Chapter 3: The Elements
The sun was setting as the Commander and Colt Ranger tour group approached the front gate. There was an audience of soldiers who were training and that were on the wall.
“Open the gates!” ordered an officer. Two soldiers on top of the wall started turning two wheels, which started to open the gates in to the fort. Outside the fort where the gates lifted stood Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends.The audience formed a line for the Elements and Princess Sparkle to walk through towards SkyJak and CMC.
“Greetings Princess, Elements.” said the Commander with a nod. The element of Loyalty looked at him with a confused face.
“What’s with all the officialness, Jak, you can call us by name.” said Rainbow Dash. SkyJak turned his head to the blue mare.
“Not now Dash we can have catch up after I speak to the Princess. Soldiers, return to your duties.”
“He’s right Rainbow we have official business first, but we’ll be here for a couple days so you’ll have time to talk.” said Twilight with a stern face.
“Ok then, Princess come with me and--.” SkyJak was interrupted by the three fillies.
“Hey Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow, Pinkie, and Fluttershy!” the CMC screamed causing SkyJak and Twilight to grasp their ears with their hooves.
After Twilight shook off the blood churning screams, she replied “Hello girls, what are you doing here?
Scootaloo stood forward “We’re here to try and get our cutie marks.”
“And we asked the Commander what his was and it didn’t make sense.” said Sweetie Belle. Rarity and Applejack had no knowledge of their sisters coming to this fort.
“Sweetie who’s watching you all?” asked Rarity.
“Mr. Hay, he’s the instructor of the Colt Rangers.” said Sweetie, Rarity looked at Applejack, then back to the fillies.
“Then why’re you three here with them, Ah mean your fillies?” said Applejack.
“Oh it was easy to convince him, we just asked him night and day ‘till we got to go.” said Scootaloo with a smile.
“Ok then just don’t get into trouble, please.” said Rarity.
“As I was saying, Please follow me, Twilight.” said SkyJak looking at the CMC. “I’d suggest you getting back to your tour group. The rest of you can head to the tavern or your quarters, and Rainbow I’ll spend some time with you and Flutters.” Applejack had a somewhat concerned face.
“Flutters?” Applejack thought to herself.
“Ok Jak we’ll see you later.” said Rainbow.
SkyJak and Twilight trotted off and the CMC went back with the group.
“Who wants to go drinking?” asked Applejack. Pinkies face lit up.
“Oooh what’re we drinking? Apple juice, orange juice, grape juice, water? That’d be very bland, what about milk, ooooh chocolate milk.” asked the pink pony while beginning to drool.
“Maybe alcohol, Pinkie, since it’s a tavern.” said Applejack.
“Oh, ok I’m fine with that.” said Pinkie abruptly with a smile. Those two trotted away to the tavern on the east side of the fort. Rarity was getting a little jittery.
“Wait for me!” yelled Rarity while running to the earth ponies.
“So I guess we should go to our ‘quarters’?” asked Rainbow while doing air quotes.
“Yeah I guess.” said the yellow mare. They walked to the most south western part of Fort Safeguard where there was a stone brick building halfway as tall as the walls of the fort. Rainbow and Fluttershy trotted towards the building.
“Miss Rainbow Dash, Miss Fluttershy?” asked a small pegasus. The two mares looked at her.
“Yes, why?” asked Rainbow. The small orange pegasus pulled out a parchment.
“Follow me to your quarters, please.” The three pegasai flew up to the third floor and into a room the size of a hotel room, except more stone and cot than a soft bed.
Rainbow turned to Fluttershy “Well it’s better than that hotel in Las Pegasus” Fluttershy shivered at the thought, let’s just say, no maids and a lot of liquor.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Back to the tavern, which is on the east side of the fort, Applejack and Rarity are sitting around a small round table and Pinkie is talking to random soldiers, but is still making everpony laugh. An earth pony soldier walked over to speak with the two mares.
“Hello there. This seat taken?” asked the soldier. Applejack looked at Rarity who was semi-passed out, then back to the soldier.
