Shellstrings

by shortskirtsandexplosions

Sergeant and Sergeant

"Sergeant Garnet!"

A crystal pony stallion with a translucent crimson complexion looked up from where he tightened crates of supplies onto the dolley for transport.

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

An officer marched across the tent, frowning. "What's taking so long?! The Captain of the Guard wants those materials ready for delivery into the Mirror Caverns on the double!"

"It's ready now, Lieutenant," Garnet said. The Sergeant cleared his throat, gesturing at the heavy load on armored wheels. "I'm sorry that it took so long to gather together. It's just that the yak militants have demanded so much this time and we had to make sure that the weight of it all didn't br—"

"Yes. Whatever. Is it all assembled, then?"

"Uh... yes, sir."

"Good. Take it out. The Captain's waiting." Nostrils flaring, the crystal pony Lieutenant turned and glared across the tent, seething. "Dammit... where's that worthless pegasus partner of yours?"

Fwooosh! Another guard glided in, positioning himself wordlessly at the back of the dolley.

"There you are! Tardy as usual!" The Lieutenant huffed. "Nothing to say for yourself, huh?!" The officer snorted. "I swear... if you weren't protected by the Stewards' damnably annoying exchange program, I'd have kicked you out of this post months ago."

"Yes, sir," the pegasus stammered, straightening his helmet. "I'm sorry, sir."

Garnet, in the meantime, strapped himself to the front of the dolley. "Ready for delivery, sir!"

"Well?!" The Lieutenant held the tent flap open. "What are you waiting for?!?"

---

Mirror Caverns – Entrance

Sergeant Garnet and the other guard strained and winced as the two of them struggled to push the dolley stacked with supplies through the snow. The guards positioned along the perimeter looked on... gripping their spears and weapons anxiously. They were powerless to assist the two as they inched forward at a snail's pace, struggling with the weight of the delivered packages.

"We're... making progress... Sergeant..." Garnet spoke to the pegasus behind him without looking. "Sooner than we know it, this will all be over. We can rest and stay warm until the n-next delivery..."

The pegasus merely grumbled. Garnet could positively feel the other guard's frown through the frosty air.

Before he could comment on that—

"Sergeants! One second! Let me assist you!"

The dolley glowed with magic as Captain Shining Armor marched in from the sidelines. His telekinetic shove assisted in moving the cart faster.

"There," Shining Armor said. "That should help."

"Captain, with all due respect..." Sergeant Garnet panted as sweat and frost coated his glossy flesh. "...you are not allowed to enter the Caverns. If the yak militants see you doing this—"

"Don't worry, Sergeant," Shining said. "According to their demands, I'm simply not allowed to set hoof inside the cave. But it doesn't stop me from helping my finest soldiers get the job done for as far as I'm able."

"It... is m-much appreciated, sir," Garnet wheezed.

"Remember." Shining Armor leaned in close as he trotted alongside the cart. "You do absolutely nothing to upset the militants—not while they've got the citizens held hostage." He clenched his jaw. "You do not talk to them. You do not look at them. You do absolutely nothing in any way shape or form that might offend these yaks. If one of them gets mad at you, flee the cave as swiftly as possible. I'll deal with the aftermath if I have to."

"Understood, sir. We'll behave just like the last few times, sir."

Shining Armor sighed. "I know that this has been a case of terrible timing for you, Garnet. You certainly weren't expecting to still be here this week—what, with the transfer we've worked so hard to put through and all—"

"Captain, I am honored to serve here in this moment of crisis," Garnet said. "These hostages are my brothers and sisters as much as any other crystal pony's." His crimson brow furrowed. "I wouldn't choose to be anywhere else."

"Very well." Shining Armor nodded. "I'll see to it that you are commended for all of this." As the two reached the cave, the Captain stopped to glance at the pegasus at the rear. He fidgeted suddenly, eventually clearing his throat and speaking aside to Garnet. "Look after him, will you, Sergeant?"

"You know I always do, Captain." Entering the cave's mouth, the two were free from the snow. The dolley moved far more swiftly over a stone surface—even without the Captain's telekinetic assistance. "We've got it from here, sir." Garnet nodded to his pegasus cohort. "Come. Let's get this over with."

The pegasus nodded without saying a word. His wings coiled noticeably under his armor as he passed by Shining.

The Captain lingered at the cave's entrance. His ears drooped as he watched quietly... helplessly. Then—just as his tense jaw formed a grizzled frown—he forced himself to turn around... and trot back towards the camp.

---

Inside the Mirror Caverns

"What is taking puny ponies so long?!" Damn Thickerhoof grunted, his voice echoing off the glittering stalactites above them. "Move faster, stupid squishy horses!"

