Royal Guard, let alone a Paladin

>you try to regain some semblance of control, and pull up both hind legs next to your body

>now it's not full ragdoll mode, at least

 

>but as you rise above the roofline, you see something in the corner of your eyes

>you turn your head, and now it's clear

>a bunch of airships are already floating above the seaport

>so this is it

>it begins

 

ACT III: BAPTISM OF FIRE

 

>the mighty Storm Army is here

>there's no doubt about it now, this mission won't end without combat

>not that you expected it, but you still had some dim hope

>now even that is gone

>you call out to Coral Waves, notifying her, but as she seems to do, interrupts again

"Yes, I noticed. We have to get back quickly now"

>she doesn't sound scared though

>only begins to fly faster

>strange

>you'd expect a freakout from a civilian after a sight like that, but she is awfully calm, considering everything

>"You seem calm..."

"I learned to remain calm while serving with the Royal Marines" she says, panting a little

>seemingly the higher speed, along with your extra weight, is starting to tire her out

>"Wait... You're military, too?!"

"Yes, although I was just a reservist. But my training was still tough. I don't scare easily"

>"Then I'm really glad to have your aquintance NOW"

>Coral Waves doesn't answer anything, just chuckles a bit

>after all, she needs all her energy now

 

>as you behold the terrible sight of the enemy fleet, you hear a low-pitched growling sound

>at first you think it's thunder, but that can't be, it's sunny skies all over

>indeed, the weather is in an ironic contrast with mood of the situation unfolding

>after the first growl, you hear a second, then a third

>then a whole lot of them, one after another

>now they are louder too, and sound closer to a "BOOM"

>a few seconds later, you hear an elongated, high pitched whizzing

>and then, the first building in Felin al-Kot crumbles to dust

>it's not thunder, it's gunfire!

>they have godsdamned cannons!

>just moments later, you hear a whole salvo firing, and very soon, multiple buildings get hit in the not-so-far distance

>looking at the ships, you can even see the smoke from the guns now

 

>it suddenly dawns on you, that you're flying above the roofline, presenting yourselves as perfectly good targets

>moving, and probably too small to hit, but still

>"Ms Waves... Let's fly lower, in the cover of the buildings. Those guns could hit us this way..."

"Nonsense, we're too small..."

>a shot lands just half a block away, emphasizing your point

"...for that"

>the hippogriff looks a bit angrily in the direction of the hit

>maybe only because she was interrupted...

>otherwise, she doesn't seem to be concerned

>unlike the crowd, that's starting to go crazy in the street underneath you

>they're running in all directions, confused, desperately trying to seek cover

>the few guards around are tyring to direct them, to no avail

>nothing will stop the panic now

>it usually can't be stopped...

 

>you're actually reminded of the Battle of Canterlot by this

>when the citizenry were suddenly striked by an army of Changelings

>your Royal Guard couldn't do much either

>or you

>you were only a teenager, and didn't even think of joining up yet

>you remember the look on your father's face when he swung the front door open

>if was a face of horror, an expression you never saw him wearing

>he rushed home from work to check if you two were okay

>you two, as in you and your mom

>you were both hidng under a table, trying to reassure each other that things are gonna be okay

>just in case, you had your fencing rapier ready

>that you luckily didn't get to use

>when your dad arrived, he joined you under the table, hugging your mom

>she was the more scared out of you two

>thinking back, this event was pushing you towards your eventual destiny

>as in, becoming a guardsmare

 

>the sound of a cannonball striking close snaps you out of reminiscing, and get you back to the reality of the situation

>you have almost arrived, the hippogriff residence is in sight

>you start to descend, and your partner release you above the garden

>you were a bit too high, so you take a few tumbling steps when landing to keep your balance

>Coral Waves now seems significantly more tired

>it was a mad rush here, after all

>she's breathing heavily

>as you stand among the haunch-high flowers, you look outside

>good thing the stone-and-metal garden fence is so tall, that it can't be possibly leaped by the cat people

>if they did, they'd try to get inside the house to seek shelter

>and then...they would probably be shot by your squadmates, fearing the VIPs are in danger

>yeah, a panicked crowd like this can be dangerous

>so good thing you don't have to deal with that

 

>Coral steps to the door

>as she raises her claws to knock, the door opens

>"Quickly, get inside!" a familiar voice urges her "You too, corporal!"

