Author's Notes:

Hey this is Brony here and this collab was between me and Show Stopper and his story The Undying Angel, go check him and his story out. He told me he isn't going to implement this chapter into his story for a long time. So, if you are a fan of his already, and if you want to avoid potential future spoilers, well I would suggest not reading this until much later.

Signing off! See you guys on the flip side!

Zencori closed her eyes as she thought for a moment. She eventually nodded, opening her eyes and glaring at the table. “That could work,” she said. “The Ash Haz’rad see their slaves as little more than animals; I cannot imagine them denying such an exchange.” Her eyes turned up to meet Angel’s again. “But we still have no means of collapsing the cave once the slaves are in our hooves.”

Angel reached into her satchel, pulling out an unadorned cardboard box. “I may have a way.” She placed the box on the map, removing the lid to reveal an assortment of random objects. “Do you remember my tale of how I came to this world?”

“Displaced from your home by a being who exists beyond our comprehension, if I recall.”

Angel nodded, leaning forward and taking a large key from the box. “I am not the only one it has happened to. Many others of my kind have been taken from our worlds, scattered throughout the multiverse and placed in various parallel Equestrias. This,” she held the key out to Zencori, “is called a token. It allows us to summon each other should the need arise.”

The zebra took the token, ears twitching as a voice entered her mind. Hello, I’m known as Engineer of the Red Team, there are nine of us: me, Scout, Sniper, Spy, Heavy, Demoman, Pyro, Medic, and Soldier. What we are called is our specialty and we will provide what we can. You can call one of us by saying our name or call all of us by saying Red Team. We are Mercenaries, but we have hearts, if you are evil beware our Fort! “I see,” she said, handing the key back to Angel. “And you think that they have the power to carry out this plan? And that they are willing?”

“Only one way to find out.” Angel held her hand open, palm up, the token resting atop it. “Red Team of Team Fortress, the Undying Angel, Tactical General of the Army of United Zebrica, calls upon you for aid. We face a foe entrenched, shadows and unknown horrors barring our path to victory. If you can hear us, if you are willing, join us as we plan for tomorrow’s victory.” Angel closed her hand around the key, placing it with her other hand in her lap. “And now we wait.”

The team and I are in the dining area of our base. All of us except Pyro, as per usual, are eating lunch. I think he just has his own food in his bedroom before he comes to hang out with us, and he has yet to actually show his face. I tend not to think about it too much since I get headaches from thinking too hard. Anyway, today I’m having my usual small and simple lunch, the SANDVICH! I eat it, making the noises like the Heavy does in the game when he eats it, and everytime I do the others just look at me slightly amused.

“So,” Spy said, while holding a cigarette, to Engie, “what is up next regarding the ponies and the show?”

“Let me see,” Engie said, looking at his PDA, “we just finished Nightmare Night yesterday… and the ‘Sisterhooves Social’ we don’t have to mess with… aha! In about two weeks the ‘Cutie Pox’ episode will happen.”

“So,” Scout starts, “we just have a lot of free time before then?”

“It seems so,” Spy confirmed, looking to the rest of the team, “What do you lot want to do before then hang out with the Mane 6, just explore, or-?”

“Red Team of Team Fortress,” called a voice, “the Undying Angel, Tactical General of the Army of United Zebrica, calls upon you for aid. We face a foe entrenched, shadows and unknown horrors barring our path to victory. If you can hear us, if you are willing, join us as we plan for tomorrow’s victory.”

“Or,” Spy said, with a slightly surprised look, “do you want to help the Angel?”

“The Angel,” Everyone else answered, including me.

“Alright,” said the Engineer, as he put an ‘Out Fishing’ sign on the front door of the place, “Let’s get going.”
As he said that, a hole suddenly opened underneath all of us and we fell through what looked like an abyss.

A few seconds passed in silence as Angel and Zencori awaited any response. Their silence was broken as nine portals opened in the roof of the command tent. Zencori and Angel leapt to their hooves and feet, the Zebra placing a hoof on her blade as Angel stood at attention. Nine figures clothed in red fell through the portals, some landing nimbly on their feet while others crashed to the ground in undignified heaps. Soon after, the portals closed.

“The Red Team, I assume,” Angel said. “Which of you leads this group?”

Those that had landed properly helped those that just crashed up and a man wearing a yellow hard hat walked up to Angel.

“There isn’t really a leader,” the man said, “but I do most of the planning for the group, you can call me Engineer, Engie, or Alex.” Engineer held out his hand.

Angel nodded, grasping his hand in her own and squeezing tightly. “A pleasure,” she said. “I look forward to working with you.”

“Engel,” the Zebra said, looking the new humans over cautiously, “wat is hierdie wesens? En wat sê hulle?”

“Ons is die RED Team,” the red-masked man said, suddenly “hier om haar net te help met wat haar ook al doen.”

“Ok,” said the scrawny man, “what the hell are you saying Spy? It sounded like a buncha’ gibberish to me.”

“What she said, Scout,” said ‘Spy’, “was ‘who are these beings? And what are they saying?’ since she doesn’t seem to speak English but Afrikaan.”

Angel looked back and forth between them before her eyes widened in understanding. “Ah, I see.” She walked to the door of the tent, sticking her head out. “Relay!” sha called. “Send a message to Spot. I need him to link the nine new beings in here into the psychic translation link.”

Angel stepped back, allowing a changeling to poke its head into the tent. It’s eyes went wide upon seeing the Red Team, but he quickly nodded to Angel before his eyes became unfocused. After about a minute, he nodded to her again. “It is done, General.”

