An Extended Holiday

by Commander_Pensword

Opening Salvos of House Blueblood

Extended Holiday
Chp 26: Opening Salvos of House Blueblood
Act 3

---

Blueblood slowly walked along the ornate hallway of his home in Canterlot feeling rather nice with the letter he had just sent. In fact the little magic spell he had placed on it went off showing that the letter had been opened and now, now he waited for the letter’s return before pausing. “Wait, didn’t Aunty say that they were only just starting.” he sighed. “I have to give more patience to the mail system then.” He paused and smiled. “Unless I convinced Aunty to station a Dragon in his court for magic mail.” He smiled to himself as he turned around and started walking as he started to pen a short note that he then teleported to where he knew his own scribe was located. He would take care of magically sending it to the destination.

He looked up as he blinked. “Where are those two shields?” He growled. “If they are off,” He paused fully in his stride. “Oh yeah, those two were fired.” He muttered with a sigh. “Finding loyal guards is hard to do.”

Across Equestria, for some reason, Rainbow Dash felt like punching Blueblood.

Back in Blue Blood manor, Blueblood sighed as he looked at two new guards he had pulled from his barracks. “Okay, you two are my main guards, you will accompany me wherever I may be going and follow my orders.”

“Of course my Prince.” The first a deep grey unicorn said with a bow. Blueblood was unable to see his look of despair as he bowed his head low.

“Good, first order of business is I want you to go and find the scribe and deliver the letter to Princess Celestia, House Strike has not been connected to the Dragon Fire network and the letter is my willingness to pay for any upfront fees in getting Ponyville.” he shuddered at the name. “On the grid, as well as wherever they may settle permanently.”

“Very well my Prince.” The second white earth pony said with a bow of the head. “By your leave?” he asked.

“Very well, just be as quick as you can, I just know my Aunt likes to talk on and on, if it needs to be all afternoon I can wait for once.” He smiled a little as he moved towards the dining room. Mentally preparing for the schooling of a century with this new earth pony noble. Time to show just how society has changed for the better.

“Yes my prince.” And with that, the stallion was gone.

Blueblood only made a small verbal sound to show he heard that before he decided to have a small snack in the dining hall.

---

Princess Celestia was at the moment that this was occurring, in a meeting with some of the royal appointed workers of Canterlot. “So,” She looked to those in the room. “Do you all understand what it is that I am asking of you? That you need to be ready to leave within twenty four hours notice of whenever they set up their official camp.”

“What about our families? Should they stay here, or head out with us Princess Celestia?” One of the workers asked.

Princess Celestia only nodded her head with a small smile. “You will need to arrive first to set up plots of land and places of work, when the road is clear and safe, then you can send for your families. I doubt you would like your families to be traveling through unsecured roadways in the Everfree Forest.”

“Thank you Princess.” Another worker bowed.

“You are most welcome. I think this may be some of your greatest works here for the kingdom, and for your own selves.” She raised her head as one of her own guards stepped into the room. “Yes?” She asked in a motherly tone of voice.

“A message from the Lord of upper Canterlot.” The guard responded bringing the scroll to Celestia.

Celestia only nodded her head as she took the scroll in her magic and unfurled it to read. “Thank you.” She replied as she looked at the others gathered around her in the throne room. “You may depart when you wish, I doubt anything here is of too secure matters.” She warmly spoke to her subjects in the room. She turned her eyes to the scroll as she felt her horn tingle and smiled as she saw Spike’s magic slowly turn solid and another scroll dropped, she paused, it was not sealed by Twilight’s seal, but a red ribbon.

Upon opening the red ribbon and unwrapping it revealed another sealed scroll covered in parchment the parchment read simply ‘Please forward to Prince Blueblood’’

Celestia blinked, the only emotion outward that she gave as she looked at the sealed scroll that had only wax and no seal on it. She realized that she would have to set an appointment with a royal seal maker to create three new seals. She actually smiled. “Guard, please tell Noteworthy that I will need to reschedule some of my meetings as I have some important business in Ponyville for the coming week, as well as spending the New Years celebrations in Ponyville.

The Guard only bowed and left the room as Celestia opened the other letter and sighed. It was from Blueblood but something about it seemed off. A second later she realized why. It was a real honest humble request to place a royal Dragon fire user into the Strike household. “I,” She paused and smiled she had just the dragon in mind, a certain blue scaled dragon that enjoy a station change. She cleared her throat and rang a bell as an aid walked into the room. “Please,” She began, “Deliver this to Blueblood Manor and inform the head of the house that his request has been granted and that I have already taken liberty in assigning the dragon to the house so he can focus on more important tasks.”

“Of course your Majesty.” The aid bowed her head and took the scroll in her magenta magic and left the room as Celestia looked at those gathered about.

“Actually, maybe your families would enjoy acclimating to the climate and culture down the mountain as some ponies like to say, and stay at the soon to be vacated Fort that was built to house some of the guards that the humans were training.”

---

Blueblood heard the chime at the front doors and smiled a little as he counted the paces of the new butler he had, he heard the door open and then close. the dull grey Unicorn with a hoof holding a silver tray as a cutie mark walked into the dining hall. In his magic a scroll that was unadorned yet sealed in wax was placed in front of him. He smiled as he opened the scroll.

Dear Prince Blueblood XXXI, Lord of Upper Canterlot Caverns, Royal Hot Springs, Keeper of the Royal Keys to the Observatory Peak. blah blah etcetera you're not that impressive.

My Lord Hammer Strike, Lord of Everfree, Wielder of Master Smith, Wielder of the Giant Slayer, Wielder of the Night Cleaver, He Who works his Craft Tirelessly, Hero of the Third Gryphon War, Guardian of the Poor and Distraught, Master of Metals, Lord of the Smith’s Guild, Wielder of the Sacred Hammer, Forger of the Unforgeable, Enemy of Chrysalis, Enemy of Sombra, Friend of Cave Troll’s, Bane of Windigo's, Friend of Starswirl, And sometimes referred to as Lord Hammer Strike the Insanely Awesome, wishes to me to respond to your letter as he is indisposed and frankly really doesn't give a damn.

He will grant you, your audience on the first of never. He farts in your general direction, your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries. If you write again he has expressed wishes that I should taunt you a second time.

Have a nice day,

Sir Grif Griffin, doesn’t need titles because people actually respect him.

