• Published 15th Apr 2014
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An Extended Holiday - Commander_Pensword



Adventure, Mayhem, Magic of unknown origins, and talking colorful Ponies. All being unrelated events have brought three friends together into the wildest holiday that anyone could imagine.

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Truth Stranger then Fiction

Extended Holiday
Chp 4: Truth Stranger than Fiction
Act 1


The group all had their attention on Shawn, who at the time was leaning on the table, his hands on head.

“I just can’t believe it.” He muttered to himself.

“Well tell us so we can all not believe it.” Taze said.

Shawn sighed placing his hands on the table. “Ever heard of the term Thaumaturgy?” He leaned back in his chair. “It can stand for a couple things really, but there is a certain one I am talking about.”

Matthew shook his head. “Nope, never heard of this… Thaumaturgy?” he replied as if unsure if he was pronouncing it correctly.

“Thaumaturgy is either the practice of miracles or magic, but the one I am talking about is a field of it. It’s an old myth, it breaks down the world around us into these aspects that make up the world. With this, it mentioned things about other realms.” He paused, gathering his thoughts.

“Didn’t we just agree there was no magic?” Taze asked.

“Yeah, we did. But this is also as we said, a myth, legend, stories. What we saw, that was a forager, as it was described.” Shawn rubbed his chin in thought. “Known for… Collecting things of value, typically known for…” He paused, thinking. “Staying near places known as Thin Veils… I think that was it.”

“What is a thin veil?” Matthew asked in confusion and looking around the room with a little annoyance.

“A thin veil is a location in a world, universe, or dimension, I don’t really know for sure, but it is a thin point that, with the power, can be crossed.” He hummed in thought. “I heard about this a long time ago and I ended up looking around for any information I could find.” He smirked lightly. “It seemed interesting at the time…”

“So, you're saying we chased some interdimensional leprechaun through a portal of some kind?” Taze asked.

Shawn chuckled lightly. “I guess you could put it like that…” Shawn then leaned forward, putting his arms back onto the table. “It’s just… It doesn’t make sense, one, it’s fiction, myth, or some legend of the sort. Two, we don’t have a source of power, nothing in our world works like the book said.” He rubbed his forehead. “I mean, magic, surrounding the person, or being, and just being able to bend it to your will, follow your lead, but abide by its own rules.” He shook his head. “These base aspects, latch on to a person and bend to a persons thoughts, making them bigger, stronger, more magical, stuff like that. Even infusing it into objects! I don’t see any sign of that in humanity unless they were covered up.” He finished, leaning back into his chair, his hands on his head.

Matthew shook his head yet again. “How very odd and confusing. I guess that old saying, that all myths have a kernel of truth… but still, I have a question. How do we return home? I do admit I am missing my folks, I thought I heard my mom call my name this morning but nothing.” He bowed his head there and seemed to focus on the table.

“So we’re in another world, brought here by creatures that can’t exist using magic, we have no discernible way to get home and we’re surrounded by colourful ponies…. anything else?” Taze asked.

“The three of you have, as Shawn stated, magic wrapped around your very being.” Celestia stated. “What Shawn said, appears to be happening to the three of you.”

“Hold on.” Matthew raised his head up. “Are you saying, I have… that like a blanket or sleeping bag, I have magic surrounding me? But…” he raised his hand up. “I see nothing.”

“There are only a few ways to see it in the first place, the main way being a spell only powerful unicorns can use. Another way is with an enchanted object, one that uses a infused gem as a sort of viewing glass.”

“What a rock with a naturally drilled hole in it?” Taze asked.

“No, not quite. By taking a gem, the clearer the better, and infusing it with a spell that would allow the sight needed to view magic, and it would run off of the energy reserves that are given by the world around it.” Celestia replied looking at Taze.

Celestia hummed in thought. “Perhaps… I could gather the materials needed for such a thing, It might prove to be useful for you three.” She stood from her seat. “I believe now could be a proper time to return some of your items to you. You three seem to mean no harm to my little ponies. I can take you three to the forge where your items are being stored.”


