//------------------------------// // 20 Rebuilding // Story: Homecoming of a Jumper // by tosety //------------------------------// Crafty Crate was inspecting the damage to Golden Coins’ house when Steelskin showed up. “Good morning!” Steelskin called out. Crafty looked over. “Hello there... Are you here to visit Silver Spoon?” “Actually,” Steelskin replied. “I was hoping I could make a deal with you.” Crafty raised an eyebrow and motioned for the young colt to continue. “I’d like to help you in exchange for a discount on rebuilding my house,” Steelskin offered. “Sorry, kid, already got a court appointed helper for these jobs,” Crafty replied gruffly. “Have you seen the filly that’s supposed to be ‘helping’ you?” Steelskin’s voice was just shy of incredulous. “Oh... yeah,” Crafty agreed. “So, how much of a discount were you looking for?” “You wouldn’t give me the discount I’m hoping for, so, how about we decide that after Golden Coins’ house is finished,” Steelskin offered a winning smile, shamelessly stolen from Alex. Crafty laughed. “I like your style, kid. I accept as long as it’s ok with your parents, but I also reserve the right to send you home without pay today if I don’t think you’re cut out for it.” “What are you doing here?” a voice sneered from behind Steelskin. Steelskin took a moment to make sure he had his emotions under control and turned around. “Hi, Diamond. I’m here to earn money to get my house fixed.” Steelskin kept his voice emotionless. #PR - 01# @Arrival + 3 months@ I pressed myself tightly to Tallic’s back as we completed a circle around the Crystal Empire and landed at the main entrance. My scarf took off the majority of the chill, but some of the cold still made it past the enchantment. Tallic tapped the magical dome with a talon, finding it hard to his touch. I decided to sit tight on his back since there was already a pair of pegasi flying towards us. “Greetings, Dragon, what brings you to the Crystal Empire?” one of them said cautiously as they landed several tails from us and well within the barrier. “Greetings, ponies of the Crystal Empire. I am Tallic and this,” Tallic turned so that the guards could see me on his back. “is my son Steelskin. We wish to visit your fair city and humbly request entrance.” Tallic’s voice was the formal tone of nobility entering a foreign nation; a proud but conciliatory attitude that spoke of a superior graciously accepting that procedure must be followed. The guards glanced at each other nervously before the first turned back to us. “What nation do you hail from, good dragon?” I could feel some tension drain from Tallic’s muscles as he heard what he believed to be the proper level of deference from these ‘lesser beings.’ “We hail from beyond this world’s borders, valiant knights.” Tallic had the barest hint of sarcasm in his voice as he ‘complimented’ the guards. “I am from a world quite unlike this, but my son comes from an Equestria almost identical to the one to your south." Diamond Tiara was struggling to get a beam onto her back. Steelskin watched her out of the corner of his eye as he held a different beam in place for Crafty Crate to secure. Surreptitiously, Steelskin forced a spike into the beam where he saw that Crafty would be pounding in a nail. Meanwhile, a crowd had started to gather to watch Tiara’s efforts at getting the beam over to the next spot. Somehow, she had already gotten dirty and scraped before she got the beam halfway to where it was going. “You set here?” Steelskin whispered to Crafty. Crafty looked down in mild surprise, then nodded. Before Tiara noticed, Steelskin had hoisted the beam onto both of their backs and was trotting alongside her towards the next broken support beam. Tiara started to huff before letting it out and shaking her head. Steelskin trotted back with her and helped her position the next beam on her back before returning to help Crafty. As Crafty positioned the broken top and bottom of the old beam and prepared to nail the new one against it, Steelskin gave a pointed look towards Matt. Matt gave a silent nod and moved to the stack of lumber, ready to help Tiara get the next one positioned. #PR - 01# @Arrival + 3 months@ When we neared the center of the city, we found a trial going on. Tallic and I were in the back, two blocks from the pedestals set up, but through some trick of their crystal magic, we could see and hear as well as if we were up close. “Obsidian, you stand before me charged with crimes against the Citizens of Equestria.” Cadance stood in main plaza next to the Crystal Heart. In front of her, on a roughly made podium stood a former overseer under King Sombra. “The charges are the willful and deliberate killing of five ponies through overwork and brutal punishments. How do you plead?” “Guilty, your majesty.” The stallion’s voice was little more than a whisper. “Then, as Empress of the Crystal Empire, I declare the accused guilty of all five counts of ponicide in the first degree.” Cadance’s voice rang out harshly and her hoofstomp rang out like an explosion. A bloodthirsty murmur went through the crowd, but it was quickly silenced by a firm but understanding look from Cadance. A tear slipped from the smokey grey stallion’s eye as he remembered the faces of the ponies that died from being overworked under his watch. It was clear to everypony that was not blinded by hatred and loss that he cared less about his fate than the