Blueblood only blinked and stared at the scroll as he was not sure what to do, or even how to react to this. Finally he settled on one emotion, jibbed, and slighted. He had not gotten the letter from Lord Hammer Strike personally, but that barbaric Griffon. He closed his eyes and breathed in, held it, and slowly let it out. “I might have to pay a personal visit, if this happened once, it may happen again.” He actually smiled a little. “So it seems that I may have to put on the charm a little more. I think after Winter Wrap Up will be a good time to visit.” He looked to his butler. “Fine Silver, please start preparations for a travel from the manor into Equestria and Ponyville.”

“Of course,” Fine Silver replied with a bow and left the room as Blueblood rang a bell and some maids began to clear away the plate as he slowly walked out of the room. “If anypony wishes to talk to me, I shall be in my study drawing up some plans.”

The Maids only bowed in response but did not speak in response. Blueblood nodded at the display happy to see them learning that if they had to be seen, they should not be heard. As soon as it was confirmed that Blueblood was far enough away, laughter broke out all around the room.

Blueblood only smiled. He happily trotted into his study where he looked at where he hoped to have at least concession of part of the Everfree Forest, and there was plans for a modest castle that could be expanded on, not just by him, but by any future Bluebloods. The Castle when finished would look almost as big as Canterlot Castle, but smaller in respect to his aunts. The main imposing tower was his first step, and the most expensive part of the project. The plans were not finished but they had been started the moment he got wind that the human and now the Strike house were setting up shop in the Everfree, he wanted in on that land grab before any other nobles could.

---

Back in Ponyville, in the basement of the Tavern that they called home. A meeting was taking place between three of the residences, Pensword, Grif, and Moonshade. They all were at the moment looking at plans and ideas. Only this time, it looked like they were planning a conquest not day dreaming.

“So,” Moonshade began the meeting. “How wide do you want the trail and with the time, are we ready with the bridge material?” She looked to Grif. “What are you planning to train them for the next month and a half?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Weapons training.” Grif answered. “They have enough discipline to get us there, they can think well enough under pressure. They just need to be able to use whatever they plan on defending themselves with.”

Pensword only nodded his head. “Right, and I shall be giving him use of my men as well, the road needs to be opened and quickly. So a footpath and as we can work, we will use magic to tear out the stumps. How wide do we make the road? Also I think a simple wooden gate symbolically denoting the entrance to the road to the castle of the two sisters, something for the men to do around the staging grounds.”

“We need to keep the road just wide enough for the bridge equipment for now.” Grif said. “A wider road spreads out the ponies on it making it harder to defend everyone.”

“Right, what do you say about, say two Equestrian hoofball pitches long between guard towers? We can bunch them up if it is needed but I want something to alert problems like the Great Wall of China did in communications when it was active.”

“It’s gonna take us quite a bit even for such a short distance you know.” Grif said. “The larger the group, the longer it will take.”

Moonshade looked to Pensword and then to Grif. “That is why Pensword came up with the idea of a spear, have a few members moving in front and as it goes further along, it widens to the size you want… any extra will be pulling the fallen trees back to the base camp at the front of the forest.”

“Very well.” Grif nodded. “As soon as we get the bridge set up I want the food across first” he said. “We can’t afford losing our supplies in this case.”

Moonshade nodded and before she could speak a loud thud sounded from above them. In fact a few bits of dust fell from the ceiling and onto their head. A half second past before all three were racing to the stairs with Grif and Moonshade moving into an attack stance as they bolted up the stairs and a quick glance showed Berry looking at the ceiling and the trio sped up the stairs and began to check the rooms, it lasted three seconds as they found the cause of the sound.

“How?” Pensword asked as he saw Lord Shawn sleeping on the ground. “Does a pony make that much noise falling out.” He paused. “He’s still asleep, amazing.”

“I guess he was so tired he’s fallen into total sensory deprivation.” Grif said.

“That might make sense.” Moonshade replied as she looked at the others. “Shall we get him back in bed?”

“Only after we put part of the bed against the wall. I do not want a repeat of what just happened today. He might wake up.” Pensword muttered.

Any further conversation cut off for a moment as Shawn snored, not loud, but enough to be heard by all present.

The rest of the events happened in silence and soon Shawn was left alone in his bed as it was against the wall. They left the room silent and Shawn slept through the entire thing.

Meanwhile...

---

In the dreamscape, Luna was wandering, a question in her mind. Each section of the world was broken into sections in the dreamscape, when there is nopony asleep, the doors aren’t there. But down one of the sections, down its dark corridor, a single door stood in the dark. A familiar door, its simple wooden door with its rectangle design into it, sinking in then back out. What finished the door was its simple iron handle.

Luna found herself hesitating as she reached out to grip the handle with a gulp she opened the door and stepped back inside.

What surprised her was the fact that the scene was different from last time. It was a desert, nothing as far as the eye could see in most directions, but as soon as she turned around she found herself staring at a town, one that reminded her of a town she had read up on, Appleloosa if she was correct. But the one difference was it was empty, not a soul in sight.

Wooden structures surrounded her, the doors ajar, windows cracked, cobwebs, even a tumbleweed blew through the middle of the road, it was empty.

“What is this place?” She wondered looking around. “It looks like Appleloosa...”

“Is this Appleloosa a ghost town?” She heard a voice behind her.

“There are no spirits living there that I am aware.” She said

Shawn chuckled as he walked up to her, he was wearing just a white dress shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and a brown vest with his tan pants and brown boots. “I mean in the sense of it being empty, abandoned even.”

“Oh no, it is thriving currently.” Luna said. “But these buildings hold a similar style.”

“I might have to visit the place some time. I always wondered…” He trailed off. “Anyways, what brings you around?”

“You’ve been asleep for nearly sixteen hours.” Luna said. “Even for one as tired as you this is a concerning matter.”

“Ah. One of those days I guess.” Shawn said shrugging it off. “You want to chat about anything while you’re here?”

“How have things been for you? Easier than the last time we spoke I hope.” She said.

“I guess.” He started walking forward, motioning her to follow him as the scene shifted around them to a more modern town, a road, marked with yellow lines and white dashes, fences on the sides, houses of varying sizes and colors, yet the same abandonment. “I’ve just been thinking on things. How goes…” He shook his head a little. “Progress… On sending us back home?”