>you both enter, and Starstorm closes the door behind you

>"Glad you're here, Mrs. Seabeak. Are you all right? You weren't hurt, were you?"

>Mr Seabeak rushes to her wife, and they hug each other

>with the baby Flurry Tides being in middle

>Mrs Seabeak only answers from the embrace:

"Yes, I'm fine. Your corporal warned me just in time of the attack"

>"Good. Glad to hear that"

>"And so am I!" says the ambassador, releasing her wife "I'm thankful to you, Corporal Glitter, for helping my wife. But... where is Katja?"

"She's not here?" asks Coral his husband, raising an eybrow

>"No. I sent her with Corporal Glitter, so she could help finding you. But she didn't come back with you two"

"I didn't see her at the market, either"

>now both Mr and Mrs Seabeak looks at you, questioningly

>and your squad too

>especially the Major

>damn, she's angry

>she probably has a good guess what's up

 

>oh well, you were gonna tell it anyways

>"Katja went her own ways. Saying she was gonna find her parents before the attack hits..."

>you glance at Starstorm

>her brows come closer and closer to a "V" shape

>you can't possibly sugarcoat this now

>"...I might have told her about the attack that just happened. He didn't believe the lie we agreed upon telling every cat. So I just...told her the truth... Ma'am"

>the Major's expression is beyond angry now

>she is seething, although she didn't even speak yet

>yet...

>"Corporal Glitter, you just defied a direct order with your act. I could courtmartial you for that when we get back! Do you know what is the reason we agreed upon not to tell anyone about the attack? It's that!" she says, pointing outside

>sure there's panic on the streets, but that didn't happen because of you

>"With all due respect Ma'am, the attack would have happened whether we tell about it, or not"

>Starstorm raises her voice

>she never shouted with you, but her voice is grating enough that it's worse than others' shouting

>"Dammit Glitter, it's about the principle! What sort of soldier are you, if you can't follow orders?!"

"Please Major, stop this now!" interjects Coral Waves, raising a foreleg "We have more pressing troubles on our hooves and claws now. Our servant is better off this way. She was a street cat, she will manage. Better than to drag her into what's gonna happen"

>"I agree" says Scroll Writ quietly "Let's start to think about how we will escort our VIPs. As there's WILL BE combat"

>"That might not be the case... I have a plan" says the ambassador, looking all smug while doing so

 

>"I'm open to suggestions right now" turns the Major to Seabeak, now being somewhat calmer "Until the crowd outside doesn't dissipate somewhat, we're sitting ducks in here"

>at this moment, the chandelier rings a bit

>and some pieces of paint fall down from the ceiling

>"And until the bombardment doesn't stop" she adds

>Seabeak takes a seat, and rests one foreleg on the table next to him

>"Right... It is said the embassy building -the hippogriff one, of course- was built upon the foundations of a noble house centuries ago. The owner of this house, whose name escapes me right now, made an escape tunnel in his basement, that ran all the way to the southernmost gate of the city. Now, I never saw the entrance for this tunnel in the basement, but there is a good chance it was simply walled up, and can be blown in easily with some...magical assistance. So in other words, all we need to do is to reach the embassy building, and we might have a straight shot to our escape"

>the members of the squad look at each other

>they all seem kinda skeptical

>honestly, rightly so...

>Starstorm is the first to speak up

>"So the existence of this tunnel is...dubious at best, if I take this right?"

