Chapter 76: Mounds of Trouble
TIME: 08:44 ERDT
DATE: War Day 708/12 Tertious, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Cahokia, Ozarka (St. Louis, Missouri)
We pulled into the station at Cahokia, and were slid over to the side yard, so we could be parked. I wanted to get out and stretch, get a proper meal, and relax some after the unexpected fight in Dodger City.
Dusty was finishing getting dressed in her Gendarmes Class B's - collared sand tan shirt, dark khaki pants, clip-on tie, and Sam Browne-style pistol belt, with low boots on her rear hooves, and her Patrol Cap.
Me? Regular black uniform. You all know it by now. I was even wearing the cap that Rarity made for me.
Dusty: "I don't mind everyone's cooking, but it'll be nice to get a meal at a restaurant." She smiled a bit.
K: "Sure will." I nodded, as Spitfire came in.
Spitfire: "I've asked the local Militia to resupply us. We did expend a good bit of ordnance at Dodger City." She nodded.
K: "Yeah." I chuckled. "Something like ten mags each, six belts, half a dozen rockets, Doc's medical supplies he used on the Major and other cases, yeah." I shrugged. "Plus, we need some food."
Spitfire: "I'd like to take Soarin' and Braeburn and go restock." She nodded.
K: "Take Mac with you, too." I gestured. "Just in case you need heavy lifting."
Spitfire: "Sounds like a good idea." She flexed her wings. "Gifted with speed and grace.. not physical strength."
K: "Oh, I wouldn't say that - Webley was able to keep me and Rarity from being street pizza in Marelin." I shrugged. "And you know Rarity likes her bon-bons." I smirked.
Spitfire: *Giggle!* "K! That's terrible!" She grinned. "Alright, I'll make sure we're stocked up. Where's our next major stop?"
K: "Wheeling, Kanawha." I nodded.
Spitfire: "Alright." She made a note of that. "See you this evening?"
K: "Yeah, we should be back by then." I nodded to her.
With that, Dusty and I were off to explore the city, a bit. This was my human wife, J--'s, old stomping grounds. She knew the area well and had told me about it. St. Louis - Cahokia - was called "The City of Mounds" for the Native American mounds located all around the region.
Interestingly, this area had them as well, even though the "native ponies," had little connection to actual human Native Americans. No.. their connection was more to the ancient kingdoms, Republic of Harmony, and things like.. that..
I stopped in the middle of the street, and nearly tripped Dusty.
Dusty: "K! K, what is it!?" She moved in front of me.
K: "I.. after we eat, I want to check something out. This city, in my world, is called the City of Mounds, for the Native American mounds that were created in the area. Your 'native ponies,' aren't the same as my Native Americans - your Buffalo are far closer, and they're way further south and west of here. But.. there's still mounds!" I gestured.
Dusty: "Hm.. sounds like it might have some connection to the.. to OUR past." She tapped her chin. "You have a good point." She shrugged. "Quick meal?"
K: "Quick meal." I nodded to the nearest Cafe. "They have eggs, it seems. That'll do, if nothing else. Come on."
The Cafe was, indeed, a rather diverse one. Two of the waitstaff were Griffons, one was a Minotaur. We ended up at his seat.
Iron Will: "Greetings, I am Iron Will, I'll be your server today. Can I start you two off with some drinks?" He was a kindly, if large, gent.
I had NO IDEA what he was originally supposed to be. If I did, I probably would have fallen over laughing at how he ended up, with this world's.. say, damaged? Timeline? Certainly altered.
K: "Coffee, please. Double strong, double sweet." I nodded.
Dusty: "Same, but no sweet." She nodded to him.
Iron Will: "Excellent. The specials this morning are Chicken Celestia Salad, and the Two Moons Over My Hammy." He nodded to me with that one.
K: "Two eggs, slice of ham steak, hash browns?" I asked.
Iron Will: "Indeed, sir." He nodded back.
I smirked.. I smirked harder reading the menu - most of it would be a Denny's menu.
K: "I'll.. take it." I nodded.
Dusty: "Me, too!" She beamed.
Iron Will: "OH! Certainly!" He nodded and wrote this down. "I'll be right back with the drinks." He accepted the menu's back, and trotted off.
K: "This place has almost the same menu items as a restaurant I know, well, in the Human world." I reached across the table and patted Dusty's hoof. "Eggs Over My Hammy is one of my favorite dishes."
Dusty: "Interesting." She smiled back, and looked down, then back up and into my eyes. "How much do you miss her?"
K: "I miss J-- every day." I looked right back, not averting my gaze. "She wouldn't want me to leave until the war was won and you were all safe, though. Period." I nodded.
Dusty: "If she can keep up with you, she sounds like an amazing human." She gave me a tiny grin.
K: "She? Can out do me in a few areas. But, that's okay. We work together as a team because my strengths and weaknesses match up almost perfectly to hers. We mesh together, like a key in a lock." I shrugged.
Dusty: "I'm.. I'm glad that, if you can't stay here for whatever reason, you have someone to go back to." She nodded.
K: "Yeah. I've got a bit of a family." I shrugged. "But, if I can't, that's fine, too."
Dusty: "Yeah.. you have me, and Applejack, and Luna.." She shrugged.