Angel nodded back, turning back to the team as the changeling slipped out again. “My apologies,” she said, sitting down at a large table which held a slightly larger map and gesturing for everyone else to do the same. “I have been living with the link for so long that it slipped my mind that the zebras speak a language that is not my own. You should be able to understand each other now.”

“Good,” the Zebra said, sitting down even as she eyed the nine new humans warily. “Trust you I may, but I would still prefer to hear their words myself if we are to work with them.”

“Well,” Spy started, “if you don’t already know, I’m called Spy,” he then gestured towards Scout, “and this is Scout.”

“‘Sup?” Scout said.

The large human steps forward, “I am Heavy weapons guy, but just call me Heavy.”

The Zebra looked him up and down. “That one should be easy to remember.”

Heavy squinted his eyes at her, then laughs, “HA! Very true, I’m big and hard to miss.”

The Engineer stepped up to the Zebra, “I’m Engineer, but my team calls me Engie.”

The zebra nodded to him. “Zencori is my name,” she said, “but few have earned the right to know me by any other name than ‘General.’ If you are to work with us, I expect the same level of respect form you.”

“I apologize for my fellow General’s bluntness,” Angel said, shaking her head. “She has never been one to mince words.”

“It’s fine,” Engineer says, “we get enough of it from-”

“REPORTING FOR DUTY!” exclaimed the human wearing a helmet and has… two grenades strapped to his chest, “Soldier is the name, and blowing enemies to hell is my game!”

“To Tartarus, he means,” Angel muttered to Zencori.

The Zebra nodded, looking over the nine humans. “So, nine experts in various fields. This will prove an interesting addition to our forces. Tell me, how much experience do you have in combat? How many lives have you taken with your own hooves?” Her eyes darted to their appendages. “Or hands?”

“Well,” Engineer said, looking over to Heavy, “do you know what an Ursa Major is?”

“An Equestrian beast of great size and resilience, I believe,” Zencori answered, “but that is hardly relevant to this situation. We face swarms of zebras, not large monsters. Have you any such experience?”

“Sadly,” Spy said, “we have nothing in the way of that type of experience, but we are more prepared for wars than single large beasts,” he gestures to the Heavy, “He was eaten whole and practically tore his way out, which is the only thing that actually damaged it at all.”

“Impressive,” Angel granted. “I have to wonder, do you have a respawn generator? Do you know if it works in worlds other than your own?”

“No we don’t,” Engineer said, “it would be easier, but we don’t. I can build a respawn room for us, but it requires a power source at all times in order to work.”

“It would be best to go without, then,” Angel said. “I do not want to make a habit of planning on anyone other than me being able to die without consequence. That would be a dangerous mindset to get into.”

“Actually,” said the white-coated man, “as long as I’m alive they can be reckless, they have the device that can allow me to revive them, like in the ‘Mann VS Machine’ game mode from the game, oh and forgive my rudeness, I’m Medic.”

“He means that we need not worry about them so long as he is alive,” Angel explained to the Zebra. “I can speak from my knowledge that they will be a powerful force on the battlefield.”

Zencori closed her eyes, meditating for a moment. “Very well, then.” She opened her eyes and looked down at the map. “A Strike Force, then?”

“I was thinking an Intimidation Unit,” Angel countered, pointing down at the map. “If we place them at the front and they fight without fear of death, they will be able to frighten the Ash Haz’rad into their rock quickly and with minimal loss of life. It will be easy to force the exchange from there before we launch our final assault.”

Zencori nodded. “I see. Very wise.” She turned to the team, eyes narrowing. “So? What is your price, mercenaries? Two battles await us.”

“Well,” Engineer said, “we run more of a trade, but it also depends on what you have to offer.”

“A simple matter to solve, then,” Angel said. “A favor for a favor. Angel Wings.” Angel’s brown cloak flew from her back as a pair of pure white wings grew in an instant. Angel turned and plucked one of her feathers, holding it before her by the shaft. “Token Create.” The feather began to glow softly and Angel handed it to Engineer. “Call upon me when next you require aid. I will answer.”

“I do not like this exchange,” Zencori muttered. “This will place our new kingdom even further in your debt.”

“I disagree,” Angel replied. “I agreed to do whatever it took to ensure your tribe’s victory. If this is required to enlist their aid, then it falls under our contract.”

“It is more than enough pay,” Engineer says, taking the token and putting it into his pocket, “and what I meant by a trade is also something that you can’t do that we can,” he pull out a red tool box and places it on the ground, it opens up and starts rising and self-building. Once it reaches its maximum height Engineer smacks with his wrench a few times until it changes twice.

“Here you go,” Engineer said, exhausted, “a Level 3 Dispenser, can heal anyone close to it rapidly and can replenish any ammo or healing items. It’s also an infinite metal generator so if you need building supplies, it will give you what you need.”

“Interesting,” Zencori said, looking the machine over. “We do not use many weapons that require ammunition, but this will be useful for its medical purposes.” She looked to Angel. “We will need to tell our medical runners about this. This tent is close enough to the first battlefield for us to use it as a medical tent.”

Angel nodded, dismissing her wings. “It is large enough, as well.” She nodded to Engineer. “We thank you for this device. It may save many lives tomorrow.”

“Good to know,” Engineer said proudly, “it is also portable just pick it up and it will be a toolbox once more and once placed down it will build more rapidly than before since it is technically already built,” Engineer looks to Angel, “Do you have anything to hold any code based data? If so I can give you the blueprints to build more of this device.”

“Relay!” The changeling stuck its head back in at Angel’s shout. “Get Data over here with my laptop. These guys have some stuff to add!” The changeling nodded and left as Angel turned back to Engineer, grinning ear to ear. “Any other technical data or schematics you can give me would be great! I haven’t had time to add anything new in-”

“Ahem!” Angel winced at Zencori’s glare and drew in a deep breath, crossing her legs and resting her hands in her lap. “Focus yourself,” Zencori scolded. “A General does not allow her mask to slip under any circumstances. If our forces had seen that display, they would have scoffed at your childishness!”

