Login

Clockwork

by That 1 Guy

Chapter 26: All In A Day's Work

Previous Chapter Next Chapter

Clockwork hastily finished off the last of Uchawi’s healing potion before returning to his work. His revolver had been cleaned and oiled, his vest now held as much ammunition as tactically allowed, and somewhat beyond that, and his leg felt a bit better. The pegasus gazed through a hole in his hut’s roof and noticed that it was still overcast, the soft grey light adding to the cryptic atmosphere.

He had helped Diesel and Grumbler fix up their tank. Twilight, Fluttershy, and Applebloom had already sent notes to Szary and the royal sisters regarding the present situation. If he remembered correctly, Twilight had said that even if the squad’s personal airship was ready to teleport at the push of a button and rain pain, it wouldn’t help much, considering that the fog dense fog of the Kelpie Swamp blocked all radio communications as well as hindered any sort of view for air-to-ground strikes. Switcher had restocked on chemicals (as it turns out, a half-hour trip into the Amarezonian Rainforest could restock any chemistry lab in Equestria), Long Shot and Charger’s rifles had been cleaned and oiled, the latter’s gloves tweaked to perfection, and Mganga’s staff had been decorated with personally hoof-crafted charms to supposedly help her in battle. Not that she needed it, but the pegasus wasn’t going to object to a zebra’s mindset, especially hers.

Clockwork’s ears flickered as he heard hoofsteps come from behind them. He looked over his shoulder to find Charger standing in the entryway.

“Hey, Charger.” Clockwork greeted his friend as he returned his attention back to organizing his things.

“Hello, Clockwork.”

“You tired of waiting too?”

“Very.”

“Hmph. . . same here.”

It wasn’t much longer before Charger was looking over her companion’s shoulder. “Would it be correct to assume that you are nervous?”

“What makes you say that?” the pegasus asked without looking at the mare.

“I’ve known you since first grade. I can tell when you’re nervous.”

The stallion nodded. “Fair enough.”

“I must admit that I am a bit confused, though. You devised the plan, you’re the reason we’re going to save Zecora and end the dogs’ campaign in these lands. Why are you so nervous?”

The pegasus sighed. “There’s just so much riding on this operation. If even the slightest thing goes wrong, if anything unexpected happens, the entire mission could be compromised. What’s worse is that-”

Clockwork’s next sentence never left his throat. He felt pressure around his entire midsection. The pegasus looked to find Charger’s forelegs wrapped around him, her head resting on his shoulder.

“We’ll survive this, I’m sure of it,” Charger said, her hot breath tickling Clockwork’s ear. “You said yourself that we have several advantages in this fight, and I see no reason to feel doubt. Neither should you, understand?”

It took Clockwork a few moments to formulate a single word in response. “Okay.” the stallion felt the pressure lessen and turned to see Charger trot out the door.


The rest of the day passed by in a flash, and before Clockwork knew it, he and the rest of the strike force were standing in front of Diesel’s tank. Long Shot had just finished his rousing speech, and the crew were all either loading into the tank or situating themselves on top of it. As Clockwork turned to find a spot on the tank, he felt somepony grab him by his artificial wing.

Before he could ask what the hay was going on, the stallion was spun around and pulled into a kiss by none other than Penyelamat. As quickly as it began, the quaggan mare pulled away, a small blush easily noticeable in her cheeks.

“I - Uhh. . . wait, what?” Clockwork stammered, his mind still attempting to piece together what had just happened.

She only giggled. “A common tradition amongst my people. A kiss is a way to wish one good luck.”

“Umm. . . thanks.” Clockwork's brain still had trouble processing the fact that he had just kissed the zebrican equivalent of a royal sister, a mare he barely knew, and in the middle of a war zone no less. He could taste something on his lips that tasted like a halfway point between mint and blueberries. His general thoughts ranged from “Oh Sweet Celestia, help me” to “Oh Sweet Celestia, I liked it!”

“Hey, Clockwork! You gonna stand there all day or are you gonna help us kick the dogs out of Zebrica?” Long Shot shouted, snapping him back to the present.

“Oh, uh. . .right.” Clockwork made his way onto the top of the tank and took a seat next to Charger, who seemed a bit tense. He looked over his shoulder as the tank started on its journey. The entirety of the village stood there, looks of respect plastered on their faces. To his mild horror, Uchawi gave an all too knowing wink.


Clockwork, in a half-hearted attempt to distract himself from the other soldiers’ banter, thought over the current situation. Himself, Charger, and Long Shot were all perched on what was left the tank’s roof. By contrast, the rest of the squad was inside the tank, with the others either using the hatch or their radios to talk.

Long Shot came down from a short bout of laughter. “Yeah, yeah. Anyways, how long will it take us to reach these Kelpie swamp-whatsits?”

Mganga cleared her throat. “We will enter the accursed plains soon, it not be much longer until we enter the fog from there.”

“Works for me.”

The team continued in relative silence for some time, the sun slowly crossing the horizon as the tank made its way across the plane. They eventually made their way into a flowing sea of golden grass, which earned, in Clockwork’s opinion, an adorable coo from Charger.

The enjoyment of the sea of golden grass was stopped due to a sickeningly wet sound coming from the tank treads, followed by the seemingly magical appearance of a thick fog bank that blotted out everything within a fifteen foot radius

For the first time since joining Meteor Squad, Clockwork heard what sounded like Switcher utterly panicking. “When did this fog appear? How come we had not been made aware of its presence beforehoof?”

“That is another trait of this swamp,” Askari replied. “You don’t notice you’ve entered it until you are far into its depths. A lure of sorts, for this is a beast that only lets you know it has eaten you when you look behind you.”

“I-I assume the cold is a side effect?” Charger asked. Clockwork wrapped his real wing around her. He pulled her a bit closer, earning a tiny squeak.

Mganga responded on the radio, in a far more hushed tone than before. “The swamps are not cold to make one’s teeth chatter, but to instill a sense of unfamiliarity and the need to look over your shoulder. Remember, young one, it is not paranoia if something truly is out to get you!”

Before Clockwork could ask how long they were going to be in the swamp, he felt a harsh chill run down his spine as something grotesque reached his ears.

It was terrible in how calm it was, how simple and wonderful it sounded with just the most horrid undercurrent of foulness that made Clockworks ears feel soiled. Even obscured by the thick fog, they still could hear the singing, warped and twisted it might have been, of creatures long thought dead and gone. In general, he expected to be forced to talk about this whole mission in a few years to his assigned therapist.

Long Shot checked his radio, jiggling it violently before tossing it into the tank through its new sunroof. “Radios are busted, we’re on our own now. Anypony else hearing that?”

“That is the. . . call of the Sea Ponies, sir,” Switcher responded. “It is quite distorted, but I still recognize it. They know we are here. . .”

“How did the Consortium build a base in this?” Charger asked.

“No idea, lightning mare,” Diesel replied. “It possible they have sound-neutralization equipment. Walls of base very thick to block out sound. Could’ve dug around or under lakes, but zebra shaman say swamp-lakes like beehive, all tunnels with openings for seaponies.”