K: "I do." I leaned in, and gently caressed her face.
Dusty: "..I really shouldn't get so worked up, but.." She blushed.
Iron Will: "Your coffees." He nodded, and set them on the table. "Food'll be a few minutes." He gestured to us. "Get'cha anything else?"
K: "Mmm. What I want's, not on the menu, good sir, but thank you." I was staring into Dusty's eyes.
Iron Will: "Of.. of course." He nodded, and departed.
Was it wrong of me to have such an inadvertently romantic brunch with her? Maybe. Applejack accepted her.. eh.. those feelings..
We ate, and then, we departed, catching a cable car all the way to the shores of the Mighty Mississippi River, the same name and same rough dimensions as my own. There were a few bridges across its half-kilometer width. We elected to travel by foot to the Poplar Street Bridge. Much smaller than its Earth cousin, it had a separate tram running across it, and was otherwise a foot bridge.
Walking across it, I could see that the "mounds" the city was famous for, were, indeed, readily visible. This being Equus, the area wasn't as expanded and developed as my world - the development here sometimes as far back as my 1880's, sometimes as far forward as my 1950's, in terms of urban sprawl. Cahokia was clearly closer to the former.
TIME: 11:03 ERDT
LOCATION: East Cahokia, Inoka
Once we were across the bridge, I caught us another street car heading south-east. After about thirty minutes on it, we got off near the south-east corner of town. One Mound wasn't more than 700 meters from the edge of the street.
We headed for it.
Another thing to note about Equestria is that, unlike Earth so much, the SECOND you step away from a settlement, it's almost immediately wild and untamed. I supposed that had to do with how in tune with nature this world was. After just 200 meters, we were very simply in a lightly forested prairie.
A dense, tumbling one.
We marched, though, as though drawn by an unseen force, convinced that something was there. We could both feel it, too.. I didn't even need to say it. She undid the flap on her Morgan holster, but kept the retention strap closed. My holster didn't have a flap.. I just kept my hand on it.
Dusty: "Uh.. K----.. are you.. getting the feeling we should have come with backup?" She suddenly said.
I froze.
K: "Yup, let's get out of here. Something is WAY off.." I said.
Though, when I turned around, there was a pony standing there.
Dusty: "Ah.. excuse me.." She tilted her head. "Sergeant Dusty Dunes - Gendarmes. What's.. is something the matter?"
The pony stared at us.. through us.. then, I realized, its eyes were.. crooked. It was wearing a shirt that clearly had some kind of metal clasp over the front..
..but it looked like plastic..
..it...
Before I could think further, I drew and fired on it. Five rounds, center-of-mass.
IT SCREAMED!
A loud, demonic, unearthly scream, as black.. BLACK BLOOD.. poured form the wounds.
Dusty cleared leather, and dumped her mag into it, and I put the last four rounds in mine, into it as well.
We both reloaded like machines set on mach one.
We also RAN at the same speed, too!!
Dusty: "What THE TARTARUS FUCK WAS THAT?!" She screamed, in terror.. VERY unlike her terror..
K: "ISSAFUCKINSKINWALKER,RUNYOURASSOFF!" I dribbled out..
Skinwalkers.
Science? No, fuck you.
[End of Part 1]
Part 2: Wretched Flesh
TIME: 11:53 ERDT
DATE: War Day 708/12 Tertious, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: East Cahokia, Inoka
K: "RUN-RUN-RUN-RUN!"
Dusty: "SHIT-SHIT-SHIT-SHIT!!"
We were TEARING ASS through the brush, heading for the edge of town. We could see it ahead. We could FEEL THEM behind us. Broad daylight, dead noon, and SKINWALKERS were chasing us.
We hit the edge of the city, and ran straight up the first road we found. No buildings for two blocks. We cleared that in SECONDS.
Not until we both got to the first solid building we saw - a large square stone structure that, on Earth, might be a tire repair ship, and rolled around, guns out, aimed at the area behind us.. did we start to calm down.
Dusty: "FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!" She cursed.
Ponies.. really don't curse much.
K: "Foul language.." I nodded.
Dusty: "I.. have.. never been so scared before!!" She was heaving breath.
We saw nothing.
K: "I've.. I've.. they're fucking LEGENDS in my world!" I was.. I was terrified, too.. my heart was pounding, my vision was trying to narrow.. yeah.
????: "Ahh.. s'cuse me!" From behind us.
We both snapped around, and we both nearly shot the poor man! Er, stallion. Older, wearing overalls, with a Trucker's Hat.. save.. it was fully cloth, the brim was soft.
????: "AH! Gosh!" He held up his forehooves. "Don't fire, Officer! Ah'm innocent!" There was a metal screwdriver in one hoof.
K: "It's.. it's okay. Look at that screwdriver. He's not one of them." I lowered my aim.. Dusty? Took her a second.
????: "Oh! Gosh, you all must'a wandered a bit outta town!" He chortled, slipping the screwdriver into his overall pocket. "Ah'm Fixit." He nodded.
K: "Fixit, I'm General K. This is Sergeant Dunes of the Gendarmes." I nodded, still panting. "You.. you know about those things!?"
Fixit: "Shore do! Not a night go by, one'a them tried trickin' me t'come with'em." He nodded to the two empty houses nearby. "Tricked all'a the others.. not me." He smirked. "So's, they figger I'm too smart fer'em, 'n they leave me be."
