Chapter 15
I was up most of the rest of the night trying to teach Trixie how to play chess. Eventually she got frustrated and said she was hungry, so we followed several signs to the eating area and found it empty, and all the doors to the kitchen (if there was more than one neither of us knew) were locked. Not like that would stop us. Me and Trixie traded a smile and she passed me the horn without either of us saying a word. A few seconds of focus on the lock and I knew the correct teeth to push up and down, and then with a thought I turned the lock and the door handle unlocked. I handed the horn back to her and she slid it into her left sleeve into what I assumed was a hidden pocket. We then entered the kitchen and were met wit the scents of the previous day's meals. First we tried the refrigerators. There were several different raw ingredients in them, but nothing that was a completed item such as a sandwich. I was disappointed because I really did not feel like cooking right now. Fortunately there was a bag of pepperoni on one shelf and some cheese on another, so I grabbed them and set them outside the kitchen on one of the dining tables and then went back into the kitchen to look for some crackers or something similar. Nothing in any of the cabinets, so I went to the pantry. It was a very big pantry and I must have spent a good twenty minutes looking through them before finding an industrial-size box of them that according to the label on the front of it weighed ten pounds. I removed one bag from it and carried it out into the eating room as well to find Trixie happily devouring both the pepperoni and the cheese.
"This stuff is delicious!" She declared, holding up a slice of pepperoni. "What is it?" She asked before tossing it into her mouth and chewing it up. To be honest I wasn't sure. I had eaten several types of pepperoni before, some of them had meat in them, and some did not. I walked over to the table and turned the bag over to see the ingredients list.
"Let's see here..several different spices, salt as a preservative, red wine, pork, and beef."
"What are those last two?" She asked, eating another slice and then added a cracker and some cheese. I hesitated.
"I don't think you want to know." Trixie stopped chewing.and gave me a suspicious look.
"Are they something gross?"
"I don't think so, but it depends on your perspective."
"Just tell me what they are already!" She said loudly, annoyed. I sighed.
"Alright, you asked for it. Pork is what we call meat taken from a pig. Beef is meat from a cow or bull." Trixie dropped the second cracker she'd picked up. It fell to the floor and bounced but didn't break. Trixie looked at her stomach, then looked at me, and then looked at the bag of pepperoni in my hands.
"Meat?" I nodded. "I just ate the flesh of animals?" I nodded again. "Did you know that those were part of what was in it?" I shook my head.
"I knew that it was a possibility, but I did not know for certain." Trixie was quiet for a moment, but then shrugged and asked for more. While I passed the bag to her I raised an eyebrow and asked why she was okay with eating meat when she used to eat only plants.
"I said it tasted good, didn't I? I may have the body of a child, but I don't have the mind of one. I can't cook worth very much, so as long as my stomach doesn't complain I have no problem eating this." She tossed another in her mouth and got another cracker. From there we ate in silence until we each had our fill, and then I put the leftovers away and relocked the door. We hadn't needed to turn on any lights because they'd been left on, so I turned them off for whomever had been here last.
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The suggestion from Trixie and Jacob to use fireworks for weaponry was met with mixed reactions. The guards that had fought the Dragons during the attack on the palace approved it mere moments after hearing it, appreciating any plausible tactic that could involve them avoiding the need of getting close to an enemy that could bite them in half and began planning ways to employ them both on the ground and in the air. In this they divided their efforts: the earth ponies focused on refining the explosive power and range of the rockets while the Pegasi placed flying targets in the air that hung on balloons and set their minds to figuring out how to launch them from their armor without burning themselves and shortening the time it took to launch so they could divert their course from whatever they were flying towards. At one point a mis-fire nearly hit another flying Pegasus and an argument broke out until Dominic flew up and knocked both their heads together. Celestia had sent him to oversee the efforts in that area, and so far he was disappointing. Most of the newer guards seemed to be less concerned about accuracy of aim and more concerned about how big a blast it made. It wasn't until one of them came up with the idea of putting broken bits of metal into the explosive mix that the random blasts starting having more of an effect than popping the balloons of the targets. One lucky shot shredded the entire target and damaged another (they had been using makeshift scarecrows for targets).
Unfortunately there were others that objected fiercely to the idea, mainly those that produced the fireworks. Every other round of tests they received yet another commission for some hair-brained idea that always seemed to take too much time for the guards to be satisfied with the resulting product. The only thing that seemed to please them were the Shredder-Bombs that involved the addition of bits of metal into the powder that created the explosion. To cut back on weight they had been forced to remove the chemical that created the multicolor sparks as well as some of the housing. This was irritating enough, but now they wanted them to find a way to trigger ignition without fuses for the Pegasi.
Finally, one of them had lost patience and threw the paper wrapping into the air above her head. The papers floated about, drifting like large leaves to the ground. She waited for the next guard to come, and then stomped forward and met him halfway.
"No!" she yelled at him. He froze, his stern face becoming one of surprise. "Make your own blasted weaponry! I'm done!" She shoved him back and trotted away from the other three fireworks makers still working away at the large table that had been set up for them a quarter mile away from the testing site. The other three looked up when they heard their compatriot yell and their heads turned to watch her leave. They then looked at the still-stunned guard.
"I...I was just coming to congratulate you on a job well done and pay you for what you've done so far." He lifted a bag of coins from a saddlebag. An instant later the angry fireworks maker zipped back with a big apologetic smile on her face and said that she'd be getting back to work immediately.
Up in the ruins of her palace Celestia was worried about multiple things, the main concerns of them being that there were still more refugees making their way into Canterlot and space was becoming short in supply, as well as food distribution becoming difficult. The nobles were constantly filing complaints about trespassers and a few fights had broken out at the supply distribution centers that had been set up as relief for those that had been forced to flee and leave everything behind. She knew that things could only get worse as time drew on and she could already feel a headache coming on. She rubbed her head with a hoof as yet another written complaint came in and was read off to her. She had been forced to endure the petty complaints of the 'nobles' before, and unless they met their demise in the upcoming fight she suspected that she would be forced to endure them again in the future. It was usually nothing more than a few petty complaints that any other pony from another village would be capable of settling if they stopped complaining long enough to use their heads. In ages long past the term noble garnered respect from everypony, but now being a noble was often treated as a station that you were born into rather than a position that you earned and those born into it often looked down on everypony not born into it. There had been several times in the past that she had considered dissolving that title specifically because it was dividing her people rather than having them set an example as they once had, but always it seemed that something more important would arise and it would be pushed to the back of her mind until a later date. Such is life. Celestia sighed inwardly. I need a vacation. But a vacation was not something that she was likely to get anytime soon.
