//------------------------------// // Arrival // Story: Hammer and Harmony // by omniblitz //------------------------------// Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, I hope this letter finds you in good health. Recently it has come to the guard’s attention that with your recent ascension, one detail was overlooked. As it turns out, each and every ascended being in Equestria is allowed to have a full suit of battle armor and weapon of their choice in the case of martial altercations. Normally, a trip to Neighpon is required, for the expert needed for such armor lives there: however, in light of recent events, an expert has been banished from his country, and we have directed him to stay in Ponyville as part of his asylum. This pony will also be your teacher on how to use, and take care of, the gifts he will create for you. He will be arriving tomorrow. Please give him aid in finding a permanent place to stay. Sincerely, Captain of the Royal Guard Shining Armor P.S. Sorry about the formal letter it’s a requirement for these things, also come visit us in the crystal kingdom when you get a chance. Odd. I never thought the other Princesses even owned weapons and armor. Oh well, I guess it’s part of the job. The next day came to Ponyville just like the last. Twilight Sparkle made her way from the Library to the train station around noon. For once, all seemed right in Ponyville, no Cutie Mark Crusaders nonsense, no world ending problems at all. Twilight sat in the train station content to wait for the stallion mentioned in the letter. The train was supposed to arrive in five minutes, plenty of time to reflect on the checklists of things she had to get done today. The train arrived in town, and many ponies of different sizes and colors made their way out of the train. A casual observer would hardly notice the diminutive stallion with a brown coat and deep blue mane sporting a hammer and anvil cutie mark. The stallion made his way toward Twilight Sparkle carrying large gray saddlebags almost as large as he was. “Hello. Princess Twilight Sparkle I presume?” asked the brown stallion. “Ah yes, you’re the blacksmith I was told about? I’m sorry, but the letter I was given didn’t mention a name.” “Names are strong things, Ms. Sparkle. You may call me Kajiya, for it is what I am. Excuse me a moment, I must get the rest of my things” The stallion proceeded to drop his saddlebags, causing a large dent in the ground, and turned around back towards the train. Soon, he returned dragging a crate the size of several ponies behind him. “Please lead the way, Ms. Sparkle, I need a place to rest my things before I can make your items.” Shocked by the strength of a stallion smaller than her, Twilight merely nodded and headed towards the library, Kajiya following her. Reaching the library, Twilight realized that Kajiya had not spoken another word since they had left. He kind of reminds me of Big Mac, just smaller. “Here we are Kajiya, Ponyville Library. Right over there is the house the guard has procured for you.” Twilight pointed with a hoof towards a small, single-story house next to the library. “Thanks, I need to set up. Give me three days, then come back.” “But don’t you want to see the town?” “I will, but the job is my passion, and I won’t rest until it is complete.” “But Pinkie will want to throw you a big party!” “I will attend, but the Kajiya comes first.” “Thats kind of egotistical.” “Oh, I’m sorry, Kajiya means ummm… Metal worker? Blacksmith? Something along those lines.” Confused now Twilight asked, “But why didn’t you give me your real name?” “Because my real name is only needed by family and blood friends.” “Blood friends?” “It is a Neighpon tradition. Now excuse me, I must attend to my Kajiya.” The stallion walked off carrying his heavy load, leaving Twilight even more confused than ever. For the first time in forever, a new pony in town did not receive the normal recognition from a Pinkie Party; instead, three days passed by quite normally in Ponyville. On the third day, Twilight Sparkle made her way across the very short journey towards the house that she had left the strange new pony at earlier that week. Three small hoof knocks on the door signaled her arrival to the occupant. “Come in.” “Well, I’m here Kajiya, you said to give you three days,” Twilight said as she entered the small house. Surprise overtook the alicorn as she noticed that the small fireplace had been turned into a full forge, and all the decor items had been shoved into a corner. The forge was lined with bricks that scaled to the ceiling and along the floor creating a heating space the size of several large stallions. “Th-Thats quite an adjustment you have made to the place.” “For Kajiya, you must have a forge. Now where are your friends?” “My friends? I thought the armor was for myself only,” Twilight answered confused. “No. Armor for all members of the Council of Friendship. I need measurements and die casts from all of you.” “Die casts?” “Yes. To foretell what weapon I need to make for you. The dice never lie. Now begone, and return with friends in tow.” “Hmmph. Fine I will.” What an abrasive character he has. He won’t even tell me his name, but he’s giving orders like he was Celestia. Twilight made her normal rounds to gather up her friends, which as per usual involved finding Pinkie