Firehearted

"Well that's new" I thought aloud as the intercom went off. Didn't that Riley guy with Lighting Bliss look like that? What did he do? It's no concern of mine. I just want to leave this Celestia forsaken fair. With another sigh I kept on my trot to the train station.

@@Hypn0ticD, "Goodnight to you too" Atlas shouted as she slammed the door. Well then... He needed to sleep. It had been an interesting night to say the least. With a yawn Atlas walked into the guest room. Did these humans sleep with clothes on? Maybe? Even if they didn't how do they get them off? Atlas stood in the room like an idiot trying to think of what to do. They probably do. She has been wearing clothes the whole time. I guess I'll be hot tonight then... He stepped into the bed and struggled to get under the covers with a body he wasn't used to. After much difficulty trying to find a comfortable stance to sleep in Atlas attempted to get some sleep.

@@Hypn0ticD, “What a sudden change of heart…” Atlas muttered. If humans aren’t trusting than why is she letting me into her home and giving a place to stay? Best not to ask. I’d rather not get kicked out again. These human children are so weird looking... That must be her father. He noted looking at several pictures of what he assumed to be Colette. Atlas looked around as they passed rooms. Why was a huge er… Phone? Yes, phone in that room? Not to mention some funky looking boxes. Ah, well. “Thanks for letting me stay. A Pony and Changeling? A Changeling? Tell your friend to watch themselves then. Changelings are bad news especially when they start sucking the love right out of ya. Not fun at all” Atlas dropped into the guest room. Nice place… Not a royal suit but he’d had worse accommodations. A good bed, reasonable space, windows. Not bad at all. “Oh” Atlas popped his head into Colette’s room. “Can you work a get-together up with this friend, Pony, and Changeling? If I’m not the only pony stuck in this boat I’d want to see what they were dealing with too? If you can’t it’s fine ‘n’ all” Now to fly back to his room and ouch. “Celestia damn it!” He shouted face first onto the floor. Okay… Remember, you don’t have wings anymore. “Has anyone told you your body sucks? Cause it sucks. And when was falling so painful?” Atlas complained some more while he got back up rubbing his jaw.

"Hey, boy!" He saw the wolf who seemed to still be a bit intoxicated by the drugs the doc had him on. "Hunter? He seems a bit... Angry to say the least right now" Atlas watched as Seth walked off. "Just get back here soon! I'd prefer to get out before he have to go on that operation!" He shouted. He probably heard Atlas... "You wanted to talk to me?" Atlas asked keeping a few steps away from Hunter. "Nah... We just need to get going" Atlas scanned Hunter up and down. "Something's up with you... You have that look" "Nothing's wrong. Come on" Atlas put his hoof up. "Something is wrong" "Nothing. Is. wrong!" Hunter barked at him. "Nothing... I'm fine" Atlas frowned but nodded. If he wanted to keep it to himself he'd let him. The Colonel checked his watch. Where was he? "Has anyone seen Captain Lightfeather?" No one in the squad spoke. The Colonel rubbed his chin. Strange... Maybe had was lost. He wasn't in the camp records so he had to have just been assigned. "I'll send some ponies to find him. Till then prep. Get on your uniforms and such" The Colonel trotted off in hunt of the supposed SS captain.

"Alpha team will move east and swap road signs and stuff of the like. Just cause disorder in general" The major went on and on. Most was just assignments and maps of the area all of which Atlas knew. "Now for officer assignments!' Atlas perked his ears. "Colonel Golden Blood wants a captain with a dog" The major looked at the note he had in question. "That would be me, sir" Atlas raised his hoof. "Ah, yes, Captain..." "Lightfeather" Ow... Should have used a fake name. "Captain Lightfeather. You get Thunder Team. The enlisted know who they are. Your team, gear, and other muck will be outside Moter Pool Three" "Yes, sir" "You should get going. We head out soon" "Of course, sir!" Atlas dismissed himself before the long tangent of assignments went any farther. Now he just had to find Hunter and Seth and hopefully get out before he was given control of Axis squad. Hunter was ready to smack the wolf upside the head. He wasn't in the mood. It's just the wolf talking... That's all... He noticed he was still a wolf. How long had he been like that? It seemed okay though. No one had come looking for two wolves one in uniform. With a sigh we became a pony again once again having a uniform too big for him. He just looked at the spot Seth was patting. He wanted to go over there but he didn't. This wasn't a time to make pals. "Your speech was nice and all but that isn't everything... You don't know what it feels like to be a Lycan. It's not just happening to be a pony that's a wolf ever so often. My... Killing a pony was one step. I'd never done that before. Sure I'd hunted elk and shit but never a pony. I had the thoughts a wolf on the hunt. I reserve those thoughts for only hunting animals... It's not okay... It's one damn step. One step. I've seen feral Lycan. I don't want to be that. They don't know right from wrong, pony from animal. I... I feel if I keep this up I'll go feral. Who knows what I'll do? Kill somepony? Kill Atlas?" He sighed. "I fight myself everyday. Every night I want to run into those woods and hunt. I know every time I give I go a bit farther to going feral... I can't. Just... I don't want to talk about, it okay? Not killing ponies, not my werewolfism thing... We need to find Atlas" "Seth, boy! Come here! I got a nice bone for you!" Atlas hollered around the camp.