K: "Have.. haven't you called the City Gendarmes, or the Militia to deal with this?" I gestured.
Fixit: "Aw, why bother?" He shrugged. "They'd just git'em selves killed."
K: "I-ju-buh.." I blinked. "..point taken." I shrugged.
Fixit: "Y'all c'n relax. They ain't gonna come past the sidewalk out there, in the daytime." He nodded.
K: "Alright." I looked at Dusty as I reholstered. "We need to do something about this."
Dusty: "Yeah." She reholstered as well, and calmed down a bit. "Well.. where's the nearest Gendarmes station?" She tilted her head.
Fixit: "Ooohh.. couple'a country miles that-a-way.." He nodded towards downtown East Cahokia. "..betch'a might just make it, too."
K: "Excuse me?" I tilted my head.
Fixit: "Well.. them ghoulies likes ta trick ya." He nodded. "I'm'a'prolly the only real pony between here'n there." He sighed a bit.
K: "And why haven't you left?" I shrugged.
Fixit: "This here's m'shop. Was m'paw's.. an' his paw's.. I ain't leavin'." He snorted a bit. "Don't care what'em Ghoulies try."
K: "I admire your courage." I looked at Dusty. "We need to make the effort."
Dusty: "Yeah. We NEED to get OUT of here!" She shivered a bit. "When's that tram coming back?"
Fixit: "This evenin'." He nodded.
K: "I'm not waiting." I shrugged.
Dusty: "That makes two of us, let's go." She nodded.
K: "Thank you for the information, sir. We'll be back. In force." I nodded.
Fixit: "Best'a luck to 'ya!" He chortled and went back inside.
We started walking.
Dusty: "Now I wish Jackie was here. Real bad." She shivered again. "I.." She tilted her head to the side. "..kinda like her, too."
K: "Like, romantically?" I asked.
Dusty: "Y-yeah.. like.. if you weren't around.. and I'd met her.. and.." She blushed.
K: "I'm glad." I nodded. "You should tell her."
Dusty: "Oh.. your love life is complex enough as it is!" She snorted a bit. "You don't need me making it worse."
K: "How would it be worse? Dusty.. there's an even chance I don't make it home from this. Remember the Hero Rules. I'm here for a reason, and there's a 50/50 chance, once that reason's done, I'm gone. Back to where I came from." I pet the back of her head. "The last thing I want when I get back there, is to wonder if you and Jackie and all of them.. are happy." I nodded.
Dusty: "Aww...!" She blushed.
We walked about another.. oh.. three quarters of a kilometer or so. Then, we saw one of them. Standing in the front yard of a slightly run down house. Staring at us.
Dusty: "What do we do?" She kept walking.
K: "Don't pick a fight? I think we're both down to one spare mag." I nodded.
Dusty: "We are." She kept her eyes forward.
K: "If worst comes to worst, I'll use the Sword and call Luna or Cel." I twitched my mouth - ah, yes. Goddess 9-1-1. They wouldn't be able to teleport this long of a distance, but they COULD call people.
Dusty: "W-Works for me." She stayed as close to me as she could. "I had no idea these things were around here."
K: "No one did. That old man didn't want anyone else harmed, so.. he kinda.. keeps them in check, a bit." I shrugged. "They'll get him eventually, though."
Dusty: "You're sure about that?" She seemed a bit saddened.
K: "Yeah. He can't keep it up forever. One day, if we don't do something, one of them will impersonate his wife, his kid.. brother.. mother.. I don't know.. and he'll be so old at that point that he'll just lie to himself and let them take him. Better that than a slow death all alone." I shrugged a bit, as we passed the disguised Skinwalker.
Dusty: "I.. feel bad for him." She sighed. "Is that..?"
K: "It's how a Gendarmes is supposed to feel. That and a desire to protect and serve." I nodded.
Dusty: "I guess I was fit for this job, after all." She smiled.
K: "Keep walking. Another kilometer to go." I nodded. "Keep yourself distracted with me, don't acknowledge anything else."
Dusty: "Right." She nodded. "So.. Skinwalkers in your world.."
K: "Simple enough. They imitate people. But, I learned somewhere that they cannot reproduce metal. They can simulate the look of cloth, but.. that's their skin, they transmogrify it, more or less." I shrugged. "They can imitate faces, looks, sometimes speech patterns, depending on their age. It's never perfect, though. And supposedly, certain things like White Ash ashes and Cold Iron can ward them off or kill them." I nodded.
Dusty: "Are they alive..?" She meant in the traditional sense.
K: "Maybe. These ones seem to be. Real, breathing, living.. or our guns wouldn't have done a darn thing to them." I nodded as we walked.
Dusty: "It bleeds, it dies." She nodded firmly. "Next time we.. 'want to check something out' K? We take a team, and full weapons." She snorted a bit.
K: "Yeah, I admit I stepped into this one badly. I made a Hero Mistake. I'm not perfect. Who knew?" I smirked.
Dusty: "We.. I love you anyway, though.." She blushed a bit.
K: "I know. I love you, too, Dusty." I nodded.
Dusty: "I know you mean more than the words." She was still blushing a bit.