“It has been…slow.” Luna said. “From what we have been able to understand you moved clockwise in the veil between worlds, moving clockwise is easier than moving counterclockwise.”

“Figured as much…” He sighed. “I think I already know how our history will lay out.”

“What do you mean? We still have options.” Luna said.

“There are key points of research missing.” He replied. “How much of the Veil between the worlds is written down? How much knowledge is known on it?” He sighed. “My world just created speculations on it.”

“How do you multiply by infinity?” Luna asked. “How do you divide by it? Add it? Subtract it? You’re asking how much is known, that would be like asking to map the atomic structure of all of Equis.”

“Mapping the atomic structure of all of Equis, while possible, not in a single lifetime.” He chuckled darkly. “Just as I fear by the time we have an absolute answer, our time will have gone.” He sighed. “Too many variables are in play, and if one of them is slightly off, you might as well strike me where I stand, for the slightest wrong could just kill us.”

“There is still… Another possibility.” Luna said.

“What is it then? I want to hear this…” He looked at her. “What shall we do?”

“What hinders us is logic, rules and laws, as beings of order my sister and my magic has to know the formula to have the effect, we must know what to do to do what we want, but there are beings not hindered by logic, rules and laws.” Luna said.

“And with that…” He sighed. “And what is the chance of having a being willing to do so, willing to send us home, correctly. I’ve heard of one, one creature so far on this world, and from what I know, he was hated.”

“Discord was chaotic, but to call him true evil would be wrong.” Luna said. “Chaos should never rule but without it life could not exist, he can be tempered, saved, reformed and should that happen, I do believe he would help you.”

Shawn sighed heavily as he walked. “I guess. Pardon me for my lack of enthusiasm, I’ve learned to always expect the worst, and to expect to be disappointed.”

“Take it from someone who has been down that kind of path, sometimes it is best not to make the worst possibility an option, if you will not accept it, then you can always fight it.”

“And fight I have.” He sighed, stopping in his tracks as he looked around him, the same road, the same houses nothing changing, and dull grey clouds covered the sky.

“Anything else you wish to talk about? Something that doesn’t involve…” He paused for a second. “I guess the topic of returning, for now.”

“Are you alright?” She asked. “You seem somewhat...off whenever we talk like this.”

“I don’t know myself, I guess I don’t feel the need to pep myself up.” He shrugged. “Don’t need to energize myself to go throughout a full day. I can just be me, relaxed.” He smiled a little. “Company is always welcome as well. I enjoy these conversations, though you may not see it by my expression often.”

“It is most unusual to find such conversation in dreams.” Luna noted. “Unusual but not unwelcome.”

Shawn smiled a little more. “Come now, what’s on your mind today? Anything you want to talk about is open for debate. No holding back.”

“I understand that humans have explored the heavens of their planet?” Luna asked

“Now do you mean that in a religious way or literal way?” He questioned.

“Literal way, how could it be defined as otherwise?” she asked.

“Good, I won’t go into that topic.” He replied. “Well, lets see, we traveled out of our planets atmosphere and to the moon. I can remember that one. Apollo Eleven.” He chuckled.

“That is… quite something.” Luna said. “And what's it like? Your moon?” She asked.

Shawn hummed in thought. “Let’s see what I can remember, picture, video, art, fact…” He continued on as the scene shifted around them. The sky darkened, and specks of light were all around the darkened canvas. The floor was flattened, then craters formed, the world around them shifting. And in the sky, an orb of blue and green floated through it all.

“This is beautiful.” Luna said looking around. “I’ve never seen dreams with such vivid details.”

“I can’t remember every detail, but I can pull together the gist of it.” He replied.

“So the moon is the limit of your species travels?” Luna asked.

“Physical travel, but we have sent things farther, sending pictures back.” Shawn shrugged.

“Oh how far?” Luna asked

Her response was a pause. “I remember there being something sent out, continuously taking pictures of our planet, getting further and further away.”

“I must hear more of this.” Luna said.

---

Grif held the flintlock in his claws and sighted down the barrel at the target. He took a breath and let it out, took another breath and let it out, and once more he repeated the process pulling the trigger as he did so. With a bang and a puff of smoke the bullet flew from the barrel and buried itself within the third ring. Grif smiled at the achievement.

Pensword looked up and back at his target as they worked in the back area of Sweet Apple Acres near the everfree forest. At the moment he was calibrating the crossbow that Taze got him as a gift. His target had a few bolts sticking out of it, and holes where he had recovered shafts as well. He smiled as he closed and eye and fired in rapid movements that he was getting down three bolts that clustered right in the middle red dot and he blinked and looked up. “Okay, I found my calibrations.”

“And now I at least have a chance to hit something with this.” Grif smiled as he reloaded.

“Agreed,” Pensword mumbled. “For once I am seeing the Crossbow as a faster reload then the flintlock…” He sighed and looked at the hoofs a little. “I shall not dwell on the past, but on the future.”

“Somehow I doubt you’d find a bolt action crossbow anywhere else.” Grif laughed.

Agreed, no where else and who knows, you may become the next Colt or Smith & Wesson.” Pensword spoke with a chuckle. “Still, this is a lot easier to operate and just look at what I can do with the accuracy on this thing.”

“The design came from the idea of a bowgun from Pokke.” Grif said. “With several modifications, it’s made to be easily planted and for a stable shot, but it’s not that great while moving unfortunately.”

“Ah, like a sniper rifle.” Came the foreign words to anyone who was not from Earth. “I might have to carry two crossbows. The one you made, and the one that I got from Canterlot.”

“Don’t most American snipers carry two weapons?” Grif asked.

“Yes they do.” Pensword replied as he looked around. “Range is Cold.” he yelled and began to walk towards the bullseye to grab his bolts. He looked over to Grif. “So, how will Equestria look in five years from now?”

“Who knows?” The gryphon shrugged. “Who’s to say what the future holds?”

“Only that it will hold ponies.” Pensword shot back with a laugh as he turned around with his pile of bolts and started to walk back to his station where he had his crossbow waiting for him.

“And Griffons.” Grif smiled.

Pensword laughed a little. “And Griffons.” he added with a smirk. He paused as he looking into the sky as he saw a prismatic flash and Rainbow Dash landed behind Grif.