Before anypony could respond, the tank suddenly tipped forward, landing broken cannon-first in a small lagoon. Those on top of the vehicle were thrown into the body of water. However, they quickly resurfaced and helped eachother onto the slightly less wet shore.

“Ack! Diesel, how the hay did you qualify to drive this damn thing?!” Long Shot yelled.

“Not fault! Saw no lake where I was going! Window few paws above ground!”

Long Shot groaned. “Everypony out! Now!”

The teammates quickly regrouped at the side of the tank. The whole vessel was almost standing vertical.

“Fantastic driving, Dog,” Askari muttered through gritted teeth as he whipped around every few seconds, staff drawn.

“Like you could’ve done better, zebra giant. What good your eyes if cannot see better than dog’s?”

“Shh!” Long Shot hushed his allies. The singing/gurgling had gotten. . . closer, all around them.

Shoo Shoo Be Doo. . .

“Weapons at the ready!” Askari yelled. The team eagerly followed the zebra’s command. Clockwork tried several times to shake the black water from his fur and feathers as well, but it never moved. It had actually transformed, turning from flowing water to gelatinous goo. Long Shot was practically clawing at the sludge with little success, and Charger was trying her best to remove it from her gloves.

Shoo Shoo Be Doo. . .

“Stay alert!” Long Shot yelled. “No legend says these things are immune to good old fashioned lead slugs.”

Switcher spoke up. “Actually sir, they-”

The changeling never finished his sentence. A tall, thin black thing suddenly burst from the fog, grabbing Switcher by his neck and vanished as quickly as it had appeared. The changeling's helm hung in the air for a moment before impaling itself in the moist ground.

To say that chaos followed would’ve been the greatest understatement Clockwork had ever known. Discord himself would have wept tears of joy.

Several more of the creatures burst from the fog, trying to take more soldiers. One tried to take Mganga, but met a swift end when a blue energy bolt passed clean through its head with a sound akin to something hitting water at high speeds. Before Clockwork could get a good look at the thing, its body turned to black sludge and sank into the marsh. Another one was slammed back into the mist by Askari’s staff, Long Shot downed a few more with careful shots to what might have been heads, and Charger shocked a few to death while shooting a few others. However, Clockwork froze when he turned around and found himself staring into the eyes of a Kelpie.

At first, he was reminded of a pair of ponies from Germaney he knew who had set up a spa just a few miles away from his school. But any sort of comparison to those two admittedly attractive mares ended there. While the thing’s eyes were wide and beckoning, they were not truly pony eyes. No, they were akin to a fish, glossy and with an alien mind behind it. He then noticed her greenish-grey skin, for it was exactly that: furless and inlaid with miniscule scales that glittered unnaturally. He, unfortunately, then noticed her mouth, lipless and perhaps a little too wide to be that of a pony’s, or a mammal's, for that matter. Its teeth were most certainly the Kelpie’s most horrific feature, not because of their jagged shape or their menacing gleam, but because of their color. Its fangs were the purest white Clockwork had ever seen, a terrifying contrast to the rest of it. Looking down, he saw that the creature was easily longer than a pony, giving it a almost eel-like look in the black muck. He doubted it had a back pair of legs, for it moved a bit like a snake. Before he could further examine the horror before him, the creature struck.

Clockwork was suddenly hit so hard on his right side by something that was certainly not a hoof that he was sent spiraling through the air, eventually landing in swamp muck and found himself nearly covered in the black stuff. However, the mud in his mane was quite the least of his worries. He couldn't see anything ten hooves from his own muzzle, and his team was nowhere in sight. The only sound he could hear was the same eerie chant as before, and the quiet sloshing of water.

Shoo Shoo Be Doo. . .

Clockwork found his pistol a short distance away and grabbed it, turning around just in time to point the weapon between an oncoming Kelpie’s eyes and pull the trigger. The creature’s vistage was obliterated in an explosion of black goo, as did the other six that came after it. After a moment of relative peace, the pegasus moved to reload his weapon, only to find that he couldn’t move. His eyes darted to his hooves, and found that some of the black goo that was once the Kelpies had covered him. It had solidified, and he couldn’t move.

He was paralyzed.

Just as the thought entered his mind, Clockwork found another Kelpie on the edge of the midst. It gradually made its way towards the immobile pegasus, and after a few short moments Clockwork realized that not only was it more feminine looking than he had first noticed, but it was the same one that separated him from his teammates. He tried to move, do anything that would prolong his existence amongst the living. But no matter how hard he tried, the stallion couldn’t move, and to his own mild annoyance it seemed like the muck was clinging to his metal wing more than anything, which probably marked the first time it proved to be a liability.

The Kelpie was now standing over the paralyzed pegasus, something akin to a grin on her face, showing an array of perfectly white teeth that Clockwork swore could not have fit in her mouth. Clockwork couldn’t even scream as the Kelpie bent down and began examining the pegasus’ form, likely trying to figure out exactly which part she should eat first or which part, when missing, would cause him to emit the loudest shriek. Eventually, it seemed like the beast came to its decision as the Kelpie decided to just go for the throat.

However, just as Clockwork felt his attacker’s fangs brush against his neck, the vaguely pony-shaped monster recoiled, emitting a shriek somewhere between hatred, fear, and disgust. It scampered off not a moment later but stayed in his view, appearing as those it were trying to wipe its tongue of something.

Clockwork tipped his head to one side, and suddenly realized to his joy that he could move again. He violently shook himself to get rid of as much of the slimy black goo as he could before he flicked his pistol’s hammer, somehow still dry, to fire the shotgun shell. It let out a resounding click!, and the Kelpie spun around.

The two stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity before the Kelpie suddenly rushed forward, its mouthful of needle-teeth glimmering in the half-light. However, it wasn’t charging with the intent to eat him, but rather to completely annihilate him from the face of the world.

Before Clockwork could fire, he heard an ear splitting shriek that he knew couldn’t have been made by a Kelpie. His opponent stopped in its tracks and looked towards the source of the noise. It actually had a discernable expression on its face: surprise. Not of horror, but of. . . joy?

Clockwork shielded his eyes with one wing as he saw the fog suddenly begin to break apart, the sunlight shining through much harsher than he had remembered. As the fog continued to fade away, Clockwork noticed that he wasn’t that far from the tank, nor were the rest of the team. was dead yet. The pegasus looked upwards to find Switch-7 perched on the tank. He was panting, and only now did Clockwork realize that it was the changeling who had screamed.

Long Shot was still aiming at a Kelpie as he spoke. “Switcher, what in the name of Tartarus was that?!”

“I believe I may have a way of ending this conflict without bloodshed, sir.”

“Seriously?!” Askari asked, trying to wipe the black sludge from his bo staff. “Well, I would love to hear it!”

