>When you woke up the next morning, Batmare was already slipping armor plates into her cloak, preparing for the mission.
>You sat up, rubbing your eyes as you looked over at the mare across the room from you.
>”Morning.”
“Morning.”
>”Listen, about last night…”
“What about it? What’s done is done.”
>”I was pretty drunk…”
“You drank an entire bottle of whiskey in the time it took me to ask the bartender like four questions. I knew you were drunk.”
>”So yeah, I got sort of mushy. Sorry.”
“Hey, we’re all entitled to our mushy moments.”
>”I figured you for the fake macho stallion type. You aren’t gay are you?”
“No, why? You got a crush on me?”
>”Oh shut up.”
“Alright alright. Let’s get in the air.”
>You quickly threw on your flight suit and strapped you pistol to your vest, and looked at the cloaked Batmare, who was staring back at you.
>”Anon?”
“Yes?”
>”We still friends?”
“Of course.”
>”Thanks.”
“Are we going to stand here like a couple old ladies and talk or are we going to do our jobs?”
>Batmare gave the slightest hint of a smile and trotted out after you and to the chopper.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBh942pS_yk
>You lost track of how many days you had flown so far, across the vast desert, following the railroad tracks ahead of you.
>It felt like weeks, with the repetition and unchanging landscape.
>Food was rationed for the journey, as was water, but you were still running low on both.
>There wasn’t exactly a cargo area, after all.
>What didn’t fit in the floor at Batmare’s feet, was strapped to the helo.
“Hey, you know I can take him by myself? We’re out of Equestria by now.”
>”We left Equestria like 10 minutes after we took off.”
“Are you even supposed to be out of the country?”
>”Do you see a uniform on me?”
“Well… no.”
>”Exactly. Besides, there’s no way I’m letting you have all the fun.”
“Alright. Thanks.”
>You couldn’t help but smile as you rounded a cliff face, following the tracks into an enormous valley of hot sand and death.
>Carcasses and bones of long deceased travelers and traders decorate the landscape around you.
>”Broken Keylands. The odds of getting through here on hoof are pretty slim.”
“Well, good thing we’re flying.”
>”Yeah. Nothing but death down there.”
“Ye verily, though I fly through the valley of shadow of death, I shall fear no evil. For I am flying a house sized mass of fuck you. Well, p0ny house anyways.”
>”Pfffft. What?”
“It’s a saying on earth. Usually with tanker crews.”
>”Tanker crews?”
“Never mind.”
>”Hey! I think I see the train!”
“Finally! Lets do this!”
>You quickly caught up with the train, flying along the left side, flying as close as you dared as Batmare peered through the window.
>”I see youuuuu.~”
“Where is he?”
>”Third from the rear car, third from the front window.”
>briefly, you looked over to said window, finding a white unicorn in a red cloak, wide eyes staring back at you in fear.
>”Let’s waste him.”
“Cant.”
>”What do you mean you can’t?”
“I mean he’s surrounded by civilians. The smallest weapon system on this thing would kill the p0nies next to him.”
>”Fine, I’ll go get him!”
“Batmare, I don’t think that’s a good idea…”
>”Relax, two captains of the royal guard duking it out on a train. What could go wrong?”
>Before you could respond, Batmare pushed her way out of the cockpit and dove down to the trains caboose, knocking down the door, and going inside.
>Shining Armor disappeared from the window, and you quickly dropped back so that you flew behind the train.
>Minutes passed and you quickly began to fear the worst.
>Close quarters with a defensive powerhouse, how exactly was she-
>Your fears were realized as the back portion of the second to last car’s rear end exploded, sending the caboose off the rails and crashing into the sand.
>A lone black figure rolled in the sand for a bit, before coming to a rest.
>In the back of the damaged car stood a red cloaked figure, hood down.
>If the explosion wasn’t enough, you could see it was Shining Armor clear as day now.
>And if you were careful, this could work.
>Switching the 30mm to AP, you lined up directly behind the train and fired off a burst.
>The 30mm walked along the tracks, each round coming closer and closer until you were raining metal down on him.
>Why were your rounds hitting so far to the left now?
>You let up on the trigger, finding a purple screen tilted at an angle between you and Shining Asshole.
“Clever fucker.”
>You shifted your position, fired off another burst, hoping to catch his  shield head on to deliver the full force of your weapon.
>Not only did he match your movement, but he created another pair of shields, causing the rounds to whiz past your bird.
>It was clear you weren’t taking him down now, not without blowing up the entire train.
>Breaking contact, you whirled around and raced back to the crashed caboose, landing next to the unmoving body of Batmare.
>You didn’t wait for the rotors to slow before jumping down into the sand, and rushing to Batmare’s side.
“Bats?! Come on talk to me!”
>You cradled her in your arms, tilting her head so she could cough up the blood that had pooled in her mouth.
>”Did you get him?”
“No… I would have had to blow up the entire train to get him… he’s a crafty fucker…”
>”Damn it... I tried to get him out… I’m sorry…”
“Hey! It’s not your fault. All I could ever ask was your best.”
>”Promise you’ll get him for me?”
“Hey, don’t talk like that.”
>Your eyes fell down to Batmare’s chest, where her armored cloak had been burned away, leaving a 2 inch hole in her chest.
>The hole was pretty deep, but was completely charred, so the bleeding wasn’t as bad as it could be.
>Still… she didn’t have long.
>”Come on Chief. I know I’m not making it. We’re still days from the next town.”
“Bats…”
>”Serenitatis.”
“What?”
>”My name… it’s Serenitatis.”
“Cute… just like you.”
>Batmare blushed the slightest bit, before turning her head and coughing up a bit of blood once more.
>”Good luck Anon.”