>"And even if it exists" continues Longrun "It might be collapsed, hehe...heh..."

>he laughs, but his funny guy seems to be weaker now

>"I say, let's go for it. What can we lose?" says finally Breakpoint "And if it's collapsed or anything, we'll just continue as normal"

>"Yeah! And shoot our way through any pathetic creature that dares to stand in our way" adds Sabersong

>she sounds like some psycho

>and she might be one...

>"But Major, what until then?"

>the question came from Shield

>it's a good one, but you know what the Major will say to it

>"Until then Sergeant, we wait"

 

>waiting is the worst part

>you can't tell if it was 30 seconds or 30 minutes that have passed

>the artillery barrage has been constant, and closer hits always shook the building a bit

>the Ambassador assured you though, that his house is sturdy enough, and it wouldn't collapse even from a direct hit

>nevertheless, the Major have sent down the hippogriff family to the basement, just to be sure

>but the artillery isn't what ails you

>you know what's coming, and you'd rather just get over it quickly

>yeah, right...

>avoiding a direct confrontation would be the best obviously, but this is not that kind of profession

>it's hard to admit, even to just yourself, but you're afraid

>afraid of combat

>this is no longer training, or even the practice golems

>no longer telling an overenthusiastic citizen that he can't just enter the castle grounds without permission

>no longer levitating a kitten off from a perfectly trimmed Canterlotian tree

>you thought you were ready, but you are not

>not ready to hurt, and potentially kill

>these thoughts are grating

>wish they could just go away...

 

>the rest of the squad doesn't seem all that concerned though

>or they just hide it well

>Starstorm and Scroll Writ are their usual stoic selves

>with the added angery expression in the case of the Major

>Sabersong and Longrun are exchanging banter, and seemingly having a good time

>yeah, figures Ms Psycho would enjoy the situation...

>Breakpoint is being pretty chill as well, but he is just sitting on his flanks, alone

>well, resting before a firefight makes sense too

>only Shield seems a bit restless, pacing around slowly

>maybe you could talk to him, he would surely understand what you feel

>it would take a bit of weight off your shoulders

>yeah, that feels right

>better than fuming about things inside

 

>as you open your mouth to talk, the artillery stops

>the silence seems eerie in comparison to the mumbling and booming of the gun shots and hits

>everyone stays motionless for about a minute, awaiting what's gonna happen

>did the arty really stop, or is it just a small intermission?

>eventually, Sabersong breaks the silence

>"Well, it was about damn time"

>"Let's hope it's indeed over" reacts Starstorm, looking over each member of the squad

>eventually, her eyes stop at Longrun

>"Sergeant Longrun, give us some recon"

"What sort?"

>"It was mentioned this building has a roof access. Get up there, and do a look around. Then report back quickly"

"Aye-aye, Ma'am"

>he starts to go, but Starstorm stops him

>"Remember Longrun: recon only. No combat, no firing upon anything. Got that?"

"Ah, don't worry Major. I'm a lover, not a fighter"

>Starstorm's tired-of-your-shit expression basically dismisses the scout, and indeed, he takes the hint

>he disappears trotting up the stairs

 

>just a few minutes later, Longrun returns, galloping down the stairs

>he almost crashes into the set dining table

>he looks concerned

>all eyes are drawn to him

"Major, we have a situation!"

>"Go ahead Sergeant"

"The storm creatures are rounding up civilians on the street. They are entering every house, shoving the cats outside. And what is worse, about a platoon-sized unit is coming right this way!"

>"Damn, seems like they invaded the city while their guns covered them... How far they are?" asks Starstorm, now visibly concerned

"Two minutes, and they're here. Guess they noticed this fancy house"

>"Alright then... Squad, gather around me!" she waves around her hoof

>you all come closer

>time for a quick pep talk

 

>Starstorm speaks

>"Okay, we all knew it would come to this, but a few things to keep in mind anyway. First, this is an organized army, and these are trained soldiers. This won't be target practice like with the swamp trolls. Secondly, these creatures are HUGE. If it comes to close quarters, you're screwed, they can probably pound you to dust faster than you can blink. Yes, even you Breakpoint..."

