Time to see how well I can create a business from nothing more then a few tools and a magical emerald to work with and bad luck hitting me at every corner.
(Disclaimer I don't own Mlp or Tails the fox along with the image used as the cover which was made by EvanStanley from Deviant art.) (A Displacer story for those who don't like them to know.)
I have never been one for interacting with people or well even one that deals with violence I have always been one that would usually avoid it while I could. I am still hoping to keep it that way even know I will seem to need to hang around people much more then hoped. All because of a single statue I wanted to add to my collection I have.
Then with some time to think one single thought went through my head "What am I going to do without technology?" Then I thought I have a genius' mind why not use it to help their technology along a bit faster. Though the main question I have is which nation to start in it and how to keep it from going to certain areas of technology that I would find unfavorable.
You know how you can tell when the universe is just trying its best to make itself laugh, mostly at your misery? Well the month started off fine I was having a good time just recently replaced my SUV's battery and was doing great. Then the universe went, "Nah that was too easy to fix." so then it makes you replace the brakes, and after that instantly goes "Guess what? Broken front axle." which would cost over three hundred dollars to replace.
So now having to walk to work really doesn't help with you know it being winter time going on while the vehicle is in the shop. I sighed as I was walking down the side of the road having just recently finished my job for the day wearing black jeans with a pure white jacket with my headphones listening to YouTube videos while I walked.
Stopping to rest for a moment looking around seeing a flee market that I have past many time but never really gone into it before, with a shrug I went into the shop curious what there would be there. I have tendency to buy the most random of objects from different kinds of statues to even a metal keyblade though I was hoping to get an interesting statue to add to I guess I could call my collection.
I had colored myself surprised at the least when I found an almost undamaged statue of Tails the fox and his old Tornado airplane. The only thing really wrong was the colors were starting to fade and the wings of the plane were chipped, I saw the price tag on the statue was only twenty-five dollars. I thought it would be nice to get this while I can since I spent a good amount of my extra cash on repairing my vehicle why not get a new statue.
After I paid for it I was taking a step outside of the shop just hear a loud clap of what I could only guess was lightening. The next thing I knew there was darkness, the first thing that crossed my mind was one am I dead, though I quickly threw this idea out as I felt like someone had just hit me over the head with a sledge hammer.
"Ugh did anyone get the street number of that house that was dropped on me.." I said though as soon as he finished my eyes snapped open as I noticed that my voice was much higher now. I sat up noticing that he was in a large forest also noticing he had bright white gloves on now.
The first thing that came through my head was, "I HAVE TO GO THROUGH FUCKING PUBERTY AGAIN!" Yup, not that I was now in an anthropomorphic two tailed fox's body it was that I was now back in my kid years and had to go through puberty again. I had went from someone who was over six feet tall to a three feet and seven inch tall fox, I had thanked any god that was listening that most of my clothes shrank down with me.
As I was looked around my new body under my hoodie I noticed that I had a tool belt on with most of the necessary tool from a metal hammer to a small handheld saw. After that I started looking around the area before noticing something that made me say, "I can't be that unlucky, the universe really just wants to kick me while I'm down."
I had started slipping through the vines of the forest to see what looked to be a large clearing with three beings and a giant green emerald sitting behind the two tall armored being. Staining my eyes I recognized the sole floating throne with a mix-matched bi-pedaled creature sitting back in it with a certain emerald clutched in his talon.
"Well I must say I have seen everything now, I’m seeing Discord with what I can only guess is the Chaos Emeralds against who, I will take a shot in the dark, are the two ruling Princess. Who are using, what I can only guess is their version of the Master Emerald," I said to myself. I noticed I could hear them even from this far guessing being a fox does increase my hearing either that or they were yelling very loud.
"Your reign of terror ends here Discord, Equestria will be free once more!" The one in golden armor exclaimed as she had pointed a lance that was large then myself at Discord. Discord though gave a light yawn at the threat before saying something that I think really pissed over the one in dark blue armor.