“Hey, you guys got to get to Ponyville.” She spoke quickly and yet if she had flown all the way from Ponyville and landed in Sweet Apple Acres, she did not show it at all. She was breathing slowly and in control and yet Pensword had the impression she had flown here at top speed.

“What's wrong?” Grif asked

“Princess Celestia just landed in front of town hall and is meeting with Twilight Sparkle and is waiting for your friend to wake up to talk to him as well, but you might want to be getting back to Ponyville incase she wants to talk to with you two.”

Pensword blinked and smiled. “Well, this is a strange phrase, but shall we fly to Ponyville?” He asked and suddenly had to duck his head as Rainbow Dash darted back into the air and was flying away. “I guess it is just us two slowpokes flying back.”

Grif took off into the air. With a grin he moved at an ascending angle as fast as he could until he was high over the landscape before going into a dive towards Ponyville. The momentum of his movement aided by gravities flow.

Pensword himself took off as well, and on a whim was following Grif’s lead as he also rose up higher in the air and also dove down and found himself picking up speed and started to grin at the feeling, a feeling that one could be very hard pressed to talk or even describe unless you where either there to witness it, or are able to repeat the experience. “YEEHAWWW.” Pensword shouted with glee as he aimed right for the plaza that surrounded the Town Hall.

Grif spread his wing wide as he saw the ground approaching preparing himself for a rough sliding landing as the momentum didn’t slow nearly fast enough he stretched his claws out in front of him and let out a warning for anyone in front.

Pensword had already flared his own wings and was going in now on a circle glide so landing would result in a trot walk that should end in front of the town hall, and he did not see what was happening with Grif, but he heard the warning cry and he got very worried as he tried to come in to land and help his friend.

However as Grif’s talons touched the ground the momentum seemed to suddenly die like all the kinetic force on his body had been instantly negated. Grif stood there panting looking around him as a few ponies just stared with open jaws. “What just happened?”

At that moment Pensword came actually galloping along the dirt path and actually kicking up dirt from the speed he was going at as he suddenly found himself having to stop quickly as he saw that nothing was wrong. “Wha? Why did you cry out Grif?”

“There was no way I should have been able to stick that landing without hurting myself.” Grif said.

Pensword took in the surroundings and he figured something had happened from the expression on the other ponies faces as they had watched the landing. “Yet, you didn’t get hurt.” He paused and blinked a little. “Maybe ask Pinkie Pie if she knows why? I mean she knows the impossible it seems.” He was, Grif could see giving him the benefit of the doubt. “I mean, before, sombra, a lot of things I thought was impossible turns out to be true.”

“Maybe.” Grif said. “Hi Dash.” Grif said as the cyan blur arrived seconds later.

Dash only blinked in shock before she smiled. “Oh, you did the pyramid flight path, I’ll keep that in mind next time I race you two.” She laughed a little as she looked to the front doors of the town hall. “She is either inside or at Twilight’s library.”

“I’ll check here, you check the library.” Grif looked over at Pensword.

Pensword only nodded his head. “Very well, I shall be heading to the library. See you later.” He turned around and started heading towards the library.

Grif headed into town hall, giving a polite nod to the ponies inside as he entered.

To Grif’s surprise the receptionist smiled a little. “Oh, Sir Grif, I was actually going to send a letter to you, Mayor Mare wishes to talk with you at the moment, she is free at the moment so you can walk right in.”

“Thank you, I’m sorry but I don’t believe I have your name, I’ll have to get it on my way out.” Grif noted before heading inside.

“It is Spiral Notebook.” The female receptionist replied with a nod her her head.

“Then thank you spiral.” Grif shouted back. turning to the desk dominating the office as the door closed he nodded respectfully. “Mayor….Mare.” he said somewhat awkwardly.

“Ah, hello Sir Grif.” She replied. “That was quick, I just recently requested a letter to be sent to you. I guess it wasn’t needed.”

“I was in the neighbourhood, princesses visiting, knighthood you know the jist of it, now what may I do for you?” He asked.

“I was actually going to ask a simple question, by chance know the duration in which you will all be residing in Ponyville?”

“Until the snow melts.” Grif answered. “Though you realise I am under no obligation to tell you any of the details.”

“Understandable, I just wished to know of the duration of the stay. If you can not say, I understand.” She smiled a little. “I’m sorry if I pulled you from anything I was just wondering about this. I wish you the best of luck in what you are going to accomplish.”

“I’m sorry, I have a bad habit of getting defensive when questioned, we are planning to move out as soon as the path is clear enough. When we do move we will be transferring ownership of the fort to the town, this is just a private opinion but it would be a smart political move to turn it into a crisis center with how many times Ponyville seems to have them.” Grif noted.

“Yes, the town does seem to have it’s days.” She chuckled. “But we always pull through, though that sounds like a good idea.”

“We would however like to keep supplying wood to the good ponies of Ponyville, it is lord Hammer Strikes hope that the Everfree well prosper beside Ponyville, not in spite of it.” Grif said.

“Well, that’s wonderful news.” She smiled in response. “Very good to hear indeed.”

“Was there anything else?” Grif asked.

“No, that should be it. Again, sorry if I pulled you away from anything, you are free to go.”

“Thank you madame.” He bowed his head again. “I pray that things are easier for you in the coming future.” He leaned in carefully. “Also, your roots are showing.” He said in a hushed tone.

“Er, uh.” She paused. “Thanks.” She whispered in return.

“Of course madam.” He said before turning and leaving.

---

At the exact same that Grif entered Town Hall, Pensword actually took to the air again and flew low over the streets towards Golden Oaks Library and blinked as he found Celestia’s chariot standing right there in front of the door. “Oh, I found her.” he muttered. “Okay,” he gulped and slowly landed in front of the door and knocked on it lightly. He stepped back and waited for his knock to be answered

A uniform white unicorn answered. “Hello? Oh, Sir Pensword, please go right on in.” He moved back and gave a salute towards Pensword.

Pensword only nodded and returned the salute before dropping it and the guard dropped his salute to him. He Celestia sitting at the table with that wooden head statue in the middle of the table. “You, asked for me?” he asked and he paused and spoke or was about to, before pausing. He knew the two knew his real form so he let out his thoughts. “That will be odd being given the salute and not rendering the salute.”

“Something I am sure you will get use to Pensword.” Celestia replied.