Celestia was relieved when the next pony to ask for her attention was Applejack. Applejack walked along the carpet and stopped fifteen feet away and bowed. Celestia dipped her head, acknowledging her.
"Yer highness, I know that yer' busy something awful, but I would like to ask yer permission to go on a mission." Celestia's good mood was saddened. She knew what Applejack was going to ask for, and also knew that to say yes would be to sentence her to death. Still, she let Applejack speak her request. "I want tah go afta Twilight." Celestia allowed sadness to show on her face this time and she shook her head slowly.
"I cannot allow you to do that, Applejack. I want to go after her just as much as you do, but both of us are more needed here. Besides, if we really were able to get into the lair where she is being held I fear that Drahngov might kill her rather than let us get her back." Applejack looked at the floor. What Celestia said made sense. Originally she had intended to go whether the princess gave permission or not, but getting both herself and Twilight killed would accomplish nothing.
Seeing Applejack's depression Celestia attempted to make her feel better by assigning her to help distribute supplies in the city so at least she would be doing something rather than simply being present for others to see, but it was plain to see that it had not really helped. Still, Applejack bowed courteously before leaving and did not complain. When the doors shut again Celestia left the diaz she had stood upon and went to one of the windows to look into the distance. Celestia wished that there was something that she could do. Anything at all help the situation they were all in now. Perhaps with enough time they could come up with a plan to, if nothing else, rescue Twilight Sparkle, but with only six days and nights remaining and with problems mounting atop one another already there did not seem to be much hope of that unless there was a way to slow time, but even she did not dare to mess with the flow of time. Although... An idea began to form in her mind and she smiled.
Though Celestia could not alter time itself, she could lengthen how long a day and night lasted by simply increasing the amount of time that it would take for the sun and moon to arch across the sky. If she did so carefully she could add another day an a half's worth of time to the deadline! Celestia chuckled at her cleverness and closed her eyes to concentrate on altering the path of the moon and sun to accomplish exactly that. Hopefully her ploy would succeed and she could come up with a plan to rescue Twilight and during that time also give her sister more time to find help.
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It was now close to midday and Mr. and Mrs. Lighthand had gotten their son's phone call and had seen on the news (several times as it was all they were showing) the events that had transpired the previous evening. It hadn't taken long after they had filed for transfers to the country they were in for their potential employers give their information to the nearest news group and once again they were being plagued by reporters and journalists. This time time they were ready for such an event and told them to decide on two questions each to ask. They would answer those two questions of the individual companies, and no more. This kept the media out of their hair for more than an hour before another rap came to their door. By the time this had happened, however, both Roger and Agatha had snuck out the bathroom window and were making their way the rental car that they'd parked on the other side of the hotel they'd been staying in.
They packed their clothes, some sandwiches, and an ice pack to keep them cool for awhile.
"So what now, Roger?" Agatha asked as he started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.
"We're going to meet him halfway in this. We're going to the gateway directly to wait for him. Luna said they'd only being staying two days, which means we'll be waiting out there for one day at the most. He's not leaving us behind this time." An idea suddenly occurred to Agatha and she told him to stop the car. He pulled into a shoulder lane and gave her a questioning look.
"He said he needs help, but just us two aren't going to be enough, and those that do want to help don't know where to go. We do, honey. Let's go back to the hotel and answer the media's questions. We can tell them, and everyone else where to go to wait."
"Are you sure?" She nodded and he turned them around and headed back.
As he had expected, the media mostly asked either useless questions, or questions that they did not have the answers to, but eventually it came around to their encounter with Thanatos and their own involvement in the fight. They explained what they had seen and gave directions to the stones in the field and even went so far as to offer to lead them to it. This was met with eagerness and they once more got into their assorted vehicles and followed them out to the Stone Arch Gateway. At first they were disbelieving, but a cell phone call from a certain someone set the record straight and an hour later the media people were setting up tents to wait right along with the Lighthand family.
Over the next twenty four hours others of all ages began arriving too. Some were common people looking to see a show, others came carrying various weapons ranging from handguns to hunting rifles with scopes and even military grade stuff. There was even what appeared to be a D&D club dressed up like wannabe knights complete with crossbows and swords. This group received mostly laughs and rolled eyes, but that didn't discourage them. Clothing types ranged from casual to camouflage (and of course medieval in the case of the D&D club), though few of them looked as if they were ready for a long walk.
At one point a few trucks pulling BBQ grills on wheels arrived and began selling food to those that had come to wait (they made a killing, too).
The older men who brought higher-tech weapons (they probably were retired ex-military looking for one last hurray) brought their own food and waited patiently on small folded stools they;d carried on their backs along with the rest of their gear and either played a game on a cell phone or read a book. Overall, they were the least impatient, and the most polite. The rude ones were the tourists that had also come from the USA and were just looking for a great photo to take home and show off to their neighbors. Granted, not all of them were like that, but the vast majority were, and kept harassing Roger and Agatha trying to get a more precise time as to when their song and the 'talking horses' would be coming back. Eventually Roger handed a fifty dollar bill to one of the military men and asked him to keep them away. The old man, who said his name was William, ground a nearly-spent cigarette under his boot and unshouldered his weapon and stood between the two. A sharp look from him and anyone that tried to get near froze mid-step and quickly turned away.
"Thanks." Roger said. William grunted and lit another cigarette. Neither Roger nor Agatha smoked or particularly liked the fact that he was smoking near them, but given that Roger had already payed him fifty bucks neither of them complained.
Later that day after the sun began to set helicopter carriers began arriving and groups of soldiers numbering total about three hundred and fifty disembarked and the choppers flew away again. The elder soldiers greeted them and a number shook hands before the one that appeared to be in charge sought out the Lighthands. He looked them over and then extended a hand to Roger first, and Agatha second.