Arachnophobia. Sure I'll hold stuff like snakes and whatever but spiders. I was enjoying myself when one crawled on my leg. I screamed, ran out of the room, and came back with a can of bug killer (Raid? Something strong) and doused the room. Those things are just evil! Their webs get everywhere, they crawl on everything, they can jump, and they can bite you! It's just yuck! Time to question my masculinity now.

They are arguably the most evil things on the planet. They look at you with there many eyes with there icky legs and there webs get EVERYWHERE. I once screamed and ran out of a room when a spider crawled onto my leg. Why? Because if I didn't it would have infected me with its evil ick or whatever. Forget global warming and terrorism! We need to kill the eight-legged menace!

Do I look ten? Next thing I know you'll be asking if I watch a little kid's show... Wait a minute... As much as I the not-ten-year-old in me hates to say it I'm actually bothering. As to maintain the lowest profile I can at the party I will be going as my OC, Atlas but without ears. No one will suspect a thing! *Evil Cackling* Since I will have to build it I need feathers. Hawaii's local chicken population needs to be knocked down a few pegs anyway. If I don't kill any chickens the Werewolf option is always open!

After you've lived in a fourth fifth of them and have friends in half of them you learn them pretty fast.

"Fine" Hunter spat. Slowly he became a only again still looking angry. "Hunter-" Atlas began. "I don't want to fucking here it, Atlas" Atlas frowned worried. He was irritable and now wasn't the time. "Take Seth to some secluded place and wait for me. You'll know when I'm looking for you" "Sure" Hunter was pissed. Not really at anything just mad. He went and grabbed Seth throwing him on his back hard. "I've got to go see what's up at that briefing" Atlas ran out the door looking for Tent 3. Grumbling Hunter took Seth out of the medical tent. He got a few looks leaving but nothing to be worried about. The "secluded" location he choose was the back of the base motor pool. It was almost exactly like one the Allies would have expect Lunar trucks and tanks. Hunter pushed Seth off of his back. "Don't talk to me" He told the wolf angrily. Atlas, after some asking around, found Tent 3 as the briefing began. There was a nice place in the back for him to stand but still able to hear. The tent was full of officers with not a single enlisted in sight. In the center was projector flickering on while a major fumbled to get it working. After a few more seconds and curses the words "Operation Griffon" flashed onto the bed sheet functioning as a screen. "Ah... Finally got that working. Now then, sorry to get this all rushed but we needed to get this out as soon as possible" He flicked a switch on the projector. FOR EYES ONLY "This is top secret. This will not be talked about out of this tent. Understand?" A few murmurs of confirmation and nods were given. "Good" *Flick* "This is our time table" A number of times and dates were displayed on the screen many scratched out with new ones on the side. "We move out tonight at 2000 hours. From there we move into enemy territory at 2400. The rest is up to you and your orders" *Flick* A map of the area as well as the Solar line. It gave in clear detail Solar troop movement and positions. How had they gotten this much intel? "This is the enemy line... It is heavily defended here, here, and here" He pointed at a number of spots int he line marked a dark red. "They will be our main targets. We will enter through this woodland area" He pointed at the woods. "We have reports of enemy patrols in the region and have lost a patrol to them in this area" A officer raised his hoof. "Yes, captain?" "How do you plan to take on half the Solar army? We only have about one hundred ponies" "Ah, ha! That's why we choose the best of the best! Now you're probably thinking 'But even if we are the best we aren't big enough' Well that's where the special part begins!" The major despite his age was bouncing like a little colt. "We are partaking in a False Flag operation!" A few shocked mumbling came from the crowd. "Everyone will be wearing enemy uniforms and equipped with enemy weapons. We are also taking along some captured armor" "Um, sir" A junior officer walked forward. "The enemy armor... We only have half of what we were promised. The rest is just painted over panzers" "Oh, we will make due" How had they gotten this much intelligence? The uniforms? This was big. If these unit got behind the lines it could throw the whole front into array. The officer from before rasied his hoof. "How did we get these uniforms and guns?" "A friend" The major told him ominously. This wasn't good.