Switcher nodded to the zebra before letting out a short series of clicks and buzzing sounds. The Kelpie that had attacked Clockwork slithered its way through the muck over to where Switcher stood, reared up to an impressive height, and returned a series of buzzes and hums. Whatever the hay they were saying, Clockwork couldn’t figure it out, nor did anyone else present in the general area. After a while, the two stopped clicking at one another and Switcher turned to Long Shot. “Commander, this is Shle’wikal. She is the leader of these Kelpies, and she believes that we are allies with the Consortium. ”

Long Shot had a look of mild surprise on his face. After a moment of thought, he slung his rifle over his shoulder and trotted up to the Kelpie now identified as Shle’wikal, who then looked down at the, by comparison, little night pony with a look of confusion. “Switcher, how the hay do you know how to communicate with these guys?”

“The ancestry of Kelpies and Changelings is well documented in the hive. It seems so with the Kelpies as well. Our languages are similar as well. We recognize each other even though our previous forms have been distorted significantly.”

“Are you allies?”

Switcher shrugged. “On again off again, though we’ve never gone to war with one another.”

“Alright.” Long Shot nodded. “Ask her why she thinks we’re allies with the dogs.”

Switcher made a short series of clicks and hums. Shle’wikal responded in kind.

“She says that we travel aboard a dog vehicle and have a dog with us.”

“Tell her that they agreed to help us, and we hate the dogs just as much as them.”

“Oi! I thought you said we allies!” Diesel interjected.

“If we have to make one lie to keep this entire operation from going to Tartarus, then by Luna I’m gonna lie.”

“His logic is reasonable, Diesel,” Charger added.

“Hmmph.” the dog crossed his arms and leaned up against his tank.

Switcher and Shle’wikal chattered back and forth for some time. Suddenly, Switcher said something completely unexpected. “She wishes to provide assistance.”

“WHAT?!” everypony who wasn’t a Kelpie shouted in unison. In response, the queen Kelpie looked at Switcher-7, who made another short series of chirps before the large Kelpie’s gaze softened.

“She is. . . surprised, sir,” Switcher explained. “She does not understand why somepony would not accept an offer of assistance.”

“Did she already forget that her subjects tried to kill us less than five minutes ago?!” Long Shot shouted. “I’m all for crazy plans, Tartarus I’ve made most of my career out of them, but I’m not comfortable with the idea of joining up with a species that just tried to eat my flesh.” at that, the seapony queen licked her lips in a rather. . . odd fashion with a thin tongue.

“Sir?” Clockwork asked. The pegasus straightened up a bit, He had never gone against a superior’s orders before. “I think we should accept their offer.”

Long Shot looked towards his comrade. “And why’s that?”

“Well, think about it.” Clockwork began walking to Shle’wikal. “They know this swamp better than anypony else in the world. The dogs invaded their home, likely killed a few in the process, and set up a massive eyesore smack dab in the middle of their swamp! They aren’t hostile towards us, and to be honest, I don’t believe there’s any way in this realm of existence that we can succeed in an all-out assault against the Consortium’s primary base of operations with only seven soldiers, no matter how good we are.” the pegasus now stood directly in front of the Kelpie queen. He held out his hoof. “I plan on living to see the end of the first war Equestria has experienced in over a millenia. Do you?”

After a short burst of hums from Switcher, the Kelpie queen lifted her not-hoof as well. Clockwork gently took it in his and shook.

There was a moment of silence before Long Shot sighed. Clockwork found him slowly nodding his head. “Okay, Clockwork. I’ll take your word on this one. Anypony disagree with genius brain over here?”

“I support him,” Charger replied.

“As do I. Clockwork’s logic and reasoning are sound,” added Switcher.

“What about the rest of you?”

Both Askari and Mganga nodded simultaneously.

“Alright then.” Long Shot made his way over to Shle’wikal and shook her hoof as well. “We’ll join forces, take down the Consortium’s base, and see where it goes from there.


The Kelpies had helped the team in more ways than one. First, they had actually flipped the tank back over on its treads, cleaned it until Clockwork could see his reflection in the armor, and then apologized for the incident before. Next, they had parted a large portion of the fog, enough for the team to see where they were going, but just enough was left alone so the Consortium base wouldn’t see the tank coming. Clockwork never saw another Kelpie, only the swishing of there long tails and there omipresent singing giving away there existance, and as such never saw just how many were around the tank. The trek was quiet though, as everypony knew what was about to happen. Charger decided to try and lighten the immediate atmosphere, as the fact that she was on a metal box surrounded by flesh-eating mythical pony beasts creeped her out more than a little bit..

“Clockwork?”

The pegasus’ ears flickered at the mention of his name before looking at the source of the voice. “Yes?”

“That was a rather. . . impressive little speech you pulled of, standing up to the commander and all.”

The colts eyes widened a bit in disbelief. “You think so?”

Charger nodded, a smile dawning on her muzzle.

“Heh. Thanks,” Clockwork replied. “I guess I’m alright with on the spot persuasive arguments, eh?”

“That you are.”

“By Luna’s mile-wide purple plot! If you two are trying to build up to a kiss then do it already!” Long Shot exclaimed from the other side of the tank. The added sounds of laughter and eerie chanting could be heard off into the mist.

Both ponies blushed red enough that their cheeks could’ve been mistaken for tomatoes. “Well pardon me for trying to make friendly conversation!” Charger replied. “We all know what’s about to happen! Don’t you think it would be best if we experienced at least some lightheartedness before we went on what’s practically a suicide mission?!”

"I get the sense that isn’t what you really wanted to experience."

“Did you say something, commander?” Switcher asked.

“Nah. Anyway, speaking of suicide missions, take a look at our twelve.”

Everyone, including the nearby Kelpies, followed the commander’s suggestion. They all had the same look on their faces: disbelief. It was then that Clockwork learned just how far a Kelpie could open its mouth.

At first, the stallion thought it was a massive castle, but upon further inspection, he realized that the base was in fact made of the same alabaster white steel as the other doggish constructions he had seen. It wasn’t as big as he expected, but it was still massive nonetheless.

“Well, it looks like the Dogs have a thing for nostalgia,” Long Shot chimed, his voice equal parts sarcasm and disbelief.

“How did the dog’s build that?” Charger asked.

“We fast builders,” Diesel replied. “That not entire base. If Consortium still one I defected from, tunnels everywhere underneath.”

“Do you have any idea how deep these tunnels may be?” Mganga asked, looking so high upwards that she was practically craning her neck at this point.

“Not stationed here. Sod, Grumbler, and I based at F.O.B.”

“I see.”

“However,” Diesel added, “tunnels likely not very far or deep in swamp. Dig too deep, dogs get wet. Dig too far, dogs get wet and eaten.”

“So we shouldn’t have too much of a problem,” Long Shot replied. “How big will these tunnels be?”

“Depends. Consortium been here less than two months. Likely tunnels big enough to fit fat cow. Dogs like elbow room. And paw room. Tank room to.”

“Alright everypony, this is it!” the commander shouted. “We ready?”

Askari let out a burst of air through his nose. “Today’s a good day to save a tribe queen!”

“And an even better day to save a sister,” Mganga added.

