Chapter 5: How to hit a ghost

Fluttershy's house 2 days after the demon dog battle…

Heavy was inside, asleep as Flutershy walked by him. Then, in the corner of her eye, Fluttershy saw Medic outside, petting a dove that had flown into his hand. Fluttershy came out to join him.

"That dove seems to like you," She said as the dove flew up and perched onto Medic's shoulder.

"Yah, I had a pet dove I called Archimedes back on my world. I hope I did not leave ze windows open." Medic said worriedly.

"Oh, I'm sure he is fine, he probably just misses you." Fluttershy said, trying to cheer him up.

"I hope so. How is Heavy?" Medic asked.

"He seems a little sad at times, but other than that, he seems to be doing well." Fluttershy replied. "Do you know why he's sad sometimes? I ask him about it, but he tries to hide it." Fluttershy meekly said.

"Ze only thing I can come up wiz is zhat he is worried about his family," Medic Said.

"Heavy has a….family?" Fluttershy asked.

"Yes, he has his mother und sisters," said Medic, "he works with RED to feed zhem, but he never has any contact from zhem. He worries zhat zhey zhink he's dead." Medic said, a tone of sympathy in his voice.

Fluttershy looked like she was about to cry. "That's so sad, not knowing if your family knows that you still exist," she said.

"Yes," Medic agreed, "And ever since we have gotten here, he has told me how you remind him of one of his sisters that he cared for most." Medic said.

"I…I do?" Fluttershy asked.

"Yes. He said zhat like you, she was always shy, but had a tender heart for nature. He said he always loved and protected her." Medic said. "Though now, ever since he joined RED, he worries about her." Medic Said. "In a way, I zhink that he zhinks of you to be a pony version of her."

Fluttershy was in awe. She never thought that anypony or anyone would be like her.

Medic sighed. "He is not ze only one. Engineer has a divorced wife and daughter, Scout has his mozher, Sniper has his parents." Medic said.

She then heard Heavy waking up, saying, "I wonder what is for breakfast." Fluttershy looked towards Heavy's voice and saw him waving at her through the window.

"Good morning, nature pony! What is for breakfast?" Heavy asked.

"Don't worry Heavy. I can get something started," Fluttershy said, smiling.

"I believe I vwill join you two for breakfast. I have not had anything to eat myself." Medic said.

As Fluttershy and Medic walked toward her house, Medic asked her, "Do you know if Nurse Redheart vwill be busy today? I would like to discuss ze wunders of medicine with her."

Fluttershy replied, "I don't think she is busy today. Do you know where the hospital is?"

Medic nodded, saying, "I saw it during our battle." Then they stepped inside for breakfast.

Applejack's house…

Engineer was leaning against Applejack's bran, eating an apple for breakfast. Pyro was still asleep in the barn. Engineer knew that sleeping in a barn wasn't much, but the hay was surprisingly comfortable and Engineer was to modest to ask Applejack for a room in her house. Applejack's farm reminded him much of his home in Bee Cave, Texas and how him and his dad would work on gadgets together.

Bee Cave, Texas

"Dell, can ya hand me tha electrode stabilizer?" Dell's Father asked him.

"Sure thang dad!" Said a once then 13 year old Engineer. Dell Reached into a Tool box and pulled out a wire that had a gauge on it. Dell's dad grabbed the wire and put it into a dispenser they were working on. Dell was wearing his goggles and hardhat, his dad had gotten them both for his 13th birthday.

His dad smiled at him. "Son, you're a big help to me and your mother. I was so proud of ya when you built that self vacuuming vacuum cleaner for ya mother. It has been a big help to her," He said.

"Aw, that was nothing' dad, just somthin' to help my momma out." Dell said.

"Your mother also told me you were takin' guitar lessons at school while I was gone to work," Dell's dad said.

"Well, yeah. I practice whenever you were gone and we couldn't build together." Dell Said. His father smiled at him.

"Yer' a god send to me and your mother Dell," Dell's dad started, "and I hope I can raise ya' to be the best engineer in tha' world."

Dell looked at his dad. "But dad, that will never happen," he said.

"Why not?" his dad asked, curious.

"Because dad, you're the greatest engineer in the world," he said, looking up to his father.

"Aw, come here." Dell's dad said, wrapping his son in a hug.

End of flashback…

Engineer smiled, remembering the warm memories of him and his father. He didn't notice Applejack standing there.

"Engie, ya' there?" Applejack said. Engineer shook his head.

"Yeah, what can I do for ya Applejack?" Engineer asked.

"oh, Nothin, Ya'll were just starin inta space, I was wonderin' if ya were ok," She said.

"Yeah, just remembering something about home," Engineer said.