K: "Yeah. Like I said.. if something happens to me, you need to take care of AJ and raise my kids." I nodded a bit.
Dusty: "You know I will." She beamed.
K: "Not too much further." I nodded a bit. "I'm also not feeling as creeped out as I was a bit ago. That human instinct that kept us alive for tens of thousands of years of NOT being at the top of the food chain.. they're coming in handy."
I could see a sign on the street: East Cahokia Gendarmes South Point Station, 0.5KM.
We were home free.
[End of Part 2]
Part 3: Lying Street Station
TIME: 13:58 ERDT
DATE: War Day 708/12 Tertious, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: East Cahokia Gendarmes South Point Station, East Cahokia, Inoka
We both walked into the station as calm as could be. Then, shut the doors. Then.. started stacking furniture against it.
The Desk Sergeant stared at us.
We didn't stop until we'd stacked the lobby furniture against the door. When we did, we both turned around and walked up to the desk.
I reached over and touched the Sergeant's badge to make sure it was metal. It was, and I nodded to him.
K: "Sergeant." I gestured to myself. "General K."
Desk Sergeant: "Oh.. I figured." He nodded.
He was an older stallion, dark chestnut complexion with a few chromes. Buzz-cut mane, with the bottom of it turning white. Probably 50'ish.
K: "How many Gendarmes are in the station right now?" I asked, calmly.
Desk Sergeant: "Seven. Myself, Lieutenant Silver Spears, Inspector Copper Top, Constables Flowers, Orinoco, Turn Tables, and Grishna." He nodded to me, then to Sergeant Dunes. "Long way from Las Pegasus, eh?"
Dusty: "I'm assigned to the General Staff as Gendarmes SWAT Advisor." She nodded back to him.
K: "Radio communication?" I asked, simply.
Desk Sergeant: "Yeah, we have it." He shrugged. "What's all the trouble?"
K: "Skinwalkers, about two and a half kilometers south of here, at the edge of town. I'm pretty sure everything south of here's a dead zone." I nodded.
Desk Sergeant: "Ooohohhhh..." He nodded, knowingly. "Let me go get the Lieutenant." He shrugged, and moved into the rear area.
Dusty: "I don't like how casual he was about that." She frowned.
K: "Me, neither. Copper Top's from Ponyville, though.." I trailed off as Lieutenant Spears came from the back office, to the desk. "Lieutenant."
Lt. Spears: "General." He nodded. "The skinwalkers, again, Granite?"
Sgt. Granite: "Yes, sir. Seems the General encountered them." He nodded.
Lt. Spears: "It's nothing to concern yourself with, General. You leave them alone, they leave you alone." He shrugged. "Just let it be. There's only one old horse that lives down there, anyhow. They won't come this far from the Mound. We figured that much out."
K: "..Lieutenant?" I looked him in the eye.
Lt. Spears: "Yes, General?" He tilted his head at me.
K: "You're fired. Take off that uniform." I leaned into the desk. "You, too, Granite." I glared at him. "COPPER TOP!? IT'S K! GET OUT HERE!! GET OUT HERE IF YOU CAN HEAR ME!!" I screamed at the back area.
Lt. Spears: "GENERAL!" He looked furious, but Dusty beat him to the draw.
Dusty: "ONE old STALLION!? EVERY life is precious! YOU don't DESERVE that uniform!" She sneered at them both. "STRIP!"
Sgt. Granite put his forelegs up immediately, but he looked quite angry.
Copper Top came from the back, holding a Chaffee, that, upon seeing me and Dusty with her boss at gunpoint, aimed at the back of Lt. Spears' head.
Copper Top: "Oh, it's sure good to see you, K!" She beamed a grin at me. "You got my letter?"
K: "Nope, Copper, no letter reached me. I think I know why."
The two senior officers were disrobing.. their guns were on the desk as it was.
Dusty: "Hi! I'm Dusty - Las Pegasus SWAT. I'm on K's staff." She grinned at Copper.
Copper Top: "Nice to meet you!" She poked the Lieutenant with the Chaffee. "Be glad K got here. My next step was going to get him personally."
Lt. Spears: "You have no idea what you're doing!" He hissed at me.
K: "I have every idea what I'm doing." I nodded. "You're both under arrest for High Treason against Princess Celestia and the Kingdom of Equestria for providing aide and comfort to an enemy." I smirked, and unhosltered as well. "Now. You talk, you go to jail for life. Dungeon. Hay and water. Gen Pop. You don't? I feed you to them." I glared.
Dusty: "I'm.. gonna go get ahold of the radio and call for help." She shrugged.
Copper Top: "Down the hall, to the left, room's marked. Watch out for Flowers - she's on their side. Lieutenant's side piece." She shrugged.
K: "Talk. Mister Spears." I glared.
Silver Spears: "I refuse. I want my lawyer." He glared back at me.
K: "Alright." I shrugged. "Cuff 'em, Copper."
She did just that. I could hear Dusty in a fight in the back.. after a moment, she brought out Constable Flowers, with her badge ripped off her shirt, and set her next to the others, then went back for the radio.
I helped Copper cuff Constable Flowers.
K: "Get the other three in here, huh?" I nodded.
Copper Top: "You got it." She nodded, and went to the back.