The Kelpies as a whole emitted something between a wet buzzing and a whooping cheering. Diesel quickly shushed them. “Alright, let’s see if dogs fall for it.” the canine’s voice echoed over the tank’s speakers. A few growls were sent out, and a few in a new voice returned. The fortress’ massive gate swung open with a industrial hiss, and the tank gradually made its way inside. The fog followed in kind. Nopony spoke as they entered the base. The thick fog kept them hidden, but not for long. The tank stopped in its tracks, and everypony silently slid off. Clockwork slid his goggles over his eyes, knowing what was to come.

The fog lifted just a bit, and Clockwork could see dogs literally disappearing into the mist. There were howls, barks, grunts, whimpers, shrieks, but it was all shut out by the firing of the squad’s weapons and the wet tearing sound of feasting Kelpies. Shle’wikal raised a great fog bank inside the walls, the rescue had begun.

After a brief sprint, Clockwork and his teammates arrived in front of a massive door, constructed out of the same white steel as everything else the dogs had. Most notably, however, was the gang of Kelpies that had already made their way past the silent dead and were currently attempting to tear it down with their hoof-things and fangs.

At long last, Clockwork was finally able to get a look at the pony-eating creatures in whole. Most were rather small, only reaching up to just past Clockwork’s head, but Shle’wikal was massive. Her head was only a bit longer than a pony’s, but she was easily three times longer than him and probably as wide around as a cider barrel at her widest. It was only now that Clockwork realized how serpentine the species was, with her fishlike tail and her hide of tiny scales. Clockwork couldn’t help but wonder how quickly her kind could swim in water and how much danger he was in when he was in their lake. Her coiling around him alone could have popped his midsection like a balloon, and he knew her mouth was wide enough to fit an entire pony's head without much issue. Clockwork was more than happy that they had chosen to be allies, lest his mortal form be reduced to a shiny metal wing sunken into the swamp’s peat.

As Clockwork was thinking about how the watery creatures could render him dead in seconds, the huge queen of said watery creatures turned her head in Switcher’s general direction and buzzed wetly.Switcher responded in kind and, after a few such exchanges, spoke to Long Shot without turning his head away from the giant kelpie queen.

"Sir, Madam Shle’wikal claims that she and her sisters may have found where the Consortium is holding Zecora," he announced, sounding slightly down-put.

"Are they sure?” the Nocturni asked. “They don’t even know what Zecora looks like."

"Madam Shle'wikal says that she and her sisters smell 'dead smoke and many striped ponies' behind this wall. I can only assume that means yes.”

"The dogs have more than one of our kind behind that?" Mganga asked, her eyes wide with shock.

"All Consortium bases have big prisons. Consortium like gloating," Diesel explained. Mganga looked at Grumbler, and the silent dog nodded.

"Well, it looks like we're gonna have to go find something that can punch through this door," Askari noted through gritted teeth.

"Diesel, where would the closest armory be?" Clockwork asked.

"Base bigger underneath, armory likely there," the dog replied, a grim undertone easily detectable in his voice.

"Hmmm. . ." Clockwork tapped his chin with one hoof. The rest of the strike team, even the zebras, started throwing out ideas. After a few seconds, Clockwork spoke.

"Let's hope my shoulder holds up.Everypony please stand back."

It seemed like everyone knew exactly what Clockwork was about to attempt, and as one took a few steps back. Shle'wikal and her underlings followed suit.

Clockwork rolled his shoulders and flared out his prosthetic. With a mighty heave, he rushed forward and stabbed at the door. Much to his surprise, there was remarkably little resistance. After peeling out a hole in the steel large enough for Askari to fit through, the group found themselves staring into an eerie blackness that even the Kelpies shied away from.

“Doesn’t seem too welcoming a place,” Long Shot stated matter-of-factly. “Are our fishy allies sure Zecora’s down there?”

“Positive.” Switcher nodded.

Clockwork shrugged as he stepped inside the improvised doorway and fumbled around for a bit. Dog eyesight wasn’t nearly as good as their sense of smell, so surely this place had to have some sort of-

“Ah-ha!” Clockwork felt his hoof come to rest on what he hoped to be a light switch. Taking a gamble, he flicked it, hoping that he hadn’t activated some sort of self-destruct or alarm.

Luckily, Clockwork’s fears were for naught at a few lights flickered on and the almost comforting sounds of steam blowing and gears turning filled the room. As the rest of his team entered the base, the lights gradually flickered on.

“Nice work, kid.” Long Shot gave Clockwork’s undamaged shoulder a light punch. “Now, where the hay are we?”

Clockwork turned around and felt boulders come to rest in his stomach. Before the strike team was a massive staircase, far too big for practical uses and more likely just for show. It was marble-white, as was much of the surrounding area. Clockwork detected a familiar scent and instinctively took several steps in the opposite direction.

Much to the team’s surprise, Switcher hurried down several steps, taking in gulps of air as he did. His insectoid brow furrowed in concentration, and said concentration quickly dissolved into fear as he turned back to his comrades. “Sir, Zecora is somewhere in here, but I also detect corruption and. . . there is. . . something else here.”

“Something else?” Long Shot asked.

“It is difficult to explain. A mix of things, none of which are pleasant.” Switcher took in one last gasp of air. “I taste brass, steam, oil, fear. . . death that. . . isn’t truly dead.”

“Zombies or not, we’re going down there to get my sister back.” Askari took a broad stance, quickly checking his bo staff for any possible damage that may hinder its perfromance. “Now who’s with me?!” Askari half-yelled.

The team descended the massive staircase, followed closely by Shle'wikal and a choice few of her Kelpies. All were afraid of what may lay below the surface.

And rightly so.


Despite active sunstone fixtures placed evenly amongst the immense hallways, they did little to calm the strike team as they continued through the underground portion of the base. Diesel was right when he had said that dog bases were bigger underground. They had already breached at least two dozen different entryways, only to be greeted by angry dogs, which in turn would be greeted with bullets.

Clockwork wiped a bit of debris off his jacket, and decided to finally ask the obvious. “Switcher, why haven’t we found Zecora yet? You and the Kelpies said there were zebras down here.”

Switcher turned around, gripping his head in pain. He shuddered and spoke through gritted teeth. “The smells of anger, fear, lost hope, death, such powerful and disgusting emotions, they are all around us. My sincerest apologies, sir, but my sensory abilities are useless now until we leave this tunnel network.”

“Sorry, sorry, always with the apologies. So we can’t find my sister just because you can’t smell?!” Askari shoved past his comrades before stopping in front of Switcher, muzzles inches apart. “I swear, if she dies, you’re gonna learn what zebras do to captured Fey.”

“Cease your drivelling complaints!” the changeling exclaimed in reply. “All you have done since we embarked on this mission is complain, yell, and direct your frustration towards me! Stow your hatred or I will be forced to do what is necessary!”

Askari let out a hot breath through his nose with a heavy grunt. “You not only forget your place, bug, but you size and strength in comparison to mine.”

