Table of contents:
ACT I: PHOENIX RISING (Line 7)
ACT II: INTO THE STORM (Line 768)
ACT III: BAPTISM OF FIRE (Line 1675)
ACT IV: STRANDED (Line 3202)
ACT V: ON A SWORD'S EDGE -> https://ponepaste.org/4580

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 face plate, that is folded 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 face plate 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 face plate 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 face plate, 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
>you now see there are actually two back rooms, both with huge windows
>those will be used as entrances for sure
>and just as you think that, three Storm creatures enter through them
>"Sword, I'll handle these two, you have the one in the other room!"
>you go to the other room, where there is the back door you thought about a bit earlier
>and this Storm creature, which makes a mad thrust at you
>magic is not that good at this close quarters
>the room is occupied with chairs and sofas, and you almost tumble as you back off from the charging creature
>fuck, like this, you will just use up your magic pool, without hitting him even once
>then, it comes to mind you have a close quarters weapon too
>you take out your CQDW
>you disengage the latch, and the internal spring mechanism extends the spear to full lenght
>which seems awfully short now
>you'd really need the range now
>of course, you can hold the spear further away from yourself, but the further the object is, the less precise the levitation becomes
>the creature strikes, but this time, you deflect the blow with your own weapon
>then parry another strike with it, but you also notice just how light your weapon is
>counter-hits will be impossible this way
>you know from your fencing days that the counter weapon should be at least as heavy as the attacking weapon
>this obviously isn't the case now
>surely, it was designed with pony-sized targets in mind, and not with these behemoths

>as the duel rages on, the creature gains ground
>you try all the fancy telekinetic moves in your disposal, but it merely slows him down
>as you make a badly calculated move, your magical grasp momentarily weakens
>in the next moment, the creature whacks your spear away with his own
>it flies a good distance
>with your weapon lost, you jump behind the nearest sofa for momentary cover
>then, you see it...
>a huge, gilded trident displayed high up on the wall, just above your nemesis
>it seems to serve more of a decorative surpose, but it actually has pointy tips, and what's more important, it's huge
>would be perfect against these goons...
>the Storm guard strikes above the sofa, but you quickly bend down, and he only strikes thin air
>with his spear momentarily out of the way, you use his own arm as a bridge, and leap on the creature's head
>then from his head, you jump up to the trident, and grab it
>now you have an adequate weapon
>now, it is a real fight

>the sudden moves surprised the brute, but he quickly resumes the attack
>he strikes, but you easily parry it with your newfound heavy weapon
>"How do you like that?!" you taunt him
>he seems surprised, but thrusts hard nevertheless, but with a perfect riposte you save yourself
>now he's not just surprised, but seems to have lost his nerve as well
>you exploit the momentary weakness, and using the trident as a hammer, deal a savage blow to his knees
>he falls down on them
>for a second, you're face to face, but not for long, as you raise your waepon...
>and strike so hard that his face mask gets deformed
>it's finished, you won
>although you really wouldn't want to look under that mask now

>you quickly realize this is the best way to defeat these fighters in such extreme close quarters
>you keep the trident close, and rush to the other room, where Shield is struggling with multiple hostiles
>he has a small magical namesake conjured up that he uses do deflect blows
>then at the right moment, he counterattacks with energy bolts
>but as he takes out one, another Storm guard enters the fray
>now that you're here, this one engages you
>he lounges at you, but you parry with a wide circular motion
>with his spear out of the way, you strike at his feet, tripping him
>he falls on his back, but before he could react anything, you strike him down, dealing a savage blow to his armored chest
>again, the armor gets bent, and another creature remains on the ground

>a 2vs1 is still going on against Shield
>you step in to help
>with a sudden idea, you step on the tail of the one a bit closer to yourself
>as he would step forward, he trips, falling on his back
>using the great opening, you kick off his mask
>then rear up, and come down in his face with your front hooves
>your armored horseshoes do a quick and effective job
>one less Storm creature to worry about

>meanwhile, Shield gets the upper hand against the other fighter
>he releases his shield spell, and fires off a quick telekinetic burst, sending the combatant back a bit
>using the opening, he gets creative, and picks up a huge vase from the ground...
>and smashes it on his opponent's head
>that does the trick, the fight is over for him
>you both pant heavily
>but there is no time for celebration, the others might still be in trouble

>getting back to the hall, you see your squadmates finishing off their last targets
>the rest of the creatures finally seem to get the idea, and flee
>"Cease fire! Cease fire!" yells Starstorm
>everypony stops casting, and looks around
>finally, you all can get a breather
>"It seems that was the last of 'em. Gimme a quick sitrep. Anypony injured?"
>luckily, nopony gives a positive response
>"Right... Okay, we might have defeated these bums, but this is no time for celebration yet. We still have to get out of the city. But before, I'm allowing us a quick rest. Two minutes. Let's admit, this was a tough fight"

>you look at each other with Shield
>"H-hey Sword... Th-thanks for coming for me. You helped a lot" he pants
"Don't mention it. We're comrades, aren't we?"
>Shield smiles and nods
>"That we are, Sword. And I'm glad we are"

>you smile back at Shield
>his compliment felt good, even if it was for something that is a basic thing between squadmates
>even more so, as this was the first feel-good thing that happened to you since you came here
>as you have a minute of breather, you sit down, and rest your newfound trident next to the wall
>but as you can now concentrate on something else than combat, the sight in front of you quickly dissipates your good feelings
>the hall that became a battlefield for the last twenty minutes or so, is literally full of corpses
>or even if not all of those Storm Guards are dead, they are dying or at least unconcious
>as you never seen anything dead before in your life that was bigger than a fly, this greatly unsettles you
>indeed, as a Royal Guard, you never had to deal with such a thing
>but right now, you have time to exchange a few words with Shield
>maybe that will put you at ease somewhat
"Shield, does this...this sight...the result of combat... How do you cope with it?" you ask quietly
>"I just try to don't think about it. That's the best way. And knowing the fact that if not them, then my squadmates or me" he says slowly, looking at the ground
>his voice carries a serious tone
>and also some regret

>"It's never good to kill sentients" he continues "But sometimes, there just isn't another way. This is my first time, too. So I feel you. But you just have to stay strong for your buddies, that's how I look at it"
>those are indisputable facts
>your favorite squadmate made hella good points, yet you only manage to say a weak "Yeah..."
"Yeah..."
>"It's okay, Sword. You will pull through. And don't worry, not all of our missions are like this. This is a particularly tough one, and I'm actually impressed how well you did despite everything. And hey, after this, no mission will be too hard!" he says, while trying to force a smile
>but you can't smile back
>now he steps closer, and softly nudges you with a hoof
>"You're a tough little blade of determination, Swordie. You'll prevail"
>at these words, you can actually smile back
>they don't feel pep talk-y, they feel... emotional
>"If you say so, El-Tee" you wink

>as you turn back towards the corpse-filled hall, you catch the attention of you ever-observant Major
>"Rookie, if it's too much, just go down to the basement, and fetch us the hippogriffs. We're moving out in a minute"
>okay, right, this should be better then thinking about how your squad made dozens of dead creatures in just half an hour
>nevertheless, you still have to slalom between the huge bodies to the basement door
>ugh...
>you turn the knob, and take a few steps down
"Mr Seabeak! Mrs Seabeak! It's safe now. You can come up"
>for a few moments, there is no response
>then, the Ambassador shows up first
>then his wife with the baby
>"Is it all clear? Have you killed them ALL?" he asks
>great, you get reminded...
"Y-yes, we did... We should get moving. Please, come"

>you go back to the hall
>you are greeted with the sight of Sabersong piling up corpses in one of the corners
>it's horrible, but it makes sense
>she just made way for the squad to the entrance, as it was completely blocked away
>"Hey Major" she asks as she lifts up the body of a particularly huge Storm Guard "This one's still breathing. What about him?"
>"Well, what about him?!"
>"Shall I...?"
>"Don't bother. Just make us way. We're not here to clean house"
>Psychomare just shrugs in response, and throws the unlucky creature on top of the pile
>thank Celestia she didn't get the order to finish him off

>meanwhile, the Ambassador and his wife arrive from the basement
>Mr Seabeak looks horrified
>he even puts a hand to his face
>"Heavens and seas! What has happened here? All our fine kitchenware! All our furniture! All those claw-painted vases we got from Novo herself! This place is a mess!"
>damn straight, Ambassador...
>"Well yes, I have to admit you ponies are pretty effective at what you do" adds Coral, with a hint of sadistic satisfaction in her voice "But dear, it's not like we'll come back here anytime soon. Let it go"
>"We just did what we had to do" says Starstorm, looking up at the tall pair
>"Yeah, and everything else was these Storm freaks' doin'" adds Longrun, coming through the entrance
>then she turns to Starstorm
>"The streets are clear. For now. Let's move out while we can, huh Major?"
>"We will. Okay squad, get yourselves ready for another round. We're going back to the embassy" she barks, then turns back to the hippogriffs "Mr and Mrs Ambassador, I want you to always stay close to us, and always, I mean ALWAYS stay in cover. And never try to engage any hostiles, only if your lives depend on it. Are we clear?"
>"And what if YOUR lives depend on it?" asks back Coral
>"That shouldn't be your concern, Miss. We're here to protect you, not the other way around"

>the Major signals a rally
>"Alright Phoenix, here's the plan: Longrun, you take point, and make sure the coast is clear. If not, I'll be there with you to take out any hostiles in front of us, IF it's necessary. Breakpoint, Shield, and Rookie, you stay around the VIPs, and make sure no harm can reach them. Shield, it's especially important now to always have your barrier spell ready"
>Shield nods
>"And Scroll, you will cover the back with Sabersong. No one will hit us from behind"
>"Sure" says Scroll
>"Alright then. Any questions?"
>the squad is silent
>"Ambassador?"
>"I understood everything. Let's hope for the best" he says with a bit trembling voice
>Seabeak would get going, but Coral speaks up
>"Wait a moment... Is that my Ancestral Trident?"
>she's looking at you
>she looks even a bit awestruck

>"Dear, we don't have time fo..."
>"Shush! Corporal Glitter..."
"Yes, I mean, I suppose? I took it off from the wall in the back room. It was a moment of emergency, but it proved to be a most effective weapon. But it belongs to you I take it, so here you are"
>you try to levitate it back into her claws, but she doesn't take it away
>"This weapon belonged to my grandfather, but it was in my family for many generations. He said only a true warrior should wield it. I never felt worthy enough, so I kept it merely as a decoration. But you Sword... You used it to defend us and your comrades. You are worthy. It should belong to you"
"No, no" you turn her down "If it means so much to your family, you should carry it. And it's actually advisable to have a weapon on you in such a situation. Just in case. And I'll just pick up one of these"
>you give back the trident to Coral a bit forcibly, and pick up one of the Storm Guard spears from the ground
>it's heavy as well, and it's even a bit longer than your previous, gilded weapon
>"The Corporal here makes a good point, but can we move out now?!" says Starstorm impatiently, obviously addressing it to Coral
>"But of course, Major" she responds, while getting a good hold of the Trident "Let's get out of here"

>the squad moves out to the courtyard, and takes up formation with the hippogriffs in the center, just as planned
>it's a bit ironic that you are the bodyguards, yet they are sticking out from among you
>they are much taller than any of you
>"Okay Longrun. Do your thing" orders Starstorm
>the stallion peeks his head out of the garden entrance, and looks in both directions
>"The streets are empty. We should be good"
>"Or they could wait in ambush... Run up to that house, and check ahead" the Major responds, pointing out the building
>Longrun does as ordered, and trots to the house that partially blocks view of the road ahead
>he then disappears around the house
>and about fifteen seconds later reappears, giving an "all clear" hoof signal
>"Alright, let's go, let's go!" urges the Major

>the team hurries up to the house
>now you can take a good look around too
>the dusty streets are completely empty
>it's hard to imagine that just an hour ago, they were busy with city life
>now, it's almost eerie
>but at least, there aren't any hostiles either
>the team hugs the wall, and Breakpoint makes sure the hippogriffs do the same
>he has a leg in front of them, preventing them stepping out from cover, and potentially into the line of fire
>Shield is behind them, looking more focused than ever
>Scroll and Saber are a bit further behind you, guarding the group's back
>meanwhile, you are scanning the houses on the other side of the street, looking at the rooftops and balconies
>they are the perfect place for a crossbow user to strike at you or the VIPs
>but you detect nothing, luckily

>"Alright Sergeant. Same drill" says Starstorm in the very front
>"Aye-aye"
>Longrun does recon once again
>there is a slight curve in the road right after this house, so again, you can't see what's up
>but the fast scout returns in a minute
>"It's clear almost all the way to the embassy. The road curves a bit again further ahead, so that's still a question mark" he says
>"It seems you have successfully stalled the Storm Army's advancement in this part of the city. I'm impressed!" says a very happy ambassador
>"Or they're just advancing from another direction" answers the scout
>"Longrun is right. Anything could happen. I wouldn't be happy yet..." says the Major, then looks at Sabersong
>"Saber, you cross the street, and remain on that side. You will watch out for the rooftops just above us while we remain on this side with the VIPs"
>"Roger that. Damn, can't wait to shoot more bad guys..."
>"Focus, Sabersong. Okay Phoenix, on Longrun, let's go!"

>you begin moving at a good pace down the street
>as ordered, Sabersong is on the other side, falling a bit behind
>probably wanting to make sure nothing can ambush you from the opposite direction
>right in front of you trots Shield, visibly on the "edge"
>luckily, everything seems calm so far
>and in front of her walks Coral Waves, wearing a special harness holding the baby
>that's a pretty dangerous way of carrying an infant right now, but it's not like you'd know better
>although she has her wing half-open, covering the little fella
>not if a crossbow bolt couldn't penetrate both...
>but still, it's peace and quiet right now

>suddenly, Longrun stops, and hoof signals a "Stop" to the squad
>everyone stops in their tracks
>maybe you spoke too soon...?
>"Damn! Storm Army patrol, dead ahead!" he whispers, hurrying back to Starstorm
>"Did they spot you?" asks the Major
>"No, but they're moving in fast"
>"Right..." she says, then turns to the squad "Get back to that alley we just passed. We'll hide there. We won't engage if we don't have to"
>you all go back to the aforementioned alley
>there are many crates and giant water jugs lying around here
>these cats seemingly have a habit of storing their stuff outside
>luckily though, as it should provide cover from anyone looking in this direction from the street

>everyone hides behind a piece of cover, suiting their needs
>the hippogriffs are of course shoved to the back, the furthest from the alley's entrance
>you get to hide behind a huge wooden box closest to the street, Starstorm likewise, just opposite from you
>Saber stands behind a huge jug, as lying down would expose her
>the guys use crates as cover, except Longrun, as there aren't enough crates lying around
>there is only a basket left, albeit a huge one
>but that's still small for a stallion, so he switches places with Saber, who doesn't seem happy about it
>"I can't believe it'd ever come to ME hiding under some damned basket..."
>nevertheless, the basket exactly fits the mare's size
>in a less serious situation, it would be actually funny
>but not now, as judging from the sound of the footsteps, those Stormtroopers are closing in fast

>"Alright squad, stay frosty now. Nopony moves. Stay quiet..." whispers the Major
>the patrol is almost here
>as you look in the direction of Longrun, you can see him madly whispering something
>or more like, just mouthing a single word, looking at you
>as if he's trying to say "TAIL! TAIL! TAIL!"
>tail?
>as in, your own tail?
>you look down at your tail, and see it's partially out of cover
>it seems your perfectly groomed tail lost its single hairpin holding it in a neat package 
>must have happened during the firefight
>how you didn't notice?
>now your long tail lays next to you in its full luscious glory
>you grab it quickly, and put it in your lap
>phew, that was close
>that tail sure would have been visible against this sandy ground
>and the Major thinks too, as she's visibly mad

>but this is not the time for discipline
>the Storm Army patrol arrives
>the soldiers pass the alley, without caring to take a look, luckily
>they're probably heading for the Ambassador's residence
>well, they're in for a sight if they indeed go there...
>judging by the sounds and footsteps, the patrol consists of at least 30 creatures
>good thing you let them pass, taking them on in the open street would spell doom for the squad
>or at least the VIPs
>everyone is motionless while the patrol passes away
>you hear less and less footsteps, and they are getting more distant
>you almost have a sigh of relief, but suddenly, one guard steps right into the alley

>he doesn't come further, but he is pretty close
>you can actually hear him breathing
>you look at your Major
>surprisingly, she looks somewhat scared
>you can imagine why
>if this creature takes just a few more steps, he will alert his entire platoon
>or who knows, maybe an entire company is somewhere nearby
>but that doesn't happen
>judging from the rythm of the two steps he makes, he just turned around
>but he stays in place
>and the metallic clank indicates he just put his spear on the ground
>he doesn't go away
>it seems he's taking a break...right here?

>about five minutes pass
>Starstorm's scared expression slowly turns into annoyance
>just like Longrun's, who peeks out from behind his jug for the third time
>it seems this damn Stormie just doesn't want to piss off
>but now the squad's scout seemingly got an idea
>his horn is glowing
>and he fumbles with the left side of his armor
>finally, he pulls out his "lucky" magic knife
>what's his plan?
>you get your answer right out, as he throws the short emitter to you
>you catch it just before it could hit your chest armor, and potentially alarming the guard
>now you hold the emitter with a silent levitation spell
>actually, Longrun himself tought you this one, as the normal levitation spell of unicorns produces a rather distinctive "humming" sound
>it's not so audible to ponies, especially unicorns, as they are used to it, but a non-pony creature could definitely hear it, he told you
>that must be true, especially in the silence right now

>now that you have the knife, you also know what he expects you to do
>after all, you are the closest to the guard
>and Starstorm...
>although, the creature actually stands a bit closer to your side of the alley
>you look at the Major, to see what is her reaction
>maybe she'd rather wait this out?
>that would be safer maybe...
>but no, what you get is confirmation
>she makes the unmistakeable horizontal hoof gesture at her own neck
>Take. Him. Out.
>the order rings in your head, yet you didn't hear any words
>but you know that's what you have to do now
>you can't linger for any longer
>after all, every lost second plays into the hands of the enemy now, potentially cutting you off from your escape routes
>okay Sword...
>deep breath
>do it

>you activate Longrun's weapon
>a blade of pure magic envelops three sides of the emitter
>you step out from behind the crate very carefully, holding the knife right in front of you
>the blade of energy hums only a very little bit louder than your TK spell
>the target doesn't hear it
>he's unaware of your presence
>you take a few silent steps forward, closing the distance
>now you are in striking range
>you could stab him in the back already, but he would scream, alerting the rest of them
>or maybe they are far away enough that you could just go for it?
>you can't be sure of that
>you have to murder this being silently
>you gulp
>cutting through the throat, including the voice box would be an obvious choice
>no scream, quick suffocation
>the thick mane shouldn't be a problem either, as this blade can cut through anything
>or so you were told by your comrade
>although this still won't be a super quick death this way
>and if there's something you'd hate to see, it's suffering
>if you have to kill, at least let it be quick and clean
>but you have to do it
>your squad depends on you to do this right, and don't get them killed

>so, you raise the magic blade to neck level
>the guard still doesn't expect anything
>he's leaning on his spear, getting some rest
>now suddenly, it dawns on you
>you are a Royal Guard
>you have training...
>his spear...
>in a moment's notice, you grab the creature's spear, and put it horizontally at his neck
>as he was leaning on it, he falls, but you you grab him an inch above ground
>then release
>all the while you violently pull the spear towards yourself
>the guard grabs it with both hands, but your magic is so strong he can't take it away from his throat
>he starts to suffocate
>you start to count slowly...
>1...2...3...4...
>...10
>you loosen the pull, but he can't grab the spear anymore
>he was already on the ground, but now his whole body slumps down
>good work, Sword
>he's gonna have a nasty headache when he gets up
>but you won't be here by then

>you bring the body further into the alley
>now everyone looks at you, seemingly checking out your work
>the Major comments first
>"Well Rookie... This isn't what I was implying...but it works"
"I just couldn't bring myself to killing an unaware combatant" you say as you put the creature down behind some crates
>"Wait... You didn't kill it?!" says the Major, recoiling a bit
"No. That would have required fifteen seconds longer suffocation. He's just unconcious"
>"Okay, but you can finish him off now" she points at the still living body
"That's not necessary. He'll stay this way for a good ten minutes. Or more"
>"And we'll be far away by then, I get it... Okay squad, move out! But stay low"
>Starstorm begins to move, but only takes a single step before turning back to you
>"Oh, and Rookie... Get rid of that damned tail. Now"

>oh yeah
>your tail
>it caused trouble just minutes ago
>as you still have Longrun's knife on you, you decide to get rid of the problem quickly
>you activate the emitter, and lift it just under where the tailbone ends
>and with a quick cut, most of the skirt falls down
>now it looks just like the tail of the other two mares
>utilitarian and unimpressive
>but oh well, this is not the time for bawling over it, and give back the blade to Longrun
>"Aw" he says as he puts away the weapon "But I liked how it looked..."
>you can only give him a sheepish smile as an agreement

>you start to move, and you're happy how smartly you solved this situation
>every Royal Guard reduces killing to a minimum, if possible
>and it was possible now
>even if it's against such a despicable enemy such as the Storm King and his minions

>you make it back to the embassy without further trouble
>luckily, there aren't any Storm Forces around the building either
>so far, so good
>if everything goes well, the mission should be a cakewalk from now on
>that is, if you find that tunnel in the basement the Ambassador mentioned
>as you're moving through the garden, Major Starstorm gives a quick hoof gesture
>"Phoenix, prepare for door breach. Stack up"
>but as soon as you get into position, you see that someone beat you to it...
>the doorknob is missing, and the lock is torn out
>the door is slighly open as well
>"So, we won't be alone then" reacts Longrun
>"Or maybe they already left" answers Breakpoint
>"Don't count on it..." says the Major "Rookie, I want a tactical entry. You and Shield. Do it"

>you take up positon in front of the door
>this is one of baseline tactics you already learned in your few weeks of training
>Shield is to your left, slighly behind you
>you push in the door very slowly with your hoof, while your horn is lit up, ready to shoot
>you scan the main hall, as more and more is revealed of it through the gap
>not a soul can be seen
>when the door is fully opened, you move inside with Shield, in perfect unison
>you check the area previously blocked by the door, then behind the door itself
>luckily, there's nobody there
>"Clear right"
>"Clear left" says your squadmate
>the rest of the squad now enters too, along with the VIPs
>now that you look at the interior a little better, you see that everything is perfectly intact
>except for the door, of course
>no fighting took place here
>but whoever entered, forced himself inside
>the obvious answer would be Storm Creatures
>but are they still in the house?

>"Okay squad. We'll systematically search the building before going to the basement. But first, we'll block the entrances. No in or out from now on"
>acting upon the implied order, Shield closes the door, and moves a massive drawer in front of it
>then piles another one on top
>"That ought to do it"
>"Good" says Starstorm "Mr Ambassador, is there another -official- entrance?"
>"Yes" he answers "There's a back door too. That somehow reminds me... I hope my poor Jeeves is alright, and was able to escape all this trouble"
>"We can't care about your cat now. We must move on" says Starstorm, cutting him short
>Seabeak looks around with a frown, then at her wife
>"It's okay dear. I'm sure he's fine. And after all, we both have precious cargo we have to concentrate on right now" she says
>"You're right" answers Seabeak, steeling his expression "Those are really more important than anything. One to us, and the other to our entire nation..."