Angel nodded, taking several deep breaths as her face melted back into a hard mask. She opened her eyes, looking back at the team. “My apologies. I suppose we should discuss the tactics of the next two days?”

“Actually,” Spy said, with a noticeable glint in his eyes but not on his expression, “I was wondering if I could do a little bit of… well… spying on the enemy? If so all I need is a copy of the map to their base and where our base is currently located. I can find out more about our enemies, bring down their numbers, sabotage their info and cause a bit of chaos in their ranks.”

Angel and Zencori locked eyes, subtle nods, shakes, and shrugs passing between them before Angel nodded slowly. “That may be helpful to some extent,” she said, getting to her feet. “I suggest staying out of their main base for now. They say that it is guarded by monsters and demons. All that we know for sure is that no zebra who has entered that place other than the Ash Haz’rad has ever returned. But their main army is camped outside of it, so you should face no horrors there. As for a map,” she chuckled, pulling her cloak back on and walking to the door of the tent, “that will not be necessary. Come and see their base for yourself.”

“If it is in seeing distance,” Spy said, “I won’t need to look at it now, also just to make sure I get the right zebras, do they have any specific markings I should look for? Any war paint or colors I should look for?”

“Simply look for those without armor,” Angel answered. “All of our warriors wear leather armor, but the Ash Haz’rad fight in only cloth, if in any covering at all. As for their base,” she grinned, nodding her head at the door, “I think all of you would like to have a look at this.”

“Oh, alright,” Spy said, “I’m pretty sure not much can phase me considering what we have been through.”

Angel led the Red Team out of the tent and into the hot savannah afternoon. Tents lined a makeshift path of trodden-down grasses, the zebras within or walking down the path staring at the humans as they passed. An occasional changeling stood here or there, but none of them gave the group any attention beyond a quick nod to Angel. Eventually, Angel led them to the edge of the camp and pointed off into the near distance. “That,” she said, “is where the Ash Haz’rad have holed up for countless generations.”

A huge rock jutted out of the ground, easily the size of a skyscraper and with the front ending in a sheer drop. Another huge rock jutted out from the base, tilted at an upward angle and supported by a large column of stone near its tip. The resemblance to Pride Rock was not lost on the Red Team.

When they notice the resemblance they each had their own reaction: Spy face-palmed, Scout just looked away, Heavy frowned, Medic quietly cursed, Soldier stood-up straight and saluted, Engineer looked away and said “Aw, shucks”, Sniper held his hat at his chest, Demoman just took a big swig from his bottle, and Pyro just shook his head.

“I’ve already said it,” Spy said, “but I’m not surprised, it just brings up… sad childhood memories.” The others of the team mumble in agreement.

“Your reactions are strange,” Zencori muttered, “but no stranger than Angel’s when she first saw this accursed place.”

“Anyway,” Spy said, “back onto the topic at hand, that’s their base, look for any zebras in cloth not leather, and avoid the main base, is that all I’ll need to know?”

“Do not touch the ones in chains,” Angel added. “We plan to free their slaves once tomorrow’s battle has forced them into their stronghold. An exchange for the many soldiers of theirs that we captured yesterday and the ones that we are sure to capture tomorrow.”

“Hmm…” Spy hums in thought, “If I had even a small chance to release them from the base, even a slim one that I believe I can pull it off, am I allowed to?”

“Do not dare!” Zencori threatened. “There are few laws that all tribes honor, but this is one of them. No zebra from one tribe is to touch the slaves of another. To do so would earn the enmity of every tribe of Zebrica!”

Spy chuckles, “What if it was one of their own? That released them, I mean.”

Zencori glared at him. “Do not think them fools. We are allied with changelings, and all of Zebrica knows it. It matters not what trickery you pulled; they would know that it was us or one of our allies. I will not have you risking everything we have worked for on a whim or a mad grasp for glory!”

“Calm yourself, Zencori,” Angel said, not even looking down at her. “They are not of the tribes. They do not know your ways. Level tones would have provided the same information.”
“But not the same emphasis.”

“I’m sorry,” Spy apologizes, “I just want to help anyone I can, any living thing being enslaved should not have been in the first place and those that enslave others… well…” Spy chuckles darkly, “They should fear the shadows I hide in,” he then straightens himself, “I just… don’t like enslavement. Should I see any slaves I will attempt to free as long as it is the right thing to do.”

“On that we agree,” Angel said. “One condition I insisted upon when joining this cause was that all slaves would be freed. That is why we are doing the exchange tomorrow after we push them back. On that note…” She gave off a single whistle and a changeling buzzed up to hover before her. “Get a tent or two prepared for our guests. They will be joining us on the field of battle these next two days.” The changeling nodded and zipped off.

“We lead the charge at dawn,” Angel said, turning to the team. “You nine and I will be front and center, slaying all in our path. The battle will last until the Ash Haz’rad have retreated into their base. We will then conduct the exchange before retiring for the night. The next day, we storm their stronghold until they surrender or perish. Any questions?”

“Yeah,” Sniper said, “I’m Sniper first off, secondly can I have a small area that would seem irrelevant to the battle, but I can hit enemies from one thousand yards to one thousand five hundred yards away?”

Angel hummed to herself, ignoring Zencori’s incredulous expression. “I think the Rock is the only high ground within range, but I suppose that two or three changelings could carry you to an elevated purchase from which to attack.” She looked over her shoulder at the changeling that had followed them from the tent.