“So… the Guard put my stuff here as well? Does that include my books?” Matthew asked as he had to walk a little fast to keep up with the speed of the ponies moving to this forge.

Celestia nodded. “Yes, all of your items are currently being stored here.”

The group entered a final set of doors, the heat hit them like a wall, the furnaces of several forges going at once had caused the room to permeate with a constant almost tropical heat. mallets banged all around them as ponies worked at plying their trade.

“Awesome, hey Matthew?” Taze asked “Never imagined anything like this”

“Well, I would say so. I have seen small farm forges when I visited Williamsburg, but this is by far the biggest and busiest forge I have seen.”

Shawn’s eyes lit up at the sight of the forge. “Oh… Man…” He looked around at the room. “This is incredible. A fully functional forge…” He smiled. “I always enjoyed figuring out how stuff works, but even if you learn a lot of stuff about something like this, you have to find a place to use it…” His face slightly scrunched up. “Shame that there are no forges nearby my home.”

“But you live in a castle, surely you have forges there?” Celestia questioned.

“I am afraid princess that forging is a very protected art in pokke, only wyverian artisans are allowed to work the anvil and they are very secretive,” Taze explained, “There smithing is unmatched.”

Matthew nodded his head as he saw the two look at him as if to ask him about forges. “As for my nation, we have our own smithing techniques and they too are protected and rather secretive, or rather for our military gear. We have hobbyist forgers who work on small things like nails and a few other things.” He shrugged a little. “I never really got too into the forge information, my brother on the other hand… or might I say hoof, learned a bit more about it.”

Celestia nodded as they once again stopped in front of the large black unicorn. there assorted weapons and other things where on a table in front of her, as well they all noted seemed to be a set of clothing matching their current style but with different colors.

“I had the armourers and tailors put together a new set of cloths for you.” She explained “I hope this was alright.” Celestia said.

Taze picked up the armor, rather than leather it seemed to be made of an assortment of stitched together scales. the light danced on the polished surfaces as he held it up.

Matthew smiled and found his pile of items and found that they had modified a saddlebag for his use. Also he found a slip of paper with images in it. A clock with hands pointing to a certain point. A hammer and fire. Finally a image of a helmet and what he figured must have been armor. “Well looks like I got an appointment for fitted armor.” He looked at the clothing which while light felt a little stronger then the costume he had been wearing. The camouflage pattern however was more… all black with a few additions. Like a copy of the flag that was on his left shoulder. Other than that… it was bare. “Well this is nice, a combination of form and dress.” With that he began to pack up his stuff and putting his weapons back together, which admittedly were more suited for concealed carry then the other’s weapons.

Shawn lifted up a piece of paper, just as Matthews, only his showed the clock pointing to what appeared to be a hour later. Nodding to himself, he looked at his new set of clothing. The coat matched the style of the one he was wearing, except, in black. The white dress shirt seemed a bit more modern. This outfit seemed to include a dark grey vest and a new set of gloves to go along with it, and to finish it off was a set of tan dress pants. He chuckled to himself. Off to the right of his clothes was the one item he was missing at the time, his sword. He gave it a quick rundown, and nodded in approval. With a small twirl he sheathed it.

“Very well done.” Shawn stated.

Taze looked at his katana running his hand down the blade. “This looks amazing” Taze said waiting for Celestia to translate.

The black unicorn nodded. “It took some time to figure out the style of those blades but I’m proud of how it turned out.” Celestia translated back.

Matthew looked at Celestia. “Thank you for keeping safe my weapons and gear, I like to keep accountability with my gear.”

“Is everything accounted for?” Celestia asked the three of them.

“I believe so, yes All is here.” Matthew replied.

“Thank you Storm Hammer.” Celestia nodded to the blacksmith.

“The honor was mine, princess.” The smith bowed graciously.


