Third person, field hospital:

Sergeant Major Clare and First Lieutenant Daffodil sat at a mess hall table and sipped coffee.

Behind them approached a finely dressed light pink mare. “Excuse me? Could you help me? I’m looking for some-pony special” said the beautiful voice of the mare. Daffodil looked to Clare with a raised eyebrow and immediately spun around but both their jaws dropped as they realized who it was.

“PRINCESS CADENCE!” they both exclaimed. “Well yes. I’m here to see my husband. News reached me of his condition and I wish to see him” she informed them. “Sorry ma’am. No-pony is allowed to see Captain until he” Daffodil began but Clare interrupted him. “Aw come on now LT. This is her husband we’re talking about. I think this fine young mare here has the right to see her husband” Clare said and she blushed.

Daffodil thought about it for a moment then nodded. “Alright fine. But it was your idea Sarge” he said. Clare looked over to Cadence and winked. “I’m a real go getter huh? Oh but I really don’t think you should be here if you’re this pregnant” he said and she shook her hoof. “Don’t worry, I’m not due for another two weeks” she replied as they began to walk towards Shining Armor’s recovery room.

Elsewhere in the hospital trotted Posey with Shining’s rations for the day, mostly water and applesauce. She walked up to the door and tried to open it but it was locked. ‘Figures’ she thought to herself as she brought out her set of keys and unlocked the door.

She didn’t look around and immediately closed the door behind her as she entered the room. She saw Tung looming over Shining’s body. “HEY, what are you doing in here? You can’t be” Posey began but Tung swung around and back hoofed her.

“Shut up bitch” Tung hissed then turned back to finish off Shining. “Some-pony help!” Posey screamed and immediately the recovery room door swung open and one of the MPs stationed at the door rushed in. He had come unprepared and hadn’t drawn his pistol.

Tung quickly drew his own M1911 and fired a .45 caliber round right through the pony’s chest. The MP screamed as he fell back. Tung quickly rushed over and grabbed Posey by her long flowing hair and dragged her back into the room as she tried to escape.

Ponies ran in the hallways and Colonel Ross along with another MP raced down the hallways towards the recovery room.

Tung backed into a deeper part of the recovery room with Posey held hostage. Two MPs grabbed Shining’s body and heaved him away to another emergency room. An MP stood guard to make sure Tung didn’t escape.

“Get back… get back or I kill her” Tung threatened in a deep zebra accent. Colonel Ross entered the room and stood by the MP. “Sir he’s got a hostage” the MP reported. “Who is the culprit?” Colonel Ross asked. “It’s Major Tung sir” he replied.

Ross’ face went pale and he moved the MP aside and edged closer to the corner of the wall. “Tung? Tung? But you’re on our side” Ross replied, shocked at his colleague’s sudden change of sides.

“Tung… I know you hate ponies… but you hate communists more” Ross told his friend. Tung laughed “You’re a trusting man Colonel, but not a very smart one. If you had spent more time with your colleague than you would’ve seen through my disguise” Tung laughed.

“Come on Tung… we’ve been together on the force for what? Fifteen years?” Ross asked and Tung laughed again. “Even when the picture is put right in front of your face you still can’t see it” Tung laughed again. “What picture? Tung what the hell are you talking about?” Ross asked as he quickly glanced around the corner.

“Fine Colonel. This form is useless to me anyway” Tung laughed. Suddenly there was a bright flash of green energy and Ross’ eyes widened as he gazed upon the one and only, Queen Chrysalis.

“So… guess that means that zebras and changelings are in cahoots” Ross replied as he holstered his gun. “I’m gonna enter, don’t harm the mare” Ross said as he valiantly stepped forward. “Stay back Colonel” Chrysalis hissed but Ross didn’t heed her warning. As soon as he entered the room she pointed the .45 pistol at him and shot a round through his stomach.

He fell to the ground, groping in pain. Chrysalis stepped out of the recovery room and into the hallway where three MPs crouched with pistols drawn. “Get back. Get back or I’ll shoot her” Chrysalis threatened as she pointed the M1911’s barrel at Posey’s head.

Two of the MPs rushed away but the third stood in a final stand to try and stop the changeling queen. “I said get back” Chrysalis screamed but the MP still crouched in his exact spot and refused to move.

Chrysalis quickly snapped her aim to the pony and shot him in the head. His body fell back and his helmet rolled away down the hallway.

Clare, Daffodil and Cadence had just entered a hallway near the shooting and Clare stopped a fleeing MP. “What the hell’s going on?” he asked. “The changeling queen is here. She’s got a hostage” the MP informed him. “Hey listen, I’m a shadow guard. Get me to the armoury” Clare told the MP and he nodded then quickly led the trio to the back armoury of the field hospital.