He looked off into space for a moment before nodding to her. “Two of our builders should be able to carry Slate transformed into a table for Sniper to sit or lay on. Also, the tents are ready.”

Angel nodded her thanks before turning back to the team. “If that is all, I will allow Relay to lead you to where you will be spending the night.”

“Alright,” Spy said, “but I will only be here for a few more moments afterward before going to do my mission.”

“Yeah,” Sniper said, “I’m going to camp out at the area you guys are setting up for me, so I can keep an eye on enemy base, and if I see movement heading to our base and it isn’t friendly I’ll let you know.

Angel nodded to them as Relay turned and led them back into the camp. Once they were out of sight, Zencori whispered to her. “You lied to them about the second attack.”

“They are untested in warfare,” Angel whispered back. “I am uncertain that they would agree to what we have planned. It will be easier to convince the demolitions expert in the heat of the moment tomorrow night than it would be to convince the whole team right now.” Her expression hardened as she turned to stare at the rock in the distance. “Remember, whatever happens tomorrow night, it was my idea alone. You had no knowledge of what I was planning.”

Zencori nodded. “Better that one of us be thought a monster than both.”

Spy left the corner he hid around after the conversation between the two generals finished.

Spy had went to the enemy base, using the Cloak and Dagger invisi-watch, was nearly found 6 times due to him bumping into some items. Figured out that there were around fifteen hundred soldiers ready for battle, now there is about two hundred fifteen less to worry about in the battle. Found out the tactics the enemy were going to use in the battle, their formations and who would be leading the charges, just in case that info is important. Spy also sabotaged some of their weaponry and any info they may have obtained against his side. Then, soon after he finished up, he left and made sure all traces of him were eliminated.

Spy had woken up his teammates not long after he woke and has explained what he heard from the generals’ to them.
“So they’re holding something back from us that is vital to the situation at hand?” Engineer asked, hoping he was wrong with his assumption.

“You are correct my hard-hatted friend,” Spy said.

“Normally,” Scout started, “I’d say ‘let’s break their kneecaps’, but considering if she kills herself, she will comeback, probably good as new.”

“That is a good assumption,” Spy said, “but for now, it is only a verbal confrontation, nothing physical, only let her know you are upset with your expression.”

“Very well,” Heavy said.

“Alright,” Scout and Demoman said.

The others remained silent and nodded their heads, then walked out of the tent together outside to find her.

The camp was mostly empty as they walked, everyzebra resting up for the battle ahead. Even the changelings that usually stood sentinel were gone. As the team approached the Command Tent, they heard some grunting and shouting coming from nearby. Deciding to investigate, they rounded the tent to the other side.

Angel stood in a circle that had been cleared of grass, surrounded by a dozen or so changelings, including one as tall as Angel who had slit-pupiled eyes and a mane of light red hair. This changeling stood on the edge of the circle, his horn lit and his brow furrowed in concentration.

Angel, meanwhile, wasn’t standing still for even a moment. Her wings were out, but they seemed to shimmer slightly as she danced and dove to avoid the strikes of the changelings that attacked her from all sides. Her left arm had formed into a familiar blade, the right a large spiked hammer. Angel struck mostly with the blade, swinging the hammer only to deter attacks and using her wings to block. She eventually leapt high into the air, flaring her wings wide. She gave a single mighty flap, sending feathers shooting from her wings down to the field below, which the changelings either dodged or blocked with hastily formed shields.

“I think that’s enough,” the large changeling said, the others backing down immediately as Angel touched back down and folded her wings across her back. “You’ve definitely improved against multiple opponents, though I question your insistence on fighting my changelings in the air. Zebras can’t fly, after all.”

“I’m not always going to be fighting zebras, Spot,” Angel said, taking the towel that a changeling offered her and starting to wipe the sweat from her body. “Got to stay in top form against any type of opponent. We have the gryphons to deal with once we’re finished here in Zebrica, and who knows what we’ll have to do to straighten things out there.” She threw her towel across her shoulders, and walked to stand next to him. “So, how long have they been watching?”

Spot instantly turned his eyes on the team. “A few minutes,” he answered. “Determination. Distrust. A little anger and a good amount of cautious fear.” He smirked. “And at least one of them gained a little infatuation from seeing your display.”
Scout immediately coughed a little and went back to his original pose, though less upset looking and more embarrassed to be called out.

“Anyways,” Spy said, with a slight glare, “we want to talk with you.”

Angel shrugged, her arms flashing back to normal and her wings vanishing. “Sure thing,” she said as most of the changelings left. “Be easier to talk now anyway, since I don’t have to keep up appearances in front of the troops.” She sat on the ground, Spot sitting next to her as she grabbed a canteen. “So,” she said, unscrewing the lid, “what’d y’all want to talk about?”

“First,” Engineer said, “we are talking in private, no one allowed to hear what we are saying, capiche? Not even… Spot...”
“That’s a weird name for a changeling,” Scout whispered to Demoman who snickered.

“That’s ‘King Spot’ to you lot,” Spot said. “And I’m afraid there’s no point in separating us. Whatever you say to Angel, she’ll tell me as soon as you’re gone. We keep nothing from each other, right Angel?”

“Not for the last five years,” Angel replied, taking a swig from the canteen. “Ah. Warm water. Still better than no water, but I could really go for some cider right about now.”

“So you wouldn’t mind him hearing about your military plan?” Engineer said left eyebrow raised.
Angel sighed, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a coin, which she handed to Spot. “In my defence,” she told him, “I didn’t think we’d be dealing with anyone outside the army.”

“I figured you’d call in some help for this one,” Spot said, a smirk creeping across his face. “And if other humans were as nosey as you, which it looks like they are, they were bound to discover your and Zencori’s little plan before too long.”