Matthew waited till they had all reached the room. While the others walked into the room, he stayed near the door and then turned and closed the door. He then locked the door with a small click. “Well I am happy none of the guards know Dragon… now, before any more days pass away into the past. We have to keep and make sure our stories fit and our backstories.” He moved to sit on the edge of a bed. “Let’s start with you Taze.”

“I am a hunter from the Land of Pokke, I work for the all encompassing guild to hunt beasts who present a clear and present threat to the people of the land, I use twin swords and if they ask anything deeper than that I’ll dodge it.” Taze noted nonchalantly.

“Okay, very well, what was your last mission?” he asked with a small nod of his head and began to write down the information on a small stack of parchments that he had picked up from the library. He looked at the others. “What the dragon said the stack was for researchers to take notes on, just glad I still had a pen on me.”

“I hunted a Blangonga in the Pokke mountains,” Taze said. “Giant white baboon like monster, who’s next?”

Shawn shrugged from where he was leaning. “I’ll guess that is me. It seems that with Taze’s quick story, I am the cousin of the king of Pokke. And that I am sometimes sent to inspect the guild members in their training because…” He paused for a moment, remembering something. “‘The public would not take well to men dying due to being unprepared.’” He quoted Taze.

He frowned lightly, humming to himself. “Does that mean I get to be the one to deal with nobility..?” He mumbled to himself.

Matthew looked at Taze. “I do not know, Taze any ideas?” he then looked down at the paper. “Okay… before I write I need to run some things past you. I believe I was a courier for my nation that was on my way to meet with those of some authority in Pokk. I represent or was representing the United States of America. In fact it was Shawn who was to be my contact.” He frowned a little. “With a small gift of documents and literature from our nation to yours. However I was, whisked away from my guards to this world.. and I know you two from previous meetings between our nations. Does that work?”

“Sounds like it works.” Shawn said. “I just hope we don’t get too many questions. Only so much I can come up with when I have to follow a background.”

“Well when you wake up with an alicorn in your face you tend to work on the fly” Taze noted “I improvised.”

Shawn chuckled. “I kinda did the same, but I more or less thought of the clothes I was wearing and just went with it.”

“Well at least they bought it, somehow I doubt three nerds would get quite the same reception.”

“Well, maybe, we might have gotten away with it if we told them we were celebrating halloween a time to dress up, but you I agree, this is a better way.” he paused and frowned. “At least I didn’t spend too much time in that interrogation room and we do have those gems for our… coffers.” he sighed a little. “I am just worried a little, health and all that.” He frowned a little at the thoughts. “I don’t want to die in a land not my own.”

Shawn hummed lightly. “I’m sure we can get something figured out, with this place the way it is, there has to be something that will keep you at your best.”

“At least we have books.” Taze said

“That reminds me. What book you want to read at the moment? I got Shakespeare, Hamlet and McBeth, and Sherlock Holmes, Redwall, Martin the Warrior, SSN, Hunt for Red October, Time Machine, and War of the World, actually not that one I am starting to read it myself, again.”

“Redwall.” Taze said. “...Actually, wait.” He started opening and closing compartments on his belt rapidly before pulling a book out of one. “Ha! Brocktree euliula!”

Matthew only laughed lightly, “Well that is three books from the Redwall series.”

Shawn lightly shrugged. “Perhaps some Sherlock for me, its been awhile since I’ve read it.”

Matthew nodded his head and pulled out a thick book. “Every single story written by Sir Arthur himself.” he replied with a grin. It was a hardbound yellow book.

“Ooh, nice.”


The rest of the time had past with them reading their own little books, books that would become well read and with magic in still good shape. Yet time was fleeting and soon Matthew was called away with the small blue dragon for his fitting of armor.

Matthew looked at the dragon. “Why are you doing this? Giving a foreign military attache person his own set of armor?”