Applejack looked at him and tried to change the subject. "Oh… So can ya' tell me what those uh, "BLU" fellows were like?" She asked him.

Engineer looked at her and sat down. "Well, they look just like us, they just act a little differently. And I don't know if our names are different from theirs," he said. "All I know about that is that mine and Sniper's names are different from the BLU's Engineer and Sniper. I think their Engineer's was…. Jack Parsons and their Sniper's was Steve Mundy. But Mine is Dell Conagher and Sniper's is Nick Walker," Engineer said.

"Is that tha only thang that differs you guys?" Applejack asked.

"as far as physical appearances and names, yes." he said. "But there is another thing that differs us." Engineer said. "And that's our hats."

"Your hats?" Applejack said, confused.

"Yeah. You see Applejack, we were feeling kind of paranoid about killing people that looked just like us. So when the Office allowed us to wear hats, we started wearing whatever hats we could find." Engineer said. He then chuckled. "We kinda went over tha edge with some of our hats," He said jokingly.

Applejack laughed. "With some of tha hats I saw in those two crates, I'd say your right." They both laughed as Rainbow dash and Scout came towards them.

"I told you I'd win!" Scout said. Rainbow was breathing hard.

"Well, if I hadn't run into that flock of ducks, I woulda won!" Rainbow Dash returned.

"Sure, sure." Scout said.

"Now what's tha point of you two comin' here and arguing?" Engineer asked.

"Oh, Sniper wanted me to tell you and the others that him and Twilight are holding a meeting at Sugarcube Corner," he said.

Engineer sighed. "Alrighty then, me and Applejack will head that way after I wake up Pyro."

Alright. I'm going to Fluttershy's house now, then me and Rainbow will head back to where we're meeting."

Rainbow looked at Scout. "Round two?"

"Oh, your on!" Scout said.

"ok then, you start counting." Rainbow said.

"Alright. One….two…."

"THREE!" Rainbow interrupted, dashing off before scout could react.

"Hey!" Scout yelled, chasing after her.

Pyro was just waking up. "Hudda hmpf?" Pyro asked.

"Yeah, that was Scout. He said Sniper and Twilight wants at see us at Sugercube corner."

Pyro nodded as they started walking towards Sugarcube corner.

Sugarcube corner, 3 minutes after everyone finished eating…

Everyone looked at each other, talking and arguing, until Twilight got their attention.

"Is everyone here?" she asked out loud.

"I couldn't seem to find Spy this morning," Rarity said.

"I am right here, madam," said the Spy, who appeared right behind the Sniper, who started to turn around to break Spy's arm before stopping himself.

"Don't do that mate, you know how BLU Spy's got me on edge with that," he said.

"Sorry, I forgot," said Spy, who was holding his arm incase Sniper was not able to stop himself from years of reaction.

"So anyway…." said Twilight, who was annoyed by Spy's entrance, but was to polite to show it, said, "Princess Celestia sent me a letter saying that there has been some activity that is related to the demon dog attack near the diamond caves, and she wants us to check it out."

"Really?" Soldier asked.

"Yes, and she also said that she was sending some of the Royal Guard to assist us," Twilight had a quizzical look on his face. "Well who's gonna protect the town if another attack happens?"

Twilight responded, "She said that she will have her eye on Ponyville and alert us if we are needed." Everyone just simply nodded as they headed out towards the diamond caves, where they would meet up with the Royal guard.

Later, Evertree Forrest…

As the mane 6 and the RED team were walking toward the Diamond caves where the Royal guard was waiting for them, the ponies asked the 9 mercs about their lives before they joined RED team.

They never liked the subject, but they figured it would pass the time and they owed them for giving them shelter. Engineer started first, telling about how he would build things with his dad when he was young, how he got numerous college degrees in science, technology, mathematics, and mechanics. He told how his great-grandfather invented the Respawn machine, and other inventions. The ponies seem amazed at how engineer could be so educated.

Soldier then told his story, a story of war and horror. He told how when he was a Sgt. And how he fought on the Omaha Beach in Normandy, where he lost plenty of friends. The ponies looked like they were about to cry, but Soldier reassured them by telling them that thanks to engineer's great- grandpa's respawn machine, there has not been a single casualty since then.

As the ponies and RED came to the entrance to the Diamond Caves, they saw 4 stallions dressed in armor. Two of them were white and had golden armor, the other two were the same color as Luna, but they had the wings of a bat.

"You are the ones our fair princess told us about?" said Iron side, one of the white stallions.

"Yes," replied Twilight. "Princess Celestia told us what she wanted us to do, and I figure you're here to help us," she added.