K: "I hope you three realize that by not speaking, I'm going to recommend you hang." I shrugged. "You can join Sir Hitcher Rose at the gallows."
Silver Spears: "You just don't understand!!" He yelled at me.
K: "I understand perfectly. You're cowards that refused to call for help, and left an innocent old stallion out there to die. You refused to lift a hoof to help anyone that might've still been alive down there. As such, a chunk of an Equestrian city is unlivable, and filled with MONSTERS that want us DEAD." I glared at him. "Now, shut up or I'll tie your muzzle shut."
Granite: "You're going to get everyone killed! YOU have NO IDEA!" He vocally agitated as well.
Flowers: "It's just BETTER for EVERYONE if we LEAVE THEM ALONE!" She hissed at me.
I shrugged.. and went behind the desk, rummaging around until I found some tough tape. I then carried through with my threat and wrapped their muzzles so they couldn't speak, as the other three Constables came out.. with full combat loads.
Constable Grishna, a Griffon with dark grey instead of white head feathers, offered me a Bradley/Gavin, which I accepted, and a bandoleer of magazines, that I put on.
Copper Top: "Dusty's gotten through to the Militia Company at East Cahokia." She shrugged. "They'll be mustering.. I figure.. three hours until they get here." She nodded.
K: "Fortify this building." I nodded to them. "I have a sneaking suspicion that the Skinwalkers might just sojurn from the Mound.. I killed one." I shrugged.
Spears became animated, and bounced on his flanks a bit, raging and panicking at the same time.
Copper Top: "Oh, judging by HIS reaction, we're in some trouble alright!" She snickered. "Come on, let's get things boarded up and make sure we got lanterns and things."
She left as Dusty came back.
Dusty: "The City Militia will be here before Sundown. They seemingly had no idea what was going on here." She shrugged. "I also got though to the train - OUR team will be here as fast as possible - there's a rail bridge they're going to cross just north of here, and they'll stop the train at the Yard on this side of the river." She nodded a bit. "Braeburn was rather upset something like this had gone unnoticed."
K: "Sounds good." I nodded. "When they get here, we're going to incinerate those things, but good." I looked at Spears. "You should have said something."
I wasn't entirely sure how much force I'd need, but I was sure it was going to be a lot. I had Dusty go back and ask for additional reinforcements from Inoka's side of the river, and to scramble the Cahokia, Ozarka Militia Regiment as well. Everything I could call in, I wanted, and I wanted it as soon as possible.
[End of Part 3]
Part 4: Siege of East Cahokia Station - Dusk Falls
TIME: 18:30 ERDT
DATE: War Day 708/12 Tertious, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: East Cahokia Gendarmes South Point Station, East Cahokia, Inoka
My team had arrived just a few minutes ago. The City Militia had not. I was.. concerned about this. They said about three hours. It's been four and a half.
The next nearest unit responding, the Cahokia, Ozarka Militia warned they wouldn't be able to muster until after sundown, as most of the unit was in the city nearest to the west of town, Bellwind, on a training exercise with that town's new militia formation. I told them to wait until dawn, but to get here no later than Dawn +30 Minutes.
The nearest Inoka unit? Springfield Capital District Militia, and the Mount Vernon/Rend County Militia Regiment. They were on the way, but were coming on the hoof. Shiloh Station Air Force Base was just east of town, but it was under construction, no help there, either.
That left me with the 17 Ponies in my command team, Copper Top, and her three loyal Constables. We had plenty of ammo, food, and weapons. The Gendarmes Station had 12 of their own Bradley rifles, a pair of Knox grenade launchers, 12 Ridgway SMG's, and an EM-4 Browning HMG, plus plenty of ammo for all the toys.
Chemical Lens: "The station is boarded up as best it can be, K." She nodded. "Everyone is paired. We're prepared for a siege."
K: "Alright." I nodded. "Everyone relax, it might be a nothing burger." I shrugged.
Spitfire: "Or, the enemy smells lots of Fresh Meat and decides to turn us into horseburgers." She shrugged.
Soarin: "We could have evacuated." He gestured.
Braeburn: "Nothin' doin'!" He nodded, looking to me. "These monsters've killed innocent ponies. We're soldiers. We gotta be able t'kill'em, an' protect people.." He shrugged. "If'n we don't? What good're we?"
Soarin: "I.. you're right." He hugged Braeburn. "I got myself one brave stallion." He was blushing.
Dr. Allcome: "On a more practical note, Braeburn is right. K won't be around forever - we must learn to be brave against creatures like this on our own." A nod. "The Elements can't be everywhere."
Chemical Lens: "Apt assessment, Doctor." She nodded.
K: "Alright, everyone. Hunker down. It's about dinner time, there's a kitchenette, and we should get something to eat. Remember to have your rank pins on the fronts of your uniforms so everyone can see them - they can't replicate metal." I shrugged.
They dispersed, and I was left with Dusty, Dr. Allcome, and Derpy.
Derpy: "Man.. if I'd known following you out into the woods with a Shermin would get me HERE!?" She snorted a bit. "I'd've volunteered to go with from the start." And grinned.
K: "When did YOU get so brave?" I smirked.