Back in the hallway Chrysalis struggled to pull Posey along. “Where is Shining Armor?” Chrysalis demanded. “I don’t know” Posey replied. “You are a nurse! You’ll know, NOW WHERE IS HE!” Chrysalis screamed. “I told you I don’t know” Posey screamed back.

In the armoury was a rack of guns but a chain link went through all the trigger guards. “Fuck. Keys” Clare ordered and the MP shrugged. “I wasn’t issued keys” The MP replied. Clare rolled his eyes in frustration then looked over to an emergency fire axe and grabbed it. He used the pickaxe side of the axe to pry off the bolt pad attaching the chain to the cabinet. The chain busted free and Clare pulled the chain through the trigger guards of all the weapons.

He grabbed: two M1911s along with a magazine for each, his Smith and Wesson 500 magnum and an M1897 12 gauge with trench modifications. He quickly slide six rounds into shotgun and put some extra shells in his hospital gown pocket. He looked to Daffodil who loaded a Browning 9mm high power pistol.

The MP had diddied off but Clare couldn’t blame him, things were about to heat up. He nodded to Daffodil and the two began to rush back to where Chrysalis was walking down the hallways with Posey as her hostage. Cadence was following them and Clare stopped then turned to her.

“Listen ma’am, I have the greatest respect for you and your husband. But I don’t want you coming with us. You could get hurt and Shining would never forgive me” Clare told her but she shook her head. “I’d be safer with you. Where else would I go? Most of the rooms have been locked” Cadence replied and Clare swore as he realized that she was right.

“Alright… just stay close to me and do exactly as I say” Clare ordered and she nodded then the trio rushed down the hallways towards Chrysalis.

“Where is Captain Shining Armor? Where is he?” Chrysalis demanded but Posey was defiant to tell her. “I don’t know” she replied. “Bullshit, you lie!” Chrysalis screamed. In her frustration Chrysalis didn’t see Clare slide behind the cover of a large supply crate behind her.

“I swear I don’t know” Posey said through tears, Chrysalis had been pulling really hard on her mane. Cadence began to dash from the safety of the walls to the supply crate. “No-no don’t” Clare began but Chrysalis heard Clare and spun. She snarled as she saw Cadence, the one who had ensured he defeat at Canterlot. And she was pregnant, with Shining Armor’s child no doubt.

She quickly directed her aim to Cadence and shot her in the belly. Clare’s eyes went wide and time seemed to travel in slow motion as Clare watched Cadence fall to the ground. Blood spurted out of her bullet wound in her belly.

Posey elbowed Chrysalis in the gut and lept to the floor. Clare snarled as his primitive and primal side took over. He stood up from cover and held the trigger back on the M1897. The thunder of the shotgun echoed throughout the hallways of the hospital. Due to M1897s not having a trigger disconnecter Clare was able to hold back the trigger and simply continued to pump. Each time he racked the pump the gun would fire again in a slam fire. Chunks of drywall were blown away from the hospital walls by Chrysalis’ body and she quickly ducked and rushed away.

Clare quickly reloaded the shotgun and looked to Cadence. By god if the foal was dead than he’d rip out Chrysalis’ throat himself. He looked up to Daffodil. “Daff, chase her down. I’ll get Cadence to an ER room” Clare said then picked up Cadence in his arms and rushed off.

Daffodil got up and began to chase after Chrysalis. As he rounded a corner Chrysalis shot three rounds towards Daffodil and he lept then rolled behind a counter. Chrysalis took cover behind the wall as Daffodil lept up and fired two consecutive rounds, each 9mm round blowing a hole in the drywall.

He ducked down again as Chrysalis swiveled from behind cover and fired two more .45 caliber rounds which chipped away at the counter he hid behind. Daffodil lept up and fired three rounds at Chrysalis who once again hid behind the wall. The trio of bullets put holes in the wall but failed to strike Chrysalis.

Chrysalis turned and ran down the hallways, Daffodil heard her hoof steps and immediately lept up and began to give chase.

Elsewhere in the hospital Clare banged on an ER door that was locked. “Open up, I’ve got wounded” Clare yelled but no-pony would answer. He looked to the wounded Cadence and gritted his teeth in anger. “Don’t you let the foal be dead… God if you’re listening to me… please… please don’t let the foal be dead” Clare cried. “OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR” Clare yelled as he banged on the door but still no-pony answered.

