Cervius swore as he ducked into a doorway, narrowly avoiding being stepped on by the two Titans locked in combat in the streets. With proficiency awarded by repeated actions, Cervius scanned the room for threats. All he found were three Grunts looking at him. From the one whose face was visible, Cervius was met with wide eyes that spoke of primal fear.

"Soldiers!"

"Sir?"

"Get a hold of yourselves! You are warriors of the IMC, sent to the Frontier to put down this rebellion! Correct?"

"Yes sir," they replied shakily, the war going on outside the building almost drowning out their voices.

"Then follow me and fight. Fight not for the IMC but fight for your lives; for your glory," Cervius stated as he moved to a door on the other side of the small structure. He peeked out; the door led onto another street that, surprisingly looked deserted, despite the Titan battle happening a street over. He looked back to see the three Grunts loosely formed up behind him. Their hands shook but the one whose face was visible wore a face of determination.

"We're with you, sir."

Cervius nodded before stepping out into the street. He sprinted across the open area and barged through another door, his weapon up and scanning. While the battle raged around him, Cervius seemed to be locked in a bubble of calm.

It unnerved him more than anything else could. Being a Pilot meant that he was used to high speed, adrenaline fueled situations. To be in such a bubble of calm during a battle? Get a hold of yourself, Cervius. Those soldiers need you, he thought to himself as he glanced back toward the Grunts. They weren't there. They weren't dead on the ground or shaking themselves into a fit in the other building, they just... weren't there. It was as if they hadn't been there all along.

Hearing the clicking of a hammer being drawn back, Cervius spun around. A squad of IMC Spectres, combat-grade robots, had their SMGs aimed at Cervius. Standing in front of them was a Milita pilot, his Wingman revolver leveled at Cervius with one hand. His other hand held the Data Knife that had likely been used to hack the Spectres.

The Militia Pilot laughed, "The IMC is unwanted here, Pilot. They've been unwanted before they blew up hundreds of civilian ships," another laugher, sadder this time, "That was just icing on the cake," his voice hardened, "Now, like the IMC, you will die."

His finger began to tighten on the trigger. Screaming something that was lost to time, Cervius began to sprint toward his aggressor, his thought only on killing him. Finally, the required pressure of reached and the Wingman fired.

------

Cervius jolted awake, his body rocketing to a sitting position as he breathed heavily. Taking off his helmet, he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Fucking nightmares," he muttered as he glanced about the cave. To his surprise, there was a small hole in the 'ceiling' that allowed light to filter in. The light also revealed another tunnel going from the current cavern. It appeared just large enough for the previous occupant. From the tunnel came a soft yellow glow.

"You see it to?" Cole asked, drawing Cervius's attention to the large Pilot. Cole had his helmet off as well, scratching at his scalp.

"Yeah," Cervius replied as he looked back at the new tunnel, "what do you think it is?"

"One way to find out," he answered as he stood up and moved to his Titan. Having it crouch down, Cole put on his helmet before reaching into the cockpit and pulling out a Spitfire LMG. The LMG was widely known for it's kick during the first couple shots but, surprisingly, it got to be quite accurate during sustained fire.

Cervius nodded as he moved to his Stryder, which crouched down as well, and grabbed his C.A.R SMG while putting on his own helmet. The C.A.R had almost the same length as a Carbine but was still considered a SMG due to it's clip size and rate of fire. Cervius's SMG had a holosight and suppressor attached.

"Don't think you're leaving me behind," Rachel piped up as she pulled a Longbow-DMR Sniper Rifle from her Stryder. It had a scope and, like Cervius's SMG, was suppressed.

"Never," Cole replied with a chuckle as he looked from the helmeted and hooded sniper to Cervius, "Let's move."

Cervius nodded as he let Cole take the lead, his LMG up and aiming. Some may have called them stupid to not use the Titans, but sometimes you just needed to feel the rush yourself. Such as what the three members of Reaver squad were doing now. With their Titans standing silent sentry over the first cavern, the three Pilots jogged through the tunnel, weapons held at the ready. Coming to a turn in the path, they slowed as Cole used his left hand to give a series of hand motions in a blur. Cervius and Rachel gave a nod as the three moved to the right turn.