Derpy: "Well-l.. you made me a Major, commander of the 1st Royal Rangers, and.. you put so much faith into me.. I gotta do my best!" She beamed. "Plus, I gotta show Dinky what it means to be brave." She nodded firmly.
K: "Hah." I grinned, and sat on the desk. "Reinforcements here by Dawn. It'll either be a long night, or a peaceful one. No in between."
Dusty: "Should we try the City Militia again?" She asked.
K: "Good idea." I nodded. "Derpy, you and Doc."
Derpy: "On it!" She tugged Dr. Allcome to come with her, and departed.
That left me with Dusty.. oh, and the EM-4.
I rest my hands on it, and felt.. VERY confident. It wasn't quite a .50 cal (it was, in fact, .433 caliber), but it HURT everything it hit, and it was aimed at the front door, braced at the desk.
Dusty: "Raptorians, Porcine, I can handle them. You know what you're getting. THIS?" She snorted. "Makes me feel like a foal with a pointy stick."
K: "I know." I shook my head. "Craziest thing. We just have to hope we can handle this. I mean, if we can't, we may as well pack it all in and let Tirek take over - guaranteed, he'll have worse tricks up his sleeve than this."
Dusty: "Really? Huh." She nodded. "You think he's behind this?"
K: "Maybe.. odds are, no." I shook my head. "It feels to me like this's been a problem for a very long time - before I got here, even - and the locals just deal with it by pretending it doesn't exist." I shrugged.
She sat close to me.. I got it. I mean, I felt better with her next to me, too.. but, just like her, I wished Twilight and them were all here. Both because I felt more naturally at-ease with Applejack, and.. Magic Shenanigans. They had the Power.
Derpy: "K?" She came back in with Cody.
K: "Yeah?" I turned to look at her.
Derpy: "The.. uh.. Militia aren't answering their radios." She frowned. "I know they're receiving us, they're just not answering."
K: *Long, loud sigh of frustration* "Classic Apathetic Antagonist.. I wager we're going to find out they all expected us to die here, so their promise to send reinforcements won't matter. They'll probably claim something like.. missing personnel they couldn't track down in time, or something. 'Oh, sorry, we got delayed and couldn't leave until nightfall! And that was too dangerous! When we got there in the morning, they were all dead!' Some bullshit like that."
Derpy: "Muffin-heads!" She snorted. "Don't they realize how serious this is!?"
K: "They do - that's the thing. They likely feel it's just best to ignore it, for their own safety." I shrugged. "That or someone in the Militia knows a lot more about this and NEEDS us to die. So, it's either wilful dereliction of duty and disobeying orders, or.. Treason."
Dr. Allcome: "The former means 20 years in Fort Leatherworth. The latter..?" He looked at me.
K: "I'm not angry enough at them to insist on the Rope just yet. Let's see how that plays out." I nodded. "Unless they really piss me off with the Treason, and they don't die resisting arrest, I'll.. push for life imprisonment, like Spears."
Dr. Allcome: "Mm." He nodded - he still cared, even of those that had wronged him.
Derpy: "So.. I-"
Braeburn: "Dinner!" He and Soarin came in with a pair of trays, with Spitfire and Mac behind them.
Yes, contrary to my usual desire to pair up couples, Spitfire was assigned to Soarin for tactical reasons, and Brae was paired with Mac. Family.
They set the trays down. Ration oats, coffee, tea, some carrots, and.. popcorn?
K: "Where'd the popcorn come from?" I tilted my head.
Mac: "The kitchenette has all kinds of snacks. Apple chips, sunflower seeds, that sort of thing." He shrugged.
K: "Makes sense." I nodded.
We sat and ate.. and all of us were listening carefully.
They didn't wait long.
Glitched Voice: "Sooommmeee.. out.. siiiide... with... mmmeeee..." It came from the other side of the main doors.
Mac: "..they can't be serious." He frowned.
K: "They think they're doing a good job, Mac. No need to be cruel about it." I smirked.
Mac: "Mm." He cocked a brow in amusement.
K: "Remember, don't acknowledge them." I nodded and ate.
Dusty: "Once again.. I'm glad K is here." She nodded, sipping coffee. "..mm, Prench Roast.."
Derpy: "I wonder what they do with the ponies they replace?" She tilted her head.
K: "Probably eat them." I nodded. "They have to eat, too, you know. Though, I imagine, they normally eat whatever critters they can lure into their territory. One thing about them - the area they live in, is usually unnaturally quiet. Probably because they eat everything fleshy within it."
Dr. Allcome: "Eh.. creepy!" He snorted.
K: "Oh, yeah." I nodded.
Glitched Voice #2: "Speeeeeeaaarrrrrr..." This came from the boarded-up window.
I looked towards the floor by the window, to avoid direct eye contact, if it managed to get a view through a slit. Nothing.
Spitfire: "Hm. Wonder if he's friends with them." She wouldn't say his name.
K: "I'm betting he made a deal with them. He specifically said they wouldn't come this far from their mound. He probably feeds them troublemakers in exchange for.. you know.. not attacking the station." I nodded.
Braeburn: "Hmpf." He snorted. "Expectin' he would, too." He nuzzled Soarin and fed him a spoonful of oats.
K: "You two are too cute together!" I beamed.
Soarin: "Ah.. thanks.. K." He was blushing again.