"Good afternoon, sir, ma'am. We're the volunteers from the army of this nation that have come to help. The princess and queen couldn't convince the Prime minister to commit the entire army, but he announced that anyone that wanted to volunteer could go. We're just the closest ones, though. More should be arriving later."
"That's- good!" Roger said.
"In truth I'm not sure I believe any of this, but if it is true it should make for an interesting experience and a great Dragon barbecue once the dust settles."
"Oh, it's true, alright. You'll see." The soldier nodded and walked back to his men, most of which were forming their own groups amongst the still-growing crowd. They numbered close to eight hundred now, but of them were made up of unarmed civilians. If all the military-types were counted as one number they were numbered close to four hundred, and if the rest of the armed people were included then there were four hundred and sixty. All of them had packed extra ammo in bags or backpacks, but only the actual soldiers and retired veterans looked ready for war.
As more choppers came into sight in the distance, these ones armed, Roger felt a smile creeping over his face. Legends painted Dragons as being big, fierce, fast, and strong. But let's see how well they hold up to rockets that can blow up a tank!
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
I was lounging on a couch waiting for Luna to say that it was time to go. For some reason this day felt longer than normal and I was bored out of my mind from waiting. For a time I wandered the palace with Trixie until we came across a room full of arcade games that had been rigged to play for free, and Trixie took to them like a dog takes to a dropped bowl of pretzels and I left her to it after she began screaming at a blue ghost for killing her character again. I smiled as she started over once again and for a bit I tried my hand at a game I had once seen a movie version of, but it turned out that I was not better at it than Trixie was at her game and eventually left it when I felt my own frustration growing. When I told her that I was going to check out some more of the palace she grunted and otherwise ignored me.
After wandering around through several rooms I found myself back in a bedroom section and went into one. This room was also empty and looked to be one of the more modern ones. I took my shoes off, and left them by the door before walking over to the bed and lying myself down on it. I had only intended to sleep for a few hours so that I'd be able to stay awake in the event that something important happened, but I slipped into a deep resting state and stayed that way until it had become nearly dark outside again. What had awoken me was the cooler temperature in the room from the lack of sunlight coming in through the window on the ceiling. I shivered and sat up. A yawn made its way up my throat and I covered my mouth out of habit even though there was no one nearby to see. It was also very dark now and I had to make my way across the room by feel. Twice I reached a wall or a piece of furniture instead of the door and eventually decided to trace the next wall that I found like finding your way through a maze like my mother once taught me in elementary school. Ironically, the next wall I came into contact with turned out to be the door that I was looking for. I opened it a crack and with the artificial light that spilled in I retrieved my shoes and put them on again. The hall outside was dead-quiet other than the sound of the ventilation. It's kinda creepy! If I had been in Equestria still I'd be worried about ghosts or something, but this was Earth, and for the most part I didn't believe in ghosts anyway. Some small inner child part of me did, but my logical mind argued against it.
After becoming thoroughly lost and finding no helpful signs anywhere I decided to trust to luck and began choosing doors and halls turns at random. Sure enough, Lady Luck winked at me and I found myself in the room where I had met the queen. No one was there, but the large television was on so I figured that someone would be back eventually. I sat myself down on the couch and marveled at how comfy it was. If I had not just been asleep I could have slept on this couch. It's good to know that some rich folk are practical, at least. I'll never understand why someone would purposely buy something uncomfortable!
I stared blankly at the television, not really paying attention to what was on as it right up until I heard a name that no one outside of my immediate family and those that had come here with me from Equestria should have known: 'Stone Arch Gateway'. I focused on the TV and found out that while I had been asleep big things were taking place and already there was a small army camped out by the pile of stones waiting for something to happen. I saw soldiers, ordinary people, a few morons dressed up like they were at a Renaissance fair that were talking like they lived in the dark ages, a bunch of media people, and more common folk than any of the others combined. There were also people selling food and portapoties being delivered. You have got to be kidding me! What is this, a carnival?
I watched the spectacle for a minute or so longer and then Thorn stepped in.
"Ah! There you are!" He said loudly. I looked up. "We've been looking for you! You and Trixie both, actually. Do you have any idea where she might be?" I nodded and told him to follow me. I led him to the arcade collection and sure enough, Trixie was still playing video games. She was playing something different now, though. This game had a single white spaceship that was shooting at a bunch of bugs that flew across the screen to form a formation at the top, and then would fly down and try to shoot her or crash into her ship. Trixie whooped in triumph as she dodged a big green beetle and then blew it up.
"I am a GODDESS! Cower before the Great and Powerful Trixie, foolish insects!" She laughed like a super-villain and entered a bonus round. I hated to end her fun, (especially since it was entertaining to watch) but we apparently were needed and I tapped her on the shoulder. The sudden break in her concentration got her ship blown up and she punched me in the chest for it.
"I was this close" she made a small gap with her index finger and thumb. "to breaking the high score! You are going to pay for that!" She poked my chest with the same hand.
"Trixie, I promise you, if we survive this I'll buy you your own video game system and any three games you find interesting, but this is more important." I looked at Thorn. "It is more important, isn't it?" Thorn nodded.
"While the Prime minister has refused to order soldiers into battle, he has allowed that any who wish to volunteer may go. Other nations are doing the same, but several politicians wish to speak with you, including someone calling himself a vice-president from your country." I grimaced. I had hoped that Luna would be the center of attention here, not me, but it seemed that there was always someone looking to further their position by using a familiar face in the eyes of the public to further their own reputation.
"Has this vice-president said that he will refuse to send aid if I decline to see him?" Thorn shook his head.
"But why would you-"
"I am not here to further the image of one man or one woman. I am here to tip a one-sided fight to the other side. Tell him that I am busy."
"He will not be happy." Thorn warned.
"He'll get over it. It's not like he's going to cross over with my nation's soldiers and help us fight, am I correct?" Thorn shrugged. "Is there anything else that we're needed for?" Thorn nodded and explained that we'd be leaving soon, but one of our group would need to stay behind and continue to open the gateway for newcomers."
"Reginald?" Thorn nodded again. "I'm sure he's having a field day."
"A what?"
"He's enjoying himself."