Mganga bared her teeth, coming nose-to-nose with her sibling. “And you forget that I am currently capable of ending your life seventeen different ways without so much as-”

“Both of you! SHUT. UP!” Clockwork leveled his artificial wing, now resembling a warped blade straight out of Tartarus, and swung it at both warriors. Both blocked his attack at once, but neither side could make any further move. Clockwork had put them in a deadlock. “If I have to listen to either one of you bicker at each other for five more seconds, I will personally carve out both of your throats and hang them over the next mantlepiece I find!”

Clockwork gritted his teeth as the fire ruby embedded in his shoulder glowed a much harsher red than normal. With a single heave, he pushed his new opponents. All three combatants now had their weapons pointed at one another. Clockwork grinned menacingly and spoke again. “Neither of you will win this little skirmish. My wing’s far stronger than your puny exoskeleton, Switcher. I hit you at high enough speeds and you’ll shatter like glass.. And you,” Clockwork turned to Askari. “like that pathetic excuse for a staff could even touch me! My wing would cleave through you and that stick in one go! Now, who wants to try and fight me first!?”

The only reply Clockwork heard was the steady rumbling of steam blowing and gears turning. The pegasus giggled, a small, creepy sound that carried over the machinery. “Well then, if you two don’t understand, perhaps I’ll have to show you!” Clockwork charged forward.

Switcher and Askari’s eyes widened in fear. So did Shle’wikal’s, but not at his charge. Surprised, Clockworked stopped short and looked at her. The wicked grin faded from his muzzle when he realized that her look of terror wasn’t meant for him, but something off in the distance.

The Kelpie queen was staring down a tunnel. Clockwork could read sorrow on her narrow face. She chattered something that Switcher translated with a grim undertone. “She senses agony, sorrow, fear. Other kelpies are there. Dogs, griffons, and zebras as well.”

“What?” asked everypony but Clockwork. The pegasus immediately started down the tunnel at full gallop. He wanted to find Zecora, but he also needed to escape the terrified looks of his allies. His head hurt again, and he swore he saw green at the edge of his vision. Was the Battlefright still—

Clockwork flared out his wings as an improvised airbrake and came to a dead halt when he noticed the last thing he expected that day: his own reflection. The pegasus looked around, saw a light switch nearby, flicked it on, and immediately wished he hadn’t.

The room lit up with a much more sterile white light similar to a hospital operating room. It was much larger than anywhere else the strike team had explored in the base so far, and the area was structurally different as well. It wasn’t a collection of tunnels, but one massive, white-paneled room. The wall where Clockwork had seen his reflection was lined from top to bottom with mirrored cells of some sort. It smelled more like Battlefright here than anywhere else. Clockwork tasted bile in his throat. He started slowly toward the cells, but before he could get close, he heard the rest of the squad plus three enter the room. They all had similar looks of fear and confusion on their faces.

“Wait, so where the hay are we now?” Long Shot asked.

Diesel grimly replied “Best pony translation something between ‘prison’ and ‘experiment center’.” the dog bolted inside and began looking around, sniffing the air. “Place recently abandoned. Dogs know they losing, but—” the hound cut himself off as he darted around the room. “They leave prisoners behind. . . distraction maybe? Keep us busy freeing prisoners?”

“Well I guess they didn’t expect us to come here on a rescue mission. Thanks a lot for leaving my sister where I could find her, you inbred sons of—”

Askari never finished his sentence. A low but noticeable moan echoed throughout the room. Everypony turned and raised their weapons at the source of the sound. One of the cells at the end of the room was creaking open, and there was a. . . thing crawling out. It looked vaguely like a donkey, but it crawled on two legs. Its jaw was gone, and its red tongue lolled down its neck. One eye glowed bright purple. The other was sewn shut. Clockwork didn’t bother trying to figure out what it was, and fired a round between its eyes before anypony else could, hoping to end its life painlessly. He felt no remorse in the act.

Nopony moved or made a noise for a good five seconds after that. Finally, Charger shakily aimed her Grand at the twitching corpse. “What. . . was that?”

Clockwork hurried over to a blinking light by the abomination’s cell and began smashing the console’s keyboard, desperately trying to make it work. Thank Faust that a diamond dog’s finger was just as large as a pony’s hoof. He cried out in frustration when further mashing didn’t tell him what had just happened. “Gah! Diesel, what the hay does this say?”

The dog loped over to the pegasus’ side. “I thought you said you fast learner?”

“You never taught me more than basic stuff! I can only get something about an experiment and extensive surgery! I’m an engineer, dammit, not a hacker!”

“Then why you try hacking?”

“Just translate it!”

The dog did so immediately. “Experimentation chamber, cell 001. Subject: Donkey trader found starving at end of Zebrican borders. Legs lost due to Kelpie interference. Eyes removed, one currently replaced with C-23 enhancement. Implantation first prototype translators scheduled. Lower jaw removed for easier access to vocal cords. Will update progress when-”

The dog couldn’t finish his translation, as the screen’s symbols quickly began to reconfigure into a new pattern. Only one line remained, and this one Clockwork could understand.

Your mercy is your downfall.

Before Clockwork could really wrap his mind around that, the low moaning had returned, much louder this time. There were more cells sliding open, and more cybernetic things dropping to the floor. Clockwork thought he recognized dogs, griffons, and zebras. Fortunately, they had no weapons, and their deaths were quick. Long Shot nudged one of the dead griffons with his hoof, and looked up to see another few cells open above them, the machinery and the prisoners moaning together.

“Kid, Diesel. . ?”

“Sir?”

“FIND ZECORA NOW!”

It was obvious that the order didn’t apply just to the two soldiers Long Shot had mentioned. Everyone set to work bashing down cells doors and killing whatever cybernetic creatures appeared long before they could threaten the team. After more than a dozen cells, Clockwork had to stop. He felt like giving up. Zecora had probably been converted into one of these weird glowy zombie things by now. For all he knew, she had already been shot!

Clockwork fired his LeMane’s shotgun round and reloaded. The weapon’s cylinder clicked back into place like it always had, but he heard something else too. It was coming from the cells. He turned around and pressed his ear to the glass.

It was weak, but somepony was knocking!

Clockwork tried to break the glass, but it wouldn’t shatter. Surprised, the pegasus called Diesel over and the two began to furiously work at the cell’s console. The glass acted like a mirror, so Clockwork couldn’t see who was knocking, but by Celestia he was going to try and save the only snetient captive they’d found in this room!

Despite the constant moaning and gunfire in the background, the two soldiers made some progress, eventually reaching the “subject identity” screen. Diesel’s eyes went wide as he read through it.

“Cell 029. Subject believed to be predominant zebra clan leader. No experimentation yet, may change in future. Resistant to all interrogation techniques currently implemented. Injecting weakened gas strain of Battlefright into cell at gradual yet steady rate to see if resolve weakens. Will report when-”

“CHARGER!” Clockwork yelled.

The mare shocked one more zombie thing and shot two more before running over to her allies and pressing her gloved forehooves to the console’s screen. After a brief yet impressive burst of electricity, the door rapidly slid open and Switcher tossed a beaker of luminescent green liquid into the pitch-black room. It shattered against the floor, bathing the cell in its artificial light. Clockwork found Zecora leaning against the back wall, gently lifted her with both wings, and placed her on Askari’s back. In what seemed like mere moments, they were back on the surface.