K: "Hey, Soarin.." I cleared my throat. "..I have to know something." I leaned in and whispered to him.
Specifically, I asked him if he dresses up like a femboy.. er.. marecolt? Something like that. Basically, if he had "programmer socks," a cute skirt and the like. You know, for the bedroom, considering Applejack liked costume play, too.
He just gave me a sheepish grin, and a nod. He was also maroon. He nodded to Braeburn and winked.. indicating he wasn't the only one!
I just gave them a broad grin.
K: "Yeah, your marriage will go the distance." I shrugged.
Mac: "I got enough troubles in that department." He smirked.
K: "Mhm. Leather Riding Club." I nodded.
Dusty snickered, Spitfire grinned, and Mac.. kinda hid his face a bit.
Dr. Allcome: "Oh, my!" He grinned a bit.
K: "Doc, you need a girl." I nodded.
Dr. Allcome: "We-Well.. with the war and all.." He shrugged. "I'm rather busy!"
Spitfire: "Mhm. And what about, say.. Dr. Turner?" She wing-nudged him.
Glitched Voice #3: "GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANIIIIIIIIIIIIIITE!"
That one was fairly clear.
K: "That would be an Elder Skinwalker." I nodded slowly. "Just ignore him. Those are probably the only names they know."
Spitfire: "Horrific! I'm glad, in your world, K, they're just legends!" She nodded.
Mac: "Mm." He, also careful, flicked a glance towards the outside wall. "They's just talking. Nothing more."
Dr. Allcome focused on his oats, grateful to be saved by the bell.
K: "So. Cody. Seriously. What about her?" I leaned over a bit.
Dr. Allcome: "Ah!" He blushed a little. "Eh.. conversation with her.. is certainly intellectually stimulating."
Spitfire: "Don't be so obtuse, Doc." She smirked. "Make a move, see how she reacts."
Dr. Allcome: "Eh!" He cleared his throat. "Ah, K, is this a tactically relevant conversation?!"
K: "Kinda, yeah. The less we think about them, the less power we give them. The more we ignore them, the weaker they are. To an extent." I nodded. "So.." I leaned in again. "What about YOU, Spitfire?" I tilted my head a bit. "Or, are you like all the other mares, and wanting some hot monkey dick?"
What shocked me - and what I honestly didn't expect - was for her to reach over, grab me, and Prench Kiss me in front of everybody. Then, let Dusty catch me.
Tastes like a mild Atomic Fireball candy.. mmmm.
Spitfire: "I'm just biding my time, General." She blushed just a tiny bit, and grinned. "Dashie would not stop bragging. Now, I'm curious. I'm just waiting for clearance from the tower." She nodded to Mac, indicating Applejack.
That got everyone laughing.
That also caused the Skinwalkers to get MAD.. and slam themselves against the walls a bit.
Which gave us pause, but made us laugh harder.
Glitched Fixit Voice: "Gennnerralll... Duuuuuussstyyyyyyy..!"
Now, everyone froze.
Glitched Fixit Voice: "Heeeeellppp mmeeeeeeeeeee...!"
I swallowed, hard.. the room felt like it got ten degrees cooler in an instant.
No one said a word.
Glitched Fixit Voice: "Heeeellllppppp... meeeeeeeeeeee...!!"
I got up off of Dusty, and moved over to the machine gun.
K: "No problem, Old Man. Happy Trails." I nodded.
Everyone covered their ears.
I fired a burst of five rounds exactly at the sound of the voice.
[End of Part 4]
Part 5: Siege of East Cahokia Station - Midnight
TIME: 23:24 ERDT
DATE: War Day 708/12 Tertious, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: East Cahokia Gendarmes South Point Station, East Cahokia, Inoka
The Skinwalkers did retreat after the gunfire. I remember, we didn't move for.. almost an hour, just frozen. Partly fear, partly shock. I just.. I was frustrated.
The others had left, to go patrol around the station, and Copper Top joined me and Dusty, with Grishna.
Copper Top: "I'm sorry about Fixit.." She frowned. "..he seemed like a nice old man."
Dusty: "Wonder how it happened?" She shrugged.
K: "My guess? They imitated you or me, and he wasn't used to it.. didn't know us.. so.. he got too close. He made a mistake." I nodded. "I thought he'd do so intentionally in a few years, but.. seems chance just wasn't in his favor."
Copper Top: "Poor old man.. I hope it was quick." She cuddled her Chaffee.
Grishna: "When we get the chance, I would relish an opportunity to tear them limb from limb." She narrowed her eyes.
Dusty: "The Skinwalkers? Or the Militia who abandoned us?" She tilted her head.
Grishna: "Both." She nodded.
K: "They'll be dealt with. According to the Law." I nodded.
Grishna: "Indeed." She nodded.
It started in again soon after. Scratching at the walls.. the windows.. everywhere.
K: "Here we go." I nodded.
Glitched Voice #4: "DuDuDUduuuuusssssssstyyyyyyy.."
Glitched Voice #5: "..playyyyyyyyy.. with.. usss...."
Dusty: "I'm.. guessing my name was learned from the Skinwalker that ate Fixit." She frowned, and leaned into the machine gun.
K: "Probably." I nodded, moving behind the desk, and pulling Copper Top and Grishna with me.