“I sure hope so, and I hope that I earn the salute, and it is not because of my rank and station.” Pensword replied. “I want to lead a life that brings it respect and the soldiers under any noble house would salute with respect to both person and uniform.”

“I am sure you will over time.” Celestia smiled. “Come, sit down, that is if you have the time to. Might I assume you came here for a reason? How is Lord Hammer Strike, I haven’t heard from him at all today.”

“Still asleep to my knowledge, I wondered when that would catch up to him, I am letting him sleep.” He paused and tilted his head to the side. “I thought Rainbow Dash said you wanted to see either Grif or I about something.” He paused before laughing. “I guess there was a bit of miscommunication going on there.”

“The tea is ready princess.” Twilight entered from the kitchen area. “And I have the finest cake coming in from Sugarcube Corner, oh, Hello Pensword.” She stopped for a moment before looking at her current checklist.

“Oh dear,” Pensword started. “Did I interrupt your check list? I only came because I thought that you needed to see me about something, if not,” he paused. “Maybe some talk that is not about plans or saving the world?” he asked with a small chuckle.

“Oh, I told Rainbow Dash to tell you to get Lord Hammer Strike here.” Twilight said.

“Who appears to still be asleep.” Celestia said.

“That is correct, at the moment, actually, what does nobles do in a situation like this?” he blinked had took a deep and far off look. “I really, really do not want to cause a war between houses at the moment.”

“What do you mean?” Celestia asked, arching an eyebrow in question.

“Well, meeting protocols, or letter writing, or the proper etiquette when greeting or meeting. Also, I think Blueblood is a bit miffed that most of our staff is coming from his house at the moment.”

“I take it the letter Blueblood sent was read, and the reply wasn’t… Written in the best of ways?” Celestia asked. “I remember getting it to forward to him.”

“I do not know, Grif wrote it and sent it off without me seeing the final draft.” Pensword replied honestly as he sat down at a motion from Twilight who then poured him a cup of tea for him. Pensword paused but finally accepted the cup of tea and took a sip of the drink.

“From what I heard, Blueblood was quite miffed by it.” Celestia said before taking a sip of tea.

Pensword only paused and looked into his tea cup. “Oh, he sent the rough draft then… that might be bad.” He muttered before taking another sip from his tea.

“Well, House Blueblood isn’t going to risk going after a hero, even if their house is small.” Twilight shook her head. “They don’t have the connections.”

“Wait, a small house? I thought his was a rather big house or something.” Pensword replied in shock. “Or was it once big and has dwindled in size?” Pensword shook his head. “I will never understand noble houses and their political moves.”

“I’m sure you understand due to the fact that a good number of servants, and guards have been relocated from his noble house.” Celestia said. “He is quite bothered, and I myself don’t know what he may attempt, as he may… Go a bit far.”

“Then we shall be prepared, we do have guards here, a fort, and…” he paused and looked to the table and then smiled. “I may need to talk to one of my blacksmiths, Wrought Iron might be fun to see what can be made.” he shook his head. “Anyway, my apologies your majesty, I did not mean to intrude on your time with Twilight Sparkle.”

“Oh, think nothing of it, I will be here until New Years Day.” Celestia replied. “I will be staying here with Twilight.”

Pensword only raised an eyebrow and saw how excited Twilight was for the moment. “Let me guess, gives you time to catch up on things and spend nights talking about some new form of thought or what is found in new periodicals that have been published?” He smiled and shook his head. “Anyway…” he paused and looked to a clock. “Maybe Lord Hammer Strike is awake now. It is twenty hundred hours.” He actually smiled as all present knew what time it was by the twelve hour clock. “If not… maybe you would care to check on.” He paused and blinked. “Meme.” he muttered.

The two just looked at each other with confusion for a second before Twilight realized what he was doing. Twilight just looked at him. “They are still staying at the inn right?”

Pensword widened his eyes. “I thought, wait,” he furrowed his brow. “Oh dear, I hope we find them.”

---

As the three talked about them. The two Changelings were at the moment doing something rather stupid. They were scouting the edge of the forest on their own. They were currently in the guises of two guards and wondering just where the entrance would be into their new domain and home. After a little bit and being on the Eastern edge of the forest whereas the Apple Acres was at the Western edge of the Northern boundary of the forest that Me-Me and Mutatio found something by literally falling into it.

“Strange, the ponies maps had no indications of a cave system in this area.” Mutatio said scanning their surroundings.

“Looks,” Me-Me started. “Like some offshoot of a Diamond Dog system but the looks seem to say that they abandoned this tunnel.” She blinked as she slowly began to walk down the tunnel feeling something strange. “This, feels like a home almost.”

“With enough workers, we could widen the tunnels without weakening the integrity, we’d need to secure the roof but there are plenty of large chambers, just what a queen would need.” He smiled at her.

She smiled a little. “Shall we map this complex out? Maybe find the royal chambers? A storage facility and the like?” She blinked as they paused at what was a natural pool of water in the caverns and she looked down igniting the horn on her head. Her eyes widened as Mutatio got a good look at her. She had finished it seemed the final stages and while about the size of Twilight Sparkle, other then that, she was the spitting image of a Changeling Queen. She smiled a little as she put a hoof to her “crown” and smiled even more. “The Hive will grow, and with this outside of the human’s jurisdiction… we can start tonight with the first brood.”

“And so ascends queen Me-Me the first?” Mutatio asked as he walked over to her, bowing low.

“So says the first Drone Mutatio of the Everfree Hive.” She replied with a stern look that conveyed both pride and joy at officially in changeling tradition naming a hive, and her first drone. She only smiled. “Rise, You shall be second and only my orders shall supercede your orders in the Hive Hierarchy.”

“It is my honor to live by your order your majesty.” He said rising. “And now there is but one last matter at hoof.” Mutatio smiled.

Me-Me only smiled a little. “Which is what my Drone?” she asked, her voice turning into a slight buzz like pur.

“What is a queen?” He leaned in to nuzzle her neck “Without a kingdom?”

She blushed a little at the comment and was happy that what had started as a failed mission to kill this traitor, had turned out so wonderfully wrong and as a new word she learned from the humans. Pear Shaped. “Of course Mutatio.”

---

“Ok run that by me again?” Grif looked at Pensword as the two of them flew as fast as they could.