“Zencori,” Spy started, “doesn’t even know the plan, therefore she is not the target of our anger,” Spy then pulls out a cigarette and lights it, “And also I don’t like secrets related to what we are doing being kept from us, I am Spy for a damn good reason.”

Angel and Spot chuckled, shaking their heads. “You really bought that line about her not knowing anything?” Angel asked, leaning back against Spot’s larger form. “Please. That’s our cover story. Truth is, she’s the one who brought the idea up in the first place.” She shrugged. “It was a throw-away, sarcastic comment since she didn’t think it was possible, but we planned it together from there.”

“Another part of the contract that Angel mentioned yesterday,” Spot chimed in, “is that she and Zencori are to hide nothing from each other related to the conduct of this war. The plan is for Angel to appear to be breaching that contract if the army reacts negatively to what goes down tonight. That way, only one of them gets the blame.”

“Bonus points!” Angel added, pointing to herself with a thumb. “I don’t care if they think I’m a monster. As soon as we’re done with this war, I’m out of here. They can think what they want about the ‘Angel of Death’ after that.”

“That’s why,” Spy said, more calmly than before, and with a smile, “if you tell us the plan we can take the blame for you, and also when you send us back afterward, we won’t have to worry about them finding us, because we won’t even be in this universe.”

“Yeah,” Scout said, smugly, “we don’t care if these guys think we’re monsters, they don’t live in our universe.”

Angel’s eyes widened and she turned to face Spot. He met her eyes, nodding solemnly. Angel’s eyes then narrowed into a glare which she trained on the team, getting to her feet. “Alright,” she said, stomping over. “Since you volunteered, here’s the plan. The Ash Haz’rad keep slaves so that they can sacrifice them to the demons that they summon to keep people out of their little hidey hole. They’re going to accept our trade tomorrow because they think they’ll get their sacrifices back as soon as they beat us. But we’re not going to fight. We’re going to slaughter those slaves to a one and then just sit back and wait. Once the contracts with the demons expire, the Ash Haz’rad will be helpless.” By the time she finished, she was glaring Spy right in the face. “So thanks for blindly volunteering to take the blame for whatever heinous plan we might have thought up. Good to know that we can shove whatever we want on you and say it was your idea.” She turned on her heal, whipping Spy across the face with her hair. “Ha ha,” she said, her voice utterly deadpan. “Just kidding. Next time, don’t be so quick to blindly volunteer.” She turned around and sat down once she reached Spot, crossing her arms and glaring up at them. “Now, do you want to know the real plan?”

The Red Team was unmoving, seemingly shocked into temporary paralysis, then they started laughing, all of them.

“If that is your sense of humor,” Medic shouted to her, putting his arm on Engineer’s shoulder to keep balanced from laughing, “then me and you are going to get along nicely, you see, the healing is not nearly as rewarding as the hurting.”

“Yeah,” Engineer shouted, “that was quite funny, by the way, have you ever considered anyone of us or all of us to be mentally insane, or a sociopath?”

“Yeah,” Scout said loudly, “I mean, when are we going to get this type of chance of a killing job? In our Equestria, so far we’ve been the helpers to the heroes and we plan on being heroes at some point.”

“Yea,” Sniper said, “we are mercenaries as your fellow general said, we are made to kill, meaning doing whatever it takes to get the job done.”

“Also,” Spy said, “I knew you weren’t being serious considering the other general wanted to save the slaves they have. If you are serious about that though, well… I guess freedom in death is better that enslavement in life.”

Angel and Spot were silent, staring across the ring at them. After a few minutes, Spot sighed and shook his head, nudging Angel. “Remember when I said that I take back everything I ever said about your species? I take that comment back now. You lot are worse than even Chrysalis.”

“Can’t say I disagree,” Angel muttered, “faced with the evidence.” She sighed as she and Spot got back up, walking past the team without even looking at them. “I’ll tell you all the plan after the battle. I need to rethink how we’re going to be fighting this now that I know what sort of people I’m dealing with. Two pronged attack? I would probably need Spot to back me up…” Muttering plans and contingencies to herself, Angel walked with Spot back to the entrance of the Command Tent and out of sight.

Unable to hold it back anymore, the entire burst out into hysterical laughter.

“Can you believe she actually bought that act Spy?” Scout asked, holding his torso.

“Yes,” Heavy said, holding his with one of his hands, “tiny winged-woman think were psy… psychopa… you know what? Just pyschos will do.”

“Maybe I’ll have to make her some hard cider as an apology for that wee prank,” Demo said looking at his drink.

“Hey, Spot!” The team froze as Angel’s voice reached them from the tent. “You know what I love about these thin canvas tents?”

“Gee, I don’t know Angel,” Spot’s voice replied. “Is it that they’re cool in the summer? That they’re so lightweight and easy to transport? Or is it that they’re thin enough to easily hear nine people laughing and shouting right on the other side?”

“All of those, Spot,” Angel’s voice replied, suddenly becoming clearer. “Plus there’s the fact that you can lift the bottoms up to grin smugly at whoever you just scammed on the other side.” The entire team turned slowly around to see Angel and Spot lying on the ground doing just that. “By the way, did you guys know that changelings can sense emotions?”

“It makes us very proficient lie detectors,” Spot added. “Well, see you on the battlefield.” Sharing a brief laugh, they pulled their heads back into the tent.

The team each looked at each other, then Scout spoke.

“Well,” Scout sounding annoyed, “this sucks on ice, that was really short lived.” The others mumbled their agreement, and all started to walk away except for Medic.

“But,” Medic started, the rest of his team just out of earshot, “you guys know I wasn’t kidding, right?” He then started running towards them, “right!?”