"Yeah!" Belched another yak, drinking a bottle of liquor from the last shipment. "The cold snow had better not have chilled the mead!"

"Yeah!" Yet another yak laughed from where he sat in a veritable throne made out of the crates from previous deliveries. "If it's too cold, yaks could always warm it with the blood of these two!"

"Hah hah hah!"

"Like puny pony army would ever miss puny pony grunts!"

"Their family certainly doesn't miss them! Look!" A yak pointed at the pegasus pushing the dolley from behind. "This one isn't even shiny like the rest!"

"What's the matter, feather pony?! Too ugly for pony mommy and daddy?! They send you off to frozen wasteland to become yak slaves and die?!"

"Haah haah haah!"

The pegasus clenched his jaws tight. "Hrmmmmm..."

Sweating, Garnet murmured from the front. "At ease, Sergeant. Let's just make this delivery and everything will be fine..."

The pegasus inhaled... exhaled... and kept pushing.

Together, the two guards shoved the huge stack of supplies past a veritable gauntlet of laughing, spitting, and jeering yaks. The once-pristine cavern had become a landfill of filth, litter, and wayward clumps of mountain fur—all courtesy of the twelve bombastic yaks chuckling and belching away within the crystalline confines. A wooden hut that served as an office for local tour guides had been shattered to splinters. Also, a museum section off to the side had been torn to shreds. Beyond a circle of detritus, the caverns stretched onward and onward, with countless stalactites and translucent shards being reflected off of innumerably bent surfaces. Every single glance was like looking into a kaleidoscope at every turn.

Whimpering voices formed a feeble chorus against the loud grunts of the militant yaks. It came from a tiny cluster of foals gathered at the left side of the frontmost chamber. Two adult mares huddled closely alongside the twenty-two schoolfoals, patting them and attempting to reassure them. All eyes were locked on the two guards as they made their shuffling entrance.

At last, Garnet and his comrade reached the unloading area. They parked the dolley and trotted around it, cutting loose the cords that bound the stacked crates and materials in place.

The very moment that the binds were free—

"Gimme that!" Damn Thickerhoof snarled, swiping the first box of mead bottles off the top. "About damn time, you stupid lazy horses!" He growled down at the two while his comrades yanked and grabbed more supplies off the cart. "Who does your Captain think I am to take so much of our precious time?! Hmmm?!"

Garnet said nothing. Quietly, dutifully, he unloaded as many boxes as he could, stacking them neatly along the edge of the cavern. As he did so, the crystal pony guard glanced up.

Two dozen young eyes reflected his armored figure. Translucent foals trembled. One meekly whimpered: "Have you c-come to take us home?"

Garnet exhaled with a shudder. He continued stacking boxes—timing his whispery supply with the rattle that the wooden crates made: "The Stewards are working on it. I think Princess Cadance is making progress with the Yakyakistani Senate."

"Please... can't you find a way to get the children out of here, at least?" one of the chaperones murmured. "Talk to Prince Shining Armor. Talk to Princess Celestia! Talk to—"

WHUDDD! A yak warrior landed in front of them, making the children shriek. "QUIET! STUPID PONIES!"

The sheer vibrations of the yak's voice caused a box of liquor bottles to turn over. One container rolled, rattled, and careened towards a roped-off spot of the cave. There, a bright yellow sign stood with the red image of shattering stalactites. But just before the bottle could collide with a fragile rock structure—clank!—an orange hoof stopped it just beyond the rope. Breathless, the pegasus guard glanced back at the yak.

"Grrrrr!" Damn Thickerhoof marched over and—Whack!—slapped the offending warrior across his bearded muzzle. "Stupid pony! Watch where you toss your mead bottles!"

"But I didn't toss anyth—"

The leader howled in his face: "Do you want to bring this whole stupid cave down on yaks?! Grrrr!" He shoved his subordinate aside with the grunt. "Finish unpacking! No talking to pony hostages or you become hostages yourselves!"

Garnet and the pegasus exchanged glances. Garnet nodded, then resumed with the unloading—far more briskly this time. Fuming, the pegasus lingered for a moment in place... then joined his partner in the task.

---

Fifteen minutes later, the two shoved an empty dolley back the way they came. All around them, yaks gorged themselves on the food and drinks that had been brought in. When they weren't feasting or drinking themselves to oblivion, they laughed, butted heads, and spat curses at one another.

The hostages had also been given provisions—but it was a barely a scrap compared to the gluttonous bounties the yaks had been afforded. The chaperones passed bits of bread and celery around while the crystal foals sniffled and nibbled on what they could.