“Is this mission. . . accomplished?” Mganga asked in between heavy pants.

“Technically. It really depends on whether she’s alive or not,” Long Shot responded, not even displaying the mildest sign of fatigue.

Askari laid Zecora on the ground and pressed an ear to her chest. Clockwork thought he saw the warrior’s eyes water. “She’s alive. . oh thank the spirits she’s alive. . .”

“Thank Switcher,” Long Shot chimed.

Askari raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“Switcher, would do the honors?”

“Of course, sir.” the changeling trotted over to Zecora and pulled a small vial of golden fluid out of his vest. He removed the top and let the liquid trickle into Zecora’s open mouth. After a few seconds, the mare bolted upright and spat out some greenish-yellow fluid.

“Whatever that was, it was not Colgate’s toothpaste! What in the name of decency was the bitterness I have just taste?!”

“Apologies, Tribe Queen Zecora, but awakening solution is extremely bitter,” Switcher explained. “I will try to change that the next time I have access to the proper chemical modification equipment.”

Before Zecora could respond, she was swept into a hug by her brother and sister as a few nearby Kelpies let out a cheerful whooping. Zecora and her family were crying, but Clockwork couldn’t help but smile. For a moment. As quickly as it had appeared, he wiped the smile from his face, and stood up.

“Chuma Mrengo, your blood is still flowing, why is it back to the base that you are going?” Zecora asked.

Clockwork started walking. “I’m gonna get rid of this base and see if we missed anyone.”

“What?” everypony asked in almost perfect unison.

“I won’t repeat myself,” Clockwork continued.

“Sir, Zecora has a valid point,” Switcher said. “As a unified force, we narrowly escaped with our lives trying to save a single individual. You will not survive assaulting the base alone in an attempt to destroy it.”

“I know what I’m up against now. I should have an easier time, I think I know exactly where the power sources that keep this base functional are, and I have to talk to somepony.”

“Kid, listen to yourself.” Long Shot hurried forward and grabbed Clockwork by his real wing. “If you want to commit suicide, just shoot yourself in the head. It’ll be much easier and way less painful.”

“Not only that,” Switcher interrupted, “but we could learn so much about the Consortium from this single base! We could advance the Alliance’s technology further, perhaps even fight the dogs with their own weapons on a significantly larger scale!”

Clockwork ceased all motion for a good ten seconds before speaking again. “The information in that base is corrupted, poisoned, tarnished and stained with the bloods of hundred of innocents, maybe thousands. No matter what we could do with it, we’d be degrading ourselves to let it continue to exist. Most, if not all, of the dogs here are dead thanks to the Kelpies. If you don’t want to help me, then that’s okay. But if you try to stop me, you will regret it.” The pegasus smelled Battlefright again, but couldn’t trace it. Again, nopony spoke.

As Clockwork was about to start forward again, he heard another pony come up beside him. He didn’t need to look to tell that it was Charger.

“I’ll go with you,” she half-whispered.

“Thank you.”

“Good friends never leave each other out in the open.”

“Agreed.” the pegasus turned around. “Long Shot, you have a back up plan?”

The Nocturni grinned. “Oh do I ever.” Long Shot turned around himself and addressed the team. “Switcher, take a team and salvage anything from the top of the base only. Take nothing that involves the experiments we saw. Switcher, tell Shle’wikal to clear out her family and help her as needed. Clockwork and Charger will need clear lines of sight. Diesel, Grumbler, stay here and get any refugees that come this way back to Mji Mkuu.”

“What about you, Commander?” Mganga asked.

“I’m no good with advanced magic. never have been. I’ll take Zecora with me and teleport to Nyumbani. I’ll get her treated and have the Elements call in Szary for precision strikes. We clear?”

‘Yessir!”


Clockwork wiped the sweat from his forehead as he continued back down into the base. Shle’wikal had said that her sisters had found something grumbling and humming near the experimentation chamber, as well as copious amounts of those demonic zombie things

The pegasus held his breath as another group of the hellish creatures passed mere meters away from where he hid. They were much more plentiful now, and Clockwork and Charger had killed more than a few on their trek. Any second now they would open another door and- wait a sec, is that. . . knocking?

Clockwork tilted his head as he heard a series of rapidly paced knocks, followed by a short bout of silence before some more knocks. The sound distracted the local group of mechanical demons long enough for Clockwork and Charger to take them down and approach the door. Clockwork reloaded his pistol, and after a nod from Charger, he knocked on the door.

The last voice Clockwork expected to hear that day answered. “H-Hello? Is there anyone out there? Anyone friendly, perhaps?”

Charger’s look of surprise rivaled her ally’s. “Is that. . ?”

“Shhh,” Clockwork whispered. He gestured towards a small console next to the door. With only nod, Charger snuck over to it, tapped a few keys, and doggish symbols began running across the glowing screen. After a few seconds, and some translation from Clockwork, the dup reached a screen with recent command entries. Clockwork felt a surge of anger rise in his chest when he discovered that the order to open the cell doors, as well as that cryptic message, had been sent from this console.

Clockwork felt something click in his mind and everything fell into place. Seastone had sent the order. He knew where the squad was. The pegasus ran a hoof down his shoulder, feeling the scarred tissue that had replaced the bite shaped wound. Seastone had done something to him. He knew that the bite would get infected, but what he didn’t count on was Uchawi.

After another few moments of thought, Clockwork made his way back to the door and knocked again. “Seastone, is that you?”

“Pony?!” How did- Never mind, I unlock door now.”

The metal door slid open, and a small light flickered on inside of the room. It was a storage shed, though almost entirely empty. The only item of interest was Seastone himself, who was now huddling against a wall. “Clockwork! You not dead! Huzzah!”

The pegasus tilted his head and smirked. “Should I be?”

“Ehh, never mind.” Seastone raised a paw and waved it in front of his face. Clockwork made his way inside, followed closely by Charger, and helped the dog to his shaking paws. “Consortium found out I helped you, thrown in here. No food or water for days. Must leave now!”

“Not without Zecora.” Clockwork shook his head. “The squad came here looking for her, and we’re not leaving without her,” the pegasus lied.

“Zebra leader? Oh!” the dog’s eyes lit up. "I take you to her now! Come!”

The blue-grey dog started forward, but Clockwork pulled him back.

“Clockwork? What are you-”

“Shut up, mutt!” Clockwork yelled as he punched the dog square in the muzzle. The dog stumbled back a small distance before being punched again. He fell against a wall and slid down it to the floor, a look of terror plastered across his muzzle. “Wh-what you doing?”

“Getting answers, that’s what!” Clockwork screamed. In response, Seastone drew a hidden pistol from somewhere, but Clockwork saw it, grabbed it, and crushed it with his artificial wing. “Do you see this?!” the pegasus pointed at his left shoulder, the scars from the dog’s teeth clearly visible. “What the hay did you do to me?!”