When they were closer to the turn, they snapped into action as Cervius jumped onto the right wall and began to wallrun to the corner. With his SMG in his left hand, he reached the edge and stopped, hanging onto the wall with his right hand as he leaned around the corner and aimed with his left. Rachel wallran along the other side to a ledge that had a line of sight to the new tunnel. Jumping onto the ledge, she knelt and aimed down the scope of her rifle. Cole's job was the least theatric as he just ran around the corner with his LMG leveled.

"Clear," he stated as he began to move forward again. The glow had gotten brighter, to the point that anything beyond the tunnel's mouth was hidden by the glare. Not wanting to give up the vantage point, Cervius jumped to the opposite wall and began to wallrun as Rachel did the same on the other wall. When they could feel themselves begin to fall, they would jump, cross in mid-air, and continue to wallrun on the opposing wall. Seeing this, Cole took off in his own sprint, wanting to keep up with his teammates.

"Show offs," he muttered.

The three pushed forward until they got to the mouth of the tunnel. As Cole ran out into the new cavern, Cervius and Rachel dropped down on either side of him. All three had their chosen weapons leveled for any threats. All three found their aim falter as their jaws struggled to remain hinged. Rachel was first to form a response,

"Holy..."

"...shit," finished Cole.

In front of the three was a hill of treasure. Gold, silver, gems, it all sat sparkling in the sunlight peering in through another hole in the ceiling.  Cervius stared wide-eyed; the mound at it's peak was slightly taller than his Stryder while it would take three Ogres standing side by side to make up the width of it.

"That is a lot of dough," Cole stated as he began to step toward the pile of treasure.

"Well," Cervius begun as he too stepped forward, "now we know what the Dragon was defending."

"So is that first cavern the Dragon equivalent of a parlor?" Rachel asked incredulously as she advanced with her team.

"Just like a woman," Cole joked with a chuckle as he knelt down. Setting down his LMG, he picked up a gem encrusted, golden necklace and began to examine it.

"Jackass," Rachel retorted as she jetted up to land higher in the mound. She almost lost her balance as the gold and gems shifted but managed to stay upright until the treasure settled. With her rifle aimed skyward, she knelt down and picked up a ruby the size of her hand, "Still, I do like me some jewels."

Cervius plucked up one of the gold coins but remained standing, his SMG across his chest. Turning the coin about his fingers, he examined the stampings. On one side was the head of a unicorn with a mane that seemed to be gently flowing in some sort of wind, the full length of the mane unknown as it went off the coin. 'Under Her Majesty's Light' was carved into the coin, following the curve above the unicorn's head while 'Kingdom of Equestria' followed the curve at the bottom. On the back of the coin was an obvious depiction of a sun with 'May Her Light Be Eternal' curving along the top and 'One Bit' curving along the bottom.

"Huh," was his intelligent reply to the coin.

"What is it science boy?" Cole asked. Cervius looked at the large Pilot with his mouth open to reply. His mouth promptly closed upon seeing the pilot. He had multiple gem encrusted necklaces hanging from his neck, a golden crown with a ruby as the centerpiece atop his helmet, the silver handle of an onyx cane in his left hand, and, somehow had rings of different metals and gems on over his gloves.

"What?" Cole asked as Cervius just stared at him in helmeted silence.

"Haha! You look ridiculous!" Rachel shouted from her perch higher up. Two visors turned to face her.

"Says the fucking hypocrite," Cole retorted. Rachel stood with a red, probably silk, cape draped over her back, a golden scepter with a large ruby as it's top piece held in her left hand, and a simple ruby and gold necklace hanging from her neck.

"But I didn't overdo it you ape! While you look like a fool, I," Rachel struck a regal pose. At this, Cervius's palm got well acquainted with his faceplate, "look like a noble of ancient times."

"You look like a stuck up bitch."

"You look like a homeless man who got his grubby hands on a fortune."

"You even sound like a stuck up bitch."

"Says the Frontier Pirate."

Cervius removed his hand and then reapplied it to his faceplate as his squadmates continued to bicker, their volume ever growing louder. As they traded insults, they got closer and closer until they were literally butting forehead with each other.

"I... see you found the dragon's-"

Twilight was interrupted by the sound of a SMG coming to bear and two sidearms being drawn.

"-hoard?" she finished meekly, her body lowered to the ground as her eyes darted between the three in obvious fear.