>Breakpoint makes an angry frown

>he looks at Longrun

>"You already saw them... Are they really that big?"

"They sure are, buddy. Taller than a cat, and all muscle. And armored"

>Breakpoint looks at the ground momentarily

>this surely didn't make him happier

>Starstorm resumes

>"Yeah, you heard him... So, here's the plan: we're protecting VIPs here, so we can't take any chances. We have to hold out here until there is an opening, so we can make a rush back to the embassy. Let's just hope this Seabeak guy is right about that tunnel... And about the rules of engagement: I know these are sentient creatures, and this is not the "pony way", but let's be honest... We're on the ass end of the world here without any support. We don't just have to watch each others' backs, but we have to protect the hippogriffs too. So don't hesitate, and shoot to kill. Aim at center of mass, and put down those hostiles. I know this is cruel, but I don't see any other way"

 

>you gulp

>these last few sentences hit you hard

>"shoot to kill"

>yeah, if you were trained to do that...

>Royal Guards are never supposed to do that, only as a last resort

>although this counts as a last resort more than likely

>so a Royal Guard would shoot too, right Sword Glitter?

>yeah, except a Royal Guard would never get into the conflict of two distant nations

>but you're not with the Royal Guard anymore...

>so, you just have to stay strong

 

>you surely don't look the part, as the Major turns to you

>"And about you, Rookie... This must be overwhelming, but you have to stay focused. Remember your training. Stay in cover, check your sorrundings, aim, charge up spell, shoot. Don't try to be a hero, don't get yourself killed. I see you're afraid, but trust me: when you begin to focus on combat, you simply won't have the time to be afraid. Got that, Rookie?"

>you got that, but you don't even know how to react

>you probably have 30 more seconds to ask for advice, or just "simply" for a detailed defense plan of the house

>so instead, you answer like any good soldier does

>"Y-yes, M-ma'am"

>"Good. Then this is it, Corporal. Welcome to the Paladins"

 

>Starstorm engages her magic, and folds her visor into position

>the rest of the squad does the same

>"Alright, spread out! Find cover!" she yells, then she herself takes position behind a pillar facing the entrance

>to the left of this pillar is another

>Sabersong choses this

>Longrun now turns over the table he almost accidentally did so a few minutes ago, shattering all the fine kitchenware in the process

>Breakpoint joins him behind the table

>the dining room and the hall are the same space, so they have a great shot at the entrance, and at a distance

>Shield turns a wardrobe perpendicular to the wall, while Scroll simply hugs the wall on the other side

>everyone assumed their firing positions, except you

>you're behind Starstorm and Sabersong, pretty much out in the open

>you quickly levitate a sturdy-looking drawer to yourself, and call it a day

 

>only seconds later, you can see the Storm Creature platoon arriving in front of the house

>they don't hesitate, and enter the garden

>"They're here. Stay cool, squad..." exclaims the Major in a lowered voice

>the creatures approach the door

>you can hear their steps closer and closer

>a few of them spread out in the garden, and try to look inside through the windows

>luckily, there are curtains on and it's so bright outside that they can't see much from the relatively dim interior

>good thing too, at least you will have an element of surprise

>but you know that only lasts until the moment the engagement starts

>the creatures stop before the entrance

>they start banging hard on the door, saying -or more like, growling- something along with it

>probably that you should open up

>as obviously no answer comes, and the door doesn't open, they begin to break it down

>these Storm Creatures don't screw around

>one kick, two kicks, three...

>just as they pound at the door, you can feel your heart pounding your chest from the inside

>this is it...