“Nah, you can sit here.” she said taking a drink of her glass. Rarity started to get up. “Uh, darlin do be dear and point this mare to the bathroom.” Applejack said to a mare walking by. The mare grabbed Rarity and slowly walked her to the restroom.
“Huh, you two must have been here awhile for your friend to be like that.” said the soldier. Applejack chuckled.
“No, we’ve been here like ten minutes, she’s a lightweight, I warned her. Name’s Applejack what’s yours?” asked the mare taking another drink.
“My name is Tocoro, nice to meet you Applejack, the commander has told us during happy hour about his days before he was a soldier and I think he mentioned a relative of yours.” Applejack looked a bit surprised.
“Yeah? Who’s that?” Applejack asked. Tocoro took a drink of his glass.
“Are you relative to Big Macintosh? Applejack had a puzzled face.
“How’d the commander know my brother? asked Applejack.
“The commander said he helped at the farm when he lived with his sister when you away.” said Tocoro.
“Oh yeah who’s his sister?” Applejack asked.
“He never told us.” said Tocoro looking at his drink.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Walking up to the command center in the southernmost part of the fort. Officers in silver armor were surrounding a table with a map on it. The door opened and Twilight and SkyJak trotted in.
“Ok officers let’s bring the princess up to speed.” said SkyJak, an orange unicorn looked towards Twilight.
“Princess, do you remember the Changelings?” Twilights face turned towards SkyJak then back to the unicorn.
“Yes I do, why?” asked the alicorn. A pegasus looked towards the map.
“Do you see these mountain formations about a hundred miles to the south of this fort?” asked the officer.
“Yes.”
“One of our scouting parties was patrolling this area until they saw a swarm of Changelings.”
“Chrysalis.” said Twilight.
“Not exactly, these Changelings had a different color than Chrysalis’s Changelings did when they attacked two years ago and they were flying to the west for some reason.”
“What does this mean?” asked Twilight.
“This could mean nothing or it could mean that a new hive is forming to attack. It’d be a lot easier to know if we had one prisoner for me to interrogate.” said SkyJak.
“I guess this is where I come in.” Twilight insisted.
“Princess I strongly suggest you have just the Elements go.” said SkyJak.
Twilight looked offended. “I still am the Element of Magic I just grew wings, I’m going.”
“I cannot go against the word of a Princess, but do you know any combat spells?” Twilight looked confused.
“Combat spells? Why would I need to know combat spells.” asked Twilight.
SkyJak looked at her. “This is going to be a dangerous mission, it’s better to have one just in case. So follow me to our head unicorn.”
“Ok.”
The two of them left the command center and headed to a large tower, on the northwestern part of the fort. They entered the tower which was full of unicorns reading and practicing magic, mostly combat, spells. Twilights face lit up until she was almost left behind when SkyJak went into another room where one grey unicorn was whispering words in an almost crazy way.
“Twilight meet Dusk, he’s the one I that’s going to teach you and Rarity at least one combat spell.
“Rarity? Where is she?” asked Twilight. The door slammed open causing everypony except Dusk to jump.
“Ugh, I’m right here” said Rarity through the doorframe. She had a greenish face and collapsed.
“She was at the tavern sir.” said an officer.
“Thank you soldier, you can go back to your duties.” replied SkyJak. He went over to pick the white mare up onto her feet.
"You've only been here less than an hour, I don’t know if I should be impressed for a mare drinking in the middle of the day or be sad.”
“I apologize darling, I haven’t drank like that in years, I guess it just hit me- hu-hard.” said Rarity with a hiccup.
“Are we going to do this or what?” said Dusk in a mad and annoyed voice.
“Do what?” Rarity asked.
“He’s going to teach you and Twilight a combat spell.” said SkyJak. Rarity had a puzzled look in her face.
“Combat spell? Why in Celestia would we need a combat spell?” Rarity asked.
“I’ll explain it to you later.” said Twilight. Dusk was a very impatient pony and you could tell it by the look on his face.