>you slowly walk through the hall
>there's nothing so far
>you can see there is an entrance to a hallway, that goes both directions
>and there is also the mezzanine, with multiple rooms as you can remember
>"Alright" speaks Starstorm again "I need two of you to check out this hallway. It leads to, uh... Ambassador?"
>"Multiple rooms and the kitchen"
>"...Thank you. So, clear those out if need be. Other two I need upstairs. Same drill. The rest of us will stay here with the VIPs. If there is any serious trouble, then shout. If not, just shoot"
>"Then I'll take this hallway and the rooms" says Sabersong "Longrun, you comin'?"
>Longrun looks unamused
>maybe because he couldn't crack a joke in the last ten minutes?
>heh...
>"Whatever"
>"And me and Scroll will go upstairs" says Breakpoint "How does that sound, Scroll?"
>Scroll is as stoic as ever, and just nods
>"Fine. Then let's go team. Hurry up!"

>the two pairs of Paladins go their separate ways while you, Shield and Starstorm remain where you are
>as precaution, you move over to one of the corners of the hall, to be less exposed
>you can never be too careful, as the Major rightly points out
>a few minutes pass, and Starstorm is visibly restless
>she's shifting her weight from her one side to the other, then back again
>you and Shield look at each other
>then Seabeak looks at you
>finally, he speaks up
>"Perhaps I could show you the basement while the others are conducting their search. Wouldn't that be a good idea, Major?"
>the Major looks back
>"No" she simply says
>"But you seem restless. And the house is most probably empty. We should just..."
>"No. We will wait here for the others. And you will do exactly what I say while we're escorting you"
>"Oh. I see... Very well" answers Seabeak, sounding a bit offended
>he looks at her wife
>"We should really just do as we're told. For now..." she says
>Starstorm turns her head back upon hearing the "For now" part
>Coral's face doesn't hitch in the slightest
>for a few seconds they stare down at each other, but neither of them says anything
>finally, the Major just turns back towards the hall
>well, that was a bit tense
>you can only hope these two won't have any serious conflicts for the rest their time together

>one more minute passes, and you can hear movement right above you
>or more exactly, as if someone was dancing around in iron boots
>maybe your comrades are in trouble?
>hopefully they can handle it, but one of you could maybe check it out
>Starstorm seems to think that too
>"Damn this ruckus... Rookie, you go up, and check that out! I want a sitrep in a minute! Move out!"
>you give a quick salute, and look up at the mezzanine
>you are ready to strike, your horn is lit up
>now, as if you heard furniture moving about
>a moment later a confused Stormie swings out a door just above you on the mezzanine
>you are charging up your magic to strike him down, but he seems to ignore you, and turns back, with his spear in hand
>another moment later you hear screaming, and the creature gets launched towards the railing
>"AAAAAARGH!!!"
>but it's not the creature's scream, as it turns out, but a battlecry
>Breakpoint charges at the brute, and the baddie doesn't even have a chance to defend himself
>his body breaks the railing, while Breakpoint is latched onto him
>"OOF!" he falls to the ground, and the huge stallion falls on him
>but your comrade stands up upon the creature in a moment, and stomps him in the face
>even though he still had his face mask on, he gets knocked out cold
>"ASSHOLE!" swears Breakpoint, panting heavily

>"You alright?" you ask, still in a bit of shock from the happening
>"Yeah, I'm good. This unlucky thing was the only one upstairs, hehe. The Major?"
>you gesture towards the small group in the corner
>Starstorm looks disapprovingly at the Lieutenant
>"You know, you could have just shoot him..."
>"The walls were too thin, could have hurt Scroll with a missed shot"
>"Sure, showoff... Right, that must have been heard throughout the house. Guess the other two didn't find anymore hostiles then" answers the Major, then shouts "Longrun, are we clear?!"
>*PEW!!!*
>"Clear!" comes the answer, but from Sabersong
>half a minute later, both her and Longrun returns to the hall
>now the full team is assembled again
>"How come you fired your single shot only now?" asks Starstorm, a bit flummoxed
>"I just wanted to make sure that goon's extra dead. Longrun already knifed him before, but you know..." answers Sabersong, smiling sadistically
>"Fine. But did you block the back entrance?"
>"We got that covered too"
>"Good, we're in the clear then. Anypony got hurt?"
>no answer
>now the Major looks specifically at Breakpoint
>"Lieutenant?"
>"I swear I'm fine, Major"

>Starstorm now looks at the Ambassador
>"Mr Seabeak, now is the time. Let's go to that famous basement of yours"
>"Of course. This way please"
>the Ambassador leads you through the back part of the house, to an unassuming brown door
>he grabs the handle, but the door doesn't open
>"Oh, of course. It's locked. I never really had any business down here. Only Jeeves brought here excess supplies sometimes. Then he always took back the keys to my office. So, if you excuse me for a moment..."
>"No time" Starstorm cuts him short "Sabersong!"
>Saber promptly shoots the lock, and the door opens on its own
>she peeks down into the basement
>it's rather dark in there
>"Alright. Rookie, you take point"
>you act upon the order, and step through the doorway
>conjuring up a wide-coned lighting spell, you take a few steps down the stairs
>you look to your left, casting light upon the dark room
>you immediately scan for hostiles, but there's nobody down here
>no big surprise, considering the huge cobwebs hanging from everywhere
>no one must've been down here for weeks
>you go all the way down the stairs, taking the cobwebs with you
>of course, you didn't let your face plate do that, you cast a little TK for the job
>now in the basement proper, you take another good look, casting light on everything
>your spell casts sharp shadows on the walls from all the crates, and the assortment of discarded homeware
>but you see no tunnel entrance at all

"It's all clear down here!" you shout up to your commander
>your buddies all trot down, with horns brightly lit up similiarly to yours
>the Hippogriff family follows closely
>once everyone's in the basement, Starstorm asks
>"So Ambassador? Where is that tunnel?"
>her voice carries a bit of disdain
>obviously, she doesn't see any tunnel entrance either
>"Well, I guess it was walled up then? We should check" Seabeak answers, his voice not being too confident "I'd need some more light. I can't seem to remember all this clutter here, either..."
>Starstorm looks at you, and you get the hint right away
>you take out the torches from their sconces, and light up each and every one
>now the lighting in the room seems much less artifical
>"Thank you. Now, about that tunnel" says Seabeak
>the hippogriff starts to fly around the basement, looking behind crates, and randomly knocking on the walls
>surely, if that tunnel was walled up, somewhere the knocking would report hollow space
>"Hmmm" the Ambassador puts a claw on his chin "Maybe behind this old wardrobe..."
>he grabs the wardrobe, and although you step there to help him, the huge hippogriff effortlessly moves it away
>he knocks there too, but nothing
>it doesn't seem like any tunnel ever existed leading from here, sadly
>"Oh dear..." he quietly exclaims
>Starstorm scrunches up her muzzle
>"So, much ado about nothing then?" she says
>"Ah, I told you Major to just take the obvious route, and shoot our way out of here!" Sabersong speaks up "These Stormfaggots are easy. Surely we would be back at the airship in half an hour that way. Or less"
>the Major looks momentarily at your psycho squadmate, but doesn't answer
>it's the Ambassador's turn to speak right now

>"Well, this is unfortunate. But please remember I never stated this tunnel existed for sure"
>the whole squad grumbles a bit
>but it is the Major who speaks
>"You sounded pretty sure about it, nonetheless"
>"I am so sorry. I understand our situation just became most dire. I can hope at least my loved ones you ponies can save. And my... Suitcase"
>"Honey, we'll all make it. Don't worry" Coral interjects
>"Although I hoped for an easier solution, we can still probably just rough it, and do this the straightforward way, as my squadmate said" says Starstorm "But what's so important about that suitcase that you would put it before your own life?"
>"Well, just to put this into perspective..."
>"No, you can't tell! You know you can't tell!" Mrs Seabeak cries out
>"No, Coral. This is on me. The Storm King would want me, if it ever came to that... And these ponies deserve to know the stakes. They risked their lives for us"
>Seabeak turns back to the Major
>Coral Waves still doesn't seem okay with her husband's decision, but the Ambassador is adamant about a confession

>"In my years spent here as an "ambassador", I conducted research about an artifact from ancient times, about one we just call "The Pearl". This is a most powerful magical device, whose powers and effects I'm not at liberty sharing with you. But let's just say, in the wrong hands, it could mean total world domination. All I found out about it, and the way to use it, I recorded in my journal"
>Seabeak adjusts his bag where his journal is put away, then continues 
>"All of it is highly encrypted by me, of course. But after seeing the army the Storm King amassed, now I wouldn't put it past him he could find ways to decipher my journal, and learn the secrets of the Pearl for himself. And that's why it is so imperative that necessarily not me, but my journal, gets back to Novo. Without my research, she can't use the Pearl in defense of our Kingdom against a potential Storm King attack. But if escape is no longer possible, we should just destroy the journal right now. Rather that than to let it fall into enemy hands"

>there is silence for a good few seconds
>Starstorm cocks her head, and lifts an eyebrow
>but she doesn't say anything
>you're speechless too, but it's not like you'd WANT to say anything
>from the reactions from your squad (or rather, from the lack of it) you can tell this is extraordinary even for them
>although you still don't know the full extent of missions your squad participated in before you joined, but being stuck in the middle of an invasion was probably wasn't on their roster too many times
>all YOU know though, is that you're pretty much overwhelmed, and you feel so little right now
>because this is about saving the world now, right?
>if the Storm King gets the Pearl, it's all over for the free nations the world, isn't it?
>that's what the stakes are now
>that is, if the Researcher-Ambassador wasn't exaggerating, and told everything as they are

>nevertheless, Longrun starts talking
>"So THIS is the actual reason we were sent, huh? It's about the magic thingie and not about the ambassador. Do I get this right, guys? We are now deliveryponies, basically?"
>"Uh-huh. And pony lives are cheap I guess, so that's why we have to do the dirty work" chimes in Sabersong "I'd say we dump these hippos, and just deliver the pearl itself. Much easier to protect than three VIPs anyway"
>Seabeak gives a very disconcerted look at the sadistic Sergeant, while Coral looks furious
>now Breakpoint turns to Saber
>and he doesn't look exactly calm
>"How can you say that?! You'd just leave them behind, along with a baby? A BABY?! I always knew you wasn't exactly empathetic Sabersong, but this is something else"
>you can understand Breakpoint's perspective
>he himself is a father of two kids
>but Saber doesn't budge
>"And??? Crucial information was kept from us, and now it's expected to just continue the mission as if nothing happened?"
>"If you're incapable of showing any mercy, at least show discipline, soldier!" seethes Breakpoint "We have orders, which is to escort VIPs. This new info doesn't change anything about that"
>"Well, if you're so..."
>"QUIET!" the Major interrupts her mid-sentence
>"Major, you heard all of this. I can't believe you're okay with..."
>"No, Saber" she interrupts her once again "I'm not okay with it, but Breakpoint is right. We have our orders. And we will follow them. And we will accomplish our new objective as well. That magic trinket won't fall into enemy hands. We won't let the Storm King become anymore powerful"
>Starstorm now looks at each and every one of you, and continues
>"We are Phoenix Squad, dammit! We never falter, we never let down. We are Celestia's elite, Equestria's most lethal weapon. And if the stakes are higher, it only means we are TRULY needed for this. Big White wouldn't have sent us here for nothin"

>Seabeak gives a smile to the Major
>"I knew you had a kind heart under all that armor, Major" he says "I am most thankful to you. And let me correct your squadmate a bit: I don't actually have the Pearl with me"
>"It's not about kindness, Ambassador" she answers "It's about duty... Wait, what?! Then what was all this fuss about? Where is that pearl, then?"
>"Luckily, it's in a highly guarded vault back at Mount Aris. I just have the...manual, so to say"
>"So, all you have is the journal, then? I don't think that alone would be valuable enough to the Storm King. He seeks magic, not papers. I think you worry about nothing"
>Seabeak seems a bit baffled at this answer
>and Scroll rolls his eyes as well
>that must mean the Major just said something Sabersong-tier stupid
>"Major, please understand..." Seabeak says while wildly gesturing with both front legs "If the Strom King finds out about the true powers of our weapon -I dare to call it that- he will surely launch a full-scale attack against Mount Aris. And we're not prepared for such an invasion yet. He would capture the Pearl, and go on a rampage. And no free nation could repel his army then"

>Starstorm's change of expression seems to indicate that he gets the full picture now
>you get it too, although you never doubted that years of research about magic would be important in itself
>although the Major seems flustered that she got taught so hard (compared to the Ambassador's otherwise very mild demeanor), she pulls herself together, and just says:
>"Fine, Mr Seabeak. Then we will do it like that. We will escort each of you out of here, along with that journal. Sounds good?"
>"Yes. Thank you. And I thank you for sticking up to us so far"
>the Ambassador has a thankful smile, and even bows a little, with a hand on his chest
>unlike his wife, who seems strangely smug about the situation
>so far, she looked mad, no doubt about the squad's insurrection
>and by "squad", you mean two members
>well, really just one, because Longrun simply pointed out that you were rused by the initial mission briefing
>but he was right
>mercy mission your ass, this is all about some implicit power struggle
>and you, the (formerly) simple Royal Guard, never would have guessed any of it
>even less so that you will be a part of it
>but now that you're a part of it, you also understand the stakes of it, and maybe in a roundabout manner, but even Equestria is at stake here
>because if the Storm King got a super weapon, he would surely come up against your homeland eventually
>at least, now you know it's truly a cause worth fighting for

>and now, you also know why Coral is so smug
>she speaks to Starstorm
>"I'm glad we could settle things, Major. But it's time I helped fighting. You'll need every warrior you can get now"
>the Major waves a hoof
>"Still a no-go, Miss. We cannot put you in harm's way, no matter the circumstances. Rather, we need a plan. A battlefield will be welcoming us when we get out of here"
>"Major, I was with our Royal Marines. Surely, you don't think I can't handle myself"
>to emphasize her point, Coral spins her Ancestral Trident, and whacks its base on the ground
>"Miss, I appreciate your good intention, but I need to point out that........"
>you don't hear the rest of Starstorm's sentence
>a strange sound grabbed your attention
>it was very subtle, but you heard it
>when Coral put down her spear, the ground rang a bit...hollow?
>as if there was a hole in the ground, covered up
>maybe that's the entrance to the tunnel, which may indeed exist then?
>you must point out your observation, as nopony else seemed to pick up on it

>"...and that is my final word. Please, let's not continue this. We're already out of time"
>it seems you caught the end of the argument
>it appears though that Coral Waves still has something to say, but you take the opportunity instead
"Major, can I have a word?"
>"Make it fast, Corporal..."
>you walk up to Coral, and stomp a bit on the ground 
>right where the trident touched it
>yup, you were right about it
"Major, the ground here is hollow"
>"And?!"
"What if this is where the tunnel entrance is hidden?"
>"Wa-ha-ha, of course!" Seabeak jumps up with happiness, flapping his wings "A trap door! How could I be so ignorant? It makes sense, really: you can only dig a tunnel deeper down into sandy ground. So the tunnel must begin down there!"
>the hippogriff flies up, and points down to the ground, beaming with a smile
>"Then what are we waiting for? Let's check it out!" responds the Major, not fully hiding her newfound enthusiasm
>Coral steps back a little, and you two begin to remove the fine sand from the spot, that otherwise covers the whole basement

>the squad gathers around you, seeing if the hype is real or not
>to speed things up a little, Scroll casts a minor wind spell, removing the dusty sand in a jiffy
>unassuming stone tiles are revealed, and Coral inserts a claw between two of them
>she tries to move it, but it doesn't budge
>now you try to simply levitate a tile out of the many, but you can't wrap your magic around any of them
>they are just too tightly placed next to each other
>such a simple problem, yet it stalls the progress of seven trained Paladins
>well okay, six...
>but luckily, the solution comes quickly
>"Ah... I'm so sorry Grandfather" says Coral, and lifts up her trident
>then strikes with the business end of it at the stone tiles
>actually, between two tiles
>using it as a makeshift crowbar, she forces the tiles apart, then lifts one of them
>you quickly remove that one with magic, and part of a wooden grille is revealed underneath it
>and through the holes of the grille, you see black emptiness
>surely, this must be the entrance to the tunnel!
>with some access to the other tiles now, the squad gets to work
>each member grabs a tile, and removes it with ease
>in not even half a minute, the full grille is revealed, which is indeed a trap door
>"Well just look at that. It's the tunnel entrance indeed. Very observant, Swordie!" Shield compliments you, with a hint of a smile
>you blush a little bit at that
>good thing that's not visible under the helmet
>you wouldn't want to distract him right now

>"I told you ponies, didn't I? We'll be on our way home soon!"
>Seabeak is happy for a reason, although you're not quite there yet
>looking at the trap door tells you it's very-very old
>the rusty hinges also indicate that
>and if the door is in such a state, what about the tunnel?
>at any rate, you will find out soon
>without further ado, you lift up the door, accompanied by loud creaking
>you light up the hole with your horn as you look down to the bottom
>the rest of the squad peeks down too
>some path indeed seems to begin down there
>but also, the rectangular hole itself isn't very wide
>and it goes straight down for at least 5 meters, along with a fixed ladder
>it was built by the feline creatures of this land after all, who are tall and slim
>and bipedal
>but none of you will get down there easily
>not even the hippogriffs
>they simply wouldn't have room to flap their wings

>but such a simple issue can't stop the magical commandos of Equestria
>"It seems one of us has to levitate each of us down there" says Starstorm the solution "Corporal Sword, will you do the honors?"
"Yes, Ma'am!" you comply
>"But insert Breakpoint first, just to be sure. Who knows, maybe some giant spider lives down there..."
>"Not for much longer then, hehe" says the largest squadmember with a grin
>the squad lines up in front of the hole
>Breakpoint is first, as it was told
>you completely wrap him with your aura of magic, and gently levitate him down the hole
>he moves inside the tunnel a bit, then shouts back
>"Yep, it's all clear! And the tunnel seems to be in pretty good shape too! At least as far as I can see"
>"Very good!" says the Major with some satisfaction "Corporal, send down the rest!"
>you do the same to Shield as you did to Breakpoint
>then Longrun
>"Hey, that tickles!" he makes a quick joke while you levitate him
>then comes Scroll and Saber
>well, the lady surely doesn't seem happy that you just grabbed her like that, but you're not happy about her in general, either
>it's Starstorm's turn, but she stops you
>"The VIPs should go before me. Just in case something pops up at the last moment"
>makes sense, if a squad of Stormies would charge the basement while you deal with the VIPs, you couldn't defend them alone
>so they go first, then Starstorm
>finally, you remain alone in the basement
>considering you left the basement door open, and the torn up floor tiles right in front of you, any hostile would surely get the idea where they should go after the "fugutives"
>but that won't be a problem if you just move through the tunnel fast enough
>so you shrug, and jump down the hole anyway
>right before you could hit the ground, the Major stops you in the air, then releases her magic
>now everyone down here, it's time to get a move on
>Celestia knows, but you might even get out of this city in one piece

>it is said that in warfare, if things go too smoothly you're running into an ambush
>you definitely don't think that right now as you and your squad are moving through the tunnel
>as it's so narrow that a pony can barely walk single file, let alone there being room for an actual ambush
>except if it's some vile tunnel mice, but you don't fear that too much
>he-he, as if!
>you're being a bit happier right now, that you successfully found this tunnel
>the Ambassador also seems golly, he's even humming a bit
>maybe this indeed'll be a cakewalk from now on?
>maybe not, as Longrun, walking in the front, stops the squad
>"Whoah, slow down fellas... I don't like the look of this"
>"What is it?" asks the Major
>"See that? Sand is seeping from the ceiling of this section of the tunnel. Could collapse any minute... I'd say we go back" says the scout, pointing out the aforementioned issue with a hoof
>you peek over Breakpoint's flank to see what Longrun's talking about, and indeed: grain by grain, but the ceiling is giving away
>"That's normal" says the Ambassador "The ground has so much sand here, it will obviously let away some in a tunnel like this. The support beams are what matter, and they are in good shape"
>Longrun lifts an eyebrow so high as if he wanted to knock down the ceiling itself
>"You an engineer Mr Ambassador? Cause I saw quite a few mine tunnels from where I came from, and this isn't a good sign in any way. I suggest we turn around immediately"
>sure, Longrun came from the Equestrian frontier, and he has lots of common sense
>but what he didn't point out is what you hear now, during some momentary silence in their conversation

>"thud-thud"
>or more like: "boom-boom"
>you put up a hoof
"Listen..."
>everyone stays quiet for a few seconds, and looks up
>the sound indeed comes from above
>and the low-pitched thumping can be only one thing: artillery
>"Great, the arty resumed..." exclaims Breakpoint
>"Okay, I think this the big evidence we need to get out of here right now" continues Longrun "The shelling causes the resonance that causes THIS"
>he points up once again for emphasis
>"If we move fast, we could make it... The tunnel doesn't seem to give in just yet"
>"Ah, for heaven's sake... Major, you call the shots, talk some sense into this Hippogriff, cause we're gonna get buried if we stay down here"
>Major Starstorm steps forward, and gives a good look at the spot with the seeping sand
>at this moment, another silent thump can be heard
>and the ceiling spits out some more sand again
>"No, it's too risky now... If the artillery resumed, that means there's battle up above. If we get cought in crossfire, the VIPs can get mowed down, no matter how much we protect them. We'll just double time it"
>Longrun looks at the Major with disbelief on his face
>"Ma'am?!"
>"You heard that right. Take point, Sergeant"
>"Aye-aye, Ma'am..."
>Longrun hesitates some, but resumes walking
>you look back at Shield with concern
>you see concern on his face, too
>you can only hope things will turn out okay...

>as you move deeper inside the tunnel, you notice that it widens somewhat
>also, the ground is becoming different
>there are spots that are paved, and that amount increases as you move further in
>but this affects your grip, as the ground is still predominantly sandy
>with the faster pace you're moving at, one of your hooves slip sometimes on the fine sand
>even more so, as the tunnel is sloping down
>you're definitely deeper now than the first section of the tunnel
>after about five more minutes of walking, you end up in a huge chamber
>now that's surprising...
>it's a bit less claustrophobic than what you had so far
>but as you look around what this place is, you're faced with horror
>you gulp...
>there are skulls everywhere
>cat skulls
>hundreds of them
>actually, they are embedded in the walls, and they are all "looking" at you
>now you see there is also a central section, with multiple slots in its walls
>each slot has a casket
>so, this must be a crypt of sorts?