"Oh. Yes, he is excited."
"Well then, let's not put this off any longer."
When we had gathered our things up again Luna met us at the door outside. As did hundreds of onlookers. Some of them pointed, some of them took pictures, all of them made noise. I swept my gaze over them once, and then put them from my mind and focused on Luna.
"Do you think those that have come and are still coming will be enough?"
"I hope so. Your people are also sending several types of equipment to the gateway to go through it, but I fear that most of it will be far too large."
"Is there any way for us to enlarge the passage?" I knew that most of our more dangerous weaponry was far bigger than Luna was. If we couldn't get it through in one piece it could take days to disassemble, transport, and reassemble on the other side. Luna shook her head.
"Not with whom we have with us. We'd need several skilled magic-users on both sides working together to enlarge it."
"Then may I suggest that the first order of business that we get to when we return to Canterlot is to get several Unicorns busy on doing just that? Our guns are dangerous in their own right, but if we want to win with as few casualties as possible then we're going to need the bigger stuff as well."
"I shalt see if it can beist arranged, but if not then we shalt have to make due." I nodded and followed her onto the helicopter that was once more our transportation. Reginald, Rainbow Dash, Thorn, and Trixie had all already seated themselves to the best of their ability and we did the same. As I buckled my seat belt I was surprised to also see the Queen in there with us and disgusted to see the vice-president as well.
"Hey there, sonny!" He said in a fake-pleased voice. He extended a hand. I looked at him, but did not take it. I kept my face blank, and my tone neutral, but I suspect I came off as rude nonetheless.
"I'm not here for you, I'm not here for my country. In all honesty, if I had my own way, Mr. vice-president, I would not have come back to Earth at all if our need wasn't as great as it is. Oh, and I didn't vote for you either because I didn't like what you said you'd try to stand for or the fact that you cheated on your wife and then tried to brush it off as no big deal. Don't look for any positive comments on your job from me." He smile vanished and he pulled back his hand. Now he looked as if he was trying to suppress a glare.
The queen raised an eyebrow, and looked at me, but didn't say anything. Luna looked aghast at me. Clearly my speaking in such a way to one of my country's leaders astounded her. It was likely that if I spoke in such a way to her or her sister I would likely be punished. But I never would. Unlike the vice-president, I respected Luna, and if it came to it I believed that I'd fight for her and her sister the same way one of their guards would: to the death. The others stared at me and the VP as well, but the only one to speak was Luna.
"How canst thee speak to one of your leaders like that?! Dost thee not fear repercussion?"
"The laws of our country give us Freedom of Speech to it's absolute maximum. I could call him the worst of insults and by law, he cannot do anything about it except complain. If he had me killed he'd go to prison if he were caught, and the same if he tried to have me beaten. If he tried to have me jailed for it then he could lose his job for infringing on my rights as an American citizen." Luna looked at the politician and he reluctantly nodded.
For a time we rode in silence, the VP staring hard at me and me ignoring him. As we arrived and began to set down Luna asked me what I meant when I said that he had cheated on his wife and I explained. Now she was once more surprised, and this time angry.
"Expect no kind word from me either." She said to him, and when the chopper touched down and the door opened she was the first to exit. Thorn and Reginald followed while I unbuckled myself and offered a hand up to the queen. She accepted and I allowed her to leave the chopper first before exiting myself. Trixie had left with Thorn and eventually at slightly different times we arrived before the collapsed stone gateway. Luna looked around at those that had come and amplified her voice with magic so that all could hear. For all those that had come to help she thanked them, and to those that had come merely to watch she said that she wished one day they might come to Equestria in a time of peace and see its beauty for themselves. The crowd cheered and the soldiers stood and prepared to move out.
Luna approached the gateway and studied the pile for a few moments. She then turned her head and beckoned me forward.
"Where is the stone with your family symbol on it?" I looked through the pile briefly and then with a brief struggle picked it up and slowly carried it to her. Luna looked at the stone and then smiled. "Hold it until I tell thee to release your grip." I nodded, strain plain on my face. Luna's horn began to glow and its light reached out from her horn and touched the pile of stones, covering over them like maple syrup that defied gravity. Once the entire pile was covered she lifted them and began to reshape it into its original form. Then also the stone I held began to glow and she told me to let go. I did so and it floated over to a gap in the top of the arch and slid into place. In the places where the stones were missing a corner, a chip, or were worn so that the places where the edges no longer met due to water-wear pebbles and sand lifted from the ground and slid into them, forming a perfect copy of the frame on the other side in Everfree forest. I felt a smile fill my face at the multiple gasps from the crowd. Her task complete Luna allowed the magic of her horn to fade and stepped to the keyhole and inserted her horn into it. She twisted her head and withdrew, the edges of the door parting and opening to Equestria once more. She looked at me and the others of her group and we all came to stand next to her, turning our backs to the open gateway.
"Brave men and women of Earth, welcome to Equestria."
As Luna had suspected, the heavier equipment would have to be left behind for now, so instead we focused on getting all the volunteers through the gateway with what equipment could be brought. Within ten minutes a combination of soldiers and armed civilians were clearing a path through the forest with a combination of machetes and large knives. The racket we made must have been immense because other than us not a sound could be heard other than the occasional bird flying overhead. Obviously they could not take down trees, but all of the vines, brush, and thorns were hacked down and cleared in short order. It was not a perfect path due to all the trees in the way, but it made journeying from the gateway to the outer limits of the forest much easier. Within the hour a small base was being erected outside the forest and more and more people were still coming and going carrying one object or another ranging from ammunition to RPGs and their launchers, to food rations. One person brought a stereo and a small collection of CDs which gained many odd looks or laughs from the soldiers, and another brought a large suitcase that was labeled in bold letters: 'Candy'. There were a few other oddities including a dirt bike and extra gas for it, but for the most part everything was ammo, guns, and other miscellaneous military or hunting equipment.
"Luna, they're going to be busy moving personnel and equipment into your world for awhile. We should return to Canterlot in the meantime and inform your sister that we have indeed brought reinforcements. I'm sure she would appreciate the good news." I suggested as a few people walked by carrying what looked like parts to a jeep that had been taken apart.