“Me-Me and Mutatio are not in the Tavern, they are not at Twilight’s, Princess Celestia is there however, and the Doctor just smiled at me and mentioned that it sounds like I am dealing with two restless changelings who wanted to explore. I already checked the Acres border and now, We have to get to the North East corner of the forest and work our way towards Ponyville. Keep those eyes peeled.” He was gliding at the moment before pumping his wings a few times to both gain altitude and increase his speed.

“They better have gotten trapped by some sort of large predator cause if we find them and Mutatio isn’t fighting off some large feline with a crudely made wooden spear…. he’s gonna be” Grif growled as he scanned the ground. “I’m going to shift west a bit to widen our range, you stay on this flightpath ok?”

“Will do, stay safe.” he moved a hoof to the blade he had taken from the armory at the fort, he did not have time to bring his cross bows nor did he have anything to carry them yet, something he planned on rectifying before they traveled into the forest. “If something attacks you, fall back and assess the beast, and then you attack back.”

Grif was under no such worries as he flew, he had been so accustomed to being weighed down with weapons that he hardly went anywhere unarmed anymore. He let his eye’s scan the ground as his mind considered the possible options, with a quick thought he took the worst of them and threw them away first, nothing good came from worrying about those possibilities. His eye’s halted on something drawing his attention. Looking in Penswords direction as he stopped he shouted “Over here!”

Pensword turned and banked a little, looking like a rather strange flying horse acting like an eagle in the bank, still he quickly reached Grif’s location and started to hover a little like Rainbow Dash as he looked at the ground. “You don’t?” He started as he saw what most likely caught Grif’s attention. He looked up and the setting sun. “Gone for four hours, night is coming soon.”

“And that’s when the timberwolves come to hunt, the manticore well leave them alone for the most part but those wolves should be desperate by now.” Grif said as he landed in the ground nearby the hole.

“Right,” Pensword muttered as he looked around the hole a little. “You go first I’ll cover your back.” He looked to the forest lines, “I must say, the cave system is nice.” He paused. “What if this leads to the Castle? or Near it? Shortcut right here.”

“it’s close but there were no tunnels that i saw” grif noted “then agian secret passages and stuff i guess” unsheathing his knife he dropped into the hole. First thing he noticed was some green glowing blobs spaced out and leading down one way, yet where he entered there were two paths to take. A second later Pensword dropped behind Grif as he looked around in confusion and amazement.

“We start seeing air distortions or red triangle cross hairs and I’m out of here.” Grif said looking around.

“Uh, why?” Pensword asked in confusion as he walked up to one of the glowing blobs. “Looks like Changeling goo a little…” he trailed off and he raised his head. “Oh dear.” He whispered. “An advanced party?”

“Dunno, seems fresh, and almost hastily done.” Grif noted as he walked over and collected a small bit on his talon. “Hasn’t thickened yet, with most insects that would mean it’s fresh.”

Pensword walked up to the glowing goo a little further down. “Follow the lights or go a different way?” He looked at the glowing green globs. “Is this a way to lead visitors to either safety or traps?” He asked in the still cave air. He looked at the hole a little and smiled. “Who knows, maybe whoever is making this thought of the Timberwolves already.”

Grif sheathed his knife and drew both blades. “You take point we’ll follow the glow for now, sure it could be a trap but it’s all the light we have.”

“Right.” Pensword flapped his wings and soon was flying low over the ground, down three turns and suddenly they saw it. The ground was getting slick and sloped downward a bit, they soon came to a place where water seeped from the walls but the ceiling still had the glowing blobs which were harder than those at the front. They finally found a place where it dipped harder and there they saw an underground chasm with a waterfall coming from the tunnel they were just in, this chasm went up higher and down deeper and the two flyers were happy that they did not get wet.

“So, trap into some sort of river, timberwolves would never stand a chance.” He turned around paused. “Especially with that,” he paused and blinked. “They found a dead animal and used it to lure hunters to their own death.” he just stayed there in the air looked around the area. “Go back the way we came? Or explore this area of the caverns?”

“You really read that book on Changelings huh?” Grif raised an eyebrow. “If they worked this hard to make the trap here, that means that there protecting something this way, we follow the cavern.”

“Right, but, what would they be protecting? Shouldn’t we have encountered advanced patrols or guards here to prevent what we just did?” He asked in worry as he looked around. “Stay on your guard.” He muttered as they picked a direction and soon they found signs of at least three other trap tunnels.

It was Grif who found it, a tunnel that showed a few signs of some erosion by, something acidic. It was a sign that this was being built for something. With the acidic currently used up, the tunnel entrance was safe to proceed, and the two slowly entered it, and they found themselves having to be single file, Pensword was trapped walking backwards and Grif was trapped moving in only one direction, forward.

“This gets any smaller and you may have to go on alone.” Grif noted as he ducked his head. After another, choke point that looked like it had signs of some type of expansion they suddenly found themselves in a large cavern room with, well in the middle was a large green glowing pillar of green changeling goo, and on a rock that was starting to grow glowing moss like stuff, they both stood and stared into the darkness above where the pillar reached to the ceiling.

“If that was pushing.” Pensword muttered. “I would have thought that I was on an alien ship from Star Trek. It looks like a warp core.” He lowered his eyes and paused as he gulped. “Grif, alcove to my left, green glowing, looks like many, many clumped mounds.” his mind clicked to the book and he quickly began to look around quicker. “This is a nursery.” He was also realizing what was also making him uneasy. The Green tint was the exact same as Star Trek used for the Borg.

“Weird there should be praetorians and nurses.” Grif noted turning around. “And that pillar
is supposed to be growing a lot brighter.” Grif noted.

“New hive?” Pensword asked as he started to feel uneasy. “This close to Ponyville?” He shivered. “What is the normal time from egg to hatching?” he asked in worry.

“Two months.” A voice replied from the darkness and a pair of green eyes opened in a scene similar to Crystalis opening her eyes from the Royal Wedding. “Though why are you scared of your own troops General?” The sounds of hoof steps slowly echoed as the eyes walked into the pale green light of the pillar to reveal who was speaking.

“We turn our backs for a minute and you go running off into one of the most dangerous locations in equestria, find a cave system, build a nest and start a hive?” grif exasperated. “we thought you were in trouble!”