“FUCK YOU” Clare yelled then stepped back, with Cadence still in his arms, and kicked down the locked ER door. Ponies inside screamed as Clare entered. He did look scary, due to the fact that he held a bleeding pony in his arms and had blood all over him.

“Doc… help her” Clare said frantically. The doctor just looked at him with fear in his eyes. “Get over here right fucking now” Clare cried. The doctor was still hesitant to move. Clare held Cadence in one arm and unholstered his Smith and Wesson 500 magnum and pointed it at the doctors head. “I SAID RIGHT FUCKING NOW!” Clare yelled frantically. His breathing was so erratic and he was so afraid for the unborn foal’s well-being that tears poured from his face.

He set Cadence down on a medical bed. The doctor very slowly and cautiously stepped beside Clare and began to inspect Cadence’s condition. There was gunshots close by. The doctor cringed and ducked behind the medical bed.

Clare grabbed him and held him up by the collar of his doctor’s uniform. “I swear to god doc… please just save the foal… please” Clare sobbed and the doctor nodded. The gunshots grew ever closer than stopped. Clare feared the worst and couldn’t just let Chrysalis escape.

He pulled out one of the M1911s from his waist and gave it to the doc. “Don’t let her be harmed” Clare said than rushed out of the ER and into the hallways in search of Chrysalis.

“What’s wrong? Coward?” Chrysalis taunted. Daffodil crouched behind some cover, his pistol had run out of ammunition and he was pinned down by Chrysalis. Clare entered a hallway and he saw Daffodil hiding behind the counter and quickly slid up beside him. “Hey LT… yah did good. I’ll take it from here” Clare said and Daffodil nodded. Sweat was pouring down his face.

SGM. Clare:

“Lieutenant… I’m waiting” Chrysalis sneered. “Then you’ll be disappointed” I said in a deep crazed voice. “What… who” Chrysalis began as I stood up and began to slam fire the M1897. Buckshot blew away chunks of drywall, I quickly redirected my aim towards her as she tried to retreat further into the hospital.

A few pellets of buckshot caught her flank and blasted her. She screamed in agonizing pain as she was flung up against the wall but managed to get up and quickly limp away. I checked the shotgun, it was empty. I cursed to myself for not bringing more ammo and dropped the shotgun to the floor.

I unholstered the M1911 from my waist and quickly began to follow the trail of blood, which was green.

I edged up to a wall corner and peeked around the corner. I was breathing heavily and sweat rolled down my face. I wasn’t used to close quarters fighting but I did have experience.

I couldn’t see Chrysalis in the hallway. I spotted a monitor system and quickly rushed behind it. I was still breathing quite heavily as I hid behind the mobile monitor system. I peeked around the monitor and looked down the hallway. I could see the trail of blood go around a corner but I wasn’t sure if she was waiting by the corner of the wall.

I took a gamble and quickly began to sneak down the hallway. I tried to soften the sound of my footsteps but it was difficult due to my heavy boots. Every step sounded like a crack of thunder, I could have sworn she would hear me walking.

I quickly edged up to the wall, if she was on the other side she would most definitely hear my heavy breathing. I quickly spun off the wall, rolled sideways and into a marksman crouch. I pointed the M1911 down the hallway but I couldn’t see her. My hands were shaking and my finger trembled by the trigger of the pistol.

I’d been in combat situations far worse than this but close quarters always made my nerves run high. I quickly stalked after her trail as I tried to control my breathing a little better.

The trail led me to the morgue. I wondered if it was coincidence or some sort of message she was trying to send me. I opened the door very quietly and peeked inside the room. I couldn’t see her hideous body so I slowly crept into the room and hid behind a gurney stretcher.

I was still breathing heavily but I finally relaxed as I saw that her blood trail led out a door on the other side of the room. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled up and I ducked just as the ear piercing BANG of her pistol went off. A .45 caliber round slammed into the dead patient that was on the stretcher.

I quickly spun around and fired two consecutive rounds at her. She ducked behind her wall and the bullets chipped away at the wall. She peeked back out and fired another shot at me that ricocheted off the floor tiles.

I lept up and fired two more rounds at her, that struck the wall and the door behind her. She peeked out and fired another single round at me, I ducked just as she peeked out and the bullet missed me by mere inches.

I popped up and fired a trio of .45 caliber bullets at her just as she fled through the swinging doors. The bullets blew holes through the doors but missed her body completely. I wondered if the bullets are just traveling through all the holes already in her body.

I quickly lept up and chased after her. As I neared the doors I kicked them open and lept to the other side of the hallway, behind a crate of medical supplies. Several gunshots went off and blew away chunks of the floor tiles and chipped at the crate that I hid behind I hid behind.