"Indeed. I shall send you and Trixie ahead of me with a letter while I remain here to oversee things." I bowed and waited patiently while Luna did that and looked around. Trixie was sitting on the grass by the gate watching Human after Human step through, confidence radiating from the uniformed ones. Whatever life they had before, to watch them stride forward with a weapon in their hands was like looking Death in the face: Trixie hoped never to have any of them for enemies.
"Trix, you ready to return to Canterlot? Luna's sending us on a delivery trip."
"I don't really feel like going anywhere right now, to be honest." She said, stretching out and leaning back with her arms behind her propping her up on her elbows. I looked about the clearing and noticed a lack of a certain blue Pegasus. Thorn and Reginald had stayed on Earth to make sure that the gateway stayed open and to answer questions that anyone had for them, but I didn't remember seeing her after she'd gotten off the helicopter.
"Any idea what happened to Rainbow Dash? I didn't see her come through."
"That's because she didn't. She's showing off in your world, flying and doing tricks for their adoration."
"That sounds like Rainbow Dash." I said, recalling the incredible show that she'd put on for me and Scootaloo. "I know that they'll love the Sonic Rainboom." As if in response to my statement loud cheering suddenly came in through the passage and a the ground shook. Soldiers on our end stopped in mid-step and hefted their weapons, scanning the forest treeline for any sign of danger. "Relax, people." I said. "It's only a Sonic Rainboom. Though I must say that you've definitely missed out on a heck of a show."
"A what?" One of them asked.
"Just wait for the blue Pegasus to come through and then ask her. I'm sure she'll be more than happy to demonstrate it for you. Trust me, you'd have to see it to believe it." It was then that Luna called and said that the letter was done. I told Trixie that I'd be fine delivering it alone and she laid back against the ground completely. I went to Luna and said that Trixie was feeling tired and wanted to rest and that I'd be more than happy to handle it myself. Luna nodded and levitated the parchment into my open hand. As soon as I had it my surroundings flashed white and revealed several startled ponies that jumped back from me. I looked around and saw that I was in the throne room, but Celestia was not in it.
"Oh, um..." I said, looking at the recovering ponies. "I beg your pardon. Uh, where is princess Celestia?"
"She is currently outside giving a speech to the other refugees that have come to Canterlot seeking protection." An elderly brown stallion with black spots said. "I take it you are the Human magician?"
"Yeah, that's me." Murmurs came from the other ponies in the room. "Where specifically is she? I have a message from princess Luna." An earth pony foal that had been in the room trotted to my feet and hopped onto his hind legs, leaning against my left. I looked down at him.
"Then," he said, sounding hopeful. "your people are coming to help us?!" The sparkle in his eyes showed me that i wasn't the only one that had thought this fight was nearly hopeless. I smiled and replied that indeed they were, and there were a lot more of them than I had originally believed would be willing. The foal hopped back form me cheering and began racing from one pony to another telling them what they had already just heard in an excited voice, and then he turned and ran down the carpet towards the door, which was already open. Two others followed him, also cheering.
"Truly?!" The brown elder asked, his voice also hopeful. "You're not just saying that for his benefit?" I nodded and he clopped his front hooves together. "Wonderful! When will they arrive?"
"That, I don't know, I'm afraid. We had a lot of things to carry in, and we're on foot. I suspect that this is also part of what is in the message."
"Well then don't let an old timer like myself keep you from your duty!" he shooed my with a hoof much like an old woman I knew as a child. "She's standing on the other side of the bridge at the top of the stairs that lead down into Canterlot. Go on, lad! Make haste!"
I saluted to him and spun on a heel and ran down the carpeting as well, headed for the doors. Servants and nobles raised a cheer as I ran by with the letter. Apparently good news spread faster in grim times than a cold in an enclosed room.
I rushed by the search station and tore past the guards and then grabbed the side of a guard rail to help me turn and skipped the steps and ran across the bridge, slowing as I reached the other side. Celestia was still speaking to her people, so I stopped to catch my breath and once breathing normally again I approached her guards and said to them in a low voice that I had news from Luna. Good news. Celestia apparently still heard me because she stopped speaking for a moment and then informed her people that Luna had returned and had sent a letter ahead of her. I held out the letter on my hand, palm open and Celestia levitated it away from me and unrolled it before her.
My dear sister, I come bearing tidings of both good and unfortunate news. First, the good news: several Human leaders hath agreed to help us and several hundred off their best soldiers fully equipped from each nation that have agreed to help are now on their way.
A roaring cheer from the Canterlot citizens below muted what Celestia had been reading off and she had to stop and wait for them to quiet down before she could continue.
There are also civilians that own weapons that hath also chosen to come, which should increase our chances of victory even more though their weapons be not of the same quality. Most of the Humans have also brought their own food and medical items, so our own supplies shalt be less affected from their coming.
This brought another cheer, and this time when it quieted Celestia requested that they remain silent until she was finished reading.
Now for the unfortunate news: though nearly all the Humans have brought weapons that can be easily transported, they also brought modes of transportation for their larger weaponry and the soldiers themselves that cannot fit through the passage between our worlds. Because of this the queen of the nation that the gateway rests in hath cautioned me that their effectiveness overall will be lessened. Whilst some of the Humans are dismantling some of their smaller transportation machines and are rebuilding them on our side of the passage, this is very time consuming and, as I am sure you are aware, time is not a luxury that we possess much of. Therefore I request every available Unicorn skilled in magic to be teleported to the gateway so that we may enlarge the passageway for their larger machines to pass through.
-Your loving sister, princess Luna
Celestia re-rolled the letter and handed it to a guard.
"My ponies, though few of you recall the old myths in this day and age, our ancient allies have come to stand with us once more, but in order to help us to the best of their abilities they need our help first. I know these recent weeks have been difficult for you, but I ask that all Unicorns whom are willing and able to join me at the gates of the bridge to my palace. From there we shall go into Everfree forest and use our powers to speed the coming of the Humans." From there Celestia ceased her speech and the faint glow around her horn faded completely. She turned around and greeted me with a smile. "Good news is always welcome news, and this is the best news I've heard all month! I had not expected your return for another day. For your people to have responded so quickly that you could return in less time than that is very reassuring."