“Ok then so I’m going to teach the princess ‘Haze’ from the Illusion class of magic.” said Dusk while looking through a book.
Twilight seemed happier “I know what that spell does, it puts virtually anything to sleep within 3.5 seconds.” Dusk had a smirk on his face.
“Good job princess, there’s not many ponies that know that spell.” Dusk said turning over to a new page.
“Well I know my spells.” said Twilight. Dusk found the page he was looking for. He whispered the words on the page, closed his eyes and turned towards Twilight.
When he opened his eyes and looked into Twilights a white beam left from his eyes and entered Twilights. Twilight had known how to transfer spells quickly but has never received it, so this is a new experience for her; she had struggles keeping up and had a blinding headache. After her mind accepted the new spell, her eyes were bloodshot and her legs weak.
“Now let’s see if you received it. Try it out on my pet.” he said pulling a boa constrictor from his robes. “Don’t worry I know a counter spell.”
“Why in the name of decency do you have that large of a snake in your robes?” asked Rarity. Dusk looked offended.
“Well, if you must know I am not allowed to have any sort of glass around me, so this is the next best place to keep Tiny.” he said shooting a glare at SkyJak.
“Sorry Dusk I’m just doing what the psychiatrist tells me what I should do.” said SkyJak.
“I guess I should try, ok here I go.” Twilight bean to focus on the boa until a small blue beam shot into the snake, putting him to sleep.
“Good job princess, I’ll wake him up.” He blinked and a pink mist came from his horn onto the snakes face, immediately waking him up.
He put his pet in his robes again and looked at Rarity, then at the book. “So I guess I’ll teach Generosity an Alteration spell. Hmmm.” he was peering at the book with focus. “Ah, got one. I will teach you ‘Shadow Hooves’. You know that one princess?” asked Dusk.
“Isn’t it a cloaking spell?” asked Twilight. Dusk smiled.
“Sort of, it gives the user temporary invincibility and increased stamina.” said the grey unicorn.
“It’ll help while sneaking.” SkyJak put in.
“Well I guess I’m ready.” said Rarity. Dusk again whispered words from the book and turned to Rarity. When he opened his eyes the white beam entered Rarity’s and gave her more of a migraine than she had before and she fell down to her knees. Her mind took a while longer than Twilights, and when it did she stood up.
“Ok, try it.”
Rarity focused with all of her strength and when she opened her eyes she felt full of energy.
“Well I guess it worked.” said SkyJak looking around the candlelit room. Rarity focused again and with ease she uncloaked.
“Ok, thank you Dusk.” said SkyJak. “You two can walk around the fort at ease, the mission is planned to begin tomorrow morning, I’ll tell Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Twilight and Rarity left the tower to go take a midday nap due to the spell transfer. Applejack was talking to Tocoro in the tavern and Pinkie was with the Colt Rangers who were touring the Armory, looking at weapons and armor. Rainbow and Fluttershy were talking in their rooms.
“Hm, why do you think Twilight wanted us to come on this trip?” asked Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy was moving back and forth around the room. Rainbow noticed. “What’s wrong Fluttershy?” Fluttershy turned to Rainbow and replied.
“How could you not know what’s bothering me, I mean we went to Flight School together, we’ve been friends for a long time and you don’t remember?” Rainbow pondered for a second then she realized.
“Oh, this is about Jak isn’t it?” asked Rainbow.
“How could it not be? I haven’t talked to him in years and I don’t know if he even remembers me.” Fluttershy said with a sad face. Rainbow chuckled.
“He couldn’t have, I mean he pointed you out this morning.” Rainbow Dash said. Fluttershy began to blush.
“Oh, yeah I guess he did. Well I’m still nervous around him ever since Flight School.” Fluttershy said.
“Well I have an idea for you to overcome your nervousness around Jak.” Rainbow said triumphantly. Fluttershy looked concerned.
“What do you have in mind Rainbow?” asked Fluttershy. Rainbow looked at her with determined eyes.