The four royal guards nodded. "We were told that Miss Rarity would lead us in the caves," said Darkstar, one of the bat winged guards.

Rarity sighed. "Sadly, yes. I know the tunnels by heart, but I hate getting dirt all over me." she said, shuddering at the word dirt.

"Well, we better get moving," said Soldier, anxious to get inside, just to fight.

"Alright then. Miss Rarity, if you would lead the way," said Ironside as Rarity walked into the front of the group. Carefully everyone followed Rarity into the caves, the tunnels were big enough where the RED team could stand at full height, even Heavy.

"Reminds me of some of the caves back in Australia," Sniper commented.

Deeper inside the cave…

"There here, just like you planned," Shadow Stallion reported.

"Good brother. Soon, the right moment will come, and we shall destroy them." Ghost Mare said, a evil tone in her voice. She would probably have a evil smile, but her face is stuck in a state of terror.

"Shall I send out the first wave of shadow strikers?" Shadow Stallion asked his sister.

"not yet," Ghost mare said. "Wait for them to come deeper into the caves, so that we can surround them so they can't escape."

Shadow Stallion nodded, then walked over to his sister to look into a white mist that was showing an image of The ponies and RED team.

"If I am right, which I normally always am, they are approaching one of the center rooms of the cave."

Shadow Stallion smirked. "The same place where we killed those Diamond dogs that were snooping around."

Ghost Mare nodded. "And the Elements of Harmony shall join them there. Send out the shadow strikers."

Center of Diamond Cave…

The royal guard, mane six, and RED team were just now coming into what Rarity said was "the center of the Diamond Caves".

Engineer looked around. "Ah Hope tha' Structure of this cave will hold, or else we ain't gonna be able to go back." he said, looking at the cave ceiling.

"Don't worry," Rarity said, "the ceiling will hold as long as it is not severely damaged," she said confidently.

"If you say so." Scout said, looking at the ceiling.

Sniper looked to his right at a tunnel that lead deeper into the cave. "Ya hear that?" He asked. Fluttershy got worried and hid behind heavy, who was holding Sascha.

"What did Sniper hear?" Heavy asked.

"I'm not sure mate, but it sounded like multiple footsteps, and there moving towards us. Fast." he said. RED team readied there weapons, waiting for whatever was coming towards them.

Just as Sniper saw a silhouette, he aimed his rifle untill he said, "Is that a dog?"

A small demon dog (about spikes height) came running out of the tunnel, screaming and running towards the direction that RED and the ponies came in.

"What in bloody blazes was that?" Demoman asked.

"Uh, I think we got bigger problems," Scout said, pointing towards the tunnel. Everyone looked towards the tunnel, and suddenly…

"PONY DOWN!"

Nighthoof, one of Luna's guards, went down with a slash on his chest, yelling in pain.

"Where the bloody hell did that come from?" Sniper yelled, looking around with his Huntsman. The cave was big, but there were no good sniping spots, so he got his Huntsman and SMG instead. He loaded the Huntsman, looking around, just as the others did.

Twilight's horn was glowing, ready to attack, but she didn't see anything.

Then, another slash was heard, and scout held his arm in pain. " Yo Doc!" Scout yelled, Medic healed him as soon as he said it.

"Where in tarnation are thay?" Engineer said, looking around with his Frontier Justice

Spy then said, "I see one, zhey look like a ponie's shadow, but with claws and wearing masks, all I see are zhere eyes."

Rainbow Dash looked around. "If there Shadows, we need a fire to light the room up."

Pyro, surprisingly, had a tree branch that he collected on the way to the caves. He lit it on fire and threw it into the middle of the room. When he did, several Shadows could be seen, all in a V formation.

"Let's go!" Rainbow said, charging at one of the Shadows, The Shadow simply disappeared and Dash went straight through it. Rainbow stopped herself just in time before flying straight into the cave's wall. The Shadow reappeared, in the same place as it was. Then, the Shadow Strikers attacked, lashing out at the RED team and the Mane six with their claws, The others fought back, but to no avail, their gunfire, kicks, punches, and magic would just simply go through the shadows, yet the Shadows could hit them.

Medic was healing everyone as fast as he could, but it seemed like for evey wound he healed, two more took its place. "If we do not stop zhese shadows, we will be destroyed!" Medic yelled.

"You don't say doc," Soldier said, trying to destroy a shadow with his rocket launcher.

Twilight and Sniper were side by side, trying to destroy the shadows.

"got any bright ideas mate?" Sniper asked Twilight. Twilight thought, and then it hit her.

"I have one. If we can't hit the shadows, maybe our shadows can!" she said. Sniper had a quizzical look on his face, so Twilight showed what she meant. "Applejack, look at your shadow and buck the shadows with yours!"