"We'll do our best, princess Celestia. I just feel I should apologize for the mess there will be when all's said and done. Both physical and emotional." I imagined that seeing dead Dragons, Humans, and ponies lying in the streets and even more Dragon corpses lying about the surrounding countryside would not be pleasant. Nor would be the disposing of the corpses before they had a chance to rot! Yuck!
"As will I be." Celestia said, looking a bit less happy now. "But sometimes we are left with nothing but a choice that our conscience will not let us make, and I will not offer my citizens as meals for that greedy-" she stopped, looking angry.
"Monster?" I offered. She nodded. "Well, our world's military should be able to prevent that, your highness. But until then I have a request of you." Celestia raised an eyebrow.
"A request? What would you ask of me?"
"I would have your permission to go after Twilight Sparkle. I met Luna's condition for being healed, I can stand on my own now, and even without my wand I can still use some of my people's weaponry to defend myself." Celestia laughed and I looked at her, confused.
"Applejack asked that of me the same day that you left. I told her no at that time because I thought that her presence would be comforting as she was one of the living embodiments of the Elements of Harmony and because I knew that it would be a suicide mission. Now here you are, also asking me for permission to go and try to rescue my student." Celestia smiled again, and I felt myself also wanting to smile. "Go and find Applejack, and then return to me. I will send you to Luna with a reply letter. While you are there retrieve Rainbow Dash and some of your people's weapons. When you return here again I shall teleport you one day's walk from here towards Dragon lands." Celestia stepped closer to me as my face became a smile and she whispered a warning that once we were in Dragon territory that we'd be on our own and would likely be killed by Dragon-kin if we did not find Twilight and have her teleport us back. I thanked her for the warning and then bowed and left to find Applejack.
Applejack had been delighted that Celestia had given us permission to pursue Twilight and had also been pleased to hear that my race had joined the fight.
"See! Ah told yeh that we'd be winning this war easy!" She said triumphantly, nudging me in the side with a hoof.
"That you did, Applejack, and I'm sorry for ever doubting your words of wisdom." I said in an upbeat tone while I sifted through the growing stock of weaponry that the military people had carried through the woods. Applejack had taken two bandoliers with seven grenades on them each and had asked for help tightening them around her body. One of the soldiers, with a smile on her face assisted.
"I always wanted a little pony to dress up when I was a little girl!" One of her fellow soldiers laughed and asked if she had a belt of grenades in mind for part of the outfit too and he received a frown as an answer. He laughed and returned to organizing the gear.
"Excuse me," I asked him. He looked away from the clip board he was carrying.
"You wouldn't happen to have anything armor-piercing that is silenced, would you?"
"Seriously?" He asked. I nodded. "I doubt it, but let me check..." He skimmed through a few pages of what they had in stock and he shook his head. "Nope. We've got guns with armor-piercing rounds and guns that are silenced, but not one of both. Why?"
"Because I'm planning a rescue mission and if the need calls for it I want to be able to take a Dragon out quietly."
"Then maybe you should consider cancelling the mission." He suggested. "Most of what we've got here makes a lot of noise because we never planned on needing to be quiet for something like this. If you want a silenced pistol I can give you one of those, but pistol ammo was made for ripping through flesh, not armor. As for breaking through armor try one of these." He leaned over and picked up a gun with a very long barrel. I recognized it from one of the video games I used to play: a sniper-rifle. "It has a slow rate of fire and reloading it takes a bit, but it should punch through anything except a heavily-armored tank." I asked how much ammo I could take with me and he said he'd give me one extra magazine of each. "Any more than that and we'd probably be wasting it. If you're going into Dragon lands then you're more likely to need this army to fight your way out than a sniper-rifle and a handgun." I thanked him and stuffed the pistol and the extra ammunition into my backpack and hung the rifle by its strap over my left shoulder, then went to find Trixie and Rainbow Dash.
Trixie was where I had left her, only she was sleeping now. Rainbow Dash had also come through the passage but she looked tired. Probably from exerting herself for attention. I think my world and her are going to be getting along just fine. She likes to show off, and we like a good show! Applejack filled her in on the plan (what little there was so far) while I delivered Celestia's letter to Luna. While she read through the letter I went back to Trixie and searched her sleeve for the stolen horn. I got a few funny looks from passing soldiers carrying things, but I ignored them and with a smile pulled out the horn and also put it in my backpack.
"A deal's a deal." I said, standing back up again. I'd only use it if I absolutely had to due to me not being supposed to have one in my possession at the moment. "Thanks, Trix." I then turned and rejoined Applejack and Rainbow Dash who were already waiting by Luna. Luna wished us good luck and then sent us back to Celestia, who sent us on our way. Coincidentally, 'our way' dropped us right in front of Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie, who collided with us.
"Oof!" We all said at once. My landing was harder than everypony else given that I was taller, but at least Fluttershy, whom had crashed into me, was unharmed.
"Oh my!" She gasped. I'm so terribly sorry! Are you alright?" Her voice was louder than normal and yet somehow still remained soft like freshly-fallen snow.
"Just what in the world do you think you are doing randomly popping in out of nowhere like that?!" Rarity objected in an offended voice as Rainbow Dash, with rotating eyes, untangled their legs and stood up.
"Woah! Sorry, sugar cube! Wasn't tryin' to just appear in front of ya like that!" Applejack said to Pinkie Pie, who was lying on her back with her tongue sticking out of one corner. Pinkie had stars in her eyes and an odd single squiggly line that I had only seen in cartoons spinning above her head. Applejack had ended up on top of her from the collision and now set to climbing off her and getting her mental state rebooted. While she did that Rainbow Dash explained what we were up to. The other two (or three, if you count the unconscious Pinkie Pie) instantly said that they too wanted to join us when they heard what we were up to, and there was no persuading them to do otherwise.
"We may not have weapons like you and Jacob do, but we're far from helpless, my dear." Rarity said. Fluttershy mumbled something squeaky and incoherent and Rarity assured her that if it came to a fight that we'd protect her. I had to fight to keep from guffawing at this, having seen Fluttershy in action. Fortunately all that had made it through was a smile and Rarity took that to mean that I agreed with her.
