//------------------------------// // Chase McJerk Strikes Again // Story: The Human // by StapleCactus //------------------------------// To say Celestia was swamped would be an understatement. After the being calling itself a human ran off at the end of the funeral, she had done all she could to stop Twilight and Rarity from chasing. Rarity wouldn’t have made it far before her body tired, which could have left her in a horrible situation, and Twilight was needed back at Canterlot. Parliament could only hold off issues of state for so long without a princess, after all. As much as she wanted to let Twilight mourn, the busiest season for new legislation had arrived. So, here they were, sitting upon two seats at the highest position in the congressional building and listening to yet another delegate mumble on about some new law or improvement that just had to get passed. It’s not that Celestia didn’t have the power to stop him. All it would take is a short whisper to the crier from either princess and they would be done. The problem, though, was that she needed to let her ponies speak, or the entire process could come crumbling down. She could only let Parliament work independently for so long before chaos would split them into parties of like-minded individuals, and that wouldn’t be a fair use of the public’s taxes at all. Her musings were cut short as the delegate finished his proposal. Murmurs of agreement spread throughout the auditorium, but just as many voiced their dissent. As such, they all turned to Twilight and herself for a final judgement. “I understand the benefits you are proposing this ruling will create,” Celestia began, loud enough to be heard. “But, I simply cannot see the need for upgrading the road between Little Rock and Turmeric. There is little trade between those two towns enough to warrant such an investment at this time.” Twilight nodded, a hollow look to her eyes. “I agree with Princess Celestia. There is no need for such an improvement until traffic increases, and as such, I propose we table this proposal for a year, pending changes of course.” Voting passed in the majority, and the delegate gave a polite smile to the princesses for hearing him out and not downright throwing the idea away. As he took his seat, the crier rose from his own and scanned the itinerary, but found no further points for the day. He announced the court adjourned, and ponies calmly stood for their leave. No sooner had a few left their rows, a soldier burst through the side entrance for royalty. “Your Majesties!” he called, ignoring looks from the delegates as he ran up to Celestia. “There’s something holding the Iron family hostage. He demands your presence immediately.” Both princesses snapped to attention. If it was what they saw yesterday… “Can you describe this creature?” Celestia asked. “Yes… well, sort of, Princess.” “Tell us what you can,” Twilight urged, setting herself beside Celestia with a frown and arched brow. “Y-yes, Your Majesty!” A stutter, a pause, and a calming breath later, he tried his best. “I could only see it from its back through a window, but it looked like it stood on two legs. I-I mean, I didn’t see his legs, but he had two more limbs near its head, so I just assumed…” “It is okay, Morning Star. I think we know who it is,” Celestia said, determination hardening her features.  “We must hurry. Show us the way.” “Yes, Ma’am!” With a quick salute, he turned and rushed back the way he came, both princesses hot on his heels. This ‘Chase’ was quickly becoming a thorn in Celestia’s side. She was hoping his little bout with Spike could be summed up as his standoffish behavior getting the best of the dragon, and then the being defending himself. Now, she was beginning to think the human, as he called his species, was more troublesome than she first assumed. Of course, it wasn’t just her judgement Chase had wronged. After they all calmed and assured themselves of Spike’s safety, they agreed the fight was partially his fault, and that maybe the being was a little confused. It certainly didn’t seem like this human knew where he was, or even what they were. But that brought Celestia to another thought. How could she be sure of anything involving that creature? None of them knew what he was until he helpfully said so. Were there more of these humans, and were they all like Chase? She desperately hoped that wasn’t the case. Being able to knock out a juvenile dragon with two strikes and run as fast as he did, she couldn’t be sure her ponies could handle an army of Chases. “It’s just around the corner, Princess!” the guard yelled behind him as they drew close. A small gathering was forming around the building, and Celestia noted the sign hanging above the door: an anvil with a hammer. They skidded to a halt and Twilight took up her right side before the entrance. “Chase!” they said as one, both using an authoritative voice as a command for attention and a calming effect to the crowd. Celestia had taught her student well. “Chase,” Twilight began, “come out and leave those ponies alone.” Silence. “I’m one of the ponies you met yesterday at the cemetery.” A few whispers started in the crowd as the store lay quiet. “I’m giving you ten seconds.” Hmm, maybe Celestia had a few more things to teach her. Then again, now wasn’t the time to correct her, and she let it continue. “Ten.” “Nine.” “Eight.” “Se—” The door was thrown inward as the human stepped out, rubbing at the side of his head with his eyes closed. The guards maintaining the border of the crowd tensed as one when they saw him, concerned for everypony’s safety with the new creature and the arm it was hiding behind its back. “Geez, who the hell is yelling out here?” Giving his hand one last twist, he opened his eyes and looked around. His gaze swept over the princesses a few times before finally letting it fall on them. “Oh, it’s you two again.” “Chase, was it?” Celestia asked, drawing his attention to her while she flicked a few feathers at the guards. “What were you doing in the Irons’ place of business, holding them hostage?” The human looked like he was insulted, pulling his head back, but instead of a frown, there was a raised eyebrow and a smirk. “Hostage? Who’s being held hostage? I was just borrowing their forge.” “And for what, pray tell, were you borrowing their forge?” She noticed a few of the guards shimmy into position at the alley behind the store, but made no move to indicate their next instruction. “Eh,” Chase grunted, shrugging his shoulders. “That’s for me to know, but I guess I can show you.” In a flash, he had pulled his other hand from his back and pulled something from a sheath. The remaining guards jumped forward as soon as they saw what it was: a sword as black as obsidian running a length similar to what they would call a bastard sword. However, this one was thin, almost like it was designed for one hand with how easily the human held it. Its hilt was a hand and a half made of a polished, near silver, steel and wrapped in a black grip. The human’s other hand held the scabbard for the blade, made just the same as the hilt, but there was no sling. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Chase asked as he watched the guards study the blade and his posture. “Shame I couldn’t finish it with you guys yelling, but it’ll do.” “Chase…” Celestia warned, charging her horn and setting herself as well, “don’t.” Twilight, in response, stepped back and set her own magic to the ready. “Don’t what?” A wide grin split his face. “This?” He rushed forward on a single step, twisting the blade to press against the neck of the guard to the left of Celestia and using it to push the pony onto his hind legs. Using the hand with the scabbard, he held the poor guard stable from his back and twisted so they faced the princesses. “Star!” Twilight screamed, letting a bolt of energy fly. It missed, but still managed to shock the human. Before anypony could retaliate further, Celestia threw open her wings, a gesture she trained both the guards and the citizens to recognize from so many diplomatic visits: she would handle this. “Wow!” Chase tilted his head back and started laughing towards the sky. “Oh, this is rich! You… you people have magic?!” “Ponies,” Celestia corrected, anger seeping through her voice as she took a step towards him. “And yes, we have magic. If you don’t drop him this instant, I’ll show you just what that magic can do.” “Drop him?” he asked, then looked at the guard in his grasp. “Now why would I do that? See, this is a demonstration!” With gentle movements, he made the pony tilt his head this way and that. “The interesting thing about a blade is: it won’t cut unless you give it some friction.” “We kno—” “Ah-a. Don’t interrupt me.” He kicked one of the guard’s legs out, but caught him before he slipped. “Now, that isn’t completely true. A sharp enough blade can penetrate the skin with enough pressure…but here’s the kicker…” It was silent for a few moments, and Celestia decided it was her turn to respond. “Yes?” “You interrupted me before I could sharpen it!” he yelled, ripping the blade from the guard’s throat fast enough to make the pony think he was cut. As soon as the blade was free, Chase dropped him and jumped. The dust in the street stirred as the force of his legs accelerated him into the sky. Celestia shot a bolt of pressure at him. He blocked it with the sword and used its strength to push him onto the roof of the building. With a cry of “See ya later!” he was off, bounding from one building to the next. “Guards! Follow him!” Celestia ordered, then turned to Twilight. “Make sure Morning Star is okay.” One great flap of her wings later, she was in the air with the guards, and took point. She wasn’t letting him get away again. She tracked him, even as he zigzagged from roof to roof as if he wasn’t even trying. Then again, he probably wasn’t, and that irritated her all the more. Egging someone on for a fight was one thing, but threatening a guard all for a prank was taking it to a new level. Even further, he deliberately made Twilight, the guard, and herself look like a fool in front of the populace she had sworn to protect. Chase ran out of buildings. She didn’t think he would let that stop him and sped up, only to watch him leap. She thought he would go for the streets. She thought she could catch up and hold him down with telekinesis. She was wrong. The human had pushed himself off the building hard enough that the edge collapsed. Before the material could crash down and blind her, she spotted him shooting out over the edge of Canterlot. As much as she disliked him, she couldn’t let him fall from such a height. It didn’t matter what he was; no one could survive that drop. With an extra burst of energy, she pushed to the edge of the sound barrier, skirting the edge of it and leaving the guards behind. The building he crushed was just beginning to billow up dust, but she ignored it. Plowing through, she scanned about around her when the ledge ended. Beneath her, laughing, was Chase. He had landed in a stream running along the edge of the mountain and was letting the strong current lead him away. “Thought I was diving for the end?” he called after her. Words couldn’t describe how Celestia felt at that moment. He had just made her worried about him after what he did, only to laugh in her face. She had ponies do that on occasion, but there was something about the human that made her feel so much worse. Angry, maybe. She couldn’t be sure, anymore. “Join me for a swim?” he asked, laying back and stroking his arms against the current like the force of the water was nothing. After a few seconds without an answer, he continued. “Ah, it’s fine. Guess I’ll see you around!” “No!” Celestia called the moment he let the water take him away. She flew after him, but he hit a section of the river that went into the mountain, and it was too small for her to follow. Knowing she couldn’t get to the other side before he was out and completely lost to her, she gave up the chase. “Your Majesty!” a guard called from afar. She turned and noticed them flying towards her as quickly as they could. “Stand down, sirs,” she said when they caught up. “He’s gone.” They saluted as one. “What are your orders, Your Majesty?” the squad leader asked. Celestia looked to the stream. “Keep an eye open for him. Send word to the other towns and provinces we have an unstable threat and to not engage without orders from Twilight or myself.” “Yes, Ma’am!” The guards scattered, each going to a different destination to spread the word. The princess continued to stare at the stream, thinking about the human with whom she couldn’t get a good read. “We will find you, Chase, and when we do… we will talk.”