Applejack looked at her at first, but then said, "Well, nothing' else ain't a workin". Applejack looked at her shadow, and kicked her back legs towards one of the shadows with hers, and surprisingly, the shadow was hit, disappearing into a puff of smoke.

"Your right!" Sniper exclaimed. He saw a shadow, and kicked him with a karate kick (karate sniper anyone?) destroying the shadow striker in one blow.

The others caught on, and started fighting the same way, making short work of the shadows. Medic was finally able to heal Nighthoof, who thanked him. "Thank you, Medic," he said.

"It is my job" Medic replied.

Fluttershy, who had hid in a corner during the fighting, came up to Heavy, shaking. "I-is it o-over?" She asked timidly.

Heavy got down on one knee, saying, "Da, little yellow pony, it is over. Do not worry though, Heavy will protect you as he will protect all things good." Fluttershy smiled, feeling safer thanks to heavy's words.

Rarity walked up to heavy before catching up to Spy. "Thank you darling, she seems to feel much safer around you." She said.

"Do not worry, I will take care of her." Heavy said. Rarity smiled and then walked off to talk with Spy.

Ghost's Shadow location…

"How did they find out how to beat them!" Shadow Stallion said, enraged.

"Do not worry brother," Ghost Mare said, trying to calm him down.

"We will just have to Teleport to a safer location for the time being, and rethink our strategy." Ghost Mare hated to admit to losing, but she knew that sometimes it was wiser to fall back.

"Alright sister." Shadow Stallion said, anger in his voice, anger so deep it seemed to even scare Ghost mare some.

Ghost Mare and Shadow Stallion joined hoofs (Don't get any ideas here, they ARE brother and sister.) and a combination of black and white light encircled them, they disappeared, with a piece of paper taking there place.

The others are now

Coming were the Ghost's Shadow

Was, about 3 minutes after the Teleported.

The others were coming into a larger room, almost as big as the center of the cave, where Rainbow Dash noticed a letter.

"What's this?" she said, picking it up with her mouth and handing it to Scout.

"I don't know," Scout said, giving it to Twilight. Twilight picked it up with her magic, opening it and she read it aloud. As she read it, Twilights expression became more and more terrified.

" To the Mane six who find this note, Let it be known that there is no hope. Equestria will surely fall, and not you, The humans, or Celestia can stop it at all. When the time comes for Nightmare Night, Equestria will fall by the stroke of Midnight."

And then she saw a Scratchy signature, writing in the same color as blood.

ThE GhOsT's ShAdOw

" I don't like the looks of this," Sniper said in a deep tone.

"Well, we have ta' warn Princess Celestia!" Applejack exclaimed.

"We can take the letter to her." Said one of the Guards. Twilight handed the note to them, and Darkstar, one of Luna's guards, was a unicorn and used his magic to teleport the guards back to Celestia's castle.

"Well, we should get back to ponyville." Engineer Suggested.

Twilight nodded and, using all of her power, teleported everyone back to Ponyville.

The morning of Nightmare night…

Twilight was reading a letter which was from Celestia to The RED team and the Mane six. It Said,

"Dear Twilight,

I received the letter from my guards and am telling you that Luna and I will be at Ponyville during Nightmare Night to help protect ponyville. We will not sto pthe celebration, but everyone will be on guard. Tell the RED team that there contribution is highly appreciated.

Sincerley,

Princess Celestia."

Everyone nodded, and they al agreed to help set up for Nightmare Night. RED was think of costumes for Halloween, and Engineer was thinking as Applejack interrupted him.

"Excuse me Engineer, but I was wonderin', do Y'all mind if I stay with you fer a while, I'd just like to talk, and maybe I can help you find a costume."

Engineer smiled, saying, "Why, Sure ma'am, Your much welcome to join me." They both smile at each other as they walked off toward Sweet Apple Acres."

"She is very sweet and beautiful… What am I thinking'? She's a Pony fer' goodness sakes! Still…" Engineer Thought, looking at Applejack.

"He is Very smart and handsome, but he's a human and I'ma pony, it couldn't be… could it?" Applejack thought, looking at Engineer.

Then Both there minds cleared and they realized that they had stopped walking and were staring at each other. They both blushed.

"Well, we better get on back," Engineer said, chuckling.

"Yeah." Applejack said chuckling also.

They didn't know that they were not the only ones with those thoughts.

Whew mates! That chapter was a real Crocodile biter! Sorry it took me so long, but I finally finished it. I'll try to get chapter 6 up as soon as possible, but I won't be able to do that much story writing while the last days of school are still here. Anyway, Comment, and keep reading mates!