>"Wheeep, now that is something else..." whistles Longrun, the squad's resident funny guy
>but even his voice carries a bit of dread
>no wonder...
>"What is this place, Ambassador?" asks Breakpoint
>"It looks like an ancient feline burial chamber" comes the answer "And from this grim display you see, I'd surmise it's the final resting place of some warrior clan. In olden times, it was custom that the skull was removed from the rest of the skeleton after the body completely decomposed. Then, the skull was placed in a wall like this, face outside, so the noble warrior could look after those still living"
>"Lovely..." reacts Breakpoint
>you shiver
>this place gives you the creeps
"It's a very messed up custom, no offense to those cats" you say
>"Yeah, but let's make sure we don't join them" says Starstorm "If you lot finished gawking, we could move on"
>you all begin walking again, but Seabeak turns back to you
>"It indeed is, Miss Glitter. But to these cats, this is normal. Or at least, used to be normal"
>you ponder upon that for a moment
>"normal"
>what normal is, is very relative
>for example, you don't think hanging out in a crypt for a bunch of ponies is normal, even if they are special forces
>especially if aforementioned crypt is located on the other end of the world

>you move on from the crypt, into the next section of the tunnel
>this is also of the more "quality" kind previously encountered
>it has a paved floor also, and stone arches holding up the ceiling
>therefor, this section also doesn't seem to crumble in any way, despite the shelling you can hear from above
>but after several minutes of trotting forward, this section ends in an intersection
>one way seems to have completely collapsed, or more like, deliberately blown in
>no escaping that way
>the other one though is still intact, and this tunnel is again the more flimsy type, as in the beginning
>"This crypt was probably part of the monastery's catacombs, located further inside the city. It seems this escape tunnel used it as a part of its own, so less digging had to be done. Hence this intersection" comments Seabeak, checking out the debris blocking the way
>"Well, it's not like we would escape towards the city center anyway" says Starstorm "How much further until the exit?"
>"We should be near now. We came quite the ways. This tunnel should lead us straight to the southern city gate. Or somewhere around it. Sadly, I don't know where EXACTLY we will pop up"
>"Let's hope not between the legs of a Storm Creature. Okay squad, hustle up"
>you'd begin to walk, but Longrun hesitates
>he points at the ceiling
>"The sand..."
>"Yes, I get it Sergeant, but if the tunnel didn't collapse so far, maybe it will hold out now, too. Besides, Mr Seabeak just said we are close now"
>"Close to being potentially dead... Soo, should I take point?"
>"No need... Squad, on me"
>with that, the Major finishes the conversation, and steps into the dangerous-looking tunnel section

>with no other option, the squad follows down Starstorm into the tunnel
>although aside from Longrun, the others don't look that concerned
>maybe the scout indeed just worries too much?
>you can't tell, but nevertheless walk with a good pace towards the exit
>at least you hope...
>Shield is still behind you, with Breakpoint walking right in front
>then the Hippogriffs, Scroll, Sabersong, Longrun, and the Major, in this order
>a few minutes pass with basically nothing happening, just you going forward
>luckily
>but then, you hear it again
>"thud, thud!"
>but this time, it's louder
>before you could voice your concerns to anyone, a huge amount of sand falls down from above, along the full lenght of the tunnel
>it hits your armor with a distinctive noise
>your muzzle gets some of it too, but you hastily shake it off
>the squad stops in its tracks
>you can hear rumbling...
>now THAT doesn't sound good
>and it's accompanied by even more sand falling down
>Longrun yells:
>"Damn, the whole fuckin' tunnel's gonna collapse! Everypony run!"
>you all begin galloping down the tunnel, through the occasional curtains of sand
>it's a mad rush for your lives
>dangit, Longrun told you so, and now here it is
>you survived the Storm Army, but this damned tunnel might just become your graves

>a bit further down, there is a sharp turn in the tunnel
>everyone slows down a bit to take the turn
>you too, losing precious seconds
>you resume running, but now you're a bit behind
>you gallop, but another hit from above shakes the tunnel, and you lose your balance momentarily
>by the time you regain it, you see the tunnel in front of you giving away
>you run to push through, but a huge rock falls down right in front of your legs
>you stop and see the support beams cracking
>the old, dry wood easily gives in, and the closest one to you breaks in two at the top
>huge amounts of sand and dirt begins to pour down, filling up the tunnel
>you can still see your squad, who have noticed the happening, and stopped
>Breakpoint shouts:
>"Sword, come on, you can still push through this! Don't get left behind!"
>maybe HE could, but you don't dare to enter the stream of sand
>"Crap!" swears Shield from behind "We gotta get back to the squad! Help me!"
>he casts a shield in front of himself, then angles it upwards, entering the stream of sand
>the magical barrier flickers as it gets hit by pieces of rocks among the sand, and Shield has a hard time keeping up the spell
>you try to help her, but the shield spell you cast breaks in a second
>no wonder, you learned that one only a few days ago
>meanwhile, you notice the support beams BEHIND YOU cracking as well

"Quickly Shield, the tunnel is collapsing behind us too!!!" you scream, getting panicked
>"I can't...hold this up! AGHHH!" he grunts, visibly straining himself
>you can now barely see the rest of your squadmates through the veil of sand, who are shouting and gesturing to you from the looks of it, but you hear nothing of it through the rumbling
>finally, Shield gives up, and jumps out of the way towards you
>the section in front of you completely collapses
>you backpedal, as more and more of the tunnel gives in
>"We must get out of here!" shouts your squadmate
>instinctively, your legs turn you back, and begin running in the other direction, with Shield in tow
>you don't know how will you escape yet, but this being the only way right now, you don't have many choices
>a support beam breaks in front of you
>in the nick of time, you can cast a spell of telekinesis to hold it together, just for enough time that both of you can move past underneath it
>the rest of the tunnel seems just stable enough that you can run along it, right back to the intersection where the catacombs begin
>finally you stop, catching your breath
>a few moments later, the section you just left caves in too
>but you're safe here, relatively speaking
>the stone construction of this section will probably hold up

>after about a minute, you've rested enough that you can think more clearly
>that is, now you realize you are completely, totally screwed
>you walk up to the sand and debris that almost killed you just a minute ago, and nudge it a few times with a hoof
>this is tough stuff, no unicorn magic can dig through this
>you turn around, lean against the debris, and sit down on your haunches
>out of desperation, you break down crying
"W-we're sh-shurely, dead now, Sh-shield! We're dead m-meat! It's over for u-us...!"
>you bury your face in your hooves
>you cry like this for a little bit, then you stop
>you're like a little filly
>this is really unbecoming of you
>unbecoming of a Royal Guard, let alone a Paladin
>you rub your eyes, trying to see through your tears
>Shield is looking at the direction of the crypt, then back to you, while holding a hoof to his chin
>then he walks up to you
>"Are you all right now?"
>you look up at him, and just nod
>"Hey, pull yourself together! Are you injured? Can you walk?"
>you get up to your feet, and answer properly:
"I'm alright. I can walk. I'm sorry. I just... I just don't know what we will do now"

>Shield looks you straight in the eyes, then answers:
>"Simple enough. We will walk back the way we came from. Then...then we will hold out until extraction"
>you don't answer right away, just make a few limp steps forward
"That part of the tunnel probably collapsed too. We're trapped down here, Shield"
>"You can't tell that now, can you?"
>Shield puts a hoof on your shoulder, then continues
>"Look, I know this is tough, but we can't lose hope. We need to stick up to each other, more than anytime! We WILL get out of this alive. I WILL stick up to you. Can you do the same, Swordie?"
>you wipe away one last tear, and also put a hoof on his shoulder
"Yes, I can. I will. Sorry. I just... I just got really panicked for a bit"
>you also try to force a smile
>Shield smiles back at you
>"It's okay, Sword. It happens. Not always you get a cave-in during a mission, heh... Now, are you ready? Can we continue?"
"Yes. Just...give me one more minute, okay?"
>"Okay...... Hey, I learned a technique at the Academy that might help you calm down. Follow my steps: Breathe in, count to four....Breathe out. Breathe in, 1, 2, 3, 4, breathe out. Try it!"
>okay, you can do that
>you breathe in
>1, 2, 3, 4
>breathe out
>you repeat
>....
>breathe out...
>honestly, this ain't doing much
>but you look at poor Shield, and see how he tries his best to help you
>and to say nothing about the fact that technically, he is now the commanding officer of this "squad"
>both of you now are his responsibility
>you better not place anymore burden on him than there are already
>besides, it's time anyway to pony the fuck up
"Thank you, Shield. That helped! We can move out"
>"Great! I'm so glad. Okay then... It's only the two of us now, so be extra careful of our sorroundings. Let's go"

>Shield moves out, and you're right behind him
>you're still a bit panicked, but you try to shove your dark thoughts into the back of your brain
>mainly, for his sake
>you don't want to get him killed because you can't focus
>because let's admit, even if the two of you can get out of here, what will welcome you outside?
>fighting, that's what
>the artillery barrage on the surface wasn't for nothing
>Abyssinian forces and the Storm Army probably battle it out right now
>and you more than likely can't just walk out of the city between the two of them

>with only the two of you left, you feel very-very alone down here
>the clanking and clamoring of your armors are echoed by the tunnel walls
>with every sound seemingly intensified, you feel like you could be easily tracked and followed
>in your current state, you turn back, but of course, nobody's following you
>but really, who could follow you anyway?
>aside from you, only the dead resides down here...
>this doesn't mean the rest of your squad, of course
>they have surely made it out of here alive
>right?
>after all, the last moment you can remember, their part of the tunnel wasn't collapsing
>only you and Shield was so unlucky
>right?!
>but you rather ask Shield, in no small part because the silence is becoming dreadful
"Hey buddy... You mentioned some "extraction". So, the rest of Phoenix escaped successfully, didn't they?"
>Shield turns back his head
>"Of course! Phoenix Squad doesn't die in some cave in. We're tougher than that!"
>that sounded like a line from some motivational speaker...

"You're just saying that or...?"
>"No. I saw them. Their part of the tunnel wasn't collapsing"
>right, so he saw too
"So they will come back for us, right?"
>"Sheesh, sure they will... Phoenix is one! We leave no pony behind"
"Cool! Very good! I'm glad!"
>"You still sound afraid... Come on Sword, we'll get out of this alive. Trust me!"
"I'm not afraid! I pulled myself together!"
>"You're just saying that or...?"
"Nope! I mean it! See?!"
>you can only muster the most faked grin possible as a reassurence
>Shield stops, so he can see your "reassuring smile"
>it looks so genuine, that it surely reassured him...
>Shield stops and smiles back at you, then gently puts a hoof on your shoulder
>"That'll do, Corporal!"

>some more minutes pass, and you get back to the burial chamber
>the sight of the skulls sends a chill down along your spine again
>but now, you also feel the skulls are laughing at you
>they're staring at you, and they're mocking you
>in stereotypical sleazy feline voices
>"YOU ARE DEAD, ONE OF US! YOU ARE DEAD, ONE OF US!"
>you close your eyes as you walk along, but you can still hear them
>"Come, and rest with us! You earned it! Rest! Rest! FINAL REST!"
>you can't take this anymore...
"Shut the fuck up!" you cry out loud
>Shield immediately stops, and turns back to you
>"What's wrong, Sword? What happened?! Who are you talking to?"
"Me?... The skulls! They were mocking me! They...They were laughing at me!"
>but you quickly realize you shouldn't have said it like that...
>"The skulls??? Sword, are you sure you're alright? This whole situation is really getting to you"
"No! I'm fine. It's just that... I'm a bit claustrophobic. That is all. That's why I'm a bit stupid right now. You needn't worry about me"
>Shield lifts an eyebrow
>"Fine. Okay... Let's just get outta here quickly then"
>he turns back towards the exit, and trots out of the crypt
>you follow him, cursing yourself along the way
>now he surely thinks you're half-crazy...
>at least the claustrophobia bit isn't untrue
>you really don't like tight, enclosed spaces
>but that's your slightest concern right now

>you make it back to the first, very tight section of the tunnel
>and fortune smiles on you, this section didn't collapse
>although there are small piles of sand on the floor, it doesn't seep from the ceiling anymore
>"Well, the artillery stopped. Should be safe to move through right now"
>you consider Shield's words, then consider what happened just fifteen minutes ago
"And what if a shell strikes above us just as we move through?!"
>"Then...then we die. But if we don't even try, we will stay here forever. There is no other way out"
>you say nothing, just stare in front of yourself
>"...then we die" echoes in your head
>you look back at Shield, but still say nothing
>"Oookay, I'll just go first, and you follow. Is that good? Yes? Now, come on!"
>Shield moves into this untrustworthy part
>if he dares to do so, why not you?
>you try to empty your mind, and steel yourself
>and without further ado, follow in Shield's footsteps

>Shield moves quickly, and you follow closely behind
>you fear trouble can strike any moment, but you try to shoo away these thoughts once again
>you try to think of nice things...
>Canterlot...
>its platforms, with its beautiful white cobblestones
>and the scenery!
>whole Central Equestria can be seen from there!
>after basic ended, it was on one of these platforms where your company was officially inducted into the Guard
>with Celestia herself present, and the Flag of Equestria flying high, you made your oaths
>and after all that, the Guard Choir played and sung the National Anthem
>the National Anthem
>your National Anthem...
>you begin to sing, quietly
"The fire of friendship lives in our hearts"
"As long as it burns, we cannot drift apart"
"Though quarrels arise, their numbers are few..."
>Shield now notices, and he glances back
>"Sword, you're singing?"
>you don't answer, just continue
"Laughter and singing will see us through"
"Will see us through!"
>you continue, but with humming
>Shield glances back again, now smiling
>"Sword, you're singing our Anthem..."
>and with that, you resume singing, now a bit louder
"We are a circle of pony friends"
"A circle of friends we'll be to the very end!"
>but for the next verse, Shield joins too
"Though the winter brings all its cold and storm"
>"...cold and storm"
"The glow in our hearts keeps us warm"
>"...us warm"
>you two are pretty de-synced as you trot along together, and probably off-key too, but what the hay!
>you keep up the singing
"The friends we now call our family"
>"...our family"
"Will always see us through"
>"...see us through!"

>you run along the tunnel like that, singing your National Anthem
>and by the time you get to the end of it, you get perfectly in-synch
"A circle of friends we'll be to the very end!"
>as you reach the last line of the last verse, you also reach the end of the tunnel
>you made it, and you made it alive!
>singing the Anthem give you strength and determination, just like it did on that fateful day, when recruit Sword Glitter became Private Sword Glitter
>you look at Shield, who seems pretty relieved too
>"We did it, Swordie. You patriotic little mare, you!"
>you smile sheepishly, and look up into the light, at the open trap door, where you descended not so long ago
>if the fact that you're both still alive, and mostly unscathed is any indication, there is hope yet for you
>and as for hope? there is always some hope
>even if it only means you survived a caved-in tunnel, and get the chance to die in a different manner today

ACT IV: STRANDED

>you just ascended from the tunnel that almost claimed your lives a little while ago
>now you are both in the basement of the embassy
>again
>you look around to see that nothing of importance happened here since you left
>thank Celestia, maybe that means the house proper is also unoccupied
>although that doesn't mean much in itself, as it's the streets you're concerned about
>they are probably crawling with Storm creatures, so just slipping out of the house unnoticed wouldn't be possible
>let alone moving along those streets...
"The coast is clear. No hostiles in sight" you give a little sitrep to Shield
>not like he wouldn't see that that, or anything
>but you wanted to say something, affirm to yourself you didn't yet slip away under the weight of the situation
>"Okay. Let's move up quietly"
>the de facto "squad leader" gestures you behind himself, and slowly scales the stairs
>you're in tow watching his back, just in case
>Shield engages his magic, and slowly opens the basement door
>yeah, the one with the blasted lock
>if anything, that should have been apparent to anyone searching the house 
>based on that, there shouldn't be anyone up there
>like, if you were them, you'd search the house throughoutly before doing whatever an invasion army does with a captured embassy
>and if the lock of a door is shot, that'd mean someone is probably behind that door
>so you'd check that out
>but that wasn't the case, so probably the house is empty as well
>or the the Storm King's minions are just very-very incompetent...

>now you are both in the corridor that sort of splits the house into two halves
>one is the main hall, and the other is the kitchen, staff rooms, storages, etc.
>you're in the latter half now
>Shield is still at the front, carefully moving forward
>you reach the kitchen door
>it's still open, just like your squad left it when you left
>you stack up next to your buddy, and you both peak in, with horns lit ready to fire
>the kitchen is empty
>the cupboard placed in front of the back door as a blockade, is there too
>the corpse of the creature Longrun killed, too...
"I don't think anyone was interested in this house while we were out" you say to Shield in a lowered voice
>"Yeah. I'm starting to think we might even be able to slip out of the building unnoticed. Maybe their main force isn't this far into the city"
"And if they are?"
>"Then we'll just hold out here. And hope Commander Starstorm will save us"
>you gulp
>you know "Phoenix is one" and all that, but you're not so sure about the Major
>would she risk the rest of her unit to save two ponies who might be already dead?
>especially if one of them is you?
>like, losing you, from a strategic standpoint, would be a much smaller loss then losing everypony else trying to save you
>of course, here's Shield too, but he'd be just a "collateral loss" at that point
"I hope very much you're right..."

>you move on from the kitchen, and finish checking out this half of the house
>it's all clear, luckily
>now you move on to the main hall, which is empty too
>except of course for the trooper Breakpoint knocked out earlier
>he is still lying there, probably dead like the one in the kitchen
>none of you checked for lifesigns, or anything, but you're pretty sure he would have gotten up by now if he wasn't dead
>of course, none of you expected coming back here either
>you walk up to him, while Shield walks slowly next to you
>you look up to the mezzanine, which seems empty and clear
>then you look at the creature
>his face mask is cracked, and there is a nasty wound on his temple too
>it seems Breakpoint knows exactly where to strike, as this one won't get up anytime soon
>now Shield looks at him too
>"Hm. It was a bit irresponsible from Breakpoint to leave him like this. He should have finished the job properly"
"What are you talking about? This enemy IS dead. Look at him. He's limp and all"
>you levitate up one of his arms a bit, then release it to demonstrate your point
>the huge, muscly arm indeed falls back to the ground like it belonged to a puppet
>now you feel bad a bit you just did that to a corpse
>even these brutes deserve some respect, even if they are invaders of a peaceful land

"See? Dead"
>you say that to Shield in a bit huffy voice
>you didn't really like what he said, it felt unlike him
>you'd expect talk like that from Sabersong, not Shield
>"I'd shoot him, but I don't want any commotion now. We still didn't check outside"
"Well, maybe YOU should have shot him back then, no?" you grumble
>Shield doesn't respond, just walks up to one of the windows
>the windowframes are high enough that you can't just look outside from the middle of the room
>luckily, that also means no one would see you from outside
>when closer, he ducks down a bit
>he takes a peak, but immediately lowers his head back
>"Damn, it's a bloody convention out there... Stay low, Sword"
>you stay low, but also take a peak outside
>in the second you could assess the situation, you could pick out about thirty Stormtroopers
>all armed and armored of course
>so, you won't just slip out of the house it seems

"Ehhh... What now, Shield? Guess we won't engage THAT group"
>"No, we won't..." answers Shield, ducking right next to you "Let's wait for a bit. Maybe they'll just go away"
>from his voice you could surmise he didn't really mean that last part seriously
>although it's still better if he just said "yeah Sword, we're screwed"
>but whether said or not, that's the truth right now
"Lemme take another look" you say, and peek out of the window again
>you couldn't put your hoof on it, but something's not right here
>and it's not just what are they waiting for...
>it's one of them troopers
>he looks out of place here...
>but you need a better angle
>you sneak over to the window on the other side of the front door
>the door is still blocked, another testament to the "unoccupied house" theory
>you take a look from here, and now you see clearly
>one of those soldiers isn't really one
>he looks like a... mage
>he wears elaborate robes, although combined with smaller plates of armor
>maybe he's a battlemage then?
>he also holds a staff, and the crystal at the tip is a dead giveaway that it's a magic staff
>it also has a metallic glint to it
>metal magic staff? That's unusual
>so this must mean the Storm King ALREADY has access to magical weaponry
>not good...

"Shield! Shield! Look outside!" you whisper "Can you see that mage? What's up with that? What is he doing here?"
>the question is partially poetic, as you can only guess he acts as some sort of commander on the field, or an elite soldier
>but you want Shield's insight too
>he's the real professional out of you two, after all
>"I can't see him...?" he says, as he also takes the effort to remain hidden by the windowframe
"The one wearing the robes... Ah, just come over, you can see him from here"
>Shield walks over to you, and scans the enemy forces
>"Aw, damn... That's a mage alright. And his staff...Never saw anything like that"
"Not that I am an expert or anything, but... What's with the staff? Is it something special? Apart from it being metallic?"
>you don't know much about magic staves, about as much as the average unicorn
>during Basic Magic in high school, you learned that staves are usually made from wood, or some other organic material, because in those magic flows much better
>metals are the very last materials anyone would want to enchant
>they conduct magic poorly, and are very hard to work with
>yet, in the hands of that Storm Army mage, that's clearly a metal staff

>"That's indeed what looks like steel" answers Shield "And if that staff actually works, that means the Storm King already has access to magic powerful enough to enchant even metal"
"Do you think it's a destruction staff? And anyway, what are they waiting for? I don't think they all just stand there for no reason"
>"Well, destruction would definitely go well with their theme... And I dunno, maybe..."
>Shield looks at you for a second, then at the dead Stormie lying on the carpet
>"I think they are waiting for THEM" says Shield, looking back at you
"So we just took out their scouting party, then? Would make sense. Too bad they will never report back now..."
>"Yeah... I'll give them five minutes to get tired of waiting, and attack the house to find out what the hay is going on"
>that also makes sense
>and you just pictured in your head the mage with his deadly staff leading the charge
"Uh-huh. S-so what are we going to do now?" 
>"We'll wait. And stay vigilant. And if they attack, we can still retreat upstairs. Make a last stand"
"So this is it, Shield? We're done for?"
>"I didn't say that, but... I doubt the rest of Phoenix will get here in time"
>Shield's words sadden you
>you knew your prospects were bleak the moment that Celestia-forsaken tunnel collapsed, and cut you two off, but still
>you really don't want to go out this early in life
>but you're not dead yet, and your buddy neither
>so you muster up all your determination, and look him straight in the eye
"Whatever happens Shield, I'm with you. If we go down, we go down together. I promise you this"
>Shield smiles at you in response, and slowly nods
>then, probably in his moment of weakness, he leans in, and hugs you
>at first you think about telling him to stop, as this is unprofesional and all, but then you embrace him as well
>it comforts you, at least somewhat
>and after all, who knows if this isn't the last hug you'll ever share 

MEANWHILE...
>you are Captain Scroll Writ, second-in-command of Phoenix squad
>you and the remainder of the unit just emerged from the escape tunnel
>and luckily, you're all still in one piece
>the tunnel actually lead outside the city walls, right into the desert
>this would be just perfect
>if Corporal Glitter and Sergeant Edge were still with you
>but they got cut off
>you saw as both tried really hard to get through the torrent of sand
>but they eventually had to let go, and probably escaped in the other direction
>probably...
>now, if they made it, they are alone in a city invaded by the army of a violent despot
>Celestia told you Sword is your responsibility
>that she has so much potetntial, but is also so green, so you should keep an eye on her
>and you have failed at your task
>you didn't push against Starstorm's rash decisions during the mission, as you believed Sword needs to see not only the enemy can cause the hardships
>not once, her wit shined through
>but in the tunnels, you should really have spoken up
>like how you always did when Starstorm was her usual reckless, far too straightforward and to-the-point self
>like how always Twilight Velvet did when she was still a part of the unit
>oh Twilight, how you miss her...
>but it's too late now
>now you can only think about how to get things right
>and speaking out against Starstorm would be useless anyway now
>as you know there will be someone who will do that anyways...