I held the M1911 close to my face and got ready to fire at her when I realized the slide was cocked back. I checked the receiver only to realize that I was out of ammo. “Fuck” I scowled to myself as I tossed the pistol away. I cursed myself for not bringing more ammo.

I unholstered the behemoth S&W 500 magnum and held it close to me. My fingers trembled as I readied myself to fight her again. I peeked out the side of the crate with the massive magnum in front of me.

She had fled to another hallway and once again I was alone. I quickly began to scurry down the hallway then leaned up against the corner of the wall and gave a quick glance around the edge of the wall.

She had fled into yet another room that was an office. I quickly crept along and pressed my body up against the wall beside the door. It was as if I could feel her presence just on the other side of the wall, she was waiting for me to walk through the door so she could put a bullet in my head.

“Hey cheese-legs, I’m coming in after you” I said bluntly. “WHAT DID YOU SAY!” Chrysalis screamed from the other side of the wall. “Hey cheese-legs I’m” I began but she cut me off. “I heard what you said the first time!” she screeched. “Well if you heard what I said than why’d you ask?” I asked her.

“Fuck you, that’s why” she hissed. I chuckled from her insult. “Hey cheese legs, let me guess, the entire communist army is changelings” I guessed. “STOP CALLING ME THAT!” she screamed. “Alright Chrysie” I said, cutting down her real name into a short formed nickname.

She giggled. “So now you laugh” I chuckled. “Yes, that is what one of my former lovers called me” she said through a stifled giggle “You know perhaps we could be lovers together. We could even get married”. I gagged at the thought having sex with her which resulted in more giggles.

“So Chrysie… tell me, how many of the zebras are changelings?” I asked. “Well since you’ve been so polite I’ll be dead serious with you. None” she informed me. “None? Seriously? So if none of the zebras are changelings than why’d you join?” I asked and she let out a hysterical laugh. “They offered me money to kill you and Shining Armor” she informed me. It made sense, sort of.

“Why? Didn’t they want to keep all the money for themselves?” I asked. “Yes they needed the money. But after you escaped they needed to cover their tracks. You and Shining are the only ones who know where their secret base is” she informed me. That would explain why Ross was so antsy to get the information from me.

“How much are they paying you?” I asked. “50,000” she informed me. I wanted to kill her so badly for what she did to Cadence but I knew that she’d be a powerful ally. “I’ll double it if you help me kill The Apache” I offered. She laughed at my offer. “Hey that’s a lot of money you know” I told her and she snickered.

“When I found out I got to kill Shining Armor… I offered to do it for free” she informed me. I cursed to myself. “Hey didn’t you used to like him?” I asked.

“No, he was simply some-pony to feed off of. But now that he’s seen through me, I have no use for him. And the fact that he was part of my undoing has fueled my hate for him” she told me. “You know… if the foal is dead… I’m gonna rip out your fucking throat and hang you with it” I snarled but she simply laughed at my threat.

“Well than you better come in here and rip out my throat because I specifically aimed for her womb” she laughed. My inner rage went out of control as I snarled. I spun off the wall, pointing the S&W 500 magnum at the drywall that separated our two bodies and let out a terrifying roar.

I triggered the massive revolver three times. Each time the revolver was triggered it let out a thunderous roar and blew a large hole in the wall. The revolver’s recoil was massive but I had become accustomed to it.

I heard Chrysalis let out an agonizing scream and heard her whimper off. I went to open the door to the office but as I went to enter several .45 rounds slammed into the door. The gunshots forced me to take cover once again.

I only had two shots left and I had to make them count. Daffodil scurried up beside me. “Hey Sarge… come on man let’s get serious” he said as he pulled out an M67 frag grenade. He leaned over my body, opened the door slightly and tossed the fragmentation grenade into the office. We both scurried to the other side of the hallway and covered our ears as the grenade erupted. The explosion blew out chunks of the drywall and devastated the inside of the office.

I tapped Daffodil on the shoulder. “Thanks” I whispered then quickly entered the room. The office was devastated and I doubted that Chrysalis would be alive. She staggered up from behind an overturned desk and lifted her M1911 at me. Blood trailed down her face and body from shrapnel wounds. I spoke to soon.

I quickly snapped up my behemoth revolver and let off two shots, one after the other. The first round blew a hole through her chest and slammed her against the wall. The second round blew off part of her ugly face. I had a blunt face that was hiding my rage but then I smirked as I remembered her saying we could get married. “Consider that a divorce”.