The battle hadn’t lasted long. Although Angel was no longer concerned about Red Team’s sanity, she and Zencori had still opted to go with a two-pronged attack. On one side had been Angel, Spot, and the changelings, spinning and leaping through the enemy forces and spreading death with every movement. On the other side had roared the Red Team, their assault reckless and half-crazed. Heavy had torn straight through the center of the forces, gunning down and smashing all who stood in his way as Medic trailed right behind him, powering and defending him. Sniper had lain above the battle on a changeling who had transformed itself into a long table, two other changelings holding them up in the air as Sniper had picked off prime targets.

Meanwhile, the main bulk of the Army had remained in the rear, holding a defensive line in case some brave - or insane - zebras had tried to rush past the champions. The few who had hadn’t even made it halfway before they found themselves impaled on spears.

Less than an hour after the battle had begun, the Ash Haz’rad had retreated into their rocky fortress. An ambassador had been sent to negotiate a trade of prisoners for slaves, which the Ash Haz’rad had readily agreed to.
Angel sat by a campfire near the base of the rock, cooking a lizard over the fire as she examined the blueprints and schematics that Engineer had loaded onto her computer.

“Hey,” Engineer said, approaching her, “I want to give you something else, remember what you asked earlier?”

“About what?” Angel asked, looking up from her screen.

“Remember when you lost your ‘General’ composure?” Engineer asked, “Here.” Engineer holds out a USB Thumb Drive 1 TB.

Angel took the drive, plugging it into her computer. A grin flitted across her face for a moment as she saw the schematics for the Sentry and the Entrance & Exit Teleports. “These are amazing,” she whispered, transferring the data to her laptop and loading it into Angel Player for analysis. “I’ve been trying to crack the teleportation code off and on for years! This may just be the break I need to figure it out once and for all!” She looked up and smiled at Engineer. “Thank you.”

Feeling a bit flushed from the comment and her thanking him, he scratched the back of his head, “Ah, it weren’t nothin’, I wish the character I became displaced as was the true creator, but it was actually his grandfather. Think about it, in approximately 1890 Earth time, he had created a self-supporting, enemy tracking, turret that only needs metal to self-upgrade, automatically reload bullets and missiles, and self-repair.”

“That is impressive,” Angel said, looking over the schematics one more time before closing the laptop and standing up, grabbing her roast lizard as she did so. “Thank you again. By the way, do you know where Demo is?”

“Yeah, he’s back at his tent, almost finished making the hard cider you wanted,” Engineer answered with a smile and knowing look on his face.

Angel rolled her eyes, slugging him in the shoulder. “I’ll be sure to thank him for that, too.” She took a bite of her lizard before nodding and walking off.

She found Demoman’s tent easily enough, slipping inside and closing the door. “Do your friends trust you?” she asked abruptly.

“It kinda depends,” Demoman answered while sober, which is a rare thing to see, “what are we talking about? Explosives? Alcohol? Family?”

“Secrets,” Angel answered. “Specifically, the plan for tonight. You’re the one whose help I need, and I want to know if your friends will trust you to make a good decision regarding it. I want as few people to know about it as possible. Loose lips, and all that.”

“Aye,” Demoman agreed, “I get what you saying and all of us do trust each other as long as I’m sober, and Medic’s not ‘practicing medicine’, and Scout’s not beating creatures skulls in, we were all once just one man… but the second we completed our collection of specific TF2 related items, we all ended up in our Equestria as the nine mercs. Imagine this, your persona from before suddenly mixed with that of the original persona for whose body you now control.”

“I did wonder how exactly that happened,” Angel muttered before shaking her head. “So, if I tell you the plan, can I trust you not to spread word to the others? Whether you agree to help or not?”

“If I agree to help with it while I’m sober then even the others will help, but if you’re absolutely sure, well…” hands her a pill red and blue in coloring, “give this to me when you need my help because I keep secrets by being drunk, drunks spout nonsense, they don’t think much on my slurs. Oh and the pill is an instant-sobering and anti-hangover pill, that way, if I’m needed somewhere I’m not hindered by anything, thank Medic for that.”

Angel nodded, pocketing the pill. “Alright then.” She took a deep breath before letting it out. “Here’s the thing, we don’t know what’s in that rock. Horror stories abound, but we know nothing for sure except that invaders and spies don’t come back out. We can’t risk an assault, not even with an elite strike team. But at the same time, we can’t just leave this tribe here.” Her gaze darkened. “Trust me, they’re one of the worst ones in Zebrica.

“What we need to do instead, is take out the rock.” Angel sighed. “That’s where you come in. The plan is for me to lead you to the top of the rock tonight and set charges to blow it up, causing the whole thing to collapse. If it works right, the Ash Haz’rad will be crushed to death in an instant. If not…” she sighed again. “Well, we’ll never know. They’ll be buried alive with no way to get to them in time to rescue them.”

Demoman waited in silence looking at Angel for a bit before he spoke, “Is that it? The plan was to blow the structure to smithereens? With the possibility of killing everything in and/or near it?”

“Including, the children, the elderly, and the infirm, yes.”

Demoman waited in silence thinking about it, the looked at the hard cider he made, then sighed.

“I can see why you were hesitant to have anyone of my team listen to your plan, the only other one that would do it as well, so long as I said I’ll do it, would be Soldier, most of the other might not agree with it, but wouldn’t stop you, and the only one who would attempt to stop anyone, be Pyro, and he would be the only one with the ability to do so.”

“You don’t have to do this,” Angel clarified. “I have a way to accomplish this on my own.” She winced, rubbing her forehead. “It would mean dying for a bit, but that’s nothing new for me. Be more annoying than painful.”