>"Celestia frickin' damnit!!! Just dammit! Aggggh!!!"
>Longrun rages as she looks around in the desert
>he turns to Starstorm
>"I told you this was gonna happen. I told ya! But you just had to push us on! Now they are stranded! If not worse..."
>"Sergeant..."
>Starstorm tries to answer, but he gets cut off by a very angry Longrun
>now he turns to the Ambassador
>"And you... Hippogriff... The tunnel is stable, eh? You really have clouds for a brain, don't ya?!"
>"I'm so sorry about this turn of events, but how could I..."
>as poor Seabeak tries to answer, Longrun cuts him off too
>"Ya'll...ya'll should have just listened to me THIS ONCE! I'm not the damn scout of the team for nothing! But YOU always have to be wiser, don't you Major Starstorm?!"
>you can tell Longrun is beyond angry now
>when he is, he slips back to his thick southern Equestrian accent, that he otherwise keeps in check
>"Sergeant Longrun, you're to..."
>the Major tries to speak again to no avail
>"I get it it's always mission first for you, but you have gone too far this time! You are no squad leader, just an irresponsible prick! Maybe YOU should have been left behind"
>"Buddy, that's enough..." says Breakpoint, trying to calm the seething scout
>but it was surely enough for Starstorm...

>"I'm really getting sick of your lip, Sergeant... Turn back, and get a move on. NOW"
>"No Major. I'm not not going ANYWHERE until Sword and Shield aren't back with us. And I'll save them alone if I have to"
>"Gunnery Sergeant Longrun, you are to fall in RIGHT NOW, or I will consider this insubordination, and you'll face a courtmartial! Secondly, we WILL go go back for the corporal and the sergeant, but not before we secured the VIPs. Is that clear?"
>"So it REALLY just about the mission for you, huh Major?" answers Longrun, whose anger has lost some of its steam
>good thing you know the Major only throws around threats like that when she is really angry, and she more than probably won't courtmartial Longrun
>"Sergeant, we go back to the airship. That's an order. THEN we'll think about saving them"
>"But we don't have ANY time. They're facing an army. Alone! And they're not the most experienced paladins either. They'll get overrun in no time"
>at this point, you think you have heard enough, and speak up
"Longrun....."
>you wait for the scout to look at you, and have his attention
>you don't speak much, but when you do, they usually pay attention to you
>you have that effect on ponies, luckily
"Longrun, the Major is right about the hippogriffs. Better not cause ourselves more trouble than we already have. We'll need to take the airship anyway if we want to save our squadmates. We can't do without close air support if we're going to search the city for them. Also, we'll spot them much easier from the air"
>Longrun thinks for a moment, then answers in a much calmer voice than he used in the last few minutes
>"If we gonna loiter above the city with the Razor, we're just gonna make ourselves a big fat target for those airships. And if I see it correctly, they're going for a full blockade right now. That will mean no escape in any direction. We'll have to do the search on hooves. I suggest MAJOR STARSTORM flies the Razor to the RV point with the VIPs, while it's still possible. Meanwhile, the rest of us stay here to search for Sword and Shield. Then we'll just find our own ride out of here"

>Starstorm reacts to Longrun's proposition with a raised eyebrow
>"Just when did you become the squad leader, Sergeant?"
>"When you clearly became incapable of fulfilling that role" comes the answer
>Starstorm scrunches up her muzzle for a moment, then does a grimace like if she bit on a lemon
>after this, what was probably in place of expletives, she answers her (in)subordinate
>"I'll pretend I didn't hear that for the sake of our squadmates in trouble. Although the Captain's idea sounds risky, it's something we can do. We'll do a quick flyby over the city, then try to land INSIDE the city, and continue the search on hooves. And if they are holding out inside a building, they'll be probably holed up in the embassy. Otherwise I'd expect Shield to follow protocols, and make a run for the Razor. Now let's move out. With every moment wasted, we risk losing them"
>Longrun now looks at the Major
>then at you
>"Okay Captain...I think I can get behind that"
>he surely said that to you specifically to defy the Major
>but also, he now seems to be calm enough to get back in line
>with that, he begins to walk towards the Wind Razor
>Breakpoint follows suit
>"Finally! Let's do this! Our buddies are awaiting rescue!"
>then the rest of you move out too

>as the squad trots along in the desert towards the airship, Starstorm breaks formation, and falls behind
>but only as much that you catch up to her
>you usually stay a bit behind, guarding the back of the team
>but what Starstorm just did, is a bit unusual
>the other members look back at her
>especially Sabersong
>that mare has much respect for the Major
>no doubt, as her hot-headed attitude gets along well with Starstorm's straightforward way of looking at problems
>but Starstorm doesn't like gawking
>"Keep your eyes forward, team! I guard the back with Scroll"
>but you know she just wants to say something to you
>she maybe even wants counsel...
>and indeed, as you trot along next to each other, she leans in closer to you
>"So... Who's your money on his time?"
"Her"
>"Huh? You mean the Corporal? If you said "them", I could maybe understand. Shield is the clearly more experienced out of them. If they get out of this alive, it will be because of him"
"I don't know Major. But Celestia believes in her. And honestly, I do too. There's something about her...some hidden tenacity? I just feel she won't break so easily. She will make it. And of course, Shield too"
>"I don't feel the same about her, but I truly hope you're right. And just between us...this mess is kinda on me"
>Starstorm lowers her head a bit
>it's not often she is humble like that
>and even then, she'd only admit something like this to you
>which is understandable, considering all the years you two served together
>she surely trusts you
>maybe even respects you
>in her own way, of course...
"I know... But it's too late to undo it. We can only fix it now"
>"And I WILL fix it. Even if I have to go through Tartarus itself to do so"

BACK AT THE EMBASSY...
>you are Corporal Sword Glitter
>you slouch back at the wall right under the window
>you're waiting for the inevitable, while Shield is back at the other window, keeping owerwatch
>you were keeping watch too, but now you feel like you need a second to compose yourself
>you look at the corpse of the Storm Guard, lying on the floor along with pieces of broken railing
>you don't really know why you look at him
>you should just look away
>it's ugly and disturbing
>or maybe you except him to suddenly get up?
>he is pretty much dead, that won't happen
>but when you just want to look out the window again, he actually moves a bit
>to your greatest horror and surprise, he lifts his right arm a bit, and clenches his paw into a fist
>WHAT THE HAY, zombie Storm Trooper?
>or you know, he's maybe not ACTUALLY dead
"Sh-shi-Shield! Look!"
>Shield looks in the direction of the "corpse", and gasps audibly
>he is surprised too
>seems like you successfully (and falsely) convinced him of this creature's demise
>but now there he is, slowly trying to get up
>he touches his head, and lets out painful grunts
>he didn't notice you two yet, as he's facing the other direction
>but it's only a matter of time

>the guard gets on his knees first, being on all fours
>then pushes himself up
>he doesn't really seem to know where he is
>you and Shield stay motionless, waiting for the situation to unfold
>the trooper looks around, still facing away from you
>then he seemingly recollects what's his purpose was here
>he is a bit wobbly, but NOW he turns around
>he actually looks surprised, as you can see his eyes widening under the mask
>well, one eye at least
>the other is very swollen form Breakpoint's armored hoof strike
>what will happen now?
>if either one of you shoots, that will be surely heard outside
>and then, the rest of the Storm Guards will surely attack the building
>and buying yourself some time would be advisable
>after all, maybe Phoenix squad will indeed come back for you

>while still all three of you are flummoxed enough to stay still, you get an idea
>the most Royal Guard-iest idea you can think of
>you will tell this confused creature to stand down
"Shield, hold your fire..."
>"Okay?..."
"Hey, you! Yeah you! Listen to me! We don't have to fight, you know. Just surrender, and we'll spare you. What do you say?"
>you surely got the Storm Guard's attention, as he's looking right at you
>but you're not sure anything you just said registered
>he doesn't react, although doesn't seem surprised anymore
>"I don't think he understood any of that, Sword..."
>yeah, right
>you're not sure what you expected actually
>maybe SOME reaction
>you try once again
"Hey, do you hear me? I'm talking to you"
>you can't make out much expression from under that mask, but it's as if he looked at you a bit differently now
>maybe this will work after all?
>the Stormie makes a low-pitched grunt, and grimaces some
>then touches his swollen eye socket, and hisses
>his face now definitely looks angry
>it probably all came back to him
>the fall, and how bad Breakpoint messed him up

>he looks at you, now being outright furious
>he grabs his sidearm, a dagger with the blade lenght of your foreleg
>his intention is quite obvious, but you're at the ready too
>he charges at you with his blade in hand
>there is a good ten meters between you, so you can charge up your magic, and shoot
>the magic bolt strikes him in the chest, in the place where the armor is the thickest
>he falls face down, but it's a controlled fall
>you didn't kill him at all, he tries to get back up
>you charge your magic again, but Shield beats you to it, and finishes off the creature
>he trots over, and says:
>"And that's why you always finish them off! You alright?"
>he sounded a bit angry as he said that, understandably, but you don't answer
>you look out the window
>every Storm Guard outside is looking at the building
>and the mage among them indeed seems to be an officer, or something
>he directs the troops to different positions in front of the house
"I'm good. But I dunno how much longer..."
>now Shield is next to you, too
>"They are attacking. Prepare yourself, Sword"
"Oh, can't you see how prepared I am?!" you say, hyperventilating
>"Good. You stay here. I have the other window. We should try to get as many of them as possible before they reach the house. Because once they break in, we'll become sitting ducks"

>you sure Shield understood your sarcasm, but now neither of you have the luxury to have anything less than laser focus
>but what he proposes is a sound tactic
>you kinda wonder why you didn't just shoot outta the windows back at the Hippogriff residence
>sure, the windows there were much smaller, and there wasn't enough for every one of you
>and kinda hoped them Stormies would just pass the building, however unlikely that seemed
>but that doesn't matter now
>you levitate a coffe table under the window, as it is too high up for comfortable shooting
>you step on it, and now it's perfect
>you can see everything, but the thick walls provide great cover right up to your neck
>and now, it begins
>hapless Guardsmare vs. an army of violent brutes: Round 2

>you can see about ten Storm Guards pour into the courtyard
>Shield shatters his window with a telekinetic blast, and starts picking off targets
>you have to admit, the guy is real business
>he already killed three by the time you fired off your first shot
>at least your bolt strikes too, and in the head, none the less
>the face masks these troopers wear aren't thick enough to stop a fully-powered magic bolt
>your target falls behind almost in a comical manner
>maybe you should aim at the head from now on?
>maybe, but you actually got lucky with that strike, you're not a markspony
>still, you get another creature with a headshot, then another with three good hits to the torse
>meanwhile, Shield lowered back from the window to let his magic recharge
>you fight for about half a minute alone, with good results
>you get another two Stormies
>that's unprecedented
>you almost scare yourself
>maybe these are second-grade troops with thinner armor?
>strange
"These guys are easy... Almost too easy" you say to Shield as now you wait for magicka to flow back to you
>"Yeah" he says between too shots "I think they are just testing our defenses. The real attack is surely about to come"
"I hope you're wrong..."
>but you know he isn't...

>after you felt your magical powers potent enough again, you get back to it
>meanwhile, your Paladin buddy thinned out the Storm Guard ranks considerably
>as you search for a target you could hit, it comes to mind the mage is nowhere to be found
>he was here right before the attack, but now he isn't
>maybe he saw you two are tough stuff, and just fled?
>that doesn't really seem like the Storm Army's style
>but maybe you spoke too soon, because he is right there
>on the other side of the street, he emerges on the top of a building
>his staff is with him too, of course, and he is definitely up to something
>he is pretty far away, you couldn't possibly hit him from here
>but you sure somepony else could...
"Shield! The Storm mage! One o'clock, top of building!"
>the mage has a perfect angle to strike at you
>and he probably would, but Shield fires at him multiple times
>to your greatest surprise, Shield's shots dissipate right in front of the creature
>he holds out his staff in front of himself, with a magical barrier conjured up
>so, he can block your shots
>"Dammit!" exclaims Shield
>as you have a slightly different angle of fire, you have a shot at him too
>maybe together, you can take him down
>but your shots are blocked too, as his barrier is seemingly wide enough
>this is gonna be a tough fight...

>as you point your horn at the mage and charge up your magic, you can see he is doing the same with his staff
>you let go of your charge-up as you can now see a big blue orb flying towards you
>you can barely duck down as the huge magical projectile flies right above you, through the window, into the building
>it hits the opposite wall with an explosion
>Dangit!
>this guy doesn't just aim well, his staff is powerful too
>just as Shield speculated
"This ain't gonna be good!" you say in a slightly horrified voice
>"He'll probably cover the advance of the next wave like this. We'll be forced out of the windows, so we can't shoot at his troops before they reach the buil..."
>Shield can't finish his sentence properly as the next magic orb is adressed to him
>luckily, it only hits the windowframe, but the explosion could have taken him out if he didn't jump back
"Or he'll just shoot apart the whole house like this!" you react
>"Doubtful. Staves have limited charges. He won't waste it on demolition"
>so far, Shield's knowledge of military science was spot on
>too bad he doesn't have any advice for a "2 versus thousands" situation
>Shield doesn't go back to the window
>he actually urges you too to stay as far behind as possible
>he didn't have to say so, you got the idea when the Storm mage's projectile almost obliterated you
>"Now we wait. I'll give them two minutes to attack again"

>not even a minute passes when the front door literally gets blown in along with the drawers in front of it
>no doubt the mage wanted a quick entrance for his troops
>the Storm Guards begin to pour into the house, at least five
>these ones have kite shields too, along with their signature spears
>you both engage them, from the back of the room
>no doubt this is it
>you will get overwhelmed any minute now
>you also feel tired, at least in the arcane sense
>you shot out so much combat spells, that your head starts to hurt
>your bolts are weaker and weaker, and they have a decreasing effect on your hostiles
>even less so, as these aren't just target practice
>they make an effort to block shots with their shields, and they try to use openings to move forward
>luckily, your comrade doesn't have issues like you, and mowes them down all the same
>it actually feels a bit unfair how effective a magical unit can be against regular grunts
>that reminds you that mage could join the fray at any moment
>and you're sure he will...

>after the first five or so troopers were taken care of, at least ten others replace them
>this is starting to look like the shotout at the Hippogriff residence, except there are only two of you
>at least half of the attacking force goes for you, but you don't shoot
>you can't
>you're not trained enough for this, you'd need rest
>your last bolts were already very weak, and your head hurts
>"Sword, what are you doing?! Shoot! Shoot 'em, defend yourself!"
>Shield calls you out, but you don't answer
>he has enough targets of his own
>you won't tell him what's up, or he might take it upon himself to try and defend you too
>and that could cost his life very quickly

>you get backed into the corner of the room
>a Stormer charges at you, and raises his shield to strike you down
>very bad idea, he should have used his spear...
>in a moment's notice, you grab his shield, and stop it mid-strike
>he is visibly surprised, but you don't let him react, and with powerful TK, you whack his temple with the shield still attached to his hand
>he violently falls into the wall, so much that it even shakes a bit
>you take the opportunity, and jump on him, then buck him in the back of the head with your hindlegs
>he won't get back up from that anytime soon

>this sudden victory reinvigorates you, and realize: you should just go up close and personal
>you know the protocols dictate you should keep melee units at range, because at swinging distance, they can gang up on you, while you're occupied with one
>but considering how fast you've dealt with this one, now you know what you have to do
>telekinesis comes much more naturally to you than combat spells, and you are a fencer anyway, so you will do this your way
>you grab the spear of your downed opponent, and go at the next Stormie
>meanwhile, you hear some high pitched, wheezing sound, but that doesn't matter right now
>you start to fight your opponent, but the wheezing only gets louder until you can feel the whole house shaking
>using the distraction, you strike the baddie down, but it seems now you have a bigger problem
>was that...artillery??? Again???
>and it was a direct hit too, so that means they have you zeroed in
>but don't they care they have many of their own in here too???
>it seems it's not the Storm King's style to care about such trivialities
>at any rate, you have to get out of here
>but how if you're occupied by these goons?
>and more and more just flow into the house...
"Shield! Shield! We're under fire from their arty! We have have to get out of here NOW!"
>"I know! Go for the back door, clear the way! I'll cover you. Give me a shout if I can go too"
"F-fine!" you say, as the building gets hit again
>then again
>than again and again
>you tumble a bit, but make it to the kitchen, where the back door is located
>of course, as your luck, a number of troops are already working on getting inside
>they can't push in the door because of the cupboard, but they're getting there
>meanwhile, the house gets shaken again from multiple hits
>what do now?
>this way, you walk into storm creatures
>the front door is the same
>and remaining in the house is suicide
>but maybe...
>getting back to the basement is viable
>even if the house collapses, you can survive there

>you run back to the hall to get Shield
>he's still there, but barely holding out against the onslaught
"Shield, the back yard is swarming with bad guys, we can't escape that way. Our only chance is the basement. Come on!"
>"That doesn't lead anywhere anymore!"
"It's still better than the whole house collapsing upon us. Come on already!"
>Shield shoots one last Stormtrooper, then follows you
>you both swing out to the corridor leading to the kitchen and the basement
>awful grumbling and mumbling can be heard from above, and huge chunks of the ceiling begin to fall
>one such piece falls right in front of you, but you jump over it, and continue running
>but just as you'd reach the basement door, one of the main supporting beams comes down along with huge amounts of debris
>the door to the basement is now blocked
>you turn back to Shield, who now begins running in the other direction
>"We have to go to the kitchen! No other way out!"
>you'd stop him, but you can't
>you could still levitate away this amount of debris...
>but the ceiling is coming down all the way along this corridor
>and more Storm creatures have just arrived from the main hall
>they don't seem to be bothered with the collapsing building, only with killing you, the idiots
>so you just rush after Shield to the kitchen, but it collapses as you'd enter
>you see the squadmate dearest to you getting hit by a huge chunk of the roof, and getting buried
"Shield!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
>you'd start digging him out, but you know the enemy is still on to you
>you turn back, and madly start to fire at the incoming creatures
>you gonna make them pay, even if this is the last thing you do in life!
>but that doesn't come to pass, as literally half the building comes down on them
>now there's an exit, but you too get hit in the head by something heavy
>despite the helmet, that hurt
>really hurt
>doozily, you try to walk forward, but hear the creaking and mumbling you did just seconds ago
>as you look up, the rest of the house is coming down
"OH SHI....."
*everything goes dark*

>...........

>you are Corporal Sword Glitter
>or you only *were* Corporal Sword Glitter?
>everything is dark
>you cannot move
>maybe, you are really dead now, and this is afterlife
>a whole building collapsed upon you, so your demise wouldn't be unrealistic
>but if this is the afterlife, then it's hot, cramped, and smells of clay and stone
>you cannot move, although you can feel your left foreleg stuck under something
>maybe, just maybe, this isn't afterlife, and you are actually alive?
>as you try to recompose yourself, and make sense of things, you wriggle around a bit in your armor
>this familiar feeling finally confirms that you AREN'T dead
>now you can even recollect the events of the immediate past: The Storm Army invasion, the hippogriffs, the firefights...
>the escape tunnel, the collapse, the embassy, then another, final collapse...
>the collapse...
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
>you scream, as you are right now under Celestia knows how much debris, and there is no way of getting out!
>and there is no way someone will come, and save you

"WAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!...."
>you are trying to move, but you can't, and you're trying to free your stuck foreleg, but you can't, and oh sweet Celestia, this doesn't do any good to your claustrophobia, however slight it is
>you try to concentrate, and use your magic, maybe you can move something around or above you, and get out of here
>your horn lits up, and just barely, it illuminates what is around you
>now you see that actually some larger piece of the building stopped right above you
>that's why you weren't crushed to a pulp, and that's why you still have some breathing space
>you focus on this larger chunk of rubble, and try to move it upwards
>to your greatest surprise and joy, and can lift it a little
>your left foreleg gets unstuck, and you can even move the rest of your appendages
>with great effort, you lift this piece of wall or whatever even more, and manage to brace against it with all fours
>now with the combined power of your muscles and magic, the huge chunk of debris moves upwards inch by inch
>it feels as if all the muscles in your body wanted to explode, but you press on, no matter the pain
>you won't remain buried alive, not here, not today
>now you can even see some daylight seeping in through a tiny fissure
>with this glimmer of hope, you salvage all your remaining strength, and with one last push of legs and magic, you upturn the chunk of stone trapping you
>now you can see the sky above you, and though it's blinding after all the darkness, you couldn't be happier for it
>it would be a perfect blue, if not for the clouds of black smoke above the city
>and if not for the dust still lingering above this ruined embassy
>but you're alive, and that's what is important, although this isn't the first time today that you almost became K to the IA

>right now, you're just lying on your back, trying to catch your breath, still in your "hole" among the debris
>if someone were to watch this ruin, he wouldn't even notice you being here
>it's not so bad after all, although it's not like you could move yet, due to the effort you just extorted out of yourself
>"not so bad"
>you're only in the middle of a war-struck city, among the ruins of a bombed-out building...
>you will probably remain like this for a few minutes, then decide what to do
>yeah, that works...
>still lying, you look over your own body
>miraculously, you only have a few scratches in the places where the armor didn't protect you
>and the armor itself also have just a few dents
>heh, lucky pony...
>then, if lightning struck you, a thought comes to you
>Shield!
>your heart starts to beat faster, and your muscles spasm a bit
>Shield was with you, and he is under the ruins still!
>you get a hold of yourself, and get up on your legs

>you climb out of the pit that was almost your grave, and take a look around
>you're still dizzy a bit, probably from the hit you got just before the building collapsed upon you
>oh and yeah, probably the collapse itself didn't help either
>the dust didn't settle either in the area, so you can't see very far
>logically, you scan for hostiles before conducting any search, but you can't see anyone
>since you seem to be safe momentarily, you think about where you should look
>or maybe Shield have already got out from under the rubble?
>you saw with your own eyes how he disappeared under a torrent of debris
>actually, a whole chunk of the roof have fallen on him
>so if he got out, he had to dig his way out just like you did
>you think about his relative position when you were knocked out
>he was in the kitchen, so he can't be that far

>you can see as much that the street is behind you about twenty meters
>so the former kitchen is a few meters to your left
>you limp over the rubble to this position, and stop with wobbly legs
>the pieces of stone interspersed with wooden supporting beams under you don't exactly provide a stable ground
>as you see no signs of digging, Shield must be still underneath all of this
>oh gosh...
>this doesn't mean anything good
>you don't exactly know how much time has passed since the collapse, but it mustn't have been that much if the dust is still lingering around
>although even if the debris didn't outright smash him, this is just enough time to suffocate under it
>with the hopes that you will find a living pony, you start to dig
>at first, just with your hooves, resting your magic a bit
>your armored horseshoes prove to be excellent ad-hoc digging tools, and the smaller chunks of stone get removed easily
>as you get deeper, you encounter bigger pieces of this former embassy, so now you engage your magic too
>by now, you dug a proper little crater, but you still didn't get to the bottom of it
>maybe you misjudged the location?
>you weren't under THIS much rubble
>nevertheless, you continue on, until you don't get to a larger section of the roof

>using TK, you remove this piece too
>then, you see him...
>a hunk of flesh and armor, initally almost unrecognizable
>you almost gasp a little, but manage to keep it inside
>with the dreadful thought of not getting an answer, you call out to your squadmate
"Sh-sh-shield?!"
>you don't get a response, let alone any reaction
>is he...?
"Shield, please respond!"
>now, as if you could see a slight ear twitch
>he's alive!
"Shield, if you hear me, please say something!"
>he doesn't seem to hear you, although his ear twitches a little again
"Shield!!"
>seeing that you won't get anywhere like this, you decide to simply remove him from the crater, and see to his wounds
>he is pretty banged up, but on closer inspection, not as badly as it initially seemed
>he has many scars and bruises on his face, which give him a horrifying look, but most of those are just surface wounds
>but you don't know how much his body was injured
>his armor is in much worse shape than yours, so he could've gotten bone breaks, too
>also, you don't know if he has any spinal injuries or not
>so you actually decide against moving him at all
>at first, he should get conscious, so you can get a better idea how well he is

>at any rate, you remove one last piece of debris from his legs
>damn...
>one leg remained mostly undamaged, but his right one looks shattered
>it's all bloody, with an open wound
>you again put a hoof to your mouth
"Dammit Shield... Oh gosh"
>for a few moments, you just watch as he lies there on his side, all four legs spread apart
>then you get an idea
>you take out your canteen
>somehow, it remained on its harness after all these misadventures
>you remove the cap, then carefully levitate it down to your injured comrade
>you pour some water on his mouth
>instinctively, he sticks out his tongue, and licks some drops from his lips
>good sign, so you pour a little more
>the reaction is the same, and now he starts to breath a bit more quickly
>slowly, he opens his eyes
>for a few moments, he seems confused, but then his one visible eye stops at you
>"S-Swhord?" he wheezes
>finally!
>he can talk, that's great!
"Shield! I was so worried I lost you! Are you alright? What do you feel?"
>Shield lifts his head a little, as if he tried to look around
>then he realizes this isn't possible in his current state, and his head limps back unto the ground
>"Is the...area...cleared of hostiles?!"