Garnet glanced back, his ears folded.

"Keep marching!" Damn Thickerhoof shouted. "Grrrr... being merciful is tiresome! So don't test my patience! Now go! And don't come back unless we ask puny ponies to!"

A foal's voice could be heard sobbing from the sidelines.

"Awwww! What's the matter?!" A drunken yak hiccuped, then snorted. "Does puny pony baby miss puny pony parents?!"

"Don't worry! They probably made new babies by now!"

"Haah haah haah!"

"Cry cry, stupid puny ponies!"

"Hah hah! Puny ponies weak! Full of nothing but tears!"

"Hah hah!"

The pegasus frowned. Jaw clenched, he glanced back... glancing far behind the yaks, the hostages, and the forest of crystalline stalagmites.

Amidst the reflective glitter of the Mirror Caverns, he made out a few deep niches—dark alcoves formed within the walls of the chamber.

His blue eyes narrowed... and yet he said nothing.

Under a chorus of yak laughter, the dolley rolled on... exiting the mouth of the Mirror Caverns.

---

Outskirts of Crystal Kingdom – Outside Mirror Caverns

Throngs of citizens clambered just behind a line of crystal pony guards. Mothers and fathers... sisters and brothers yelped and cried and shouted.

"Please! We must do something!"

"They've been in there for a week! Can't the yaks let them go?!"

"Are we going to war?!"

"Please tell us the yaks will give them up!"

"We just want our foals back!"

Princess Cadance stood before the group, waving her forelimbs. "Please! Everypony calm down!" She squinted as a group of earth pony press agents flashed their cameras from a distance. "I promise you... we are doing everything in our power to get the hostages out of there! It's a very delicate situation and the security of the Crystal Empire lies on us handling this as peacefully and non-threateningly as possible!" She held a hoof to her chest. "But I assure you—on my name and on my honor—that every single colt, filly, and mare will get out of that Cavern alive and return to their families!"

The dolley ground to a hault. Garnet slumped against it, panting for breath.

Captain Shining Armor pivoted about from where he paced by Cadance's side. He trotted briskly over to Garnet. "Sergeant. Report."

"Sorry... f-for taking so long, sir." Garnet gulped. "The d-delivery has been made." He stood tall, saluting. "Also, the hostages have all been accounted for."

Shining Armor blinked. His gaze traveled up. "Uhm... Garnet?"

"They've also been fed. So far, they seem healthy and—"

"Where is your partner?"

Garnet blinked. "...sir?"

Shining Amor's muzzle hung agape. "Where is Sergeant Flash Sentry?"

"Huh?" Garnet turned around. His eyes widened.

There was nopony standing at the rear of the dolley. The only set of hoofprints leading from the mouth of the cave was Garnet's.

"Oh..." Garnet's shiny ears folded back. "Oh no..."

Comments

[Razzy]

Dis gun b gud.

[fourths]

7375239 This a Skirtsfic, and what looks to be an incredibly complex one at that, with a large amount of characters and plot threads. If you're looking for a long daily story like this but more what it says on the tin right away, I highly recommend both Austraeoh and Appledashery. But this looks like it's going to be going into a lot of the complex backstory beforehand, rather than starting immediately where the description says it'll be (which I'm sure will be the main part of the story, but fuck if that isn't going to be months from now.) Personally, I love that, but it's definitely not everyone's cup of tea.

[zaponator]

Flash Sentry is clearly lined up to be an important player in this story, and I was wondering where you were gonna take him.
Badass action guard would be pretty awesome.

[Metal Aura]

Why hasn't poison or some sleeping drug been slipped into these yaks' food requests.

[QueenMoriarty]

"Stupid yak! Watch where you toss your mead bottles!"

The phrasing suggests Thickerhoof is misblaming the ponies for this incident, so it should be "Stupid pony".

The dolley grinded to a hault.

ground, halt.

[Skeeter The Lurker]

All in favor of them getting nuked by sun, say aye.

Or by Lyra. That works too.

~Skeeter The Lurker

[Scorch215]

7381776 I question that as well as that would definitely be a peaceful solution to the situation, well the sleeping agent due to the hostages getting food from the same shipment(kind of pointless if you poison the people are trying to help)

But honestly of the Yaks are OK with this sort of behavior from their citizens then I question how their nation wasn't wiped from.the face of the map a long time ago by pretty much every other nation on the planet because I do not see many people putting up with these action for long.

[Hap]

I get it. The Yaks are Super Mutants.

[SolangeEggbert]

'Two dozen young eyes'.
For the class was of foals learning to adapt to losing an eye.