 

>the door finally gives in, and falls inside with a loud thud

>three Storm guards shove themselves through the doorway

>one by one, as it's not sized for them

>you peek over the drawer

>you now see just how big they are

>Longrun was right, they are HUGE

>and they are indeed seem to be one big hunk of muscle

>they have white fur around their heads, and wear metal chest plates and some sort of face mask

>they also wield long spears

>this is the amount of tactical information you could gather about them in a moment

>because the next moment, a loud, somewhat raspy voice shouts the command

>"OPEN FIRE!"

 

>Startstorm and Sabersong poke their heads out from behind the pillars, and take down the first two Storm guards in a heartbeat

>the flurry of magic bolts surprise only the third guard in the back, as the other two couldn't even react before they fell over

>he steps aside in an attempt to avoid his demise, and to probably make a move

>but he won't

>adrenaline rushes through your body as you realize the game is on, and your comrades' lives are at stake

>you lean over your cover, charge up your magic, and...

>but before you could release, a perfectly placed shot of magic hits him in the side, right between where the chest plate and back plate meets

>the creature groans in pain, as he grasps where he was hit, and falls to his knees

>then quickly to the ground

>he's done...

>you look at the source of the shot

>it was Shield, from behind the wardrobe

>his horn is still lit up, scanning for more targets

 

>he doesn't have to wait much, as the noises draw the attention of the other Storm guards

>the ones in the garden move towards the door

>there are three of them, just like in the previous group

>also, the ones still outside the tall garden fence take up formation

>one creature from the group of three would just step inside the house, but notices the corpses of the previous group

>he stops in the doorframe, and quickly steps back

>he takes cover with the other two, right next to the door

>you can hear them mumbling something, and deducing from the shadows, give out hand signals to the group outside the fence

>good thing you can see straight outside, so you notice a warrior with a tower shield leaving the formation

>he walks straight at the door, slowly, with basically no part sticking out from behind the shield

>as he approaches, he also draws out his sword

>a normal, one handed one, but for a pony, that's like a claymore

>since you're the only one seeing outside, you see fit to call out the threat:

>"Watch out team, enemy shield unit is approaching. I think the rest will use him as cover to enter the building"

>Starstorm and Saber nod back an affirmative

>you look at the other members

>they all look back at you, indicating they got the info

 

>the shield-toting warrior steps through the doorway, with his comrades in tow

>this is the moment, as if your brains were linked, you open fire at the enemy, along with the Major and Sabersong

>you aim, charge up, and release, and score hits on the heavy shield, but it doesn't seem to take damage

>the other two mares hit harder, with Starstorm firing a whole volley of purple bolts at the enemy

>but the shots only leave black marks, with a few outright plinking off the angled piece of armor

>this is the moment when the rest of the squad joins the action

>Scroll and Shield simply hit the flanks, shooting the creatures out from behind the mobile cover

>in just seconds, the support unit remains without creatures to support

>and even he only musters a faint "Uh-oh..." before falling victim to another well placed shot from Shield

>you have to admit, this guy is savage, compared to how soft spoken he is normally

>the rest of the creatures bail, seeing they won't really enter this house anytime soon

>they don't fall back too far though, just behind the garden fence

 

>you see the Storm creatures poking out their masked faces from behind cover, as they scan the entrance

>they are probably planning their next move

>now that you can take a bit of breath, you can also contemplate the fact that your first real engagement with enemy forces was over, and you survived

>sure, you didn't have to do much, but still, you were part of the team effort

>actually, you're kinda happy you didn't have to kill any creature

>you only wonder how some of the others take it, like Shield

>he is such a nice pony, surely the pure concept of killing disturbs him, too

>but of course, kill, or be killed

>such is the law of combat

>but this only goes through your head for a second before returning to the realty of the situation

>you have to admit, you held the house pretty well

>the interior acts as a makeshift little fortress, with the squadmembers spread out in such a way that no matter what amount of hostiles enter, they will surely be mowed down

>this actually seems easier than you thought it would be

>actually, it seems a bit too easy...