"Oh, Celestia damn it, Seth" Atlas muttered. The doctor and nurse looked at him then Seth again. "He didn't say anything" Atlas said trying to put on a convincing face. "I don't know what you're going on about" They looked at him in disbelief. No fooling them after that stunt. "Say anything about this and I'll end your lives slow and painfully" The low dangerous voice of Hunter came from behind Atlas. Everyone turned too look and saw instead of Hunter stood a large wolf. The once once size too big uniform was one size too small. "Not a fucking word" That wasn't Hunter... Atlas knew it. Sure, it was the same body, voice, and face but that wasn't the Hunter he knew. That Hunter was cruel, mean, and ready to kill. Something wasn't right with him... Ever since the patrol he'd been acting like reserved and only talking when needed. Now, however, he was mean. He looked like he'd be glad to lop their heads off.

Atlas frowned. Did it really matter if the CO knew? "Fine. We free to go?" He asked not expecting an answer by the doctors last statement of the tests looking good. Where was the Colonel? Shouldn't he be here. "Come on, boy. We've got to get to that briefing" Atlas patted Seth on the stomach as the nurse began to take off the straps. She looked at them with concern. "Did you mess with these? I could have swore I locked them" "No, ma'am" "Oh... I must have forgotten" She took the last one off giving Seth room to move. "Come on, Seth. We've got to go" Atlas stomped on the ground playfully.

She couldn't hurt a fly. I think I'll be just fine.

"Got it" Atlas threw the straps back on. "I hope you can drive one of those. As soon was we're done here we need to talk" Just as Atlas finished the nurse returned with a canteen. "Here you go, sir" "Thank you" Atlas took the it and drank some. He hadn't had anything to drink for a while now. The drink was refreshing. He was going to offer some to Seth but he was supposed to be sedated and not sentient. A non-com popped his head into the tent. "Are the Captain from the plane?" He asked. "Yes..." "Orders from High Command. Briefing has been pushed to 0400 hours" He left without another word. That was strange... He check his watch, the only thing he still had from his old uniform. It was 0345 hours now. They must really want that out soon. He'd have to head out soon. "Nurse, will the doc be finished soon?" "I don't know. It all depends on how fast he goes. Could be done now or a couple hours" Atlas nodded. So he waited.

"Did he just say something?" The nurse looked at Seth in bewilderment. "No, ma'am. You must have been hearing things" She gave a concerned look at Seth then shrugged. "Hey, ma'am?" "Yes?" "Would you mind running to the mess to grab some water and maybe something to eat. I'd go myself but I won't leave Seth alone like this" "I would too but I can't just-" "Please, ma'am. It'll take just a second" Atlas asked almost pleading. She sighed. "Fine" She trotted out of the medical tent. Atlas leaned out to see how far she went. Annnd... Gone. Atlas darted to Seth's side and unstrapped the bands keeping him down. "You alright? Sorry, about that. You're not leaving my side till we're out of here" He patted his side trying to wake him up a bit.

"I see. It's fine. The Everfree can be a rough place" I'd know. He'd only known Seth for about a day. Atlas hadn't owned a dog before either... What to say? He rubbed hie neck thinking. "Well of course I worry about him. I just couldn't bare to see poor guy alone back at home. But he's a good dog. He's saved my life once. It was an a patrol. If he hadn't taken out the soldiers he did me and Hunter over there wouldn't have been able to hold them off" He sighed. "He's like any one of my squad mates. If he were to die because of an order I gave I don't know what'd I do" Hunter remained at the door silent as a guard on duty. His expression was dull and eyes lifeless. A monster...

@@Hypn0ticD, Atlas looked at her taking the jacket and shirt from her hands. What was she so big about? He put the ball high in the air spinning it. He let go just long enough the throw his shirt on not to let it dissipate. Ah, nice and warm. He grabbed the ball again letting it spin in his grasp. "What are you looking at?" Following her gaze he saw it ending at his hand and the ball of fog. "This? You act like you've never seen a Pegasus play with a ball of cloud" Then again she probably hasn't. Atlas snapped his fingers with his free hand. "You want your proof? This right here! Don't tell me you can do that cause I doubt it!" He smiled displaying the spinning ball conforming to his hand with every finger stroke.