>what?!!
>he's a bit short of a corpse, and these are his first words?
>dang, these pro officers, mare!
>maybe, he isn't in THAT bad of a shape
"Yeah, I guess you will walk it off..." you say under your breath
"I think we're in the clear" you say now normally, looking around again "The whole embassy was blown upon us, but we survived! Now tell me how are you! Can you move your legs? Can you move AT ALL?"
>Shield moves three of his legs individually, but he hisses when he tries to move his right hind one
>"Yeah, I can... But this one is all messed up"
>partially relieved, you let out a little sigh, but you're still concerned by this fourth leg
"That's some good news, no spinal injuries then. So come on, lemme get you out of this blasted pit and patch you up!"
>you reach out with your telekinesis to pick him up, but he stops you
>"No, wait... I feel something... A presence"
"What? What are you talking about? What "presence"?"
>"Magic..." he answers, visibly in pain from his leg
"Ah, come on Shield, you're just too..."
>but in that moment, you feel something too
>suddenly, the dust settles all around you
>as if gravity changed to a much stronger form, and sucked everything to the ground
>you look behind your back
>it's him
>the Storm Mage

>the mage stands a considerable distance behind you, on the street, without any of his troops
>he just stands there, alone, with his staff in hand, which glimmers in the sunlight
>no doubt, it was him who removed the dust from the site
>and there is also no doubt what he wants, as he is looking right at you
>although you can't see anything from his mask, you can FEEL that his gaze pierces through you
>you turn back to Shield, but keep one eye on the mage
"The Storm Mage is back" you say in the most casual manner possible
>"Thought so..." says Shield, with his voice weakening "Just run"
"What?!!! And leave you here? No way! I'm gonna save you!"
>"You can't fight him. His staff is too powerful. You saw what it can do. Flee while you can"
"If he finds you here alone, he's gonna execute you. I can't allow him to do that. Now hang in here while I smooth this out..."
>with that, you turn away from Shield, and start to walk towards your nemesis
>you could hear your buddy saying something along the lines of "...an acceptable loss...", but you paid it no mind
>you walk off from the rubble pile, and stand in the middle of the garden
>the garden fence has been blasted to smithereens too, so now this, and the wide street in front of you sort of form an arena

>the mage starts to talk
>in a deep, guttural voice
>"Pathetic creature, who incurred upon the dominion of the mighty Storm King!"
>wait, he speaks your language?!
>that means he can understand you too, probably
>"Your interference resulted in the loss of many of my troops, and therefor, slowing the advance of our great King. NONE shall be allowed such disrespect. But seeing you are a warrior, I will be merciful, and grant you a warrior's death"
>whoah...
>despite his monstrous voice, his tone carries some intelligence
>well, no wonder, if he is capable of using a magic staff
>also no wonder that he is pissed about you
>your squad indeed killed many of his guys
>and you added some to that number, too...
>but unlike last time, you can maybe indeed talk this out
>you fold back your face plates into your helmet, so you appear more friendly and personal
>that matters here, right?

>you begin with a bit trembling voice
"G-greetings to you, great warrior. I'm truly, deeply sorry for the losses we've caused you, but I'm sure this is all just a big misunderstanding. We're not here to stop the Storm King from conquering. We just came here to extract a hippogriff diplomat, that is all. Your creatures must have thought we're here to help the cat folk fighting. But we're not! We're simply..."
>"ENOUGH!" says the Storm Mage loudly, whacking his staff to the ground with a metallic clang "EVERTHING his mighty influence touches belongs to the mighty King! Your hippogriff belongs to him! YOU belong to him! You are all his slaves now!"
"Please...please... just let us go in peace. I even have wounded here. I really mean no harm to any of you"
>but as your voice turns to begging, his turns even more furious
>"You expect us to show mercy? NO! There is only one option remaining for you now: To die!"
"No, no... Please! Let us discuss this in a civilised mann..."
>but you aren't allowed to finish your sentence, as the Storm Mage starts his attack, and lobs a giant ball of magic at you
>you can only barely jump out of the way
>getting up, you realize: there was never a chance for diplomacy here, not even from the very start
"All right, then have it YOUR way!" you shout, and fold your face plates to the front
>this is gonna be the duel of your life

>but you don't even have a moment to breathe, as another huge magic projectile is flying towards you
>you made sure to have the maximum possible distance between you, so you can strafe-evade whatever he sends at you
>as this one misses its mark too, the mage lets out a roar of anger, and sends another ball of energy at you
>but this one was poorly aimed, and although you felt the heat from its explosion, you use this little opening to counterattack
>the best defense is a good offense, right?
>so you shoot out a quick burst of magic, aiming at the mage's body
>in a moment's notice, he turns a switch on his staff, and blocks your shots
>it's the shield spell he used earlier, when you tried to snipe him
>you shoot again, to no avail, as he blocks these too
>you just circle strafe each other for a few seconds, then he turns the switch again, and you prepare for another magic ball
>but instead, a flurry of magic bolts fly at you
>you can't possibly dodge all of those!
>you duck, you run, you evade, but eventually one finds its mark, and hits you
"AHHHHGH!"
>you flinch
>the projectile hit you in the chest, but thanks to your Paladin robes, you could tank it
>of course, you could still feel all the heat from it, and it hurt, but it didn't take you out
>it only left a hole in your armor...
>you quickly regain your balance, but you meet several more projectiles flying towards you
>this mage is REALLY determined to kill you
>but two can play that game...

>luckily, your magic recharged enough that you can shoot at him again
>too bad he is so quick with his staff, that he switches to shield mode by the time you shoot
>and he also anticipates your shots by looking at when you lower your head
>like most Royal Guards, you can only aim your magical projectiles by aiming your horn at the target
>unlike your fellow Paladins, who can "angle-shoot", that is, release their shots from their horns at an angle
>this makes for quicker aiming, and more unpredictable shots, but needs much practice to be perfected
>despite all this, you would only need one or two good hits, and the mage would go down
>he doesn't wear that much armor
>so you switch tactics
>you try to get closer to him
>he won't be able to track you so efficiently when you're right in his face
>and it will take only a few steps to circle him instead of all this running
>with your last two shots, you cover your advance, and now you're indeed much closer to him
>he spams his smaller magic balls again at you, but now he has a harder time, as you easily run circles around him
>sometimes, he tries to switch it up, and shots a big ball of magic also, but you pay attention, and use this to get even closer to him

>the Storm Mage, probably thinking you getting closer might not end exactly well for him, uses the switch on his staff again, and shots at you
>new spell again...
>damn, scattershot!
>a rare and difficult combat spell, that is very effective at a range this close
>it's many smaller magic bolts shot out at once, in an unpredictable pattern
>you manage to dodge, but this puts you at a challange again 
>but also, you're really close now
>he manages to get in one last shot, but he misses
>you and your slick moves...
>you smile
>you are now in melée range
>of course, your opponent notices, and steps back
>and also, switches modes again
>now a tight energy sphere envelops the head of the staff, and he starts to use his weapon as a hammer
>this staff already looked like a long-hafted flanged mace, with the four flanges surrunding the crystal
>now it's literally that, with some added juice to it
>he tries to smash you, but you piruette away all the time
>some freestyle fencing, this is!

>meanwhile, you take shots at him, but he skillfully deflects them with the head of the staff
>damn, going on like this, you will never defeat this guy
>he is just too good
>surely, Commander Starstorm would have already killed him, but you are not her
>you are just some Royal Guard in a Paladin's outfit
>but you won't give up
>and after a wide, sideways swipe, you see an opening, and take the shot
>it hits him in the belly, but he only flinches
>his robes must be enchanted like yours, at least somewhat
>so you go for a good kick, but you miscalculate it badly, and just hit the robes between his legs
>THWACK!!!
>that's all he needed to get back at you, and the magically charged mace-staff sends you flying across the "arena"
>luckily, he only hit you in the side, where the armor, padding and robes all protected you
>but as you land, you hit your head hard into a piece of sharp debris
>helmet or not...
>...everything goes dark again

>...
>you open your eyes
>you could've only lost your consciousness for a few seconds, but you can already see the Storm Mage power walking towards you
>no doubt he is going in for the kill
>he switches modes, his staff is probably on magic blast again
>and readies it too, with the head aimed right at your head
>he could shoot already, but he doesn't
>probably wants to savor the moment up close and personal
>you don't dare to move
>you just let him walk right up to you
>now the tip of his staff almost touches your muzzle 
>it's so close that you can see the magic swirling around in its light blue crystal
>he softly cackles
>"Could there be any other end?"
>you look along the lenght of the staff
>the mage's hand isn't on the switch
>by a sudden idea, you reach out with your TK, and turn the switch counter-clockwise right before he casts
>now the staff simply casts its shield
>"Whatthe...?"

>exploiting his momentary confusion, you spring to your hooves lightning fast, and grab a good hold of the whole staff
>of course the bad guy doesn't let it go, and you both try to yank it away from each other
>meanwhile, he also tries to reach the switch with his hand, but your strong TK basically glues his palms to the haft
>so he yanks on the staff even harder
>and with each yank his hand comes closer to the switch
>eventually, he succeeds, and switches the staff to the energy-mace mode
>now he stops the yanking, and tries to push the head of the staff into your face
>and that would melt it off, no doubt
>when it gets really close, you even start to feel the heat from it
>suddenly, you lower your head with a quick motion, and roll forward
>the energy sphere slides across your back, and it hits the ground
>at the same time, you kick the hands holding the staff, and with the grip loosening, you manage to take it away from the Storm Mage
>with that same motion, you violently swing it into him, sending him flying back a bit
>he gets up, but realizing what happened, he reaches out toward you, and pleads:
>"No, please, let us discuss this in a civilised mann..."
>you don't wait for the sentence to end, and just fire six bursts of magic into him from the staff
>grouping the shots tightly, the last two penetrates, and he clanches the spot
>he lets out one last grunt, then collapses
>that's it
>finally
>he's finished
>you let out a long sigh, and walk over
>you look at the corpse with disdain, and throw the staff next to him
"I have nothing to discuss with you"

>now that the Storm Mage has been dealt with, it's time to get back to Shield
>you turn away from your dead nemesis, and climb the pile of debris, that once was the Hippogriff Embassy
>of course, Shield is still in the same place you left him
>he's somewhere between being awake and unconscious
>poor guy...
>you stand over him, blocking out the scorching sun
>he lifts his head a bit, and turns his eyes
>noticing that the source of the shadow is you, he seems kinda surprised
>"Sword?! You... You're alive..."
"Of course! What did you expect? That I'll be killed, and then you'll die here too, alone?"
>you try to say that with a bit of bravado, despite the fact that you were actually almost killed
>Shield seems a bit confused with the answer though
>he's overall in a pretty bad shape
>must be a bit delirious by now
>after all, he lost a lot of blood, then you left him to bake under the hot Abyssynian sun
>but you didn't have a choice
"I came back for you, buddy. So let's get you out of this blasted pit, and lemme start patching you up"
>you reach out with your magic
>as it wraps around him, he speaks again
>"Wait... The Storm Mage... Where's the Storm Mage?"
>you lift him up, then answer, in the most casual manner possible
>you wouldn't want to make him worry right now
"Oh, he's dead. He lies over there"

>as you carry Shield over the remains of the building, you turn him slightly towards your fallen foe
>for the first time since you found him, he has an actual expression
>a little smile
>"Dang Sword... Dang!"
>and you also hear a little pride in his voice
>in his state, this is probably the equivalent of "Dang good job Corporal, you did it!"
>but you won't bask in the glory of some wetwork, especially not now
>you get clear of the ruin, and put your comrade down on stable ground
>now, to see to his wounds
>you're no medic, but fortunately, you're pretty good at first aid
>unfortunately, all you have on you is antiseptic and some bandages
>the more advanced supplies are carried by Breakpoint, who also acts as the squad's de facto medic
>as you look at Shield's leg wound again, you can see it began bleeding again
>it probably opened up as you moved him here
>and looking at him, it seems more and more to you that he's actually...dying
>his head is on the ground, and his breathing is pretty slow
>it's as if he's bleeding out, but the leg wound doesn't bleed that heavily
>except if...
>...that's not the source of it
>it can be internal bleeding, and if that's the case, there is not much you can do
>and by simple logic, that's probably the case
>oh godsdammit!
>you look at your dearest squadmate again, as life escapes his body second by second
"Hey Shield, look at me, look at me, buddy!"
>he indeed looks at you, and can still answer, albeit in a very weak voice

>"Sword... You did great. I just wish... I could've been there to help you. I'm sorry..."
>he starts to close his eyes, but you don't let him
>you almost startle him with your voice
"You did help actually! I was thinking about you the whole fight! That gave me strength. How I will...help you after I defeated that mage!"
>Shield is almost just whispering by now
>"How valiant of you, trying to save me... But I'm afraid it's too late now"
>no, no, no, no, this can't be!
>come on now!
>you grab Shield's right hoof
>not with magic, but with your own hooves
"Shield, no, look at me! Right into my eyes! I'll save you okay? I'll save you!"
>"Swordie, listen... Sometimes, you just need to let go... There's nothing you can do now"
>he starts to close his eyes
>but you startle him again
"SHIELD! I'll find a way! I'll just, I'll just..."
>as you search for words, and try very hard not to drop your first tear, Shield interrupts you
>"Look Swordie... I tried too. But I lost my Healing Stick... That's the only thing that could have saved me. By now, maybe not even that..."
>as you listen to Shield, you're hit with the realization
>of course, the Healing Stick!
>.........
>....

FIVE WEEKS AGO
>you are Corporal Sword Glitter, and this is the third day of your Paladin training
>every new day, and every new hour you get introduced to a special tactic or accessory that you didn't think could have existed
>like right now
>Major Starstorm stands in front of you, levitating a small, thin, wooden stick
>"Alright Rookie. What you see here is a very important part of your Paladin equipment. This is the Instant-Healing Magic Canister, or as we simply call it, the "Healing Stick". It contains a very powerful, pre-charged healing spell, that is able to heal all, but the most grevious of wounds. This is your last chance if you get seriously injured during combat, but still have enough consciousness to take it out, and use it. To do so, simply break the stick roughly in half, then the spell will do the rest. They are rather flimsy, but don't worry, they come with their own protective canisters. Also very important to note, that the spell isn't tied to anyone. It will heal or try to heal whichever living creature is closest when it gets released. So you can even use it on a squadmate if the situation demands..."

>....
>.........
>the memory rushes through your head, then you take out your own Healing Stick
>every squadmember carries one, and only one, as these are incredibly hard to make
>but you still have it, despite everthing you went trough
>Shield must have lost his during the building collapse
>you screw off the top of the small canister, revealing the stick inside
>it has very unassuming looks compared to what it can apparently do
>Shield looks at you, then comments on your intentions as you levitate the Stick closer to him
>"Don't...Don't waste yours on me now, Sword... Just run. You might need it later..."
"And you don't try to be a hero so damn hard!" you snap at him "Now shush, and lemme concentrate!"
>but you don't really need to concentrate, just take a step back, so the magic will surely affect Shield, and Shield only
>then you take a deep breath, and snap the stick in half
>you see a burst of magic, golden in color, that swirls around and envelops Shield's body
>his whole body starts to spasm, as the powerful magic overwhelms him
>this is technically normal, at least according to your training
>now, his whole body has a homogenous golden hue, so bright that you need to cover your eyes a bit
>then this magic is seemingly gets absorbed by his body, and he remains there lying
>well, that was quick...

>the first thing you notice is that his leg wound is all but gone
>only his coat having some irregularities there indicates he had a bad wound in the first place
>his many scars and bruises have also disappeared
>oh joy, this "Healing Stick" is indeed a miracle!
>now just wait for him to get up
>you know that such strong magic streaming through a pony's body would knock out anyone, even powerful unicorns
>Starstorm said that even she would remain dazed after a Healing Stick usage
>so you don't start to panic, this is the normal side effect
>but also, you're still in a war torn city, and Storm Guard reinforcements could show up at any moment
>it was strange enough that the Storm Mage wanted to duel you, but his troops won't wait for him forever to get back
>in other words, it's about time to leave this place

>you nudge Shield a bit
"Shield? Are you alright? How do you feel?"
>Shield opens his eyes
>your gazes meet
>just from his eyes, you can tell this isn't the looks of a dying pony
>so he must be alright
>"Sword...everything is...spinning around"
>you gently help him up to a sitting position
>for some reason, you don't do this with your magic, you just use your hooves...
"You're still dazed. Side effect of the Healing Stick I just used on you. It should go away in a few minutes"
>Shield exhales loudly, then looks at you
>"I know..."
>then after some pause, says:
>"..thanks"
>he smiles at you
>you smile back, and pat his shoulder
"You're very welcome! Welcome back to the living, El-Tee! And... Try to don't become a hero in such an inglorious manner, okay? It's unbecoming of an officer... After all, we still have plenty of opportunities for that"
>Shield shakes his head
>"I'm sorry, just... I wasn't sure if a Healing Stick was enough anymore or not. And I didn't want to take yours"
"I wasn't sure either, but damn if I still didn't try. And look at you now... Anyways, can you stand up? Or are you still doozy?"

>"I can" he says, as he fully gets up, although on wobbly legs "I'm fine. The world now only spins a bit"
"Good! Because we should get a move on. I bet more Storm Creatures are on their way here"
>"True. I'm actually surprised they didn't arrive yet...OUCH!!!"
>as Shield tries to step, he quickly raises his -apparently- healed leg back off from the ground
>and he keeps it that way
"What is it?!"
>"Dangit! When I placed my weight on it, it started to hurt! And now it hurts even more. Surely, my leg must have been broken"
>that would make sense
>the Healing Stick is worse at mending bones than flesh
>that's what you were taught
"Oof. That's bad..."
>"Don't worry, I can still walk" he says, as he limps forward a few steps
"That's perspective. But to me, that ain't walking" you say, already seeing you will never escape the city this way
>"I sorry. But I'm afraid I don't have any alternatives right now. And I can't levitate myself"
>wait
>that's not a bad idea actually...
"You can't, but I can! I will just carry you around, and put you down if there is a fight. And then we can both excape"
>"And I'll be an awful burden again... Sorry that things turned out this way. Again"
"Ah, stop this self-loathing already!" you say, already picking him up "You can still shoot, right? Then you won't be a burden, but my helper. You know how "good" at combat spells I am..."
>"You might have a point. Let's go then, "my legs"!"
>you start to move in the direction of the southernmost city gate, levitating Shield next to you
>that's where you entered the city, and that way you should meet your squad, if they indeed didn't just left you behind
>but you must have hope, because without them and the airship, you will never escape this place

>luckily, the streets seem to be empty in front of you
>but you don't make it too far before you hear something
>you stop
"Wait, Shield..."
>"Yeah, I heard it too. Put me down right there"
>so you put him down behind some crates, while you take cover on the other half of the street
>this way, you can see things in a wide angle while remaining in cover
>a minute passes, but you spot no hostiles, or anything noteworthy at all
>"False alarm I guess?"
"Ugh, yeah" you say, after getting back to Shield "This would be so much easier if I had Starstorm's magical prowess. I would just charge in, and start blasting things"
>"That would be a suicidal tactic nonetheless. Don't worry though, your combat spells will improve with time and training. And about blasting: How did you got that hole on your armor? You're weren't hit, were you?!"
"I was. That Storm Mage used his staff with true skill. But in the end, he got a taste of his own medicine"
>"You mean...you shot him with his own staff?!" Shield responds, being in some disbelief
"Yeah, I did! Ironic, right? He never saw it coming"
>"But then that means...it's an unlocked staff! And you left it there?! Sword, you could just..."
>the realization hits you too, even before Shield could finish his sentence, so you finish it instead
"...go back for it, and use it to shoot our way out of here!"
>"Exactly! Oh gosh, how amateurish, a battlemage using an unlocked staff! Quickly now Sword, go back! I'll wait here"
>you carefully look around before leaving cover
>you're not far away from the former embassy yet, actually, you can still see the ruins
>since the coast is clear, you make a run for it, and gallop back in no time to the site of your previous battle