Me-Me bowed her head, and Grif realized that she had finished her full mutation into a hive queen. “I must apologies, I, it was part being cooped up, and part following natural instincts. You will be pleased that our traps already took out half a pack of Timberwolves who are currently being stored for food, and that when Winter Wrap Up comes, you shall have at least fifty workers for your building projects or to guard the path.” She raised her eyes and looked right at Grif. “You all saved my life, and turned me into a Queen, and gave me a Drone. Let my hive help you, and think of this as payment in return for the kindness you gave me. You shall have acess to all rooms of the hive, and if needed troops to fill your numbers.”

Pensword was slowly listening before he widened his eyes. “Oh… I just remembered.” He looked to Grif. “When a Queen has her first broad, where she has it, she considers that place their core hive, the heart of the hive that they build out from… and you cannot stop the egg process for long, be glad she did not lay it in Ponyville.”

“Well there isn’t much we can do now is there?” Grif sighed. “Where is Mutatio?”

Me-Me only smiled. “Cocooning the last of the pack for food for my babies.” From what I could tell, this was a pack of omegas from at least four other packs from the forest. So be careful, already we have sealed six unneeded entrances into the cave system, and created four traps into the water, two pits, and…” She smiled a little. “He should be coming back from the storage room soon Leader of my Personal guard.”

Pensword looked to Grif. “That means… you have free reign and if the Drone or the Queen is not there, you are the defacto leader. It also means you can boss the General around. I.E. Me or whoever I pick to stand in my place.”

“Of course her majesty well still be under Lord Hammer Strike I presume?” he asked Me-Me with a raised eyebrow.

“Of course, I read up on Houses in Equestria, consider my hive as House Strike’s first minor house under his banner.” She smiled a little. “It means that while I can run my own house in day to day, any big political dealings I am in the side of House Strike. Also any troops I may raise, I am beholden to field at minimum half of them if he is threatened in battle.”

“Well Twilight’s going to be all over this.” He face clawed. “Okay ground rules… Ground rules, rule one, no royal eggs without our for knowledge and approval understood?”

Pensword blinked. “Actually, with what we have had happened, that might not be possible, we don’t know if,”

Me-Me made a strange buzzing sound with her wings. “That is okay Pensword, and very well, Royal Eggs involve traditions that I do not know yet, so till I learn that secret, there shall be no future queens of the Everfree.” She paused. “If you learn the secret, tell me or I may create one egg to spite you for not sharing information.”

Pensword looked to Grif. “She picked that up from you or Rainbow Dash I think.” He was actually a little shocked by her rather bold statement to them, but he found that it fit Me-Me’s new position in life.

“Rule two, anyone who defects from Chrysalis’ hive is welcomed here without question” Grif said “we want regular updates on expansions and additions to the hive, and for the sake of avoiding a possible witch hunt, all of this stays hidden from everypony until we decide to go public are these fair?” grif asked.

“I have only one thing to request.” Me-Me spoke. “If we accept those that defect from the Badlands core Hive, we are allowed to kill any spies who try to take advantage of the offer, also, all outcast changelings will be folded into my hive.” She looked at Grif. “Is that acceptable to you, spokes beak of Lord Hammer Strike.”

“I believe we have terms.” Grif nodded. “Normally it’s customary to have such things on paper, but I think we can trust you to live up to everything Me-Me.”

“Of course, and you want this hidden, like changelings who hide in the crowds of ponies, those that know the secrets know we are there, but those that do not, do not know anything, the paper will be drawn when the three humans and pegasus decide to make my hive public.” She bowed to Pensword. “We feel sorrow in knowing you are stuck in a form that will become your own. May you prosper to first infiltrator.”

Pensword looked to Grif. “That is where a changeling is so much like the role that picked, they are not even looked at strange, and as the book said, at least four times, ponies believed that the changelings turned their friend into a changeling he was that convincing of being a pony.”

“Well we should head back and inform Celestia of Equestrians newest asset.” Grif said. “I will be checking on you later in the week.” Grif nodded. “Is there a fast exit nearby?”

Me-Me looked nervous but only nodded. “Very well, I will trust your judgement that she will not destroy my hive upon hearing the news.” She smiled a little as Mutatio walked back into the room looking, if anything a little bigger himself, it seemed that some mutations were occurring in the Drone now. “Mutatio dear, can you take them out the quick route? They should be heading back, seems Celestia is visiting Ponyville and Grif needs to tell Lord Hammer Strike that he has a minor house under his rule.”

“Oh,” Mutatio replied with a smile and turned around. “Come on, follow my back through the tunnels. Stay close, and, I can’t wait till we can have Lord Hammer Strike down here, I am sure he can help plan the hive structure a little.” The rest of the trip was actually rather silent as Grif and Pensword used their natural homing instincts to keep from getting lost in the caves. A few turns and a slop up and down they were outside and a little closer to Ponyville. Mutatio only smiled and turned around slipping back into the cave network, and ended up placing a stone over the hole to keep intruders out.

Pensword looked to Grif. “Library first then the Tavern?” he asked as he looked to the sky and the moon rising and the stars glistening above them. “Wow, time diluted itself down there. Missed sunset.”

“That would be the best choice” Grif nodded. “Nevermind a can, we just blew the vat of worms right open.” Pensword only nodded his head as the two took off into the night sky and towards the library and the news that they bore. In the night air, they were soon joined by Moonshade who also looked worried but happy that Pensword was back in Ponyville. Rainbow Dash joined next and it was these four that landed in front of Twilight’s library home. Pensword looked to Grif as if to ask silently if they should let Rainbow Dash and Moonshade in on the find.

“Major as soon as we’re inside I want the perimeter secured, absolute one hundred percent lockdown nothing leaves, nothing comes, nothing so much as breathes without you knowing its there, if so much as a particle of dust gets out the window without you alerting me you’ll be doing triple exercises with the troops tomorrow.” grif growled as he made his way to the door.

A second later Pensword had pulled and Applejack and was holding Rainbow Dash back from flying. Somehow around the tail he was able to speak. “That means you get to join in as well Ms. Dash, consider this as a preview for meetings around the Wonderbolts. You have the clearance to know this as well.”

Rainbow Dash settled down a little and laughed nervously. “Well, as long as I am not going to be thrown in the dungeon for being in the wrong place.” She smiled a little as Grif knocked on the door as Moonshade was doing a quick fly around the tree library top to bottom the door opened to show two of Celestia’s guards as Moonshade landed from her patrol.