I opened my mouth. It had been the five minutes but it was good enough for me. "W-What are you?" I looked the kid in terror. "A colt. Nothing more" "What is going on?" I sat down on my rump, on good ground thankfully. This couldn't be real. "You're dead, friend. You'll get used to it" An insane smile crept onto my face. I wanted to giggle but I knew if I start I'd never stop. The colt looked over me then the others. After a moment of thought he sighed. "Tell you four what. Head east a ways and you'll run into Charcoal. Or at least I think it's called that. That place changed names every decade or so. I had gotton most of it. At the time I was going over facts to keep my sanity. I am Atlas Rainbows Lightfeather. I am from Cloudsdale. My mother is Quill Lightfeather. My father is Key Lightfeather. I am a Pegasus. I am a male. I can move clouds and make them. My coat is white. My mane is blue and purple. I wear a fez constantly. I tapped my head checking for the hat. Still there. "Y-Yeah. West" "No, east, you birdbrain. Don't tell me you're already forgetting things!" I wasn't going to ask what it he meant. I got off my rump the smile gone replaced with a face of shock. I touched my neck again. I felt around for a moment. I found a gash. After some pushing I was able to feel just how deep. Fatal. "So..." The colt looked at us a bit of concern. He shook his head. "I can take you four there... If ya want"

Atlas knocked. "It's me! I scared him off!" No answer. "Ya'll okay? You can trust me" Nothing. Atlas turned and kicked the door down. Empty. Atlas's mind raced to calculate what could have happened. They ran... When we were distracting Seth they must have fled. Seems so... We have to hurry. Who knows where they ran off to. Right. Atlas flew up and began to scan the trees as he flew just over them. He'd never find them like this. The trees were too thick for that. He'd have to hope they would be smart enough to last on there own for a bit.

Atlas was fuming. That doctor... Hunter could sense the anger in Atlas. "If you will excuse me I need to ask the doctor something" Atlas began to follow the doctor. "Atlas" Atlas turned around to the only work Hunter had said since arriving. He just shook his head. Atlas nodded. Now wasn't the time. With a grunt and frown Atlas went back to Seth's side. In the mean time he check his uniform fully. Atlas took of his hat. Standard for Axis officers captain and above. His had a silver skull and crossbones on the front. Cheery. The rest of his uniform looked like any other Axis soldier's except a few more patches. The large SS on side, a couple unit designations, and other things that could identify him as an SS officer. Operation Griffon... What was that all about? Whatever it was they were now part of it. It involved experienced soldiers, Solar gear, and possible intel on area in Solar hands... It didn't add up... A counter-attack? Maybe. By why Solar gear? It's not like they could use it. Something didn't add up. Something was missing in this equation.

"And is there a problem with that?" "Well, yes" The doctor cocked his head a bit. "It's a wolf. Not a domesticated dog" "Whoop de do! He ain't aggressive" "He may not be but he is still a wolf" "I don't care..." Atlas scanned his outfit. "Lieutenant. He's my dog and he's fine by my book" "But, sir-" "Tell me when your done with those tests" The doctor, defeated, frowned and went back to finish his tests. "You just stay put, boy. He'll be done in a jiffy" Atlas rubbed Seth's belly as he spoke keeping up the act.

After a small run around the camp Hunter lead Atlas to the medical bay. "Hello?" Atlas called in peeking his head in. "Yes?" Asked the nurse. "Can I help you?" "Yes, ma'am. I'm looking for my dog. Pretty big, black fur, fierce lookin'. Seen him?" "This dog?" She moved a bit revealing Seth eating a pie. "Yes, ma'am... What are you doing to him?" Atlas asked stepping in. "We had to run a few tests. Nothing major" "Well thank you ma'am but I'm sure he's fine. I had test run already" "Unless you show records he has to get them again. Doctor's orders, sorry" She was sweet about it. Clearly not military either. Probably a small-time nurse from the local populace. "Of course, ma'am" Atlas walked to Seth still lying on the table. Hunter just waited at the door in deep thought. "Hey, boy. We just got an assignment from the general. We're going on some big operation" His voice was happy and cheerful but his eyes said "Holy shit we're screwed! If we don't get outa here we're all dead!" more or less. "As soon as you're done here we can go play a nice game of fetch and talk" He said with a smile.