>of course, the Storm Mage still lies there, with his staff next to him
>thinking about it, it's indeed unusual that a mage wouldn't put a magical lock on his own staff, so that others couldn't use it
>it's actually a mandatory safety precaution for destruction staves in Equestria
>except if... this staff didn't originally belong to the Storm Mage
>but that only runs through your head for a moment before you pick it up
>you rush back to Shield
"I'm here" you pant a bit "This is it. Fancy a closer look?"
>"Oh yeah" says Shield, taking the staff away from you
>he admires it with much enthusiasm
>well, no wonder, guy's basically a military scholar
>this must be a real gem for him
>now he's at the switch, eyeing it with furrowed brows
>"These inscriptions... I know I already saw them somewhere, but I just can't put a hoof on it. Hmmm..."
"That's the fire mode switch you're looking at. Can you tell me which position goes with which mode? I can only tell it's at magic blast right now, as that's what I left it at. Oh, and the one next to it is the magic barrier. I just can't remember in which direction you have to twist it. Does that help?"
>"Sorry Sword, but I can't actually read it. I'm afraid you'll have to just try it out in practice... Which I'm sure you'll have plenty of opportunities for"
"I'm sure of it too" you say, as Shield gives the staff back to you "So, should we move on now?"
>"Of course. Let's stall no longer"
>you put the staff across your back, and it remains there as expected
>like most staves, it has a "sling" spell in place, so its user can carry it comfortably
>then you pick up Shield too, and start to walk the empty street towards the city gate

>as you walk, you see something strange in the not so far distance
>a bunch cat people, marching towards you
>not of their own accord though
>they are handcuffed, and chained together
>they are...enslaved
>so the Storm Mage didn't lie to you at all
>whatever the Storm King's "mighty influence" touches becomes his slave
>luckily for you, their guards didn't notice you yet
>you bring Shield into a courtyard, and you both take cover behind the stone fence
>and ready the staff, just in case
>the group gets closer, but the guards don't seem to pay any mind to their surroundings
>instead, they're focusing on abusing their unlucky prisoners
>they are pushing them around, probably to make them move faster
>but how could they, the poor souls, when their legs are cuffed too?
>after the encounter with the Storm Mage, you started to really dislike the Storm King's forces
>but right now, you're starting to hate them
>sure, it's not within your right to act as a judge
>but any normal creature would deem this cruel and wrong, don't they?
"Shield...we should really do something. Don't we?" you whisper
>"There is too much to risk here. Just let them pass"
"But this is cruel! They're being dragged away like slaves! And you'd just watch?!"
>"I know Sword, this is cruel. But there is nothing we can do about the cats. This is not our war. We can't fight it for them"
"We can't, but we can save THESE cats! See with your heart a bit, Shield! We selfishly came here for our own reasons, while these cats are fighting for their lives, for their country! Now we could make a little difference... And besides, we have this too"
>you levitate up your staff a bit, indicating your point
>"No, it's just too risky. And besides, think about it: would THEY do it for us, if our roles were reversed? I don't think so. Most nations beyond Equestria only care for themselves. Like these cats surely do, too"
"Maybe so... But I'm not a cat"
>with that, you leave your cover, and start to march towards the group of slaves
>you can hear a faint "Stop now, that's an order..." from behind, but you made up your mind
>it was enough fearing these damnable beasts
>you have the medicine for them now anyway

"Hey you! Yeah, you there!" you shout out to the group
>the cats look in your direction, surprise on their faces
>the Storm Guards likewise take an interest in you, and they ready their spears to emphasize this
"Release those prisoners RIGHT NOW! You have five seconds to comply!"
>although your voice was loud and confident enough (befitting for a Royal Guard), unlike in Equestria, this didn't solve anything
>instead, you got some angry grunts as a response
>and the next moment, the Guards take up formation for an attack
>just as you expected, really
>okay, so plan B then
>you aim your staff at the closest one, and fire off a shot
>it hits him in his midsection, penetrating the armor, and taking him out
>reacting to their fallen comrade, the rest of the creatures charge at you, but you're at the ready with your weapon
>PF-WEEW! PF-WEEW! PF-WEEW!
>the sound of the magic blasts ring in your ear, as you take out the members of the charging group one by one, before any of them could even get close to you
>you have to admit, this staff is indeed brutally effective
>that Storm Mage knew his stuff
>or whoever enchanted this weapon
>only one hostile remains, behind the group of slaves
>you obviously won't fire at him like this
>but his living shields decide his fate, as they all duck down suddenly, opening him up for an attack
>heh, smart
>you take the opportunity, aim high, and shoot
>he's done for, as the rest of the guards
>you walk up to the group of slaves
>they now stand up, all looking really happy about their newfound freedom
>"Thank you!" a tidier-looking female cat says "You are our saviour! Can you please remove our chains too? We would be forever grateful"

>meanwhile Shield also came over
>or more like, skipped over on his three good legs
"Sure, -we- can" you answer to the cat lady
>"We?!" asks back Shield
"Yeah, we!"
>Shield doesn't budge, but you start to pry open the first cuff with your TK anyway
>a paw with a lockpick in it beats you to it though
>"I think brute force won't be necessary anymore" says the cat who just released himself from his chains "At least it won't be necessary here. But we have troops scattered all over the city, still holding out against the Storm Army. They could use someone like you. And yeah, thanks for chiming in"
>the smooth-voiced cat continues working his lockpick on the rest of the cuffs and padlocks
>it seems you're indeed not needed anymore
"In return, can I ask something from you?" you say, addressing the question to the whole group
>the cats perk their ears, obviously willing to answer a question for their saviour
"Did you see any other ponies in the city just recently? Like us, wearing armor?"
>the cats look at each other, with some confusion on their faces, while saying "don't knows" and "not sures" between each other, and their variants
>then one cat says it out directly to you:
>"You know, we were kinda preoccupied with being enslaved. We didn't pay attention to any ponies at all"
>that's a bit of a bummer
>you hoped you could get some information out of them regarding the fate of your team, but this is less than little
>oh well, this mission is FUBAR anyway
"Okay, that's understandable. Thanks anyway. Take care now"
>meanwhile, the smooth cat finished unlucking all the chains, and the group quickly disperses

>you remain alone with Shield
>and he looks kinda pissed...
>"You know, if asking for info was your plan from the start, you could have just told me..."
"It was really just an afterthought. But did you see that?! I saved all them cats!"
>"Yeah, I saw it. And I also saw you being the most reckless, irresponsible, order-defying, near-suicidal NCO that ever graced the ranks of the paladins"
>you'd open your mouth to answer to this outburst, but he continues
>"But I also saw the most heroic, kind and tenacious paladin to ever serve. And I don't just mean that regarding this incident, but the whole day. I know I should be mad at you, but I just can't be"
"Sooo... That means you won't courtmartial me?" you ask a bit teasingly
>"I'm afraid I won't. Plus, I'd hate to stand in a queue"
>you chuckle
"Lucky me"
>"But even still, I am your commanding officer right now. You have to follow my orders"
>as he says this, he leans in really close to your face
>but honestly, you don't hear that much authority in his tone
>you never did
>Shield always treated you as an equal, despite the fact he outranks you
>but not just because of that you feel like that he's maybe...a very little bit more than just a squadmate
>like, he is Best Squadmate Ever, or something like that
>but no more than that though, really!
"Alright then, Officer. Command me!" you say, while extending a front leg towards your destination

>you're on the move again, still carrying Shield with you like an oversized purse
>the street is empty in front of you, and eeriely quiet
>strange enough you think, as you would have expected to run into another group of Storm Creatures by now
>while it's peace and quiet, Shield starts to speak
>"Sword?"
>you look at the stallion wrapped in your purplish magic aura
"Hm?"
>"Seriously now. That little stunt you did earlier... I know that staff gives you confidence and all, but don't you forget: every spell, every piece of equipment you have at your disposal is a leverage, not a tool of invincibility. One of a soldier's greatest enemies is overconfidence. So don't fall victim to your own"
"I know that I was reckless, but I'll be careful now. It was just good feeling...powerful. But you know, it's not just that. I don't feel the same since I defeated that mage, and it's NOT because I aquired this staff. For the first time ever since I signed up for this unit, I feel like...I can do it. That I'll make it. That I don't just flow with the events around me"
>"Great to hear you're mindful of this. And that you have now what you should've had from the beginning. Celestia was right about you. You have the potential to become the greatest Paladin ever"
>you blush a bit
>you're actually a bit embarassed by this praise
>not sure if Shield actually means it, or if he's still overwhelmed by the little fact that...you saved his life
>surely, that can sway ponies' opinions on others
"Wow, I don't even know what to say... Thanks"
>"I'm just saying the truth. The pony who should be thankful here is only me"
>you don't answer anymore, just continue trotting down the sandy street
>some feelings are hard to put into words anyway...

>you are more than halfway to your destination when you notice corpses of Storm units in the middle of the street
>some have long arrows sticking out from them
>you stop, and put down Shield
>you both look around
>"Surely, this wasn't us"
"It's probably the cats' doing. Nice to see they can still put up a fight. That can only mean good for us"
>"Yep. Provided those who did it are still alive. But at any rate, they aren't here, nor any Storm Creatures. So let's move along"
>you nod, and without hesitation, pick up your buddy, and continue towards the city gate
>the street here is widening, and if you remember correctly, an intersection should be near
>you also hear the sound of battle becoming louder and louder
>and indeed, as you reach the intersection you anticipated, you can see a company of Stormtroopers battling it out against just a few dozen cats
>the larger, more open area here provide a good battleground, at least for the Stormies, as they are starting to encircle the feline soldiers

>also, more and more minions of the Storm Army join the fray from the adjacent streets, trying to turn the tides quickly
>it seems the front lines are still shifting rapidly in the city 
>just earlier you saw slaves along with their captors moving about undisturbed, but here a bitter fight is put up by the cats
>and you're still walking the same street
>as the ground here is sloping down somewhat towards the intersection, you can see every moment of the battle perfectly
>luckily, you aren't noticed, but your staff is at the ready
>you already put down Shield earlier, and he is monitoring the battle, probably pondering what to do
"I will really let you decide what to do this time... But just saying, those cats are losing rapidly"
>"I'm not sure joining this brawl would do us any good. We should just wait this one out"
"Then deal with the remaining Stormies? That would be easier while they are distracted" you say, levitating the staff from one side of your body to the other, being a bit nervous
>"Either way, we'll need a plan. And until then, we can just let them take each other out"
Suggested interlude music: https://youtu.be/fXcsXApjfY0

>you're still in the same spot you stopped at, along with Shield
>about two minutes have passed, but he's still just looking at the battle
>no doubt he's thinking hard about the plan, but something should be done
>the cat soldiers are falling rapidly
"So, do you have a plan already?" you ask eventually
>"Kinda. Let's just try to sneak past this whole battle. See that back alley? We should be able to cut off this intersection, and get closer to the city gate"
>Shield points toward what he speaks about
>he makes sense, but you feel somewhat bad about this plan, leaving the cats for death
>but it's not your war, so...
"Okay" you answer "But isn't that the way the Storm Creatures are coming from? We'll just cut off the way to meet more of the same"
>Shield visbly ponders your concern for a few moments, then looks back at you
>"We should be able sneak past them anyway. We are small enough to use any cover to hide. You noticed how these cats store all kinds of clutter on the streets"
>you are not exactly convinced by this, but whatever
>you won't pull a private op again like previously
"Understood Sarge. Let's go then"
>Shield gives you a bit weird look
>probably because you always called him by his proper name so far
>he probably thinks something is wrong, you're just teasing him though
>you can understand his reasons behind choosing to opt out from the battle

>"Okay. Follow me"
"Shouldn't I carry you?"
>"No need. Rest your magic a bit. And besides, we can both stay down this way"
>okay, makes sense
>you sling the staff on your back, and follow your squadmate
>Shield hugs the walls on the right side of the street 
>he takes it slow, not like he could move faster with his bad leg
>you reach the alleyway designated by him, but just as you'd take the turn, a Storm Guard pops up from the alley the exact opposite side of the street
>he notices you, and growls something loudly as he takes out his crossbow from his back
>well, so much for stealth...
>as you feel there isn't enough time to take out your own weapon, you aim right at his crossbow, and shoot it out from his hands before he could take aim
>of course, Shield is on top of the situation yet again, and takes out the trooper with a precise headshot
"Nice hit" you compliment him
>"Likewise. Let's just go before more..."
>but Shield can't finish the sentence, as more creatures turn toward you from the battle
>they can do so, as the cats can barely put up anymore resistance
"Guess we'll have to do this the hard way, yeah?" you say, now actually pulling out your staff
>"Do we have a choice?" says Shield, audibly put off by the turn of events

>at least five Stormtroopers charge at you in an irregular formation
>Shield starts to pick them off while you fumble with the switch on the staff
>you search for the mode that excites you so...
>"What's the hold up, Sword?! Fire!" Shield cries out
"Hold on a sec... That's it, I got it!"
>the mode that almost dealt with you a bit earlier is now yours to deal out punishment with
>magic mace!
>you charge forward, and swing the staff right into the Storm Guard that is closest
>BHWOOOM!
>the magical energy discharges upon contact, and the unlucky warrior gets stripped all of his armor, flying backwards
>now more and more creatures join the fray, focusing their attention on you
>Shield does a good job thinning them out, but you work the staff to great effect as well
>BHWOOOM!
>another unlucky combatant meets the same fate like the previous
>then another
>and another
>now a trooper is advancing towards you, wielding a kite shield as well
>you're not sure about this, but swing your weapon into him as well
>and it deals with him no problem, as his shield doesn't stop the magical discharge
>you move forward, with Shield behind you
>the brawl in front of you disperses more and more, with the few survivng cats getting some breathing room
>with a sudden idea, you switch modes on your staff at random
>not risking anything, you fire at a tight group of Stormies, away from any of the cat soldiers
>it's the giant magic ball, and about four baddies fly in four different directions after the explosion hits
>you do the same with a similiar group

>at the same time, cat archers appear on the rooftops
>they wield longbows, and start to pick off hostiles one by one
>they don't spam their arrows, they make each of them count
>leaping from rooftop to rooftop, they try to have a better shot at the attackers of their comrades
>now it seems the tides have turned
>the Storm Creatures are confused
>they are getting picked off by the cat archers, while the magical onslaught is going on still from you and Shield
>now the streets are littered with their corpses, with some of them being the reddish mane variants of these beings
>so far you didn't know what difference that made
>now you get an idea
>the last one of those just got hit by an arrow, and he doesn't seem to take it well
>he collapses, and upon seeing this, the remaining, about 25 creatures start to flee
>so, these must have been officers, leading their troops
>the rank and file start to run back into the alleys where they came from
>but the archers show no mercy, and send arrows after them, some of them even give chase upon the rooftops
>miracously, some of the cat soldiers on the ground survived
>their uniforms battered, and whiskers crooked, but they are alive
>they look around in awe, sabers still in hand, searching for the origin of the sudden magical help
>so you put away your staff, and try to approach the closest one
>maybe he knows something about your unit

>but as you walk forward a bit, a cat from the rooftops shouts at you
>"HALT! Stay where you are!"
>he has his bow fully drawn back, with the arrow being aimed right between your eyes
>you obviously don't move
"Put down your weapon. We're friends"
>you peek back at Shield
>he is motionless too, but giving a nasty look to the rooftop cat
>"Friends, huh? And I'm supposed to believe because...?"
"We just helped saving your fellow warriors. Isn't that proof enough?"
>"I see that you fight the Storm Army as well. But the enemy of my enemy isn't necessarily my friend"
>the cat still has his bow drawn
>now that you look around, you see another cat has his aim on Shield
>Shield speaks
>"Look, you don't have to believe us. Just let us go. We're trying to get out of the city. We really mean no harm"
>finally, the cat lowers his weapon
>his fellow archers do as well
>maybe he is their commanding officer?
>"Except to those Storm Creatures, huh? Right, I'll give you the benefit of doubt. But I still don't see how ponies come into this big nasty equation. So care to explain?"
>"We were supposed to act as the Hippogriff ambassador's escorts" Shield continues "But we got cut off from the rest of our team, another five ponies. Maybe you saw them?"

>"So, you're bodyguards then" says the feline archer, as he puts back his arrow into its quiver "And there are more of you? Where did you got cut off?"
>"Um, uhhh... At the embassy. We got cut off by the embassy. Our team has an airship in the desert, that's where they headed. Maybe you saw the airship? It's a small, sleek skiff, unlike the ones the Storm Army uses"
>good thing Shield didn't share more details about your mission
>that would just raise more questions in this cat warrior
>although you really hope he will give a negative answer to Shield's question
>if he actually saw it, that must mean he saw it in flight, and that means your squad has already left
>but you doubt he could pay any attention to such a thing...
>"A sleek airship? Now that you say it, one like that whizzed over our heads, and went towards the port. It was strange enough, as it didn't bear any insignia. No double lightning, no anything... It definitely wasn't a Storm Army ship"
>ah, so that's it
>he DID see the Wind Razor, and it has already left
>your only means of escape, gone
>why did you even think there was any hope?
>but after a moment of pause, the cat continues
>"...And what's even more strange, is that this ship actually landed, inside city bounds! I wanted to investigate of course, but I got called upon to reinforce troops in this part of the city. Well, if you ponies aren't here to kill us, it seems your buddies just came back to pick you up"
>WAHAHA!
>you can just barely contain your happiness
>you started to think it's over, but it seems dang ol' Starstorm won't leave you two here!
>now things are starting to look a LITTLE BIT up

>"Splendid!" answers Shield "Can you tell us where it landed?"
>"Yeah... I can" says the cat, while putting a paw on his chin "It landed further inside the city"
>"Can you give us some directions?!" says Shield, now visibly eager to move out
>as much as you can see from down here, the cat looks at both of you with a smug expression
>and that can't mean good...
>"I...could. But you'd never make it there on your own. This city is a real maze, you know... But I could escort you there. Provided you do us a little favor..."
>of course
>there's the catch
>"Which is...?" asks your comrade, audibly fearing the answer
>the answer comes, which is about what you expected
>"You two seem pretty well aquianted in combat. You both cast deadly combat spells that can take out dozens in minutes. Help us fight these damned Storm Army troops, and in return, we will escort you to your ship"
>"Oh, nonono! Thanks but I'm afraid we'll opt out, you see we..."
>"Shield!" you interrupt
>this stallion makes no sense!
>this is your chance!
"Will you excuse us for a sec?" you turn back to the cat momentarily
>the cat indicates with a paw you're free to do so, still with that sleazy smile on his face

>you walk up to your comrade
>loudly whispering, you begin:
"Shield this is our big chance, dangit! We just need to help them a bit, then we'll be ESCORTED back to our ship! Think pony, think!"
>at a similiar volume, he answers
>"No, YOU think! We don't know how much fighting we would be dragged into! And who knows if he would live up to his word... These cats are sleazy, even intel says that much"
"Well, do we have a choice? I don't know the city, do YOU? And besides, we still have the staff. Until then, we are basically unstoppable. You saw how we dealt with this group. We'll do the same again, then we'll get help as gratitude!"
>Shield puts a hoof on his face
>he growls
>"Ahhh, Sword! For ponies' sake! Firstly, you know staves have limited charges, right? Even a crazy huge crystal like this one has gets empty eventually. If that happens in the middle of a big fight, you're screwed! Secondly, you still can't tell..."
"I know, I know, if we can trust them... But what if we gave them a chance? What if we acted nice a bit?"
>now Shield is visibly angry
>he snaps at you
>"And what if you started to use your brain instead of your heart?! Everything is crumbling to dust around us, and you still think this can be solved "nice"?"
"Why, you!..."
>you scrunch up your nose
>that hurt
>so, he thinks you're brainless?!
"Well, sorry mister pro officer that I can't operate as cold and emotionless like you!"

>Shield would answer, but he is cut short by a third voice from behind
>it's the cat
>"Sorry to interrupt the lovers' debate, but can I get an answer now? It would be urgent. My fellow troops need help. I understand if you refuse my assistance, in that case I'll say my goodbye and we depart in peace"
>you step a bit closer, and look up at him
>you know what is the right answer
>you will make things work out just fine
"*I* will help. Provided it's not disproportionate compared to what I can do. I can win a fight for you, but not a whole battle"
>"And that's all I ask. A company of infantry still holds out against the Storm Army at the southern city gate. That's the last remaining point of extraction for our civilians. Help us beat back the Storm Army there, and we will escort you to your airship. Sounds fair, right?
>now thinking back, there is a large square in front of the southern gate
>if the cats are holding that, it must be a bitter fight
>you don't even try to think how it could be fighting the Storm Creatures in a more open area
>so far it was pretty close quarters, with the enemies basically funneled to you
>but you don't see any other way
>you don't know the city, you have no idea where the Wind Razor landed
"Sure, fair. Let's go"
>"And your buddy?" the cat points to Shield

>you peek back at Shield
"So, buddy?"
>he looks at you angrily
>"You know I can't walk properly on my own, and therefor don't have a choice. I just wish you had a little sense of discipline. But whatever now. Let's go..."
>you shout back to the cat as you lift Shield with your magic
"Yes, he comes too!"
>"Good! Then follow me!"
>the cats start to leap from rooftop to rooftop, towards the southern gate
>you follow them on the ground, with Shield in your pinkish-purple aura
>you levitate him a bit closer
"Look, I know you're still angry, but I thought about this: If we help the cats here, that means WE have support too. We won't have to fight those hostiles alone. And when we're done, we'll get back to our own in the shortest way possible. Don't say we wouldn't have run into Storm units if we've choosen to go on our own..."
>Shield doesn't react for a few moments, then looks at you
>"Yeah, but knows how much MORE Stormies we will fight this way? Two ponies alone don't attract as much attention as a whole company of these feline creatures"
"But the Stormies' attention will be split as well. And we'll just provide support from the sides. Remember, we are the ranged units"
>"Yeah, we are. And what if the cats lose anyway? Did you think about that?"
"Yeah, well, I..."
>you trot along a bit flummoxed
>that's indeed a good one
>what if every cat dies, and you two remain there alone?
>then there will be no escort, no matter how much the cat archer would have helped you
>but you try to answer anyway
"Well Shield, then I guess we really need to bring our best, don't we?"