 

>"These guys are easy, hehe" says Sabersong, as if she could read your thoughts "Hey Longrun, you keepin' count for me? I mean, at least do something if you don't even shoot!"

>before he could answer, the Major disciplines your psycho squadmate

>"Stop with that, and focus. This isn't over yet"

>it indeed isn't, but you wonder why the rest of the creatures aren't attacking yet

>they just take small peeks at you between the iron bars of the garden fence

>as if they decided to just wait you out to take the next move

>or...

>they are waiting for something else

>like, for another platoon to encirle the house

>isn't there a back entrance, too?

>and what about the roof access?

>oh shit...

 

>just as these thoughts spring to your mind, you turn back to check these things

>in that moment, the door to the back room gets slammed down by a Storm creature

>with you being the closest target, he raises his crossbow, aiming right at your head

>the bolt fires, whizzing past your left ear

>the next moment, almost instinctively, a fully charged bolt of magic leaves the tip of your horn

>it strikes his armor at a zero angle, penetrating it and leaving a burn mark on his coat

>and although he staggers, he doesn't seem to be seriously injured

>but as you would charge another shot, six bolts hit the creature simultanously

>the savage arcane assault came from all your squadmates, sending the unfortunate assailant flying back a bit

>but you don't have time to say thanks

>the front entrance is under attack again!

>"Watch out!"

>everypony turns their attention back to the front

>at least six Storm guards enter the house, all wielding their signature double-pronged spears

>no careful approach anymore, it seems

>they will just try to overwhelm you

 

>the well dug-in positons in the front of the hall break up

>Starstorm and Sabersong leave cover and back off as two-two creatures are lounging at them

>Scroll and Shield try to back them up, but they get occupied by even more fighters entering the house

>at the same time, you see a creature coming down the staircase

>"Watch out, they're coming down the stairs!"

>now Longrun and Breakpoint get their own fights too, and try to fend the monstrous things off

>it's up to you to help

>you know your spells aren't the strongest, but they might be enough to distract them while your buddies deal the finishing blows

>Saber seems to be in the deepest shit

>as she fires her bolts at the attacking creature, she always needs to dodge his spear thrusts

>she misses all her shots

>but before she gets backed into the corner, she grabs the spear, and keeps it in place

>with her next move, she kicks the spear out of her attacker's hand, then finishes him off with a few shots to the face

>ouch

 

>meanwhile, the other Storm creature turned his attention to you

>you take steps back as he closes in

>compared to their size, they aren't that fast actually

>must be due to their short and thin legs, relatively speaking

>That's it! That must be a weak spot!

>and at this close quarters, you should be able to hit their legs

>acting upon your idea, you fire at your attacker's legs and indeed, that does the trick

>you quickly do enough damage to get him off his feet

>he tries to get up from the ground, but can't

>you blasted those kneecaps pretty good it seems

>but he still has his spear, and two huge arms

>he would lounge at you, but you shoot the weapon straight outta his hand

>the remaining arm you just hold down with your telekinesis

>you know full well it's cruel, but you have to deal the coup de grace to the crippled combatant

>you remove the face mask, but as you charge up your horn, you realize you don't have enough magic

>doesn't matter, you will just knock him out

>that's also more in line with the "pony way"

>as you bring down his face to kicking level, you decide to just headbutt him

>his bare face meets your visor, and he's done for good

>you release your TK, and look around for targets

 

>everypony is occupied, fighting at least two Storm guards

>Starstorm is actually fighting three, but manages to take out all three of them at once with an impressive display of combat magic, a storm of magic bolts

>her name really does suit her

>those creatures got hit at least a hundred times before hitting the ground

>"Rookie, you and Shield go and cover the rear!" she yells the order, in the single moment of intermission, as another creature is already going at her

>you comply, and hurry to the back room, with Shield in tow