The dragon blinked before smiling a little. “Well Celestia thought it would help sow seeds of friendship between your nation and ours when you return to report to them, we gave you defense against monsters, and housed you, and are feeding you. We are doing only what we hoped would happen if we visited your nation.”

Matthew only smiled a little and fell into his own little world or reflection and thoughts but soon he found himself in a room full of helmets and breastplates or rather the Pony equivalent of breastplates. He found a seat and sat down a little to wait for the fitting to begin.

Soon the familiar pony from the forges trotted in. “Hello!” she greeted with Bright Eye’s “I wanted to thank you for giving me this chance to make custom armor” she grinned.

Matthew did not even need to look at the Dragon before he started to translate for him. Matthew nodded his head and decided to make a very poor attempt at saying the word hello in Equestrian, all he got back were laughs and a few smiles.

“Maybe just let me do the talking for you?” The dragon replied with a smile.

“Well, okay, oh, before we begin what is your name?” Matthew asked the dragon.

“Scales. The guards named me when I hatched and imprinted on their general as my mother.” He replied with a grin.

“Ah, well tell Ms. Storm Hammer that I thank her for her hospitality and she is welcomed.” He waited for them to being after the small conversation in what he was realized was funny. He was speaking dragon.

“Now I'm going to need him to stand up over there.” She pointed a hoof to a corner of the room with a shelf containing ropes and sticks of random lengths.

After a translation and a little bit of logic jumping with Matthew realizing just where she wanted him to be, it helped that he figured that out with the hoof pointing to the corner he was soon standing on a stool. “Okay, ready for the fitting.”

Stormhammer walked over picking up the ropes first she began measuring his width around in several areas, head, arms, legs, neck, chest, stomach and thighs where all measure meticulously and noted. “Now you you could spread your arms and legs out please”

Once more after a translation the human did as asked and he looked at Scales. “Well, I sure feel like I am betting fitted for a suit or something.” To his embarrassment it sounded like he translated what he just said. He just hoped they both would know he was trying to make a joke at the moment.

She used the rods to measure the distance between his shoulder blades, the length of his arms and legs, his height and so on, writing everything down quickly.

“Okay so I have all your measurements, now lets talk about design, what do you want it to look like?” Stormhammer asked. “Something conservative? Gothic? Knightly?”

Matthew blinked and looked up as he was mentally going over something. “Something patriotic.” he paused and shook his head. “Sorry in my own thoughts at the moment.” He got the translation again and stood still as he thought for the moment. “Hmm…. I would have to say something a little Knightly.” he smiled a little. “But also a flare of my own nation. As Scales mentioned this is a gift and I would rather show even in armor to others that I am not a member of your military nor your government.”

“heavy medium or light armor?” she asked

“Light Armor, I am a bit unaccustomed to wearing armor of metal to be honest. I do not know how well I could support any other type.” he answered while trying not to reveal that most soldiers would use body armor of crematic plates and what not.”

“Okay I’ll start with that right away, now when I’m done it will be sent to the engravers, usually it’s personalized with the cutie mark of the princesses or the pony wearing it, but in your case...” She levitated over a large piece of parchment and a quill. “If there is any designs you would like done simply draw them on here and give this to me in about 2 days ok?”

Matthew actually smiled a little and pulled out something. His Passport he had placed it in a pocket and forgot about it after using it to go to Canada to meet some friends. “Well actually can you use the design on the front of this document? This is called the Great Seal of the United States and has for tradition been used in our military as well, This… Seal has been while refined, been around since almost the birth of my nation over two hundred years ago..”

Storm Hammer inspected it. “Yes I think we can do this, the engravers will need to borrow this however is that ok?”

Matthew looked at Scales a little. “Uh, how good are you at drawing?”

“Well, I think I can reproduce it on the parchment.” Scales replied with a small smile.

Matthew nodded. “I’ll have Scales draw it out on the parchment and make two copies… I think I got some information stashed away in one of my books so I can give you the proper colors or it can be all gold or yellow colored. The seal has meaning behind it. You see this is called a Passport it allows me travel to other nations, and I can get in trouble if I lose it while in another nation that I am not a citizen of.”