“Only bit in self defen—” Clockwork struck him again.

“Liar!” Clockwork yelled. “There was attlefright in that wound, and I hadn't encountered it before then! What the hay did you do?!”

Much to the duo’s surprise, Seastone began laughing. Loudly, at that. It was as if somepony took away the skittish, half-neurotic mutt from before and replaced him with a much more confident canine. “Alright, I may as well be straight with you, since you obviously aren’t going to let up. Yes, I bit you and hoped you would die. I certainly didn’t expect you to survive, but I guess that’s my fault for not biting harder. I guess I should’ve just—”

Charger punched the dog this time, and with an electrified glove as well. "Tell him what he wants."

Seastone rubbed his muzzle. "Alright, alright." he cleared his throat. “I am not a simple soldier within the Consortium, but a scientist. My greatest invention was a Battlefright capsule, small enough to implant in my own teeth. There was enough in each tooth for a lethal dose, and yet you, Clockwork, somehow survived. There’s something special about-” Clockwork punched him again, resulting in the dog’s nose running with blood. “Jeez, you ever gonna stop with that?”

Clockwork drew his pistol, flicked the hammer, and pressed the barrel to the dog’s head. “Listen to me, mutt,” The pegasus said through gritted teeth, “you’re going to explain yourself, and if you make one more sarcastic remark, I’m gonna learn a new way to paint a wall red faster than you can scream for help. Understand?”

“Huh,” Seastone chuckled, wiping a small drop of blood from his mouth,” “looks like the special batch really messed with you. I’m surprised that you haven’t broken down completely yet.”

Instead of firing, Clockwork raised an eyebrow, “What?”

“I don’t know the specifics, heck, almost no dog really does, but Battlefright doesn’t just ruin your body, it ruins your mind. I guess it hasn’t really screwed with you too much, considering your mental capacity.”

Clockwork tightened his grip and pressed the barrel a bit harder against Seastone’s head. “How do you know that?” the pegasus asked.

“Common sense, silly filly. You’re the first pegasus I’ve ever seen with a wing like that. You’re not even twenty and yet you’re somehow part a special forces unit. You were able to figure out that I wasn’t all that friendly during our first meeting. Finally, you managed to fight through, how many people to get to me? Ten? twenty? ”

“Thirty seven,” Clockwork corrected the dog.

“Anyways, you’re going insane, but only at a much slower rate than the average single-minded striped-” Clockwork’s whipped the dog with the butt of his pistol. After rubbing his head for a moment, he commented “Jeez, you really like kicking the dog, don’t ya?”

“Who are you?” Clockwork and Charger asked simultaneously.

“So now you want to know who I am? Took you two long enough.” Seastone shook his head for a moment. “Alright. My name is still Seastone, but I’m not just some soldier. I was one of the top scientists at this facility until you sons of bitches showed up and started tearing this place apart.”

“What did you work on?” Charger asked, her gloves and tail sparking as she did.

Seastone smirked. “Nice gloves you got there, wonder what you look like without ‘em on.”

Clockwork hit Seastone, much harder this time. “You disrespect her one more time, and the last thing you’ll hear is this trigger being pulled.” Clockwork waved his pistol in front of Seastone’s nose, then pressed the barrel back against the dog’s cranium. “Answer the damned question.”

“Sheesh. You two are a piece of work. I know members of the Red Order who would have died by now, yet you kids seem to be some special snowflakes your princesses have whipped up.” Seastone looked back at Charger, who was now gritting her teeth. “I was in charge of modifying strains of Battlefright a bit to see what would happen. Nothing special, really. I added a pinch of gem dust in one batch, some native poisonous herbs in the other, I didn’t work on the Discordants or anything.”

Charger jumped on his words. “The what?”

“Some fancy science project Dad started a few days before the war. It’s similar to Project Rebirth, but there are more than a few key diff—oop!” Seastone put a finger over his lips like he was about to accidentally give away what was inside a foal’s birthday present. “Can’t tell you everything now, can I?”

“You can start with who your dad is,” Clockwork said. “Maybe we can find him later and—”

Seastone let out a wheezy laugh. “Oh please, like you could get to Dad even if I told you who he is!”

“You’d be surprised at what Meteor Squad has accomplished thus far,” Charger added. “Tell us the name.”

“Fine, fine. He’s a rather popular figure in the Consortium, to say the least. Perhaps you’ve heard of a Diamond Dog called—” the next sound the the dog made was a pained shriek as a massive black spike pierced his side. The spike had appeared out of the wall behind the dog and had gone clean through the left side of his torso, impaling itself in the opposite wall. It pinned Seastone’s liver to the wall, along with his left kidney and a few other organs. His lungs mustn't have been too damaged, as he managed to continue speaking.

“That bitch!” the dog yelped, trying to look over his left shoulder. “We had. . . an agreement!”

Clockwork looked at the spike. He didn’t recognized it, but knew whatever was the owner of it meant trouble. "Charger, back up!”

The mare did so, electricity jumping more frequently now along her gloves and tail. Clockwork removed his pistol from Seastone’s head and aimed it at the wall from which the black spike had emerged. “Tell me the names.”

“Which. . . ones?” Seastone asked, blood pouring from his mouth.

“Family.”

“Gravelbeard’s the. . . youngest of us, Fido is half-brother. Rex is biggest brother. . . next in line for throne, he’s the only one allowed to. . . have pups.”

“On whose authority?”

“Papa’s. . . Greystone’s!” the dog let out one last panicked yelp before the wall behind him literally collapsed on top of him. A good distance away from the new hole stood a thing that currently held the award for most horrifying thing Clockwork had ever laid eyes on.

The beast looked like something out of a foal’s sugar-induced nightmare times a thousand. It vaguely resembled a changeling queen, though it sported two extra pairs of legs, each with a demonic hoof-pincer hybrid at the base. Though, its foremost legs were instead a pair of massive claws akin to that of a a great crustacean. One leg was missing its makeshift javelin though, leading the duo to realize that the spear that ended Seastone had been forcefully launched. It wielded a massive curled tail similar to that of a scorpion’s, complete with a venom-dripping barb. Its eyes glowed a vicious shade of orange as it bared its yellow-white fangs. A second later, it let out an ear-splitting shriek.

Without thinking, Clockwork unfurled his prosthetic and set it it front of him like Not a moment later, a chitinous, black spike almost pierced Clockwork's wing.

The pegasus was sweating, not from the absurd amount of heat that had just entered the room, but because for the first time in a while, he was scared beyond the capacity for rational thought. Except. . . wait a second, heat?