“I plan to leave when he shows up.” Fluttershys eyes widened.
“No no no no, please don’t leave me with him by myself.” Fluttershy begged.
“Don’t worry it’ll get you to together for sure.” Rainbow replied. The door opened and the commander trotted in.
“Good luck.” Rainbow said zooming out past SkyJak.
“Rainbow I--” Fluttershy shut herself up. SkyJak turned out the doorway then back into the room.
“Where is she in a hurry to?” asked SkyJak.
“Um, I guess she had to do something.” said Fluttershy in a quiet tone.
“Huh, that’s weird; she was the one that wanted to socialize. Well I came by to tell you about the mission tomorrow.” Fluttershy looked up a little.
“Mission? What mission?” asked Fluttershy.
“Tomorrow morning you six are heading into the Badlands to capture a Changeling.” said SkyJak.
“The Ba-Badlands? Changelings?”
“Yes but I know you Fluttershy I don’t expect you to go and it’s ok if you don’t the rest of your friends are.”
Fluttershy had a guilty face.
“I, I have to go if everypony else is I can’t leave them.” SkyJak smiled.
“Well lookie here, Fluttershy going into the Badlands. Hm, still don’t believe it.” said SkyJak. Fluttershy blushed even more.
“Haha, yeah.”
“Do you remember back in Flight School that dark purple pegasus who wouldn’t leave me alone.”
“Um, Krystal?”
“Yeah that’s her name, man she was annoying, but her and you and Dash were the only fillies I could even talk to.”
Fluttershys face lit up “That’s funny, he was the only colt I could talk to, sort of.” Fluttershy thought to herself . “Should I tell him?” Fluttershy took a breath.
“That’s funny because you were the only Colt who I could talk to without being picked on.” Fluttershy said with a smirk. SkyJak was confused.
“Really, I mean I knew you got picked on, which pissed me off, but I thought you had some colt friends.” Fluttershys face looked at the floor of the room.
"No, you were the only Colt who was sort of my friend.” SkyJak looked surprised.
“What, no I was your friend and still are.” he said proudly. Fluttershy began to blush violently.
“Oh sorry I didn’t think you were my friend because I couldn’t fly that good.” she said sadly.
“Hey, look at me. I was raised helping a pony to fly most of my life, so why would I think you were any less of a good pony?” asked SkyJak.
“You were just a great flyer and I thought that you liked flying more than-” she stopped herself before she said something that she might regret.
“More than what?”
“Nothing, it was nothing.”
“Come on Flutters.”
Her face was blood red now she couldn’t keep it in much longer. “Me.” she said in her quiet tone.
Jaks face blushed. “You, no how could I, I mean I was nervous around you I Flight School but I didn’t choose flying over, I never could.” Fluttershy looked at him.
“What does that mean?”
“What do you want it to mean?”
“Um, well I uh do you remember that yellow box you received on Hearts and Hooves day in Flight School?”
“Yeah, why?” SkyJak asked with a confused face.
“It was from me.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.” Fluttershys face was yellow again. SkyJaks though was blushed.
“Do you still think that Fluttershy?” he asked. in the background through the window was Rainbow peeking into the room.
“Come on Fluttershy, come on.” said Rainbow Dash to herself.
“Yeah, yeah I do.” Fluttershy said assertively.
“Oh, well so do I.” said the commander. Rainbow slid down with her back against the bottom of the window.
“Thank Celestia.”
“Well, I have to go, I’d love to talk about this after your mission tomorrow.” said SkyJak
“I’d like that to.” said the yellow mare. SkyJak open the door, waving a hoof at Fluttershy and flying off. Rainbow zoomed in.
“Oh that was great it worked just like I planned.”
“Well it hasn’t worked yet Rainbow we just talked and we’ll talk later after the mission.” Rainbow was confused.
“Mission?”
“I’ll explain in the morning I’m getting tired.”
Luna’s Moon was in the sky showering the fort in its white light. The Elements had to rest for the morning. Especially Rarity.