Raging Inferno (Patreon)

The moment she heard Captain Firewing's command, Inferno dove through the swinging kitchen door in my Equestria dreamscape. From memory Link she knew the dining room was to her left. Behind her would be the stairs to the basement. She knew that it was impossible to watch or cover every direction so she had to count on speed, confusion, and the ferocity of her attacks to keep her opponents off balance. Her first assailant was at the base of the stairs covering the front door. An all red mannequin of an earth pony. It's built-in magical effects caused its head to turn its featureless face toward her and slowly swung a prop shotgun as she bolted from the kitchen.

Inferno's horn flared and ball of fire shot from it and struck the target. As it hit mannequin the was instantly engulfed in raging storm of flames. The target was just beginning to topple to the ground as the mare initiated her first teleportation hop. She materialized at the base of the stairs. Sliding to a stop she looked up and spied her second target at the top of the stairs. The all red silhouette of a unicorn stallion swung its head toward her its horn began crackle.

A regular stun bolt shot from Inferno's horn. It was meant to prevent them from raising a force bubble. The second blast sent another fireball into her target creating another pony-shaped bonfire. Glancing down at her first target her horn's field changed color and the flames subsided on it. Then she teleported to the top of the stairs. Materializing on the landing of the stairs she spun to her right and fired another fireball at the other earth pony mannequin which illuminated the hallway quite nicely. At the end was the room where the hostage was. Like her first target Inferno extinguished her second target and then tore down the hall. Galloping through flames. She left that fire burning for the moment because it helped block the hall from other possible assailants.

The unicorn slid to a stop in front of the locked door. Closing her eyes Inferno concentrated as her horn scanned the door. It was locked and she sensed the one ward. The anti-teleportation field. Her horn flashed and the pockets on her vest flew open and the 5 blasting charges launched themselves toward the door. 2 adhered to the handle of the door and the bolt. The other 3 stuck where she figured the door hinges were. Backing up 3 paces she yanked the safety wires from the charges and then threw up around herself the strongest force bubble she could muster. Then she used her horn to trigger the charges.

"BBBBBOOOOMMMM!!!" The charges rippled off filling the hallway with dust and smoke and splinters of wood and plaster skipped off the mare's force bubble. The door was just starting to fall into room when Inferno charged forward.

The special goggles she wore allowed her to see through the smoke and dust. Entering the room  Inferno immediately identified 2 unicorn mannequins surrounding...Princess Celestia. The beloved ruler of Equestria was sitting on the floor. Her legs were hobbled together with heavy chains. Her wings were bound tightly together, and upon her horn was numerous inhibitor ring. a Unicorn stallion mannequin was standing behind the alicorn and had its horn pointed at the princess's head. It's tip was beginning to crackle with energy. Unicorn mare mannequin horn was steadily glowing. Obviously she was maintaining the anti-teleportation ward.

In her training Inferno had experienced numerous scenarios where she'd encountered very sophisticated illusions and special effects to create more realistic drills and to make recruits uneasy. Ignoring the very realistic image of the alicorn that had nurtured her since she'd been a filly Inferno fired another combination burst of a heavy stun bolt followed by a pencil-thin jet of fire at the stallion mannequin. Both beams passed mere inches from the princess hostage/target. The mannequin was thrown violently against the back wall where it collapsed in a flaming heap.

Not able to fire her horn fast enough to guarantee the hostage's safety, Inferno charged up and laid into the unicorn mare mannequin. A combination of lightning fast, sweeping blows from her hoof blades left the it lying on the floor. With that accomplished the mare extinguished the fire in the hall and the charred remains in against the wall. Inferno started scanning room when suddenly the hostage/target spoke.

"Well now! That was very impressive dear. Your aim and control have improved immensely since I first met you. I'm very pleased with your progress!"

Inferno turned and looked back in horror as she realized that this wasn't a fancy illusion/target. Sitting before her was Princess Celestia who was now trying to blow out a couple of strands of her mane that were smoldering as result of the unicorn's pyrotechnics. The Co-Ruler of Equestria glanced up at the inhibitor rings stacked on her horn, down to still smoldering part of her mane, and then back at the mare.

"Inferno dear. Could do me a favor and deal with this." She looked at the little wisp of smoke. "Without me breaking all these rings, which are very expensive, my horn is out of order."

A cold lump suddenly formed in the mare's stomach. "Ahhh! Fucking horseapples! Sun and Moon!" Inferno screamed and reached out with her magic and extinguished the smoldering embers in Celestia's mane. "Oh my gosh! Your Highness! Are you okay! I didn't hit you did I?!"

The mare had bolted over and was frantically patting down possible embers on the princess with her front hooves while checking for other injuries. With that accomplished she started trying to get the inhibitor rings off the alicorn's horn. "Sun and moon! Sun and moon! Your Highness! Why would you do this?!"

Celestia smiled and sat there calmly as she watched the young mare. "Well, one I had faith in your skills and training and I wanted to see them with my own eyes, and two, in the future you might be required to take a shot like this to save myself or another pony. What I saw today puts my mind at–"

The princess comment was cut short by Inferno throwing her front legs around the alicorn's neck and hugging the princess. "You're an idiot! Ah! You're wonderful, but you're a stupid, stupid idiot! You're too valuable to be a target! If I'd hurt you I, I would've never forgiven myself!"

Celestia tried to lift her front legs to return the hug but the hobbles thwart her effort. After a second she spoke. "Thank you for my concern dear, but please understand this. If I'm not willing to take this risk why should make another pony do it. Besides, not to dismiss your abilities, but even with these restraints I can take a hit with little risk to my health compared to one of my subjects."

About this time Captain Firewing came sauntering in to the dust and smoke filled room. Slowly he walked around room looking at the damaged, charred targets. He paused and looked at his stop watch and then at Inferno.

"Roughly 10 seconds from the go signal to neutralizing the final visible target around her Highness. Good time Inferno."

The mare looked at him. "Thank you sir."

Firewing smirked. "I understand your concerns about our Highness well being, bbbuuutttt.."

The pegasus stallion moseyed  over to a closet door.With his left wing he swung door open. Behind the door was a pegasus mannequin with a prop double barrel shotgun leveled at where the princess and Inferno were. After a couple of seconds both barrels made an almost comic sounding.  POP!  Then a cloud smoke and confetti drifted out. Firewing smiled at the recruit.

"But you forgot to account for the whereabouts of the pegasus or check this closet before pausing to assist her Highness. Also pegasus ponies can use firearms as well as earth ponies."

He pulled out a small clipboard from a vest pocket and with a red pencil he a made a mark on form. Then he looked back at Inferno.

"Keep that in mind. Next time it might not be confetti."

Inferno looked away and muttered. "Fucking horseapples!"

To be continued.