We walked for two of our remaining days with Rarity lending me her power to use for the homing spell. At times Dragons flew overhead but ignored us completely. Perhaps they simply think we're not worth bothering with? Or perhaps they don't eat insane prey for fear of becoming insane themselves? Whatever the reason, even though we cringed each time one went by we were able to continue on unmolested right up until we came to Drahngov's father's lair. From there it became a matter of stealth and we waited for night to fall to formulate a strategy.
Night came slowly, and sine I had neglected to pack any food (like an idiot) I would have gone hungry if Applejack hadn't thought to prepare for just such a possibility. In her brilliance she had grabbed a few packs of military rations and put them in a saddlebag that she'd brought along from the palace before leaving the military camp that had been set up. It tasted like clay, but it was very filling and I once more thanked Applejack for having the brains that I lacked.
"Aw, think nothing of it! I saw yeh had a lot on yer mind, and figured yeh'd ferget something important such as food. We've done it before going to stop a Dragon problem of our own in the past."
"Such an unpleasant-smelling creature! I must admit that it had quite the hoard, though!" Rarity sighed dreamily. "I could have made so many outfits from it! Alas, it was content to keep them all to himself!" I chuckled at this. From her tone I had thought it was greed that had drawn her to it, but it seemed that it had rather been her need to create that had driven her.
I re-sealed the ration and tried to hand it back to Applejack, but she shook her head.
"I've got a few more, and those things are nasty besides! Keep it." I shrugged and stuffed it into my nearly-full backpack It's amazing how much I can stuff in this thing! Definitely worth the the thirty bucks it took to buy it!
"So what's the plan? I mean, what's the plan besides going in after dark?"
"To be honest dear, we were hoping that maybe you or Applejack had a plan. Normally on these little adventures it's Twilight that does the planning, and then we help fill in the details."
"Yeah, but normally her plans don't go the way she plans them!" Pinkie said, and giggled. "Usually they go incredibly wrong! Like that time with the Parasprites, and when we tried to get the Dragon to sleep somewhere else, and with that doll of hers, and-"
"Yes, Pinkie darling, we understand." Rarity said quickly to make her stop. "But hopefully this won't be the same way because Twilight isn't making the plan." She looked at the rest of us. "So...any ideas?" We had none. Or at least, none good. Rainbow Dash thought she could take Applejack's grenades and make some noise ot attract the Dragons and have them chase her out, but once we pointed out that there were probably a few dozen Dragons nearby and they'd be sure to take notice of us as well, so that was out. Pinkie wanted to throw the Dragons a party and spike the punch to put them all to sleep, but we burst her bubble by telling her the nearest town was three days away and none of us were carrying the things needed for such a plan. I doubt they'd be dumb enough to fall for something like that anyway, but even if they were it would probably take a lot of punch to get the job done.
"Yeh could tie some of us up and carry us with ya to the cave and tell them that you've decided to join the 'winning side' instead. Yeh could say that we were a gift to Drahngov as an apology fer yer initial defiance." Applejack suggested, looking at me.
"That could work," Rainbow Dash said uncertainly. "But what if they decide to eat us right there or to say no and roast us?"
"They won't kill me." I said, shaking my head. "I'm far too valuable for that. I've been inside the palace and the city, I've seen the defenses your people have, and I can do something they can't, which is use magic. Even if Drahngov throws me in a dungeon or a jail cell, or something of the like he'll want any information he can get from me first before he kills me. He might not care about losing more than a few Dragons in the assault, but if he makes it look like he doesn't care at all he'll lose the trust of his followers. He can't afford that if he wants to finish what he started."
"So are we going to try it, then? Just walk up to their door and knock, as it were?" Rarity asked. She looked uncomfortable with that plan, as did we all, but there were no objections. Rarity sighed. "Alright. So, who's going to be 'the offering'?" No one spoke up, understandably. After a few moments the one pony we never expected raised a shaking hoof. It was Fluttershy.
"I- I- I'll do it!" She squeaked out. Flutterhsy was trembling in fear, but unlike the others she had been the first to volunteer. My heart hurt. The idea putting Fluttershy through something like that made me feel like a jerk.
"Wha- what?!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, shocked. "You, Fluttershy?! Why?!"
"W- well, if it's- if it's the only way, then what else- what else can I do?" She lowered her hoof back to the ground.
It was then I realized that those who mistook timidness for cowardice were fools. I knelt down next to Flutterhsy and gave her a big hug. She still looked scared, but her trembling stopped.
"You once asked me if I wanted you to be my friend, Fluttershy. I think somepony or person would have to be an idiot not to say yes. Can I be your friend, Fluttershy?" Her look of fright lessened and she smiled and nodded. "I promise I'll do everything I can to keep you safe and get Twilight out in the same condition." She nodded and laid down on the ground. I opened my bag and dug out a shirt that I had never worn and tore it into strips. Rarity gasped in horror at what I'd done to perfectly good clothing, but it was necessary for what we were going to attempt. I tied Fluttershy's front legs together and her back legs to one another as well, and then tide all four together and made a muzzle for her mouth. "Sorry, Fluttershy, but I'm trying to be thorough." Lastly, with Applejack's help I tore a pair of jeans apart and bound Fluttershy's wings. "Try get loose." I said. Fluttershy struggled and the bindings around her legs loosened, but did not give. "I'm not sure if that's a good thing, or a bad thing." I said when she stopped. "If we need to make a run for it, I have nothing to cut you free with, but at the same time it's more believable now." I said, crouching to pick Fluttershy up. I slung her over one shoulder as if I were a hunter carrying a small deer. She mumbled something through the gag and I apologized if it was uncomfortable and started walking towards the cave-pockmarked hill. There was only one that had smoke coming out of it, so that had to be it. As we neared the mouth of the cave Fluttershy started trembling again. I patted her side and entered the cave.