Grif simply nodded to them as he pushed his way in. “Twilight, Celestia, Luna.” He nodded to each figure. “Some… Fragile information has come to light in the last few hours and i would humbly request that your guards give us some privacy”

Before any guards could protest Celestia raised one wing. “Please wait outside, I am sure if anything unbecoming happens, you’d just need a broom and dustpan for the troublemakers.” She smiled a little as she made shooing motions with her wings as the two guards left and a second later something past over them, something tingly. “There, I just raised a security field around us and the tree house.” She looked to Grif. “What is so important that only two of the Element holders, my sister and I, and Pensword’s most trusted advisor from my sister’s ranks are to be the only ones to hear it.”

“As you are aware, do to exposure to a compound mixture of various chemicals one changeling during the invasion had been free’d and currently is residing with us for his rehabilitation, what not all of you are aware is when we arrived in ponyville there was an attempt on his life by Chrysalis own hive, during the encounter another changeling was exposed to this compound… a female changeling, who since went through a metamorphosis do to a diet primarily consisting of chocolate”

Celestia looked surprised, however it was Luna who spoke as she looked at Twilight. “Thou dists not tell us this?” She asked raising an eyebrow. “Surely something like this should have been told at least to Celestia or I.”

Twilight looked sheepishly down. “I didn’t want them to be taken away, and they seemed to, unique and to study Changeling behavior.” She trailed off a little.

Celestia only smiled a little and put a wing on her student’s head. “Do not worry yourself my faithful student. You did what you thought was right and I am happy to see you have started your own projects that you dare not show me till you have a solid base to come from. You have learned a lot here in Ponyville.”

“Unfortunately, the situation has…. Escalated?” He looked at Pensword for confirmation on this being the right word for the situation.

“Yes, I could say it has escalated nicely into needed to move carefully or we may just have something bite us in the tail if we are not careful.” He looked to Grif. “You wanted the meeting like this, you finish please.” He looked as if he was already trying to think of different items already.

“This morning me and Pensword had been informed that Me-Me and Mutatio the names we have given the changelings had relocated to Twilight Sparkles domain to allow her some more in depth research into changeling biology as well as architectural, thinking nothing of this we carried on with our day without a second thought, it wasn’t until later that it was made clear to sir pensword that this hadn’t been the case, naturally upon finding out this information my companion located myself and we performed an aerial sweep of several areas of ponyville before moving on to the everfree forest. the purpose for this meeting your majesties is about what we found”

“What,” Luna spoke in a slightly strict tone of voice, “Did you find out there? That they were killed? That we are going to be invaded?” She looked to her sister with a sideways look. “Or was it something out of a horror story that the youth of today seem to love to tell one another.”

“What we found was a nursery.” Grif said. “As well as several traps for more feral predators, what we found my princesses, was a hive in it’s very earliest stages.”

Celestia just sat still and remained calm. Twilight got this look of almost bolting for the door to research. Luna herself seemed to suck in air and looked like she might start ordering troops, while Rainbow Dash just stared wide eyed and Moonshade was only giggling with them all hearing her mutter. “About time those two started.”

“Rest assured this new hive is peaceful towards Equestria and less so towards its enemies, the queen has pledged herself and her hive in service to the Lord of the Everfree and therefore to you my princesses.” Grif said with a nod. “However as I’m sure you realise, changeling fear is still very prominent in Equestria after the invasion and it has been the decision of mine and Sir Pensword in our lords sted that this information be only for certain ears.”

Luna only nodded her head and slowly smiled. “Sister, can we not,” She was cut off by Celestia shaking her head.

“No, I do not think your nephew would enjoy being given a tour of the new hive, even if he is wanting to gain land in the Everfree.” Celestia replied with a sigh. “Also, Sister I forbid thee from using any changeling in the future to create your own personal spy network. While I have to accept that you are the better warrior, I shall not be fostering super spies. Diplomacy should be done in the open, or as open as politics can allow things to be.”

“I realize we are asking much trust from you princess but I would humbly request these changelings be left under the protection and watchful eye of my lord, perhaps this could be the donning of a new age for Equestria.”

Luna smiled. “We agree, if nothing else, we have much, from the Crystal Empire to the Changeling invasion, we shall trust your judgements for now. Know this, if they fall out of line or turn, I shall not hold back in giving vengeance for any betrayal.”

“I will make sure they understand it also.” Grif bowed his head. “If anything this gives us a leg up if Chrysalis should attempt another strike.” He looked out the window. “It would be imperative that I carry this information onto my lord.” Grif noted. “Is there anything else you need before I go?”

Luna only nodded her head to the question. “Only that Lord Hammer Strike still sleeps at the moment, so it is unwise to wake him at the moment just yet, let him fully rest first, then inform him of the events.”

“Very well.” Grif nodded. “I will take my leave.” And with another low bow he left.

Comments

[Dream Seeker]

Aww, asleep the whole chapter? Really, Hammer/Shawn? Can't wait to see what's next!

[Commander_Pensword]

4975265

well, then I will have to say that things do happen and the plot continues. But yes, sometimes even the one who does not sleep needs sleep.

Also I shall leave any more comments to another of the writers. All I can say is I think the next few chapters you will enjoy.

4978762

I will be honest. The Cave Johnson reference was from another of the writers but we are all happy at the responses and ideas.

As for the Doctor Wolf, well, do what you can, life is never a vacuum so things like this happen. Still I hope you enjoy the rest of your read. Still a lot left to not just have you read, but a few more chapters for us to post. We kept a backlog for a reason.

Thank you both for your feed back.

[RealityCheck]

The only problem with this....
Ever seen a termite queen? For MeMe to have laid that many eggs, she'd have to be huge as a dang subway car.

[El Comal]

5871046 don't you see that Me-Me is Princess What's-her-name.

[DauntlessProductionz]

5871046
3 years later, the comeback: ever seen a ant queen? Some species have small mobile queens

[EnderHooves]

“Right,” Pensword muttered as he looked around the hole a little. “You go first I’ll cover your back.” He looked to the forest lines, “I must say, the cave system is nice.” He paused. “What if this leads to the Castle? or Near it? Shortcut right here.”