>you arrive at the site of battle
>it's chaotic, to say the least
>there are many makeshift barricades, with cat troops behind them
>some of them are armed with shortbows, but many only have slings
>it seems proper longbows are in short supply
>there are also groups of cat lancers, holding off Storm units where there are holes between the barricades
>your cat helper jumps down from the rooftop right next to you
>"Alright ponies, this is it" he points towards the battle "This is where we need to beat back these Storm Creatures. If we succeed, a big group of civilians can leave the city safely"
"Where are they now?" you ask
>"Just behind those buildings to the right, barricaded away. They are ready to move out, but they can't until this onslaught is going on"
"Okay then. Let's thin out these hostiles a bit" you say, readying your staff
>"Hold on a moment" Shield chimes in "This will only worth anything if we split up, and help out whoever needs it most. That barricade to the far left? It needs reinforcements ASAP. And this one right in front is a great firing position. Regroup some archers here, they can cover this whole flank"
>wow, not bad
>Shield assessed the whole situation in a second
>it seems those academy years have paid off for him
>wish you had that sort of tactical insight
>"Alright! You cats, you heard the pony, help this group!" the cat officer barks the command "Meanwhile, I will regroup some troops to that other barricade! Move out!"
>now he turns to you
>"Those were some nice observations. Almost as if I made them! Besides, I don't even know your names yet. What can I call you ponies?"
>"Sergeant Edge"
"Corporal Glitter"
>"And I'm Captain Pawly, at your service. I thought your ranks were the other way around but heh, different armies, different customs, right?"
>"Yeah, almost me too..." Shield remarks sarcastically

"Well, there are plenty of fighting to go around, so I think I will help those troops at the far left barricade" you say, feeling a bit bad about Shield
>you dragged him into this, yet he is still helpful
>"And I will stay at this barricade, and provide fire support. I can't move around too much anyway"
>"Alright then friends, let's do this!"
>Cpt. Pawly charges into the battle, and you follow him
>after some barricades, he veers off, probably trying to assemble troops to where you are going now
>you move past many barricades, getting some weird looks from the cat soldiers
>surely, they never expected a small armored equine helping them out
>but they don't pay too much attention to you, as the battle itself occupies them enough
>you arrive at the barricade you were going for
>the cats here work their slings masterfully, but they are definitely losing
>this seems to be the weakest barricade
>if the Storm infantry can come close, they can easily break through here

>you peek over the wooden barricade, to see what's going on out there
>to do this, you have to stand on your hindlegs
>not very comfortable, as even like this, you have to stretch your neck a bit
>damn, these cats are tall
>so their stuff won't be pony sized either, obviously
>the cat warriors seem flummoxed by your appearence, but don't have any time to comment
>many platoons of infantry is coming right at the barricade
>you place your staff on top of the wooden structure
>it acts like a makeshift mount for it
>you twist the switch
"Okay, watch this!"
>you trigger the staff, and it begins to spew its deadly projectiles downrange
>the azure balls of pure magical energy mow down the charging Stormies with ease
>their armor don't do much, and loosening their formation doesn't either
>two dozen fall in about ten seconds
>the cats themselves recoil, even forgetting to fire their slings
>the rest of the Storm units fall back into the street they came from, but only a few make it
>you don't show any mercy, however cruel that is
>you're not allowed to
>this battle can still go both ways, and the numbers aren't in your favor

>there's a minute of breather in the battle, thanks to your efforts
>the cats beside you all look at you in awe
>one of them cries out
>"J-just who are you?! With that devil's device by your side?"
"I'm Corporal Sword Glitter, Equestrian Special Forces. Long story short, Captain Pawly sent me here to help you"
>the cats still seem baffled, and seem almost as afraid from your recent display of power, as they were when fighting the Storm Army on their own
>"Equestria?" one of them asks back
>"Captain Pawly?" asks another
>"That's right trooper. And stop gawking, the pony here is our friend" says the mentioned officer, who now got back with reinforcements
>he turns to you
>"Thank you for your help. This barricade will hold its own now, but more help is needed in the center. Can you assist?"
"I guess so..." you say, spinning your "devil's device" in the air once
>wait, what's a "devil" anyway?
>you never heard of it, so it must be some feline expression
>though it's not like it is important right now...
>"Then this way. We're needed at the barricade by the statue"

>you follow the Captain towards the middle of the square
>the white stone statue here actually depicts some cat warrior, holding up a sword towards the sky
>if only he could help winning this battle...
>you arrive to the barricade mentioned by Pawly
>this one is the closest to the western side of the square, and encircles the base of the statue
>so this barricade is also the one that meets the enemy first
>cats with javelins make short work of some soldiers that were attacking
>now there is some breather here, too
>you wonder for a moment why your assistance is needed right here
>taking the opportunity, you look for Shield
>you search the rightmost barricade with your eyes, and indeed, he pops up for a moment among the other defenders
>he seems fine to you from here, thank Celestia
>well, no wonder, he is the better fighter out of you two
>only this staff turned you into a post-pony warrior
>but your attention is turned back to the frontline by Cpt. Pawly's yelling
>"Alright everyone, here comes the next wave! Prepare yourselves!"

>the next wave of Storm Creatures are made up from shield-bearers only
>they are grouped together tightly, and only their spears are poking out between the shields
>you switch your staff to the giant magic ball mode
>you remember how well it dealt with units packed together like this before
>but Cpt. Pawly stops you from moving up to the barricade
>"Spare your magicks, Corporal Glitter. I have the medicine for these ones..."
>the Captain turns back, and shouts:
>"Archers!"
>suddenly, cat archers pop up on the rooftops behind you, and start to rain down arrows on the enemy formation
>with their group broken, the javelineers next to you also start to throw their projectiles
>and the Captain himself also nocks an arrow
>you think this is your cue
>you walk up to the wooden construct, but suddenly, several cats fall around you 
>"MEOOOOW!"
>the pained yelling isn't localized next to your place, you hear it from the other barricades as well
>what the Tartarus is happening here?
>looking around, you see nothing
>but after another falls right next to you, you realize he was hit by an arrow
>or more like a bolt...
>you search for the assailant, but there are none on the rooftops
>those are the cats' playground anyway
>but Cpt. Pawly's shouting gives it away to everyone

>"Watch out! Enemy arbalisters, right on top of the city walls! Far left! Everyone, get some cover!"
>and indeed, the bastards somehow got up there, and begun to rain down death upon you
>but the barricades aren't positioned in a way to protect from the sides, and the cats fall one by one
>the defense, which went relatively well so far, is now rapidly falling apart
>you yourself run to the base of the statue, and take cover there
>so does the Captain
>"Damn these dirty Storm rotters!" he says, seething "And we were starting to do so well!"
>but you pay no mind to him right now, as you try to find Shield
>and there he is, having a magical barrier set up in front of himself
>several cats are taking cover behind it as well, but they are being sitting ducks
>and like that, they are perfect targets, as you can see several bolts hitting the magic shield
>each hit causes a ripple, and each hit like that drains your comrade's magic
"Captain, we need to take out those enemy crossbow units. Otherwise, we've lost. And I need to save my comrade, too"
>"Well, I'm pinned down. And the archers on the rooftops were the first to fall. I'm sorry, friend. But I'm still open to ideas"
"I could take them out with the staff, but I don't have a shot. And I can't risk running out there. These bolts could penetrate even my armor"
>"Can't you just take potshots at them? You can spam magic so fast with that stick, one projectile would surely find its mark"
"I can try..."

>Pawly's suggestion isn't stupid, but it's not likely to work either
>regardless, you twist the switch to the rapid fire mode, and peek out from your cover
>you fire a quick burst, then quickly return to hiding
>but you see the real issue now
>it's not just that you can't aim properly in a pinch, these magical balls have too wide spread to hit far targets
>you start to examine the staff
>by now, you roughly learned which position on the switch corresponds to which fire mode
>and each fire mode is represented by a unique rune on the switch
>magic mace
>shield
>rapid magic bolts
>giant magic bolt
>scattershot
>then you twist it to its final position, to a mode you realize you never used
>you don't know what it can be, as you can't read these runes
>so what about finding it out?
>maybe it's something useful...
>you aim the staff to the sky
>in the hopes it's not some self-destruction setting, you activate it...
>and a beam of magic is shot out with a very high pitched "PEW!"
>wait, is this some...sniper mode?
>the thin beam surely implies high accuracy to you
>maybe, you just found out what to use against those arbalisters...

>you are Corporal Sword Glitter
>in the middle of a losing battle, and with your buddy in big trouble once again, you better get to work
>after finding a new way to use your favourite toy, you ought to take out those Storm Snipers
>but you still have to find out how to aim it properly
>surely, a "sniper" staff shouldn't be fired from the hip
>after some examination though, you notice each of the metal flangs have notches running along the edges
>and these edges are perfectly straight, and run parallel with the staff's handle
>you bring the staff to eye level, and lo and behold, you can aim downrange using the notch
>perfect
>now you'd just need an opportunity to aim at those arbalisters, and take them out one by one
>surely, one shot would be more than enough for each of them
>you peek out from behind the base of the statue, and try to get one of the hostiles into your sights real quick
>aim, fire, PEWWW!
>the magic beam travels really fast, and actually sends the unlucky victim backwards, so much that he falls down on the opposite side of the city wall
>whoah!
>and whoah again
>this firing mode actually has some noticable recoil, which is unusual for staves
>but it just shows how powerful it is

>but you don't try your luck too much, and get back to cover quick
>meanwhile, the remaining cat soldiers decided to go up close and personal against the charging Stormtroopers on the ground
>at least this way, they won't get shot at
>indeed, the arbalisters don't risk hitting their own comrades
>they seem to care more about their own than the arty that destroyed the embassy...
>of course, this means they pay more attention to everything else
>they start to pound Shield's barrier now, who is slowly limping closer to you
>the cats using it as cover left when they had the chance, and joined the close quarters battle
>now you really have no chance, but to kill off those crossbow units real quick
>Shield looks at you
>you shout at him
"Don't worry, I got this!"
>but do you really got this?
>from this distance, you can't take out if Shield's reaction was a smile, or an annoyed grimace
>you wouldn't be surprised if it was the latter...
>you peak out again from cover, and take out another hostile
>now you also notice, the precise magic bolt leaves a visible trail behind itself along with the very loud "PEW"
>and in that same moment, a crossbow bolt strikes the stone right next to your face
>you immediately back off to cover

>you risk another peek, but it seems the remaining shooters tracked the beam to its source
>you move around the statue, trying your luck on the other side
>no game, they are expecting you, and almost get your head penetrated
>the bolt only missed you by a few inches
>you have to admit, they are a crack shot
>now what?
>you move back to cover
>luckily by now, Shield reached a position where there is the statue between him and the ranged Storm units
>he disengages his shield spell, and hop-skips up to you
>and he doesn't seem to be too happy with the situation that unfolded
>"Real nice going Sword! Real nice..."
>he furrows his brows at you while he pants heavily
>poor stallion, it must have been hard maintaining that spell this long
>you can fully understand his anger, and you kinda screwed up (again) but...
"I'm sorry. Really. But who would have expected those arbalisters?"
>"You have to expect the UNEXPECTABLE in war, Sword! This is the reason I wanted to avoid another big engagement! You might never know what could happen, the tides can turn in a moment's notice. And it just happened. Now look at this mess..."
"Right. But we can still win this. We just need to take out those arbalisters"
>"No! We need to fall back. This is unwinnable at this point"

>now Captain Pawly chimes in
>"None of us will go anywhere until those crossbow creatures are intact. We need to take them out first before we could do ANYTHING"
"Like he said" you say "I still have the staff. I can easily take them out, I just need something to draw their attention away from me. Or someone..."
>"Don't look at me. I still have magic fatigue from holding up that shield spell for so long" says Shield, then adds "And your ideas didn't exactly work out so far. I'd rather go back to the sergeant-leads-the-corporal setup"
"Yeah, except when I killed that Storm Mage, right? Then healed you?"
>"And you still have my gratitude, but this situation turned from bad to worse. Your plan was bad from the start, and I told you so"
>before you could answer, the Captain interrupts your argument, like he already did before
>"Stop this. The corporal is right. We need a bait"
>"As I said, I won't be it" Shield snaps at him
>"No, you won't. I'll be it" says Pawly, pointing at himself "There are many craters left around by their artillery strikes. I will move from cover to cover, while the good corporal takes the enemies out"
>"Works for me..." answers Shield, now in a much calmer voice "I can actually take potshots at them from one side, while Sword works her staff from the other. But this is all I can do"
"And that will be enough! I will take out those Storm bastards real quick, you can trust me Captain Pawly!"
>"So we reached an agreement finally? Good, then take up your positions. I will run out there as soon as you are ready"

>but Shield hesitates a bit, and doesn't move
>he speaks to the cat
>"But I really hope that after all this, you will help us reach our airship. You remember our agreement, don't you?"
>"Of course I do. I'm a cat of my word. As soon as these goons are down, I'll escort you there"
>with that said, the Captain climbs up the pedestial of the statue, and takes cover behind one of the legs
>Shield circles around, and starts firing at the snipers' position
>the Captain takes this as his cue, and moves between the legs, and jumps down from the pedestial
>you're at the ready too, and while the distraction is on, you peek out, and take aim
>PEWWWW!
>another Storm Creature dead, several more to go
>Pawly takes cover, and you pull back as well
>Shield does too
>a few seconds later, Pawly shouts
>"I'm making a move, cover me!"
>same as before, you peek out, use the notch to aim, and fire away
>the very high pitched sound announces the demise of another unlucky Storm sniper
>but now Pawly doesn't take cover fully, instead pulls out an arrow, and draws his bow
>surely the thinned out ranged Stormies are less effective now, but damn
>to help the cat you risk it, and fire again, hitting your mark
>then fire once again, but the recoil of your staff didn't feel as prominent as before
>strange
>nevertheless, you hit, and took down your target
>you get back to cover, as Pawly did so too

>a little bit later, you hear the daring Captain again
>"Making a move!"
>as soon as he leaves cover, Shield starts firing at the remaining arbalisters
>and you quickly take position as well, aim down the sight, and fire
>but to your great surprise, the magic bolt dissipates mid-flight
>what the heck?!
>you readjust your aim, and concentrate your magic really hard on the haft
>you know a faulty triggering spell can cause a misfire with staves
>so now with full control, and determination to take down the last few arbalisters you aim...
>...engage the triggering spell...
>...and the staff lets out a puff of magical smoke
>you lower your staff, and return to cover
>good thing Pawly took cover too, because you don't know what in the wide Equestria is going on
>you inspect your staff
>to your greatest horror, you realize: the crystal is dim, and it has lost its slight blue luminescence
>indeed, you can't see the magical energy swirling inside
>and you have no ways to recharge it
>the fearsome weapon that made the hapless guardsmare into the ultimate warrior, is now gone

>this also means though, that you can't cover Pawly anymore
>yet, you hear him
>"Changing positions, cover me!"
"No, no, Captain Pawly, wait! NO!"
>you drop the staff, and run out of cover, as you're not sure he heard you
>and indeed not, as he's running out in the open
>"Sword, get out of there!" Shield shouts at you
>indeed, now you're a target too, and you have no means of a counterattack
>Shield tries to provide supressing fire for the both of you, but not even his magic has the range or precision required to score a hit
"Captain, wait! The staff is out of magic!"
>but it's too late...
>as the good captain would jump into the next crater, a bolt strikes him in the chest
>now he doesn't jump as much as he falls into the crater
>"Sword, get back here! That's an order!"
>but you pay your friend no mind, and jump after the unlucky cat into the crater
>he is still moving, and for a moment, you think his wounds aren't that great
>but the next moment you see it: the tip of the bolt sticking out of his back
>poor fella got completely skewered
"Captain Pawly!" you shout
>you don't actually know what you expect from addressing him
>you know he's a goner
>but still, you shouldn't just let her go out like this
>although you can't do anything...

>hearing your voice, the dying captain uses one arm to turn around on the ground
>the other arm still grasps the longbow
>he now faces you
"Captain Pawly, talk to me!"
>"Little pony... I'm sorry I have to let you go... My troops... those civilians..."
>the captain coughs some
>it's the cough of a dying warrior
>"Heh... It seems I ran out of lives finally..."
>he smiles weakly
>but even in his last smile, there is some of that feline sleaziness
>"I know I promised you escort... Won't happen now... You just go west, towards the port. Through the alleyways. When you start to see a tall tower...
>the dying captain coughs some more
>...above the rooftops, you will know you're heading in the right direction... Follow that tower, and you'll reach a the Great Temple of Cattura. Next to that temple is a large square. That's the only place where your airship could have landed..."
>you look the Captain into the eyes
>he shared you the information you need to know
>you want to say "Thank you" but somehow it just doesn't feel appropriate right now
>you don't feel that's how someone should be sent away
>"Well Corporal, goodbye for now. Maybe we'll meet again in a better place. Until then...have...nine lives..."
>with that, Captain Pawly draws his last breath
>his eyes close, and his head becomes limp
>his paw finally releases his bow too
"Rest in peace, brave Captain"

>you never saw someone dying before
>well, someone that wasn't a hostile...
>but now, that happened too
>and although you can't say you knew him well, it's still saddening
>this cat died like a hero, and that's enough to earn your respect
>you're also sure he would've lived up to his promise, and escorted you if...if he lived
>but there is no time for mourning during a battle
>Shield's voice drives that point home real quick
>"SWOOOORD! Leave him alone, he's gone! Come back here, we're falling back!"
"I can't!"
>"Come on! We can't stay here! The frontline is crumbling!"
"I can't! Some of those Storm snipers are still intact. I can't risk it!"
>"Don't mind those, I'll cover you! Just come on already!"
>but you remain
>and with a sudden idea, driven partially by a lust for revenge, and partially by the desire to cover your own flank, you grab the late Captain Pawly's longbow
>an impressive weapon, it has a height greater than that of an average stallion
>you also grab his quiver of arrows
>you never used a bow and arrows before, but it can't be that hard right?
>thank Celestia to your good telekinesis, you can manipulate things other unicorns wouldn't even try reaching out to
>you nock an arrow, with the bow parallel to the ground
>this way, you can remain in cover while ready to shoot
>you peek out a bit, scanning for targets, but a few bolts almost find their marks again
>no doubt those Stormies can see your helmet crest

>well, be they damned, they won't shoot around for much longer
>you saw the Captain's arrows didn't reach their targets, although he tried his best
>naturally though, as crossbows have a much longer range than bows
>but you're a unicorn, and magic is on your side
>you extend your levitation spell all around the bow
>and overdraw it so much, that it becomes a flat "zero" shape
>but it can't snap, since your levitation all around holds it together
>you peek out just for a moment
>you see exactly where they are
>you release the bowstring, without aiming directly at the target, still being in your ditch
>gravity will do the rest
>and indeed, next time you scan for a target, you can see one less of them
>success!
>you now know how to deal with them even without the staff, and rinse and repeat this tactic for your next victim
>he's down, and the last two snipers apparently not wanting to share his fate, just flee
>too bad though, they had their names on your next two arrows...
"For Captain Pawly" you mutter to yourself silently

>with that, you are free to leave your cover
>and you also consider this your respects paid to the brave cat warrior, who was willing to help you
>you go back to Shield's position, who is still behind the base of the statue
>"You're just in time" he says, sounding concerned
"For what?"
>"For our funerals, dammmit!" and points at several dozen Storm Army troops, finishing off the last of the cat soldiers
>you're being encircled too, as Stormies are pouring in from the direction of the embassy too
>you thought that area was secured, but it seems they found their way to take it over
>what Captain Pawly said, to go through the alleyways, is now impossible
>it is now being blocked by these brutes, and there are far too many of them
>maybe not too many for a magic staff-wielding ultra-Sword Glitter, but that staff now lies on the ground, with its crystal being completely depleted
>as the circle of Stormtroopers close in, you and Shield face them back-to-back, with your haunches literally touching
>and you're waiting for one of the troopers to attack, as to kick off your very last battle
"I am sorry Shield... I am so very-very sorry. You were right about everything... The staff... The cats falling... Now my stubborness and lack of discipline will cause our demise"
>you are sad
>you will now die, but the worst of it, a much better pony will go down with you
>BECAUSE of you

>but Shield doesn't answer immediately
>he moves to the left in the "circle", where the buildings with the alleyways start
>you're sticking close to him, facing the opposite direction, having every Stormie in your field of view
>"It's a bit late for being sorry, isn't it -Corporal-?"
>you can hear the blame in his voice
>and he's totally right
"I'm... I know. I just...thought I was doing the right thing. Seems I wasn't. I was wrong. I'm...sorry"
>"Stop with that" he answers, now in a completely different tone "Help me instead reaching those alleyways. I can't walk fast, as I'll need you fighting too, you can't carry me. So you better use your magic and that bow to great effect"
"You think we have a chance? There's too many of them!"
>"What? These few dozens? Sword, a paladin never backs down, never gives up. A paladin fights on! Now are you a paladin, or not?"
>as he says these, the enemy gets closer and closer
"I am..."
>"SWORD! I can't hear you! ARE YOU A PALADIN?!"
>he is now in full officer mode
"Yes I am, Sergeant Edge, sir!"
>"Good! Then pick your first target, and FIGHT!"
>as Shield finishes saying this, he fires away at the Stormtroopers on his side
>and with newfound vigor, you get to work too

>you decide at first, you will use up your quiver of arrows you picked up from Pawly
>you draw your bow with the previous, powerful method, and fire away
>now up close, the effectiveness of this tactic is apparent
>your first arrow overpenetrates an unlucky trooper, and kills the one behind him too
>your second strike sends the enemy skidding in the dust for meters
>your third one hits a Stormie near a wall, and the powerful arrow pins him to it
>this makes the others around recoil in shock, but an officer urges them on
>of course, the officer!
>earlier, you saw how these goons fled when their commanding officer was taken out
>now you will try the same
>you draw, aim...
>but unfortunately, the Storm officer blocks the shot with his shield
>he also takes out a small clay sphere from his belt, and does a sweeping motion with it
>then throws it at you
>as it rolls towards you, you realize
>it's a blasting powder bomb!
>before it could get any closer, you quickly grab it, and throw it away in a random direction
>it explodes with a loud BANG in the air
>as the officer holds his position, his goons constantly attack you
>but you take them out one-by-one with your bow
>actually, you score a few more double hits, and that demoralizes the cannon fodder even more

>eventually, only the officer remains on your side, with a few of his loyal troops
>these troops have shields as well though, just like the officer
>Shield also thinned out the Storm Army ranks nicely, but he has not even one red-maned enemy standing
>no doubt these are higher ranking officers
>their shields are actually more elaborate then what their soldiers hold
>as you look eye-to-eye with these remaining units, reinforcements replace the fallen
>the way towards those alleys are still blocked, and you barely have a few arrows left
>after this, you will have to resort to close-quarters combat
>although the new units are all tower shield toting badasses, so that won't be easy
>after every creature is in formation, the officers signal the order, and they start marching towards you
>their shields are raised, and their spears fixed at you
>your comrade starts firing at them once again, but these are the type of troops not even Starstorm could handle head on
>his shots get deflected by the heavy shields
>your overdrawn bow isn't enough to penetrate the heavy plate either, although you could leave a dent in it
>looks like this time, indeed this is it
>but at least you will go down fighting

"Well, it was a real honor fighting alongside you, buddy" you say to Shield, with your voice getting almost drawn out by the sound of the encircling Storm Creatures
>"Never fear until you see me!" Shield answers, staying confident
>actually, you can't see him...
>so you peek back
"You have a plan?"
>"Maybe..." comes the answer "Although I never tried this... Oh Celestia!"
"Then let's get to it VERY QUICK, whatever it is!"
>now there are only like 30 feet between you and the Storm Army circle
>"Alright, I just need to focus... Alright, face me Sword!"
"What??"
>"Just face me, okay? Turn around"
>you do as your best buddy comrade told, and face him
>"Right, now wrap your hooves real tight around my neck, and hold me... And drop that bow..."
"Wh-what? Sh-shield, is this really the time to...?"
>"Just do what I say!!!"
"Okay!"
>Storm units: 20 feet away
>you basically hug Shield, and hold him close
>neck next to neck
>this would be actually quite nice if not for the... everything else, really
>"Okay, now stay still, I have only one shot at this!"
>what does he want to do?
>you see his horn lighting up, charging some spell
>you can actually feel the great amount of magic coursing through his body
>like unicorns usually can upon physical contact
>Storm Army circle of spears: 10 feet away
"Shield, what are you doing?!"
>"TRUST ME!"
>the spears are almost in striking range now
>5 feet
>4...
>3...
"SHIEEELD!"
*POP!*
>you get blinded by a bright light all around...