Pie, telling her to get Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Fluttershy while she went to get Rarity. A few minutes later all six along with Spike were assembled in front of the small house once again. “So Twi, why exactly are we here again?” Applejack inquired. “Apparently the laws of Equestria say that anyone with Princess level status has to be given a suit of armor and weapon, if only for ceremonial purposes.” “So we get sweet looking armor for free? Awesome!” Rainbow Dash remarked as she casually hovered overhead. “Well I suppose it will be fine. As long as I can make the armor look Fashionable that is” conceded Rarity. With that, the six ponies and dragon walked into the small house, once again greeted by the drastically rearranged interior. “Ah good, you’re all here.I need body measurements from each of you.” “That’s a might forward, dontcha think fella?” Applejack seethed. “For your armor of course. Also, you all must roll die on table” Kajiya answered, pointing a hoof towards the table where a very strange die was held. The die looked like a normal six sided dice, but none of the sides held any image. “Hey, what’s the big idea!? This dice doesn’t have anything on it!” Rainbow interjected as she had already brushed past the small stallion to get a better look at it. “Then roll it and find out. Now, who can assist in measurements?” “I can darling. After all, I am the premiere dress maker in Ponyville,” Rarity answered Rainbow Dash, still skeptical, rolled the small die, expecting nothing to happen. As it rolled, a small blue aura wrapped around it, and the sides of the die rapidly changed images. When the die came to rest, one image was on all six surfaces: wing blades, a weapon attached to the furthest primary of a pegasus, known for pure brutality and finality. “Hey it shows a pair of wing blades now,” Dash remarked. “Good, now somepony else roll die while we measure the pegasus.” “Ya know partner, ya could at least ask our names, so ya don’t gotta call us names.” “Names are strong, Applejack. I prefer to not use them, and I know all of your names. There, everyone is measured for armor. What did you roll, yellow pegasus?” “Eep. Ummm . . .I uh . . . I rolled a star,” answered the sheepish pegasus as she hid behind her mane. “Good, you next Twilight Sparkle.” “Hey how come she gets a name and I don’t?” Dash questioned hotly. “She is Princess, she deserves respect. Also, her brother told me to call her as such.” “I got two things. A star and a sword,” Twilight said. “Good, other unicorn now.” “My name is Rarity, and I wish to be called as such, sir” Rarity responded as she walked over and used her magic to roll the die, revealing a small sword and crystal. “I also got two, a thin sword and crystal.” “Good, Pink one you are next.” “Okie-Dokie-Lokie,” a rather somber Pinkie replied. “I got a bugle and a hoof!” “Orange one, you are last.” “Call me Applejack, darnit. Ah, got somethin. Don’ know what it is, though.” The die depicted a strange weapon that oddly reminded Applejack of her lasso. “Hmm. That is an interesting one. Now, I need 6 pounds of crushed gemstone, and aid of your young dragon, Twilight Sparkle.” “Huh, me?” asked Spike, awakened from his slight stupor as he stared at the roaring fire in the forge. “I need dragonfire for metal, and gemstone for finished product.” “Well, I do have plenty of gems, Darling. Feel free to come over whenever you like and pick some up,” Rarity replied grudgingly. “Good, now all of you except the young dragon leave me to work.” “Can I watch?” Twilight asked. “I would be very interested in watching a true Neighponese blacksmith at work.” “Me too!” Dash interjected. Seeing stares from the others, she added “Hey! Swords are cool.” “You may watch. But from tomorrow onward. I must make steel today with young dragon. I cannot allow ponies to see making.” “Why not?” Twilight asked irritated “Because is dragonbound code to not reveal secrets to outsiders. Punishment is death and permanent imprisonment of the soul within a dragon horde for all eternity.” Stunned into silence, the ponies left. After a moment more of silence Spike perked up, “Is that true?” “Yes. Now come, we has orichalum to make.” “What is orichalum?” Spike inquired as they both made their way towards the white hot forge. “It is what happens when dragonfire smelts mithril, coal and iron together. It is the strongest metal in the world.” The pony responded as he put scoop after scoop of blue and gray metal into a crucible larger than Big Mac, along with stupid amounts of coal. He proceeded to set the mold into the fire and went to grab yet another mold, this one was six simple bars. “The metal will heat and melt together in hot flame. When I take it out you must use your hottest flame upon it while it is still liquid to turn it into orichalum.” “Ummm… Okay” Spike responded as he fidgeted from side to side, obviously nervous. When the time came, the earth pony withdrew large metal tongs from somewhere and used them to quickly withdraw the large crucible. Just as quickly Spike stepped in and blew his hottest fire upon the crucible turning the blue liquid into an emerald green. Satisfied, the earth pony poured the metal into the awaiting bar molds. “Thank you young dragon. You may leave or watch.” “I think I’m good. Twilight’s probably expecting me back soon.”