“Very well, just get that too me and I’ll make sure the engravers know.” She nodded. “I should get started on this, thank you Mr. Scales and thank you again Mr…” She stopped “I just realised I was never given your name.”

“Conner, Mr. Conner can do.” Matthew replied with a small nod for politeness.

“Thank you Mr.Connor I’ll make sure this is something special.” With that she trotted away with her measurements.

Matthew only smiled and followed Scales back to the shared apartment that the three were sharing at the moment. “I guess I should gather some of my books and see if I can pull up an image of the seal in full color.”

“That would be good. It might take time, but I am sure that those that will engrave this will appreciate your dedication to details. But I would like to know something, is thirteen considered a lucky number in your culture? I noticed it in your seal.”

Matthew didn’t stop as they walked. “Well not really, in our culture thirteen is considered a bad luck number, however, in the founding of our nation it started as a joining of thirteen colonies wishing to free themselves from chains of oppression.” He needed to give the highlights or readers digest version of the history of thirteen in the seal. “They won and to remember the original colonies who formed our nation, thirteen is used a lot in the seal. From the stripes to the number of arrows to the number of leaves and fruit on the olive branch. To the thirteen stars in the six pointed star above the head of the eagle.” He paused a little and as they still had some stairs to climb he continued. “now the way the head of the eagle points is important, our nation is predisposed to be peaceful with other nations but the arrows mean that we are still willing to go to war if needed.”


When the time came, Shawn was pulled away from the room by Celestia, to get a set of armor or something of the sort for himself.

“So, basically, the set of armor is for good faith I would presume?” Shawn said, lightly shrugging.

“Yes, it is for us to build a trust between our nations, when you are able to return perhaps some sort of trade could be set up between us, forming a bond between our worlds.” Celestia replied.

Shawn hummed in thought. “It would certainly be interesting.” He thought on the situation of their return and how things might end up… At… Pokke….

Oh boy…’ Shawn thought to himself, realising he is supposed to be sent back to a place called Pokke, not The United States.

Keeping a small smile on his face, he hid his inner thoughts, hoping to have things figured out by the time they are able to return.

“It has been awhile since I even thought of getting a new set of armor…” Shawn chuckled to himself. “Never really had the need to use it.”

Celestia raised a brow. “Really? Perhaps that is a good thing.”

Shawn shrugged. “Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.”

“Now we just need to understand your language, it seems ours is Draconic to your kind, but I honestly have no idea of your original language, one I haven’t heard of, but perhaps it once was in some distant time in our land…” Shawn said with slight gestures here and there.

“My sister and myself have been thinking about that.” Celestia started. “We might have something in mind to help you with understanding our language, but until then we will translate back and forth.”

Shawn shrugged in response. “At least you won’t have to do this constantly, I would feel bad having to have someone on standby at all times…” He finished as they came across the doors to the forge.

Standing waiting for them was a large earth pony stallion. coming up to Shawns chest, his fur was steel grey and his mane and tail seemed to be almost bronze both in colour and in texture. his cutie mark was a anvil with a helmet and a warhammer laying over it.

“Your majesty,” the pony bowed low.

“Steel Weaver” she acknowledged him.

Steel Weaver examined Shawn. “So you're the minotaur?” he asked nonchalantly.

Shawn raised a brow in question before glancing over to Celestia for the translation, afterwards he gave a small shrug and a light nod.

“Come in let’s get you measured.” He motioned to the doors. Shawn gave a nod and followed the group in.

Upon entering Shawn quickly took in all the details he could within the couple of seconds he had. He noticed the room was wide with numerous suits of armor of different designs lining the walls and countless sheets of parchment with detailed schematics pinned up all over. Notably most of the armor seemed to be heavier suits of armor. weapons too seemed to go with the armor, warhammers poleaxes, battle axes and a few swords that to shawn seemed large in proportion to the armor though to him they were still pretty small.