"Apologies Princess," Cervius stated as he lowered his SMG and held a hand out to the Princess. Cole and Rachel holstered their side arms.

"I didn't know nobility could fight their own battles," Cole whispered to Rachel, which re-ignited their previous argument. As the two continued to bicker, Twilight placed her hoof in Cervius's hand and found herself being helped back to a standing position.

"I think I should be the one apologizing for sneaking up on you three," she commented with a sheepish smile.

"Normally you wouldn't be able to," Cervius commented as he jabbed a thumb at the bickering Pilots, who looked to be seconds away from punching each other, "but with these two's bickering."

"Speaking of which," Twilight began, turning to look at the two Pilots, "they aren't going to fight are they?"

"Nah," Cervius replied, "they'll burn out shortly and, hopefully, remove the jewelry and cape."

"It does seem to look rather silly over their clothes," Twilight agreed.

Cervius shrugged before remembering the coin he held in his left hand. Turning to face Twilight, he held out the coin, "Am I correct to assume that this is your currency?"

Twilight's horn began to glow again and, to Cervius's shock, the coin glowed the same color before being tugged from his hand and hovering in front of Twilight's eyes.

"The hell are you doing?" came Cole's gruff voice as he and Rachel disengaged from each other to stare at the breaking of every physical law they grew to believe.

Twilight quirked a brow and looked confused herself, "It's just a simple levitation spell."

"Like magic?" Rachel asked, her head cocked to the side to show her confusion.

"Well, yes-"

"That's impossible. There's no such thing as magic," Cole interrupted.

"Wait, you don't have magic?" Twilight asked, genuinely surprised as the coin continued to levitate next to her.

"Lady, magic is something to tell kids to spark their imagination. It is not real," Cole replied.

"B-but the Titans... a-and you," she pointed a hoof at Rachel, "flew."

"'Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic'," Cervius quoted with a tone of understanding.

"Alright egghead, who said that one?" Cole asked.

"Arthur C. Clarke. It's my favorite quote," he admitted with a shrug.

"And for good reason, apparently," Twilight commented, "but I assure you that what I'm doing is magic."

"Right. Then do something magicky," Cole requested as he waggled his ringed fingers.

"Really?" Rachel questioned as she put a hand on her hip and fixed her gaze on the gaudily dressed Pilot.

"What?"

"'Magicky'?"

"What?! It's a word!" he defended.

"Both of you shut up for a second," Cervius commanded.

"Roger boss," Cole replied as he started to remove the jewelry from his body. Rachel followed suit, letting the cap drop back to the mound.

"Right," Cervius stated as he turned back to Twilight. Gently, he grabbed the coin and could feel something like static electricity run up his fingers at the contact. Twilight let the field dissipate as Cervius pulled the coin up to his faceplate. He twirled it in his fingers in silence, seemingly in thought. Without warning, he tossed the coin at Twilight. Gasping, the alicorn grabbed the coin right before it hit her between her eyes.

"What in the hay-"

"Can you teleport?" Cervius asked suddenly, interrupting the purple Princess.

"W-well, yes," she replied, thrown off by the sudden conversation.

"Teleport me then. To the Titans and back. Do this and I will begin to believe you," Cervius explained as he snatched back the coin and shoved it into a pouch.

"Fine," Twilight growled in frustration as her horn charged. With a pop of magical energy, the two were gone, only to reappear moments later, a smug smirk on Twilight's face. The smirk dropped when she saw Cervius standing as stoically as he was before, the SMG still held downward across his chest with his right hand.

"Shit! You okay boss?" Cole asked as Rachel stepped to Cervius's side, her rifle slung across her back. Twilight's smirk returned at Cervius's reply,

"My stomach did about fifteen flips in half a second but I'm fine," he replied as he turned his visor's gaze to the Princess, "I find myself a believer, Princess."

"Good. Now we can get on to why I'm actually here," Twilight commented as she magicked a blank scroll and a quill from thin air.

"Which is?" Rachel asked as Cole stepped up, devoid of jewelry, with his LMG pointed skyward.

"To learn, of course!" Twilight stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, looking between the three Pilots with curious eyes.

"About?" Cervius asked, almost fearing the answer by the look in the mare's eyes.

"Everything!" Next Chapter: Lessons and Recon Estimated time remaining: 47 Minutes