weight of guilt he felt. His coat was dull and dirty and his ribs were showing. The year he spent running from this day way was clearly visible to all willing to see it. “Under Sombra, the penalty for murder would be execution.” A cruel murmur of assent went through the crowd at this, but it turned angry as she continued. “Under Queen Radiance, there was no death penalty and the highest punishment was thirty-nine lashes. I decree that forty lashes shall be considered a death penalty and shall only be given in the case of premeditated murder.” Cadance waited as the crowd’s murmuring died down. I assumed that she was going to sentence him to those forty lashes. After a minute, she coldly continued her pronouncement. “I decree a life for a life. The penalty shall be forty lashes for each death.” Shocked silence filled the square as the crowd realized she had just condemned the stallion to two hundred lashes. Even the most bloodthirsty family members of the deceased stood in shock as the magnitude of the sentence settled on them. “Shining Armor, I entrust to you the duty of executing the sentence.” Armor nodded to his wife, a tear in his eye. I watched as many of the crowd left, unwilling to see such torture carried out. Many more stayed, guiltily looking forward to seeing his torture. Tallic, for some reason, moved closer. I was getting sick just thinking about what was going to happen, but I stuck close, always worried that he might jump without me. As Shining Armor stepped forward, two guards unshackled him from the podium and led him over to a sort of whipping post. The stallion closed his eyes in preparation. “Wait!” Cadance stepped forward, removing her tiara and torc. “I claim the right of substitution.” “You sure?” Mrs Cake asked Steelskin. “Yeah, just don’t let her know it’s from me. I’ve already been too nice to her for her comfort.” Mrs Cake shook her head. “Okay, but I don’t think she deserves this.” “Of course she doesn’t,” Steelskin replied soberly. “But we all need a little mercy when we hit bottom.” The bell over the door rang as a thoroughly dirty, disheveled, and demoralized filly entered The Cube. Steelskin made a quiet retreat with his and Crafty’s lunches, pausing in the doorway to see Tiara’s response to being told somepony just paid for her to get her favorite meal. Steelskin let the door close as Tiara, tears running down her face, took a sandwich and a milkshake to a table in the corner. Steelskin trotted back with tears threatening to spill from his own eyes as the knowledge that Diamond Tiara accepted something without a huff gave him a warm feeling of hope. “No, you cannot just pay for the damages your daughter caused,” Mayor Mare said with a disapproving frown. “Her punishment is physically working to pay her debt.” The other mare gave a familiar huff and mumbled something indistinct. Mayor Mare raised an eye. “For your information, if I didn’t have her work off her debt, I would have been forced to figure out a harsher punishment. As it is, I have gotten several demands to banish her. I feel bad for your daughter, but what I have given is the least punishment I can conscience.” #PR - 01# @Arrival + 3 months@ Shining armor didn’t hold back. He laid into her just as hard as I’d seen slave drivers do. He was crying the entire time, but he didn’t let up even when her back started bleeding. Cadance herself stood stoically, only crying out once. I heard several ponies throw up when we first saw the blood and I probably would’ve too if I wasn’t used to Tallic hunting. Still, the fact that this was a pony, a princess, no less, made it that much worse. I spent most of the time with my eyes too blurred by tears to see what was actually happening. The pony counting out the lashes sounded like she was going to puke herself as we got past fifty and could barely hold herself together near the end. Meanwhile, the overseer was crying at least as much as Shining and I saw him visibly flinch with every lash. At the last whip, he spoke to those still watching. “Is there anypony who says that medical attention should not be given?” Despite helping Crafty place and secure the beams, Steelskin still managed to move more of the beams from the pile than Diamond Tiara. At the end of the day, he looked at the repairs and, with the tired but productive euphoria of a job well done, knew that they could easily finish this house tomorrow. Diamond Tiara, on the other hoof, was barely able to stand. Only her stubborn pride allowed her to finish out the day, stumbling forward with a single beam in the time Steelskin moved three. Still, she proved wrong everypony who said she’d slack off or refuse to work; she barely took a break and, while she couldn’t work fast and had no experience whatsoever, did not stop trying. “Hey, Steel!” Crafty called with an unreadable tone. “Be sure to talk to me about your house tomorrow at lunch.” Steelskin gave him a smile and nod. “See you in the morning.” Noting Diamond almost trip, he hurried over next to her. “If you’re not too proud, you can lean on me.” #PR - 01# @Arrival + 3 months@ “Does anypony object to medical aid being given now that the sentence has been completed?” Shining asked, looking at the crowd defiantly. A hush settled over the crowd. “No?” Shining armor looked around at the victims’ families, waiting for one to say anything. “Then let it be known that anypony who receives any lashes for any crimes shall