“Welcome to the room of rejected ideas.” The pony said almost sorrowfully as he gave the room a glance. “Seems no pony is brave enough for the good stuff these days”

Shawn walked up to one of the weapon racks that seemed to be full of pony two handed… or hoofed perhaps, longswords and greatswords. With a slight ‘hmph’ he had found one and wiped the layer of dust off the top of it.

“Be careful” Steel Weaver warned “Those aren't light weapons”

Before anything else could be said Shawn had grabbed the one he was dusting off and pulled out out of the weapon rack with ease, giving it a quick look over, holding it in the light in one hand while the other seemed to brush off some more of the dust on it.

He frowned slightly, giving it a light twirl in his hand he examined it from several angles before swapping it over to his left and and with his right, pulled out his own, holding them next to each other.

Steel Weaver stood wide eyed. “Son, Captain Shining Armor couldn’t lift one of those blades with his horn.”

Shawn glanced back at him while listening to Celestia translate to him. He raised a brow and said something to Celestia.

“They seem light, one ‘handed’ to him.” She said. In the background he took a slight stance holding them both.

Steel Weaver was speechless for a few moments. Shaking his head he signaled for Shawn to walk over by his measuring tools.

Shawn raised a brow and followed through with what he hoped was the correct thing to do, heading over to where he was pointed. He put his own sword back into its sheath before looking at the other one and placing it down for the moment.

Taking rop into his hooves Steel Weaver began to make his measurements. “So what kind of armor were you looking for?” Steel Weaver asked as he worked.

Shawn chuckled. “A nice, heavy set of armor if possible.” He said, watching the expressions of the two before him. He may have the new background as a noble, but he had the mindset of what he could work with.

“Any specific style in mind?” steel weaver asked making notes.

Shawn gave a simple shrug. “Whatever you think would be good.” He said, looking around at the other designs in the room. “Whatever you think would work…”

“See something interesting?” Steel Weaver asked noting Shawns wandering eye’s.

His eyes were stuck to a set of armor that had looked like it was meant to encase the pony inside it, giving them full protection. Based off looks it seemed that it might have been due to the idea that it lacked mobility that it was denied use, but to Shawn it looked fine. Giving a shrug he pointed to the set. “Perhaps something like that, protective.”

“Interesting choice.” Steel Weaver noted “That’s one of my heavier designs.”

Shawn chuckled. “Even so, it looks more protective to me, should it be heavy, I would adjust to it.”

“Okay, was there anything you wanted engraved on this armor? Normally we do the Princesses cutie mark or the mark of the one wearing the armor but I don’t think either of these apply to you...”

Shawn seemed to stop for a second, his eyes closing slightly as he thought of something. A moment later he gave a small gasp as an idea came to him.

He looked towards the two before him. “Anything I could write or draw with?” He asked, his hands moving in a slight writing motion.

Steel Weaver motioned to some parchment and a quill in an ink bottle.

After giving the quill a slight look he shrugged, and began his work sketching out an insignia, one that he could remember and possibly one he could not forget. A simple sword pointed upward, its hand guard rounded near its edges, and with the simple swords was a set of wings on the side, flared out. He gave a pause as he moved the quill towards the blade before shaking his head and sticking with what he had down.

“Interesting choice.” Steel Weaver said. “Is that everything?”

Shawn gave a quick glance at the second sword that was sitting at a nearby table before nodding his head, not wanting to press his luck.

“Ok, this should take about a week.” Steel Weaver said. “Come back in 5 days to do a test and see if there are any kinks that need to be knocked out.”

He gave a nod and said his thanks with a small bow. He then looked toward Celestia, now no longer needing to translate others, and headed towards the door, opening it for her to walk out first. With one last look at the smith pony he placed his index and middle finger together on the right side of his head, afterwards moving them away and relaxing his hand back to his side.

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