@@Hypn0ticD, Atlas stood at the porch in a bit of shock. He hadn't expected her to blow a fuse like that. He had accused her of kidnapping though... Ah, well. He'd find a fellow Equestrian sooner or later. With that he walked off the porch still not perfect on this new legs but enough not to fall flat on his face every other step. "This is all so weird" He thought aloud. He walked a couple doors down and stopped to look around. His eye instantly caught sight of a strange carriage. With a couple steps he was in front of it. Or at least what looked like the front. Where did the ponies hook up? Looked pretty heavy too. Probably for an Earth Pony. He walked around it once getting its full look. It had some storage space in the back like a wagon. Pretty tall too. Large rubber tires. He gave them an experimental kick testing how solid it was. That looked like the door. His first attempt was a failure. He had more-or-less punched the handle. The second try was just as bad. Couldn't he move these? He bent his fingers a bit. Huh. Neat! He tried again at the handle. Okay. His fingers were on it. Now all he had to do was pull... Okay... It was locked. Predictable. Moving on he spied a tall pole. It was a cold grey color. It remembered him of the candle laps of Canterlot except taller and with more light. Weird... Out of a small habit he had gotten recently he began to fiddle with his hooves, er... hands rather, making a small tuft of cloud. With his new fingers he began to spin it. He looked at the micro cloud he had made. Even it looked different. Instead of swirls of white it was grey and boring. Atlas frowned at it. What was with this place? He walked down the sidewalk still making the cloud bigger with the moisture int he air around him. Maybe she wasn't crazy... This place was very different. What? A carriage went by. There was no pony driving it in front! First crazy mares and now runaway carriages. Atlas spun on his heel chasing after it. It had taken him a couple seconds to get up to the speed with it. "What the hell?!" The driver shouted from the window. He checked his speedometer. "Need help in there?" Atlas asked into the open window. "Nah, but how the hell are you going so fast?" "What do you mean?" "I'm going thirty miles an hour!" I've gone faster. What's his deal? "Can you steer that thing?" "Well yeah! More importantly you're going thirty miles an hour on foot and don't seem to notice" He can steer that? What? "If you say so" Atlas stopped letting the car keep going. The driver turned down another street trying to convince himself he'd just imagined that. With a huh Atlas walked back down the sidewalk. Somehow he'd kept his little cloud ball. It was about the size of a softball now. He shivered. Not having fur wasn't fine. Didn't he have a jacket? Oh yeah. It was with the crazy lady... With a sigh he began to walk back toward the house. Maybe she wasn't that crazy. This place was different... Very different. He was a different species... But he could still make clouds! It couldn't be that different. He arrived back at Colette's house. *KNOCK KNOCK* "Hey! I kinda left my jacket!" Atlas shouted into the house still idly playing with the cloud ball now the size of an ostrich egg.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Atlas hopped out of the truck along with the ever silent Hunter. Once the Colonel had left the tent he entered. "General, sir!" The general looked over the two. "At ease" The two relaxed. "Are you two SS who recovered the uniforms?" "Yes, sir" "I must thank both of you. Those uniforms are extremely important to the upcoming fight" He looked them up and down again. He rubbed his chin in thought. "You two desire a reward... We also need some more good ponies on this job too and the SS officer is good for it... Where are you from, soldier?" "Cloudsdale, sir" "Excellent. That city is behind enemy lines right now. Are you familiar with the area on the ground?" "Y-Yes, sir" What was he getting into? "I want to put you two in the three battalions on Operation Griffon" "What?" Atlas broke into a cold sweet. He had to get out before this started. Hunter just looked on coolly. "I want you on the mission. You show you at least know what's important and you already know about the uniforms... I'm putting you and your grunt on the team. Briefings it in tent three tonight at 2100 hours. Dismissed, captain" "Yes, sir" Atlas gave another salute and left the tent. That wasn't good. Not good at all. He need to find Seth and get out of here. "Hunter" The werepony looked at Atlas eyebrow raised. "Sniff out Seth. We need to get to him" He nodded, sniffed the air, and began to walk.

@@Hypn0ticD, "Calm down!" What was with this mare? "I've not kidding, alright! Just cool your jets!" Why was his story so hard to believe? The nagain he was in a new land where nothing he knew was. "Since I can't fly or cast magic what do you want me to do? I can prune some feather right now and that's about it" He rubbed his neck. "Please calm down, ma'am. I've only told you the truth so far. I don't know what else to tell you" He gave a concerned frown toward her. How would he prove anything? "Actually, I know. You prove my something. How can I tell if you're telling the truth. For all I know you've kidnapped me. How can I know you don't know what I'm talking about" Not his best response to something he couldn't answer but it was a start to give him time to think.