be treated immediately after justice is carried out.” There were a few grumbles, but nopony was willing to be the one to make their princess endure anything more. Steelskin noticed Silver Spoon following them back to the orphanage, but didn’t call attention to her. Just before going inside, he smiled back at her and got a smile and nod in return. “Oh! You’re... back,” Miss Sweetheart said as she saw Steelskin helping Diamond inside. Steelskin gave a smile of relief as Miss Sweetheart helped Diamond into the bathroom to clean her up. On his way out the door, Steelskin was met by the crusaders, Rocky, and a few other fillies and colts. “Yo, Steel, you up for hanging out?” Rocky asked, echoed by a few others. Steelskin smiled. “Sure, but how about we just grab something at The Cube and talk? It’s been awhile since I worked as hard and as long as I did today.” Scootaloo made a ‘pfth’ of skepticism. “Yeah, right. You were barely sweating. I bet you could do that stuff in your sleep.” “Meh,” Steelskin replied. “Yeah, I’ve had tougher workouts, but it’s been a while, so it’ll take a few days to get used to it again.” “Tiara, though,” Dinky said with a snort. “I doubt she’s done half that much work in her entire life.” “Yeah, about that,” Steelskin said. “You piece of trash, run!” Roughshod yelled at Obsidian as he fell behind the other recruits. “I knew you were worthless the moment I saw you!” Obsidian, having already been forced to run ten laps before everypony else, was falling behind his basic training class. Shining Armor wanted to say something about the unfair treatment, but he knew the damage to Roughshod’s authority would be too severe for anything but physical abuse. He made a mental note to chew into Roughshod in private. As another recruit lapped Obsidian, he shot out a hoof to trip the former overseer. Shining Armor winced as Roughshod lit into Obsidian for being clumsy. Obsidian silently set his jaw and got up, returning to the track with tired resolve. “Just for that, get over here,” Roughshod yelled to Obsidian. “Sir, yes sir!” Obsidian responded. “Don’t give me that tone,” Roughshod yelled, taking offense to an imaginary slight. “Ten extra laps and you get to carry these saddlebags.” Roughshod hoisted saddlebags filled with iron ingots onto Obsidian’s back. “Yes, sir.” Obsidian grunted as the bags doubled his weight. “Hello, little colt,” Princess Cadance said from behind me. “What are your thoughts on what you have seen?” I glanced over to where Tallic was lounging as I gathered my thoughts. “Well, I think the punishment seemed a little extreme, but I can kinda understand it... I think banishment would have been a better punishment... What I’m having trouble with is you taking it for him.” I looked at where the unicorn healers had mostly fixed up her injuries. Some of the feathers had been ripped out and the skin was visible at the base of her wings and where the coat on her back hadn’t grown in. She smiled a sad smile at me. “Yes. Another wanderer from another world told me a story. I do not wish to repeat that tale as much of it had meaning only for that world, but the lesson of sacrifice and redemption stuck with me. Banishment would have removed the threat and, potentially, hindered others from cruelty, but...” There was a warm strength in her eyes as she stared off for a moment. “When I saw the remorse in Obsidian’s eyes, I fully understood the story.” “That’s... that’s horrible!” Apple Bloom cried out, no longer able to stay silent at Steelskin’s story. Scootaloo glared with derisive skepticism. “Really? Which part?” “Yeah, well,” Steelskin began, not giving Apple Bloom time to answer. “It worked out okay. I’d even say better than okay.” Scootaloo’s look of skepticism turned on Steelskin. Fei and Sapphire sat with bemused expressions, content to watch the discussion unfold. “Obsidian knew everypony would be hating him,” Steelskin explained. “Everypony except the two that mattered most.” “I can see why,” Dinky said. “He killed ponies. I’m not sure if I could’ve forgiven him.” “Yeah,” Steelskin agreed. “But he knew he didn’t deserve Princess Cadance’s forgiveness, so he ended up being her most loyal guard. He never got put in a position of leadership because nopony would accept him, but he was always the first into and the last out of any trouble. He was the bravest, kindest, and loyalest guard Cadance had, including Shining Armor.” “Don’t you mean ‘most loyal’?” Sweetie Belle asked, receiving amused scowls in response. “And you think...” Scootaloo asked, pulling the conversation back. “I hope that, since she seems as remorseful as Obsidian, she’ll end up being a good pony like him. Cadance gave him the ultimate forgiveness; she took the punishment he deserved so nopony could say that his punishment hadn’t been paid. He knew it, too, and, well, I don’t know how to describe it, but... well, he was happily doing whatever he could to repay and pay forward that debt for all the time I saw him.” Steelskin sighed. “I’ve been given a lot of forgiveness, myself, and want to be as wise and gracious as Cadance. I don’t have her power or strength, but I want to do what I can.” Scootaloo’s expression became haunted and she spoke quietly, mostly to herself, “Dad... It makes so much more sense now.” He looked down at the ground and remembered some of his less than noble moments. “I’m also not sure I’d be any better if I were in Diamond’s shoes.”