“I get what you mean,” Demoman said, “I’ve died several times because of being drunk and screwing with explosives… yeah…” he rubbed his neck, then looked back at her, “So, I’ll do it,” Demo then looks at you, a bit pleadingly, “but can I ask Soldier to join in? He will keep any secrets between me and him, even if he disagrees.”

Angel nodded. “Very well.” She sighed, getting to her feet and placing a hand on his shoulder. “Get some rest. We have a big night ahead.”

“Ok,” Demo agreed, “and if you can, before nightfall, get your teleportation thing-ama-jig perfected cause I have an idea that will… ‘blow’ you away.”

The Army of United Zebrica surrounded the rock as they slept, the nearest tents only a few hundred meters from the imposing formation. Changelings took the night in shifts, watching the outward savannah for predators and the inside of their camp for enemy spies or sneak attacks. All was quiet, however, with the Ash Haz’rad content to sleep the night away, confident in their security.

So it was that no-one noticed three bipedal figures slowly and quietly ascending the rear slope of the rock, sneaking towards the top. Angel had her wings out, now modified so the feathers were a raven black, and was using them to hop from outcropping to outcropping when walking became difficult. Soldier and Demoman followed close behind her.

An hour and a half of climbing later, the three of them reached the top. Angel took a canteen from her hip, draining it all in one go. She gasped for air when she finished, turning to Demoman. “So?” she asked, panting slightly. “What’s the plan?”

Demoman pulls out his Quickiebomb Launcher, “I’m going to be using this version of my sticky-launcher here to quickly put down as many sticky-bombs in as little time as possible,” he said, practically hugging the gun, “Oh! And Soldier will be using the… er… what is that item called again?”

“The Buff Banner!” Soldier exclaimed, “it can give anyone in the area that has Team Fortress 2 weaponry critical damage with said weaponry, but also a speed boost to anyone in the area.”

“Right,” Demoman confirmed, “if we wanna blow this place to smithereens, we are going to the most damage possible,” Demo held up the launcher, “normally, this weapon can only have 8 bombs out at-a-time, but since we are in the real-world, there are no-limits in the real world. So, when Soldier here uses the Buff Banner, my bombs will gain critical damage the second they leave my gun and they keep it until detonation and/or they are destroyed.”

“That should work,” Angel said, looking over the area. “Set them up however you think will make this whole place collapse. Don’t be conservative. After that, I’ll get the two of you down and set them off myself. I’ll have to stay here to make sure the whole thing goes down, just in case I need to use plan B.”

“By the way,” Demoman started, “do you have the teleport ability ready? It is going to be important.”

“Not quite,” Angel replied. “Angel Horn.” A familiar chime went off as a spire of bone pushed its way up through Angel’s forehead. A latticework of delicate fibers extended from her forehead and the spire, twisting and branching in complex patterns. Finally, two thin plates of bone broke through the skin, spiraling upwards and together to enclose the fibers and form a bone-white unicorn horn. “I’ve figured out how to send things to the aether with my magic, but retrieving them is a lot more difficult to adapt. That’s why I had Spot steal one of Engineer’s Exit-Teleport devices and set it up outside the camp a ways. He also snuck an Entrance-Teleport devices into your tent and is just waiting for our signal before he and his ‘lings activate them and shove your teammates through. With any luck, you two will be there to explain the situation to them and I’ll arrive a few minutes later once I’ve made sure that the plan worked.”

“Alright,” Demoman said, nodding, “also, I have two ways of setting off my bombs; one is remote-detonation, and the other is not instant, but it will be a little more firepower to ensure destruction where we need it.”

“Yeah,” Soldier said, “if I’m right, the Buff Banner will be ready soon to do more crits! Allowing me to fire crit-rockets! Which is the other way to blow up his explosives.”

Angel considered the two options for a minute, her eyes crossing as she looked up at her horn. “What’s the range on the remote?”

“The remote detonator, well,” Demo said, with a thoughtful expression, “had a range of only halfway across the map of Teufort, so… hmm… that would be about, er…”

“I’ve run that through that place so many times!” Soldier exclaimed “I’d say… 52, maybe 53 yards?”

“Not nearly far enough, then,” Angel muttered, shaking her head. “Here’s the plan, then. After Demo places his bombs, I’ll send him to the drop-zone. Then I’ll fly Soldier up as high as he thinks he has range for and have him let loose. As soon as the explosions start, I’ll send him through as well.” She nodded to herself, facing the two men. “Any objections?”

“Not really an objection,” Soldier started, “but the longest my rockets can go, before they run out of the fuel that keeps them going and self-detonates, is almost as far as your camp is from here, but I’ll have to see my target to hit it.”

Angel nodded. “Alright. Just let me know when we’re about to get too high, and I’ll stop and let you fire away. Now,” her face fell, becoming somber, “let’s do this. Demo? You’re up.”

“Alright,” Demoman said, as he loaded his sticky-launcher, “it’s time for some demolition!”

Soldier uses the Buff Banner quietly enough not to be heard from below, but loud enough to actually affect those within range. As Angel feels the effects of the speed boost Demo is running around and placing explosives in places to make this place become an object of destruction for the enemies far below, even if it looks like there aren’t any patterns. When Demo is done there are a lot of glow crit-bombs ready for detonation and for dealing damage.

“Ok,” Demoman said, exhausted from the work, “it’s ready to blow and I have only five or six bombs ready in case of any threats that appear.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Angel said, looking over his work. “Once these things go off, every predator for miles around will be fleeing as fast as they can. And the Exit-Teleporter is far enough from camp that nozebra should find you before the rest of us get there.” Her horn lit up as she turned to him. “See you in a few.” In a flash of light, Demoman was gone.

Angel turned to Soldier, spreading her wings. “You ready to go flying?”