Glitched Voice #6: "HUUUUUUUUUMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNN!" It slammed against the door.
K: "Seems it knows me." I nodded to the back office area. "ACTION FRONT!"
Brae, Mac, Spitfire, Soarin', Teddy, Sweetheart, Doc Allcome and Derpy came out and set themselves up.
Glitched Voice #7: "FFFFFFFFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLL! FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIL! DEATH!"
Spitfire: "Do.. they have some kind of hive communication?" She tilted her head.
K: "I think so. I remember that Skinwalkers don't usually work alone. If they have some kind of interlinked consciousness or thought cloud, it would explain how they can transmit data regarding other entities, disguises, and so on." I shrugged.
Glitched Voice #8: "Wweeee... allllllll... diiiieeeeee.."
Glitched Voice #9: "Huuuuuuuuumaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnn!"
Glitched Voice #10: "M-M-Must.. K-Ki-Kil-Kill.. Huuuuumaanannnanannn..."
Glitched Voice #7: "Or.. you.. all.. DIEE!"
Copper Top: "Why're they callin' out K?" She hissed.
Spitfire: "Divide and Conquer. It's what I'd do." She snorted. "They probably ate someone that heard K's legend of saving the world or ending it.. and they equate saving the world, with exterminating them? Since they're a threat?" She shrugged. "I'm guessing that last part."
Braeburn: "Makes sense." He fixed his Abrams Machinegun to the tripod Mac brought out.
Dr. Allcome: "Frighteningly so. They have reasoning ability, it seems." He frowned.
*WHAAACKKKCMMMMMM!*
It sounded like four of them slammed themselves on the front doors. At the same instant.
Braeburn: "Cuzin.. barricade ain't gonna last with that kinda work on it." He twitched his mouth.
K: *Sigh* "Alright, get ready. We start shooting, we're going to break it anyway, but it seems we're running out of choices." I shrugged.
Everyone braced and got to as good of cover as they could manage.
Grishna: "Finally, we will see some action." She frowned.
K: "BOYS! GET UP HERE! NOW!"
Gaze, Norfy, Cosmic, and Chem got up there with us.
Gaze: "Suh.. issall quiet ever-wheres else." He shrugged, as the other two Gendarmes, Dex, Vinyl, Octavia and Vigilance joined us.
K: "Brace. Get ready. We're going to open up on them in a second. Cosmic, get ready with a Magic Flare, and be sure to light up the whole room." I nodded.
Cosmic: "Certainly." He nodded back.
Norfy: "Ice Wall?" He asked.
K: "No. Ice FOG." I smirked. "Make it cold enough to freeze lungs. And only over the front part of the room. When I give the signal."
Norfy: "Charging." He focused on his horn.
Vigilance: "Using every asset, sir." He smirked.
*WHAAAM! WHAAM! WHAAAAAAAM!*CRNKCH*
K: "Ready." I nodded. "OPEN FIRE!"
Everyone fired at about the same instant, with Mac on the Machine Gun. Tracers tore through the dwindling light, bullets chopping chunks out of the walls and door, almost all fire hitting right over the double front doors, shredding the barricade. Outside, we hould hear the things scream in pain.. agony..
We were hurting them.
K: "CEASE FIRE!" I had to scream to be heard.
The fire died down..
..there was a deathly silence. All sound, just stopped.
Mac: "Di.. did we get'um?" He moved to quickly fasten the next belt to his current one.
Everoyne took that as a cue to reload.
K: "We probably got a couple, the rest ran off." I frowned.
Derpy: "Plan?" She kept her eyes on the decimated front door.
K: "..cover me." I frowned.
Dusty: "K!" She hissed. "NO! Absolutely not! They want YOU specifically!"
K: "Which means I'm good bait." I stood up. "Teddy. Back of my head, base of the skull, please." If they grab me, that is.
Teddy: "..yeah." His voice was filled with pebbles.. he didn't want to hear that order.
I moved out, keeping my Bradley shouldered, and got to the door. I looked outside.. into absolute blackness. I couldn't even see the stars, or the moon..
K: "They're altering the environment with magic. We've got zero light out there." I nodded. "I'm going to give'm some fireworks."
Out came the Sword of Rainbow's Light, and I slid the blade through one of the larger holes.
I could almost FEEL them creeping up on me.
K: "LUNAAAAAAAA! GIVE! ME! STRENGTH!" I yelled as hard as I'd ever yelled before.
The outside was instantly bathed in pure white moonlight.. like a five million candle power spotlight just got turned on, right in their faces.
There was more screaming.. I was certain the light alone destroyed a few of them.. more screaming.. running.. shuffling.. trying to get away..
..then silence once again. But, a NATURAL silence. I could also see the street, a bit.
K: "That drove them off." I nodded and resheathed, stepping backwards, and resuming my spot at the desk area.
Dusty: "Luna knows we're in trouble, now." She frowned. "She's going to freak out."
K: "Good." I shrugged. "Maybe she'll send half the Royal Guard after us."
Spitfire: "At this rate, I'd be happy just to see a few friendly faces.. I don't care." She sighed.
K: "Everyone try to relax. They're gone for now." I nodded.
I checked my watch. It was midnight, on the nose.
{End of Chapter 76}