“It’s been an honor flying with you.”
> Serenitatis closed her eyes and let out her last bit of breath, her body suddenly lifeless in your arms.
>You eased her down into the hot sand and grabbed the spare helmet from the chopper.
>She deserved better than this, but it was all you had.
>A few hours later, you had dug a shallow grave with the helmet, and you had fashioned a makeshift cross out of a few planks from the caboose.
>With your knife, you carved “Serenitatis AKA Batmare” into the wood with your knife.
>It was sloppy, but you didn’t have much else.
“See you in p0ny heaven. If there is one.”
>You spent the night in the caboose, where you found a few bags of food to replenish your supplies.
>The train would be a few days ahead of you when you woke up, but he had one way to go.
 >Eventually, you’d catch up to him.
>He’d get what was coming.
 
>It had been about a week since you had laid Batmare to rest beside those railroad tracks.
>And finally, your hard work had paid off.
>Below you, the landscape was covered in brilliant white snow, dappled by the occasional bunch of pine trees.
>Ahead of you, snow-capped mountains stood.
>And on the side of the nearest mountainside, you could make out one lone figure in a red cloak.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80XAJKqRU9k&feature=endscreen
“Shining Armor, today you die.”
>A lone hellfire missile streaked through the air, colliding with a magenta barrier that formed around Shining Armor.
>The explosion shook the mountain around him, and an avalanche quickly came down on him, burying him.
“That was easy enough.”
>As the snow came to a rest, it became clear you spoke too soon.
>The tiniest bit of a purple barrier shined through the enormous pile of snow.
>A few moments later, Shining Armor levitated, still inside his bubble shield until his hooves were back on the ground.
>The shield dissipated, the distance between you two easily halved from the avalanche carrying him.
>You didn’t waste any time, switching to the 30mm and raining high explosives down on him once more.
>Just like he did on the train, he angled a light shield, deflecting the projectiles to the side, even as you staffed left and right.
>Quickly switching from the 30mm, you let loose a barrage of rockets, pounding the area around him.
>With the pods temporarily empty, you watched as the smoke cleared, finding Shining Armor still standing, his red cloak torn to shreds.
>He cast it aside, revealing his white coat that had fresh blood running down the side of his leg.
>You strafed side to side, dodging a flurry of attacks.
>Magenta bolts of magic streaked past you, a few washing over the reinforced belly of the helo.
>As you strafed, you held down the trigger, hoping that one lucky shot that would obliterate his sides.
>Breaking contact, you put some ground between you and him, rethinking your plan of attack.
>His shields were impenetrable.
>You had infinite ammo.
>Truly, this was a case of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object.
>Maybe…
“Time to mix it up.”
>You fired another hellfire and watched as it streaked through the air.
>As expected, Shining Armor threw up another light screen as the missile paused overhead and began its dive.
“Eat shit you mother-.”
>You activated the 30mm and quickly targeted Shining Armor, and let loose a torrent of HE.
>Shining Armor’s eyes only widened as the first of many projectiles slammed into his body.
>The barrage lasted a good 10 seconds, and when the smoke cleared, all that remained was a pink mist.
>It was over.
>You tracked him all the way to the edge of the known world.
>And now he was gone.
>Good riddance.
 
>A week later you stopped in Applepaloosa, where you walked into the same bar you had stopped at the first time.
“Bourbon, leave the bottle.”
>”Where’s your mare friend?”
“Why don’t you shut your mouth and bring me some damn bourbon.”
>“Alright alright. No need to get hostile.”
>You quickly poured your first shot and slammed it back.
“That one was for you girl.”
>”Mourning the dead?”
>You looked behind you at a new creature standing behind you.
>Larger than a pony, lion body, and an eagle head.
>This world just loved weird looking creatures didn’t it?
“Let me guess. Griffon?”
>”Yeah, you want a cookie?”
“If you have one, sure.”
>”I don’t.”
“Then leave me to my drink.”
>”I do have a job.”
“I’m not a mercenary.”
>”So you’re with the royal guard?”
“I’m-“
>”Oh shove it. I know who you are, what went down out there, I know why, more or less, and I know how. Griffons have eyes everywhere.”
“Just tell me what you want.”
>”There’s a war raging up north, between the minotaur republic and the griffon empire. We… aren’t doing too well…”
“No deal.”
>You threw back another shot and stood, walking out of the bar, bottle in hand.
>”I didn’t even tell you the offer!”
“I don’t care. This thing between me and Shining Armor was personal.”
>You felt a few sharp talons grip your shoulder and you reflexively spun around, bringing a right hook across the griffons face.
>She fell to the ground, rubbing her cheek where you had struck her.
>”Not bad. My turn.”
>She tackled you before you could even react, and the two of you tumbled around on the ground for a few seconds before finally coming to a rest.
>She had you pinned, talons at your throat, beak inches from your face.
>”Now are you going to listen?”
“I’ve listened, and I’ve told you, I’m not interested.”
>”Please… I’ve lost a brother to them.”
“People die in war.”
>”Little ones shouldn’t!”
>Silence fell between the two of you, and after a few moments she got off of you.
>You could only sit up and watch as she turned away, too proud to show her tears.
“How old was he?”
>”Too young…”
“I’m sorry.”
>”40,000 gold if you come help us. Plus whatever I can give.”
“I’ll do it… but I need your help.”
>”Whatever you need.”
“First, I’ll need a name.”
>”Gilda.”
“Well Gilda, I need a co-pilot.”
>”I’m in.”
“I’ve been in this crazy world hardly even a month and I’ve already lost two co-pilots. Are you sure you want to-“
>”I’m sure.”
“Alright then. Meet me at the inn at sunrise. Bring all your things.”