“Technically,” Soldier started, “I’ve already flown before, but to be in the air for an extended period of time is going to be amazing! Let’s go!”

Angel gave a single mighty flap, vaulting her into the air. She twisted as she came down behind Soldier, grabbing his below the arms as she landed. “Hold on to your dinner.” With that, she lifted up, pouring all of her strength into her wings as she flapped as hard as she could. Though nowhere near her top speed, Angel still rose at an almost dizzying pace, leaving the world below far behind.

“Woah,” Soldier said, a bit dazed, “that was an amazing wake-up call. With all the things I’ve done with my life, being in the air or flying or skydiving was not any of them!”

Soldier then pulls out the Buff Banner, “Just a few feet higher and we’ll be good,” Soldier stated matter-of-factly as he used it.

“Got it,” Angel huffed, rising another yard before slowing to a hover. “Try to make it quick,” she grunted. “You’re freaking heavy.” Her eyes suddenly grew wide as she saw Soldier take out his rocket launcher, a Direct Hit. “Um, quick question. How much kickback does that thing have?”

“Not much,” Soldier said, “I can fire it in place and slightly move backwards and when moving it doesn’t move me at all, why do you ask?” Soldier takes aim.

“Because unlike on the ground, we don’t have anything to brace against up here.”

“Hm…” Soldier hummed in thought, then smiled brightly, “can you make a force-field? Or something similar I can stand on?”

“Who do I look like? Shining Armor?” Angel shook her head, her wings starting to burn. “Just… go ahead and fire. I’ll deal with the backlash as best I can. Worst case, I port you out of here and crash-land myself.”

“Ok,” Soldier said, looking through the scope on the side, “here we go.” He fires the crit-rocket and they stay about the same, just slightly backwards.

“Huh,” was all Soldier, thought to say until he facepalmed his helmet, “that’s right I’ve also fired this when parachuting, it doesn’t move me much in the air either.”

“Good for us,” Angel grunted as she lit her horn, watching the rocket as it neared the rock. “Now, let’s get you out of here.”

A deafening explosion woke the Army of united Zebrica in the middle of the night. Soldiers, medics, and others rushed out of the tents, gazing up in awe and horror at the spectacle above them.

The mighty rock, the bastion of the Ash Haz’rad, was crumbling. Giant cracks and fissures raced down the small mountain as boulders fell from the top, crashing to the structure below. The horrible screeching rumble of stone on stone mixed with the cracks and crunches of millions of tons of rock and stone collapsing upon itself. A cloud of dust arose and obscured their visions, but not before they saw the full results of the disaster.
The Ash Haz’rad, the indomitable terror of central Zebrica, were no more. They had been crushed beneath the very fortress that had been their greatest defence for generations.

Far outside the camp, nine figures stood staring at the cloud of dust which was only growing larger in the Zebican night, illuminated by the full moon.

“So,” Spy started, looking to Demoman, “her plan?”

“Yep,” Demo answered.

“Sworn to not tell us?” Spy asked.

“Yep.”

“Got Soldier to help you?”

“Yep.”

“All of the enemy is dead?”

“Hopefully,” Demoman said, gaining a somber look, “otherwise they’ll die of dehydration, starvation, or something else, either way it’ll leave the enemy dead.”

Spy sighed, then smiled, “Well the job is done, and we have another friend on our side, an immortal one no less.”

“True,” Demoman said, then he smacked the side of his own head, “I forgot the cider! I’ll be right back, she’ll be wanting it, no doubt.”

“Don’t bother!” The team looked over to see Angel flying towards them, dropping to the ground and jogging the rest of the way on foot, her body and clothes covered in dust. “I’ll grab it from the tent, later. Right now, I’ve got to get you all out of here. A lot of the army saw me flying in this direction, and it’d be best if I faced them alone.”

“Alright,” Spy said, holding his hand out, “so, until we meet again.”

“Yeah,” Scout said, “it was nice seeing you, but maybe we’ll see each other soon.”

“Bye,” Heavy said simply.

“Auf Wiedersehen,” Medic said, “it was a pleasure meeting such a nice person such as you.”

“I enjoyed my time here,” Engineer said, “hope my schematics help you out with any future situations, but I have one last question before the army arrives; do you know how to send us back?”

Angel looked over from shaking Spy’s hand, nodding to each of them before addressing Engineer. “I’ve heard some Displaced use a formal phrase - contract completed or some such - but any dismissal or farewell works, really, as long as there’s proper intent behind it.”

“Alright,” Engineer said, handing her another red tool box, “this has an entrance teleporter in it, when I get back to my world I will set up the exit, and they work both ways, and then you can probably go to my world at anytime; whatever you do, don’t go through it until I have arrived through it first, if I die because the teleporter didn’t work then I will respawn in my world, because it will have failed to send me to another universe. Then I’ll let you know it doesn’t work, and you can dismantle it.”

Angel nodded, setting the toolbox down. “Understood. Give me a few days for all of this to blow over before trying it.” She stepped back, giving Red Team a salute. “On behalf of the Army of United Zebrica, and the greater world of Equis, thank you for your service. Dismissed!”

Nine holes opened in the ground beneath the team, dropping them out of Zebrica, except Soldier who grabbed the ground around the hole.

“God bless you general. God bless you,” he said as he saluted before dropping into the hole as it closed behind him.
Angel sighed, looking down at her dust-covered feet. “Somehow, I doubt it.”

“Angel!”

Angel turned to see Zencori stomping over to her, a crowd of scared and confused zebras following behind. Zencori’s face was twisted into an ugly snarl of contempt, a slight gleam in her eyes being the only thing to betray her true feelings.
Angel straightened her back, putting on her most intimidating glare. Show time.