>you materialize on one of the sandy streets of Felin al Kot
>at first you are confused, but as you release Shield, you realize what just happened
>he just teleported both of you away
>BOTH of you
>that's a big deal, even for a talented unicorn like him
>seeing his singed eartips and tail though, you know it didn't go smoothly at all
>those are the giveaways of imperfect spell castings, when the amount of magical energy used is much bigger than required
>that results in the excess magical energy violently dissipating all over a unicorn's body
>luckily, the most that does is what you can see right now
>as you look around, you see you are not so far behind the Storm Forces that encircled you moments ago
>heh, they must be surprised that you two just disappeared!
>Shield speaks:
>"Phew! I wasn't sure that would work. It did though, so now let's get out of here. Before they realize what happened"
"And I didn't even know what you wanted to do until you just did it. But it was a real pro-mage move. Scroll would be proud"
>"I know. He taught me teleportation. So, which way?" asks Shield, looking around
"Captain Pawly told me we need to go west. Our airship landed next to some sort of temple, as that is the only large enough space it could have landed"
>"That's a bit vague, but good enough for now. Let's go then"
"At least we can lose any would-be pursuers in the alleyways, as that's where we'll head through" you answer, and wrap your magic around Shield, ready to carry him along
>but he wildly shakes his head, and gestures with a hoof to stop
>"No no no. I'll just come normally. Spare your magic"
"But your leg..."
>"Sword, I have complete magic fatigue from this spell. You will be the only one who can cover us for a while. So you'll need all your magic you can spare for a potential encounter"
>you're not sure about this
>you saw Shield limping around, and he would surely slow both of you down
"Ehhhh..."
>"Don't worry, I'll manage. You take point. Let's move out"

"Roger roger!"
>you do a quick salute, and move into the alleyways
>between the first two houses you stop, waiting for Shield to catch up
>he is indeed limping faster than before, but it still only amounts to a faster walk
>you could point this out to him, but you're done arguing, and when you did argue, it turned out you wasn't right
>it actually landed you in the situation you are in right now
>if you listened to Shield earlier, maybe you would've already found the airship on your own
>so now you will just do this as he suggested, and move forward bit by bit
>he has catched up, so you move up, taking a peak around the corner
>all clear, so you take a right turn, driven forward purely by instinct
>you obviously don't know the way, but neither does Shield, so he follows you without question
>actually, moving between the houses like these, there wouldn't be enough space for two ponies side-by-side
>so one would necessarily take the lead with the other following
>as you move forward in the tight spaces, the clamoring of your armors makes a distinctive echo
>maybe here you cannot be seen, but surely can be heard even several bends and forks away
>but at least...
"Good thing though that those Storm freaks are just too large to reach us here, huh Shield?"
>that thought came out loud, as you didn't speak to each other for at least ten minutes
>but Shield doesn't answer anything
>although he seems to be doing nicely, when he catches up to you, you can see he is in pain
"Hey, I told you I'd carry you. You don't have to do this to yourself..."
>as you say this, you point at his chest armor, gently touching it
>but he gently sweeps your hoof away
>"I'm okay. Continue on"
"You're in pain. Let me help"
>"No. I'm a soldier, I can take it"
"Don't be dumb. You don't HAVE TO. Lemme just..."
>"SWORD. Get a move on" he says sternly
>you take a deep breath, and manage to hold back a slight outburst
"Understood Sergeant..." you simply say

>you move forward, and by your calculations, you made some good progress
>you paid close attention that despite the twists and turns, you re-oriented yourself westward as soon as you could
>you also notice the alleys are starting to get wider
>this must mean they will end in normal-width streets pretty soon
>this also permits you to walk next to Shield
>although he said you to take point, the coast is clear, so you try to lighten the mood a bit
>you are in a long, straight section of the alleys anyway
>you speak
"So, when you teleported us away... You basically told me to hug you... That was solely for practical purposes, riiight?!"
>Shield stops for a moment, and looks at you
>you can't read his expression well, as he resumes walking quickly
>or more like, limping
>"Of course" he answers "I had to concentrate the effects of the spell on both of us. And that is far more easy when there is close physical contact"
"Right! Just as I assumed! I was just asking though, but yeah, just as I thought!"
>you can't hide your slight disappointment with that answer, although you don't know what you were expecting
>that he would spend the last moments of his life hugging you romantically?
>instead of having an actual, working plan?
>haha Sword, what grand and intoxicating innocence!
>sure, he could have said something like "It was necessary, but I enjoyed it too!"
>that would have made you REALLY happy
>that would ha-...AH STOP!
>Sword, focus!
>you're in the middle of a warzone, and you're being all dreamy
>Shield is a comrade, and your sergeant to top it off
>the only permitted feeling here is camaraderie, nothing else
>so from now on, Sword "Professionalism" Glitter shall be your name

>after taking several turns, you start to see what Captain Pawly told you to watch out for
>the tip of the temple tower, now visible above the rooflines
>so, you WERE moving in the right direction, after all!
"Look Shield, the temple tower! That's where we're headed" you point it out to him
>"If they indeed landed there, they must have set out to search for us. I hope they didn't spread out too far, otherwise we'll have to hold out at the ship until they come back"
"We'll just shoot up a flare spell into the sky to indicate our presence. They can see that from anywhere, and come back to us quickly"
>"Yeah, considering if they'll see it among the houses. Or against the bright blue sky. If they notice it at all, as they're probably battling their way towards the embassy"
>Shield's slightly concerned voice is unnerving you greatly
"You're not suggesting we should have headed BACK to the embassy?!"
>"Not at all. That area must be fully occupied by now. And the Major probably wouldn't risk going all the way there. Considering the overall enemy presence in the city at this point, she would think us dead. And turn back the unit to prevent further losses... Ah, just get a move on Sword!"
>you don't answer, but now Shield said what you were concerned about earlier
>why would Starstorm risk the remainder of the unit to extract two stranded troops?
>no sane soldier would, unit creed or not
>"Always weigh the risks and the gains when making decisions during combat" you were told during basic
>you didn't think much of it until today, but now you exactly see how it applies
>and if YOU were a unit commander, maybe you would apply it too
>but this should be a concern for later
>right now, you should be preoccupied with reaching that damned temple

>only moments later, you see shadows moving about the next corner
>no doubt, Storm units are lurking here
>after all, you were left in peace for far too long, huh?
>of course, you warn Shield immediately
>"Yeah, I saw them. Let's be careful"
>you go forward, and take the corner, but you only see a cat making his escape, climbing on one of the rooftops
>good for them, you think, they aren't bound to the ground as much as you
>you let out a sigh of relief
>being glad it wasn't a Storm Guard, you press on, closing in on an intersection
>you're both ready for an ambush, as this place basically begs for it
>you're slowing down as you arrive, and indeed, two Storm Creatures jump out at you
>the one closer to you strikes, but he was TOO close, and you duck under his spear thrust
>retaining your momentum, your do a quick 180, and violently kick his unarmored leg
>you hear a snap
>that must have hurt
>these orichalcum-celestium horseshoes are no joke!
>now facing away from him, you deal out some hurt to the other one too, in the form of a few magic bolts
>he staggers, and as the one behind you collepses on his knees, you kick him in the gut, then in the face as he gets on the ground
>now, you charge up your magic, and finish the staggered one with a clean headshot
>taking away his spear, you turn back again, and skewer the one you kicked to the ground
>it's over for both of them
>you spin around the spear, looking around for more hostiles
>but there is none, you seem to be in the clear for now

>"Fweeee, that was impressive!" whistles Shield approvingly a few steps behind you "Almost in a single motion. Like a deadly dance!"
"I'm glad you enjoyed the display. Although I can't say the same" you answer, in a deliberately disapproving tone
>you're also a bit surprised
>complimenting kills ain't like Shield
>that's Psychomare's territory, or maybe Longrun's
>"Now don't get me wrong, I'm just glad you could fend them off so well. I wasn't congratulating you on the slaughter"
>oh, like that...
"You better not. You know I'm not enjoying any of this"
>"I know. But you did enjoy using the Storm Mage's staff... Didn't you?"
"That...was different. I merely enjoyed being powerful for the time being. And the fact I could protect the both of us effectively"
>"Sure, sure" he says, waving a hoof "I just tried to point out that despite losing the staff, you didn't lose your confidence. Which is a good thing"
>Heh...yeah. Can we get a move on now?"
>"Oh sure... On your lead, Corporal"
>that was abrupt, but you didn't want to pull the "I did it for you" card
>and honestly, as cheesy as that would have sounded, it's true
>poor Shield went through so much during this mission, that you're trying to stay strong for him
>academy graduate pro officer, or not, he needs a good sidekick
>well, a good subordinate...
>or a good comrade?
>friend?
>.....?
>let's just stay at comrade...

>after a few more turns, the alleys finally end, and you're walking a normal-width street again
>that also means now you can encounter any number of Storm Guards, as they can fit here no problem
>good thing you kept the spear from your previous fight, it might come handy later
>also, the temple tower, which is your destination, now seems much closer
>and this street seems to lead in its genral direction, so you will really have no problem finding that LZ now
>but as things can't just go smoothly, you can see a huge Storm Army patrol emerging from a curve in the road further ahead
>luckily, on the left side of the road, there is a long barn or warehouse, or somesuch
>it runs parallel to the road
>its large double doors open at the end of the building, and you take cover right in front of them
"We should move to the other side of the building" you say quietly "They will spot us here when they pass"
>indeed, between this barn and the building next to it, there is space wide enough for a pony
>"I have a better idea. Let's move inside. We can wait them out there" comes Shield's suggestion
>you don't answer, just nod
>this could indeed be a good idea, you just fear the patrol will hear the creaking of the door as you open it
>it looks all kinds of old, and the hinges are pretty rusty
>but those goons are still far away, and maybe won't hear anything
>so you lift the door bar, and push in the right door a little bit
>you poke your head inside, and take a look
>the place is indeed some sort of barn, and it's completely empty inside save for a few bales of hay, and a small cart
"Clear!"
>you move inside, and Shield follows you
>you peek back outside, and levitate the door bar inside, and bar the door with it
>any patrol that will pass now, they won't guess anything

>now being inside, you feel a little safer
>but also, you feel trapped a little
>after all, your goal is to reach the Wind Razor ASAP
>but you will remain here until that large patrol passes
>luckily, there is another set of doors on the other end of this barn
>and there is also a mezzanine, which could be used as an observation floor
"I will go up there, and look for enemy activity. You just...stay here. Right Shield?
>you look at your best bud commanding officer
>he is visibly tired
>his injury, the resulting pain, and all the fighting today must have worn him out
>also the fact that he strained his bad leg
>you told him he shouldn't, but of course he didn't listen
>the stubborn mule...
>but considering that his leg didn't become incredibly swollen at this point, must mean it didn't actually break
>it's probably just a torn tendon or muscle
>or several

>as he didn't answer, you ask him some more
"Is something wrong? Aside from the obvious, I mean. How's your magic fatigue? Can you cast now?"
>Shield wears bit of a whacked out expression
>he answers slowly
>"Sort of..."
>he casts a "blank spell", just lighting up his horn
>"I guess I'll manage" he says, and violently shakes his head, as if he wanted to shake off water or something "Sorry. I'm just very tired. I'll admit, I wanted to come inside to finally sit down, and rest a bit. I just can't move on otherwise I think. Just gimme ten"
>with that, he indeed sits down on his rump
>poor Shield
>good thing you're here, huh?
"Well, don't you worry Sarge! I will look out for everything while you rest! Then I will carry you to the LZ, and we'll all go home!"
>that came out very chipper, as if everything was confirmed safe and easy from now on
>of course that's not true, but you'll be damned if you won't try everything to make it so
>Shield smiles at you
>"Thank you Swordie...Corporal"
>you smile back and nod
>at this moment, you have an urge to reach out and hug Shield, but you resist
>remember: Professionalism!
>that is your middle name

>you move upstairs, and peek out the window
>there is no glass in the frame, so you could poke your head out fully
>you don't do that, but this way you can clearly hear everything that happens outside
>like, you can't see the Storm Army patrol yet, but you can hear their marching already
>when they are audibly getting closer, you step away from the window
>you won't risk getting spotted
>but when you hear them moving away under the window, you look after them
>the patrol consists at least twenty creatures, all well armed and armored
>good thing you didn't engage them
>without the super-staff, you wouldn't stand a chance against them
>you wait a few minutes for them to move on
>you can hear them even in the distance, through the thin wooden walls
>looking back at Shield, he's also following the patrol with his head, just as if he saw them
>surely, hearing so many hostiles moving about so close is a bit unnerving
>but eventually, the clamoring dies down, and there's nothing to be seen outside
>you move downstairs, back to Shield
"They have moved on. I know you didn't rest much, but there isn't a single soul on the streets right now, as far as I could see. We should make a run for it...I think"
>"Very well" says Shield, standing up "Let's indeed go then. My leg be damned"
>you both walk to the opposite door
>you try to push it open, but it doesn't budge
>you also try to gently ram it, but your small and light pony frame won't do much against a heavy door like this
>"It must be barred from the other side" says Shield "Let's just go around"
"Nah. I can force it open. Let's not walk more than what's abslutely necessary, huh?"
>you look at Shield's leg
>he seemingly gets your point, and steps back:
>"It's all yours Sword..."

>when you're so close to escape, a simple door cannot stand in your way!
>even if you could just use another with a bit of extra walk...
>you'll just use your extreme telekinesis to open this silly double door
>that door bar will surely snap when you apply some REAL force
>with that, you focus your magic on both doors, and start to push them
>suddenly, as if you felt something snapping on the other side
>but at the same time, the doors move a bit towards you
"What the...?"
>you let go of your magic, and in that moment, both doors violently swing open
>the right wing whack you in the face with such force, that you land on your back, skidding a bit
>dang, what the hell???!
>you look up from the ground, and you see it: a HOMONGOUS Storm Creature broke inside, and it roars violently!
>it's almost twice the size of any other unit you saw before
>its huge tusks are slightly reddish
>no doubt from his previous kills...
>and with killer instinct in his eyes, he steps towards you
>but Shield is at the ready
>his magic bolts strike the creature in the chest, and now it turns to him
>but no matter how hard Shield fires, it barely registers on the brute
>the giant quickly closes the few steps of distance between them
>Shield would backpedal, but his leg fail him
>the brute grabs him like he was a puppet, and takes his head in his palm
>and his body in his other palm
>and he begins to squeeze...
>although Paladin armor is very though, you can see it deforming quickly
>he will squish his head like it was an egg!
"NOOOOOO!!!"

>you jump to you feet, and begin to cast your best combat spells
>but he doesn't care, he's determined to finish your comrade first
>your combat spells are weaker anyway than Shield's, so it's not like you could hurt him that way
>but you know what WILL hurt this monster
>you reach out to the spear you aquired earlier
>you WOULD reach out to it...but where is it?!
>oh dammit Sword, you idiot!
>you left it upstairs!
>you maniacally look around for something to use as a weapon
>ah, the cart!
>you grab the small cart you saw earlier, and smash it over the brute's head
>take that!
>that indeed grabs his attention, and drops Shield
>poor stallion's armor looks so wrinkled as if it was from paper, but don't see blood, or missing body parts
>now the Storm Heavy turns to you again, and lunges at you with his clawed paws
>you backpedal quickly, and throw hay bales at him
>wow, good show Sword!
>that will surely stop him
>although the Heavy can only knuckle-walk, unlike the normal gait of his smaller comrades, he closes up the distance quickly
>he also swipes at you with his tusks, which are almost as big as a mammoth's
>you can dodge all of his strikes, and manage to run upstairs
>sure enough, your spear was indeed here
>you grab it, and jump back to ground level
>the Heavy, meanwhile, throws a hay bale at you, but you dodge, and get ready to charge him
"Alright you freak, take THIS!"
>you get a good hold of the large spear, and CHARGE!
>you gallop towards him, but as you thrust with the combined momentum of your TK and speed...
>...he manages to grab the spear, and it takes a moment too late to disengage your magic around the weapon's haft
>he basically pulled you really close to himself with that move
>you realize the mistake soon enough, but you can't back up, as he now goes for a mad tusk-swipe
>you jump up instead, and the tusk moves past under you
>but you didn't watch out enough, and grabs you by the tail, and lifts you up into the air

>you spared your magic for a later moment, but it has come prematurely
>you are eye-to-eye, and at face level with the creature
>you charge up your spell, and aim at his eye
>if you can't kill him, you will blind him
>you release the spell, and score a hit
>the creature roars up in pain, but it's not enough to drop you
>he instead starts to shake you around violently
"Aaaaahhhhh!!!"
>finally, he throws you to the ground, HARD
>as you hit the ground squarely with your back, you grasp for air for a few moments
>meanwhile, you can see the Heavy is MAD
>he still has your spear, and grabs it with both hands
>he lifts it up to strike
>in panic, you sit up a bit, and charge your magic, but it's not likely you can stop him now
>but before you can release, you hear a very loud, high pitched "PEW!"
>the creature's hands stop in the air
>and you notice a tiny, burnt hole in his abdomen
>he lets out a high-pitched grunt, and falls over towards you
>the body only misses you by a foot
>and then you see her, the source of the shot
>"Corporal Glitter? You're alive!"
>it's Major Starstorm!
>she came back for you
>and for the first time ever, you heard some actual concern in her voice
>concern...for you

>the Major trots closer, as you didn't respond
>"Can you move, Corporal? Are you injured?"
>finally, you get up a bit, and answer
"I'm fine Major, but Shield..."
>you point at your unlucky comrade
>Starstorm looks at Shield
>at the same time, good ol' Longrun bursts into the barn
>"What the hay happened here?! Ah dang! Sword!" he gasps as he sees you "Boy, am I glad to see you!"
"Likewise Gunny" you respond
>Longrun is beaming that he found you alive, but Starstorm quickly interrups his cheer
>"Longrun, check up on Shield. He's injured"
>the Major now turns back to you
>you manage to get up now, on your own accord
"Thank you for saving us, Major"
>"Thank your neverending luck. We came in the nick of time... Wait, what is that?!"
>Starstorm points out the hole in your chest armor
"Oh, this? Long story... I encountered a Storm Army mage after Shield and I got stranded, but I managed to defeat him. But I got THIS in the process"
>"A mage?! Whoah... You two must have gone through a lot. And what happened to Shield?"
"The creature you just killed did a number on him. He almost got squeezed to a pulp"
>with that said, you look past the Major to check out what's going on with your best bud
>you can see that his helmet has been removed, and Longrun tries to wake him
>uh-oh...
>that can't mean any good

>you trot up to them, not minding your own dock, hurting like a sonofagun
>your back also hurts, but screw that too
>you're concerned about Your Sarge
>and damn, he looks bad
>bruises on his temple, and a blood trail leads from his nostril
>you put a hoof to your mouth
>bad habit, probably your mother's influence in mannerisms
>"Hey buddy, buddy! Wake up, it's me, Longrun! You're saved, so get up, and let's get home!"
>luckily you can see Shield is still breathing, but you don't know how serious his injury is
>the Major walks up next to you
>"Longrun, situation?"
>"I dunno ma'am, but he got beaten up pretty badly. He doesn't react to my voice. And I don't like the nose bleeding either... Perhaps brain damage, anything goes"
>you take away your hoof from your mouth, and gently nudge your comrade
"Shield, Shieldy... If you're still in there, please respond to me! To ME! You can't just leave us hanging now, in the finish line! You're needed! We need you! I need you..."
>but Shield doesn't move...
>"Alright, that was enough... Longrun, give him the Stick!"
>"Aye-aye ma'am! That would've been my suggestion as well"
>Longrun begins to search Shield's armor for -more than likely- his Healing Stick
"C-can y-you do that?!" you stutter "I-I already used a Healing Stick on him earlier"
>"You what?" Starstorm turns to you, with a raised eyebrow
"Shield got seriously wounded earlier, when the embassy collapsed upon us. I used my Healing Stick on him, as his got lost"

>"You got caught in the collapse?! We saw the ruins from the airship, but believed you somehow got away. But I never would have thought... Let's just say, all that will make one helluva AAR, Corporal"
"You bet..." you say under your breath, remembering your little "private mission"
>"What was that Corporal?"
"I'm...just concerned that using two healing sticks on the sergeant so close to each other might have serious after-effects. Ma'am"
>"Not using one will have after-effects. Longrun, here, use mine"
>Longrun levitates over the Major's stick to Shield
>"You know Sword, you could have told me a bit earlier not to search for his..." he says, rolling his eyes
>with that, the Gunny breaks the stick in half, and the golden aura once again envelops your friend's body
>and if the previous usage was any indication, he'll be alright in a minute or two

>you indeed don't have to wait much for the effects to kick in
>the magic gets absorbed by the injured body, and Shield opens his eyes
>he coughs a little, and his gaze stops at Longrun
>"Thanks..." Shield says, lifting his head up a little
>"You alright fella? You better be! Celestia's magic ain't cheap! You're hurting the taxpayers, pony!" the scout answers, in his usual style
>wait, the healing sticks are made by CELESTIA herself?!
>that golden hue WAS familiar...
>"I'm good" says Shield, in a barely audible voice
>then he notices Starstorm too 
>"Sergeant Edge, ready for duty Ma'am! And...thank you, too" 
>"At ease, Soldier" reacts Starstorm, with a a hint of a smile in the corner of her mouth "Give yourself a few minutes"
>you rarely saw Starstorm like that
>her voice was almost motherly
>it must've been a great relief for her that she found you two alive
>seeing that things are gonna be okay, you give Shield a snarky smile
"Hey Sarge... Have some deja vu?
>"You saved me again..." he says, turning his head away for a moment "You have my gratitude, Sword"
"Oh no, I meant the healing stick... But, you're welcome anyway!"
>"You know, I just want to set a new record for healing stick usages. Guess I'm making progress!"
>"We still have a few, so don't hold back yourself now!" Longrun chimes in, while watching the entrance with the broken doors
>indeed, you're still in the middle of a warzone
>you might better get a move on

>Shield pushes himself up into a sitting position
>then extends his forelegs, and manages to properly stand up
>he also stomps the ground a little with his bad leg
>"Hey, my leg... It completely healed!" he says giddily "It seems all it needed was another healing stick!"
>you grin at him
"Then one more, and you'll even fly!"
>he grins back
>you feel your cheeks turning rosy, but the Major's voice puts you back into the reality of the situation
>"We can all do that when we get back to the Razor. We put her down near here next to a temple. So let's move out before another one of those Tanks show up"
>Shield trots a little in place, and lights up his horn
>"I'm ready Ma'am! Let's do this!"
>"Glad to hear it, Legs. Corporal?"
>Starstorm looks at you
>what could you say?
>your back hurts, your dock hurts, your body is full of bruises, but your spirit is fully intact
>you and Shield made it through almost the impossible, and after all this, you can't imagine there could be anything you couldn't tackle
>and although you lost what you thought made you powerful, you realized it was with you all along
>you just needed it awakened
>was it all the extreme situations this mission threw at you? Or was it just...him?
>either way, you have this strong feeling of determination, a sort of determination you think only a PALADIN has
>you feel determined, and you feel READY
>you yank out the spear from the dead Tank's hands, and step to the exit
"Ma'am? Paladin Glitter is prepared for combat, and ready to move out!"
Continued in -> https://ponepaste.org/4580