Clockwork opened a tiny sliver in his barrier and peered through. He felt his eye grow hot almost instantly, but that wasn’t all he noticed. The steady rhythm of grinding gears a steam had increased a dozen times over. Was the scorpion-thing really. . . was it actually as simple as—

Clockwork was wrenched back into the world of the present as a now familar projectile impacted his makeshift shield. Just as the words "Oh come on!" finished leaving his mouth, the stallion was propelled into what seemed to be the Consortium’s engine room. After righting himself and trying in vain to remove the blinding pain in his head, Clockwork took a quick glance around the room and noticed something; this base was far too large for ground as weak and wet as the swamp’s to support it, and the engine keeping the entire base from sinking into the swamp was massive. Pipes runned the length of what Clockwork assumed was the monster’s personal chambers. What’s more was that there were only a few gems scattered about the room, probably as back ups. The pegasus would’ve laughed to himself about how the dogs were using a supposedly “inferior” technology to their own were it not for the demonic scorpion-like monster charging straight for him.

Clockwork’s first thought was to take to the skies, but that plan was grounded, quite literally, by the fact that he was in a cave, and, well, his wing was severely bent out of shape now. Even if he did take flight, touching even a single one of those pipes would likely burn him severely enough to take him out of the fight, permanently if the scorpion-changeling managed to get to him. Instead, the soldier darted to the right, narrowly avoiding the screeching monster. It skidded to a halt mere inches from a steam pipe, and judging from its reaction, those pipes were much hotter than Clockwork had expected.

The pegasus looked around once more and noticed Charger standing on the opposite side of the room. She was clearly horrified by what she was seeing, but she didn’t seem too out of it. Clockwork took a gamble and shouted his comrade’s name. She responded in kind.

“Time to put those gloves of yours to work!”

“What?!” The mare yelled.

Clockwork smirked. “I’m gonna get this thing as riled up as I can. When I give the word, you light up those gloves with as much power as you can. Got it?”

Charger nodded.

“Excellent. You might wanna leave the room, it’s going to get really hot in here.”

Before Charger could respond, Clockwork bolted off and towards the Corrupted queen. This time though, he was on the offensive.

“Woohee!” the pegasus let out a strained laugh. “I can tell why they put you so far underground. There’s no way mental images of your messed up excuse for a face will pass through all this crystal, brass, and dirt!”

The Tartarus escappe screeched again, raising a third leg. Clockwork’s eyes lit up a bit as he splayed himself out to create as large a target as possible. “Ooh, that make you mad? Well, why not go ahead and shoot me?! C’mon, I’m right here!”

The queen shrieked again, and fired off another spike. Clockwork effortlessly rolled to the side and dodged it, the projectile embedding itself in the brass pipe directly behind where the pegasus used to be. A harsh blast of steam shot out and hit the queen square in the face. It screamed not in anger this time, but in pain. It flailed wildly, ripping another pipe. It finally managed to shield itself from the burning water with its tail and massive claws, but only barely. It glared at Clockwork again, this time baring its twisted, saliva dripping fangs.

“Daaang!” Clockwork yelled while still buzzing around the queen like a hummingbird. “Looks like that steam actually helped out with your look!”

The pegasus continued with his barrage of insults until the room was just about boiling. Clockwork narrowly avoided the queen's sixth and final spike, then bolted towards Charger. He took to the air for just a moment, stumbling his landing but not falling.

“Charger, zap this bug!”

Both ponies sprinted out of the room and a good distance down the hall. Just as Charger cleared the hot, heavy mist, she sent a spark down the tip of her tail.

The electricity made contact with the steam, and the scorpion demon let out the most horrific sound the duo had ever heard. Clockwork felt like he would shatter from the force of the scream, and he pressed his wings to his ears to try and block out the sound. Charger pressed her forehooves to her ears, stopping as she did. After what seemed like an eternity of pure Tartarus for the ears, the screaming stopped, and both ponies turned around. Clockwork could hear Charger’s hooves on the metal floor. It was a miracle they hadn’t gone deaf. They crept back the way they came, and looked around the corner of the small accessway to the enemy’s chambers.

A single, massive black claw was lying in the entryway. It wasn’t the same black as before though. It was charred black and smoking. The smell was indescribable, and both ponies held their noses.

“Clockwork?”

The pegasus suppressed the urge to laugh. Charger certainly sounded funny with her nose pinched shut. “Yes, Charger?”

“We killed it, but how exactly are we going to collapse the base? ”

“Oh, I had a plan, a double header kind of.” Clockwork gestured towards the dead queen’s claw. “That steam engine was the only thing keeping this whole place from becoming a bog. The engine itself was steam based, and the queen took care of the pipes. The massive amount of electricity you just let loose overloaded whatever gems were that engine’s back up.”

Both ponies’ eyes went wide as they felt the surrounding area rumble. Neither pony spoke, knowing that they would’ve just shouted the same word: RUN!

And run they did. The duo passed feral zombie-things, horrified dog stragglers, and all sorts of rubble as the base literally came crashing down around their shoulders. Clockwork thought they weren’t going to make it and was about to tell Charger of his feelings for her in that stereotypical “final moments” kind of way before the mare beside him pointed out something ahead of them. It wasn’t another sunstone. No, it was more grey and dull than that. It was the sunlight above the base. They were about to make it!

Clockwork spread his wings and took hold of Charger, then flapped his wings as fast and as hard as he could. The pegasus dodged a few falling boulders and white tiles before being enveloped in a dense brown dust. He flapped his wings once more, and he and the mare he loved rocketed out of the tunnel, back into the sunlight, and unfortunately, landed in the mud outside of the base’s walls.

“Blegh!” Charger spat the mud out of her mouth. She wiped her tongue, then turned around at the long awaited sound of a mass teleportation spell. Both ponies watched in awe as their personal zeppelin, Szary, appeared out of a heavy purple fog and immediately opened fire on the crumbling Consortium base. The duo could hear what could only be Kelpies screaming in victory over the sounds of the airship’s turret. If the dogs and zombies were screaming, they certainly couldn’t hear it.

Clockwork felt Charger lay her head on his shoulder. The pegasus silently thanked the royal sisters that Charger wasn’t looking at him, or she would’ve noticed his massive blush. He silently began stroking her mane, trying to get the mud out as the dog base continued to crumble under the combined might of the airship’s sustained bombardment and the structure’s own weight.

“It’s over now, isn’t it?” Charger half-asked.

“I guess so.” Clockwork took a much needed unstressed breath of fresh air. “Zecora’s saved, the base is destroyed, we destroyed all the Consortium’s data and we killed one of their higher-ups, not to mention another queen. Even better, we have an alliance with the Kelpies now, and there might be more in the oceans that we could contact. Lastly, I proved you wrong.”

Charger shifted slightly. “About what?”

“When we first got here, you told me you were worried that you wouldn’t be of any use to the team with just your gloves and rifle.” Clockwork raised his wing and pointed towards the Consortium base, which was now more a pile of rubble than a military installation. “You helped accomplish all of this with just your gloves.”

“Only once before in my life have I been happy to have been proven wrong. Thank you.” Charger smiled as she snuggled herself a bit closer to her squadmate. “All in a day’s work for Meteor Squad?”

“Yeah. . .” Clockwork looked upwards to find the Vikare descending towards them. “All in a day’s work.”

Next Chapter: Departure Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 52 Minutes
Return to Story Description

Login

Facebook
Login with
Facebook:
FiMFetch