__ __ __ __ __
The she-Dragon swooped around the destroyed pony town again sniffing for her brother's scent. At times she thought she caught a whiff of it and tried to follow it, but then the smell of smoke or ash would sweep over it again and she'd have to renew her search again. Eventually though, she found the source of it and landed in a burnt-out tree that looked like someone had tried to carve a house out of before it had been torched. In here his scent was all over the place and strongest in a small reed basket that was also slightly charred. So he lived here. That purple Unicorn's scent is here as well. This proves that it was she that was raising him. But where did he go?! She followed the scent trail outside of the tree and down a street, passed several burnt-out buildings, and eventually came to the remains of the town center where his scent became jumbled with dozens of other scents that all left the town in one direction that for the most part traveled straight towards a lonesome mountain. Narrowing her eyes the Dragoness jumped into the air and flew towards it with her wings, but when she reached it found no trace of their scents anywhere. A travel-trick! Clever ponies! She was not angered by this but rather intrigued. She had not been on a true hunt since she was little, and even though she was not hunting for food it was a delight nonetheless. She doubled-back and periodically landed to sniff the ground for any trace scents and eventually rediscovered the trail again. It looped and doubled back on itself several times, and then finally swung around the side of the destroyed town and headed in the opposite direction that they'd started traveling in the first place. This led to another mountain that was farther away and had a small forest of trees surrounding the base. A dormant volcano! No wonder that they would choose here to hide. The smell of sulfur clogs our noses! She sniffed hard, already feeling the effects of the sulfur.
Following the scent was harder now, but not impossible. She would need to go slower now so that she would not lose them, so she landed and followed the trail at a walk. Her method of hunting now required her to find open places in the trees so that she could get through. Though not full sized, an adolescent Dragons was still larger than a pony by far and the small places that they were able to squeeze through were an impossibility for her. The places where wagons had gone through were a tight squeeze, and she had already passed several abandoned wagons in the woods. They had been emptied of whatever had been in them, so it stood to reason that the refugees were close by.
Sure enough, they were. The Dragoness came to a cave that was at ground level, but also picked up a trace of scent coming from higher above her. She chose the higher approach and used both her legs and wings to hop up onto the two-story high ledge. A trio of small ponies whinnied and scampered away from her, but she caught one in her clawed fingers and lifted it up to her eye level. It kicked and squirmed and constantly told her to release it.
"I am not here to harm your kind, I have come searching for a baby Dragon matching my colors." The Dragoness explained. "Orange one, have you seen him?"
"Baby Dragon? Why do you want Spike? Are you planning to do something mean to him?! Oops!" The orange foal covered her mouth with her hooves.
"So then he is here!" She was delighted. Her search had taken longer than she had hoped, but it had been a success. "Spike!" She called into the upper cave that the other two ponies had retreated to. "I have come for you! Let us leave this place and return home!"
A small purple and green Dragon walked out of the cave cautiously and looked up and up at her.
"Do I know you?" He asked both nervously and curiously. "You look familiar, but..."
"I am your elder sister. I have come to take you away from danger and return you to our family."
"Away from danger? The only thing dangerous here is you! Put her down!" He demanded. The Dragoness set the orange pony down and she scampered away to stand behind Spike. Spike asked if she was alright and she replied that she was.
"Spike, please. I am only here to protect you. I don't know why our mother and father gave your egg to the pony race, but I am here to correct that decision."
"I'm happy living with the ponies!" Spike said loudly, angry. "Or at least I was until the rest of you decided to attack my home! I'm not going anywhere with you!" The Dragoness' eyes became sad. Had her brother's Draconic pride been destroyed by this race? Regardless, she had found him, and she was not leaving him here. She supposed that she could simply pluck him off the ground with her claws and bear him away regardless of his objections, but she knew that as soon as she set him down again he'd run off to try and return here.
"So be it, then. If you will not come with me, then I shall stay here with you." Spike blinked, surprised.
"Huh?"
"You don't know me because you were still an egg when you were given away, and I cannot change that or your mind if I simply take you away. Since you're being stubborn I must remain here. If you do not like that, tough luck." Spike walked closer to his now-sitting sibling. He poked her with a claw.
"Alright, but no eating the locals!"
"I already ate before I came here. This will not be a problem for several days."
Her presence did not sit well with the survivors from Ponyville, but because she had made no effort to harm them she was tolerated. However, due to the young Dragoness revealing that their location could still easily be discovered the mayor decided that they would be going to stay in Everfree forest instead and the ponies began to pack up and leave again.
A day's worth of traveling later they ran into the Human military camp where several jeeps had been reassembled and a better path was being cleared for larger vehicles to move from the now-enlarged gateway. At the sight of a Dragon traveling with them someone nearly started shooting, but at shout to hold fire from their commanding officer weapons were lowered.
Luna herself greeted the refugees and offered transportation to Canterlot provided that Spike's sibling be kept under close watch.
"My only reason for being here is that my stubborn sibling will not return home with me unless I force him, and that will gain me nothing but his wrath. You have nothing to fear from me."
"We shalt see." Luna said in reply, and insisted to the current woman in charge that her people be driven to the capital immediately. Several volunteers saw to this, and the ponies watched in awe as the two-legged beings packed their belongings into horseless carriages along with themselves and moved without anything to pull them.
The humans driving often found their questions amusing and did their best to explain how their machines worked, but ultimately decided just to say 'science' much like a parlor-tricks magician will say 'magic' instead of going through the specifics.
Seeing more of their people brought in Human machinery brought many onlookers to the city limits to watch them approach. The machines were noisy, but they were fast and did not seem to tire, which appealed to many merchants and furniture haulers whom had to haul all their belongings along with them to market or from one house to another each day.
But refugees and their belongings were not the only things they brought. The Humans also brought large heavy crates that they left sitting on the edge of town. Crates that, when asked about them, the Human watching them said contained the weapons that they'd be using.
Later in the day larger vehicles began rolling up to the city and Human soldiers began hopping out of the back of them carrying medical supplies and the food that they'd brought before driving away again. Some of it they set down next to their weapon supplies, others they gave to those that needed them. Some were dressed like doctors and began to treat some that had been injured, while others began to move the weapons crates to various locations around the city. Everywhere they went they drew at least a small crowd and eventually several ponies volunteered to assist with distribution. Their offer to help was accepted and things began moving faster than they had before.
Celestia looked down at the two races working together with a mix of joy and sorrow. It felt good to see their two races working together again, but had not wanted it to be for this kind of occasion. After the coming battle, nothing would ever be the same again, for better or worse. Hopefully it will be for the better.