"Five thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine, I mean come on Sun-butt you have to have more lines by now I mean as many times as you two failed you would think you would have came up with more creative lines." Discord said in a taunting tone as he snapped his fingers. After which her lance became a giant rubber chicken that was painted yellow with blue poke-dots.
I was guessing Discord didn't notice what they were doing they were most likely distracting him till the Master Emerald was ready to try to capture him. I watched as they pulled out the Elements of Harmony as they started to charge with Discord have a bellowing laugh holding his side.
"Oh, come on Princess you already tried this trick and it will not work as long as I have my Emeralds. So I have one thing to say to you," Discord said as he summoned up a large bull-eye on his chest. "Hit me with everything you have ." He said with a shit eating grin on his muzzle.
Well as I know those were bad choice of words cause as soon as the Elements charged they aimed them at the Master Emerald, the change was almost instant. Out of the gem five almost water looking limbs launched out toward Discord, who in shock threw the Emerald he kept in his hand at one of the limbs though it went right through it landing only a few feet in-front of me outside of the forest edge.
"B-b-but that's cheating you can't use Chaos to trap Chaos!!" Discord almost screamed as he pressed a button on his chair launching four of the remaining Chaos Emeralds in different directions two of them failing to launch and fall to the ground. Discord had his arms and legs caught with the limbs from the Master Emerald the last grabbing his tail as they start effortlessly pulling him into the gem.
The last thing I heard was Discord screaming his lungs out before silence, I noticed the two of them were stunned and distracted not looking in this direction. So I silently started slipping out of the forest foliage and quickly grabbing the bright blue Chaos Emerald. Though just being my luck as soon as I lifted I heard something that I really didn't want to hear.
"Sister! Some creature is making off with the gem of Discords!" The one who was wielding a large battleaxe yelled. I almost jumped out of my pants as she start running toward me I had did the first thing I could think of. I ran away clutching the Emerald, dodging and weaving my way deeper into the forest hearing the groans of annoyance from my purser.
I thought for sure with my new found speed I could out run her that was till I heard the fall of trees behind me my eyes widen by the new development. She was cutting down everything in her path to get to me that is when I thought of something looking down to the Emerald. They never showed Tails doing this but maybe if the universe will give me one thing it would be this.
"CHAOS CONTROL." I yelled to myself as I clutched the Chaos Emerald pouring some of my own energy into the gem. It started shooting out bright blue light before me and the Emerald vanish just as Luna was about to grab me. I had land with a grunt as I fell forward looking around seeing I seemed to be on a beach now. "Well this could have gone better though it seems I will need to start from the bottom." I said to myself as I laid stretched out on the beach feeling drained from using that so soon slipping the emerald into my large side pocket.
Meanwhile with Celestia perspective.
I had just caught up with my sister she wasn't hard to find just follow the large path of collapsed tree. I had let out a sigh as I heard Luna cursing up a storm over something. "What happen to thou's target that had gotten one of Discord's horrid emeralds." I asked as I moved over to my sister's side putting a hand on her shoulder.
"We had the miscreant in the palms of our hands, but the miscreant just vanished. Though we are not sure if the creature was of Discord's creation it seems to be some kind of bipedal fox, we are not sure if it is young or just short of yet." Luna stated with a huff as as she looked at the spot that the creature was.
"Well for now sister we should take what emeralds we have gotten from Discord and take them with the trap that Starswirl made back to the castle before worrying about the five other emeralds." I had said walking with Luna back to the two remaining emeralds and the gem that imprisoned Discord. I had used magic to lift the prison emerald while Luna had picked up the two remaining emeralds before they started heading toward their home.
Back with Tails.
I had wondered what I could do to get enough materials to build up my own home without it looking suspicious, along with most likely now having two immortals looking for the item in my possession. I could always try to set up a shop though I have a feeling I will not be to welcomed in what he could guess was Equestria. I had never knew much about the show one of my friends having been a large brony, I have seen some of the show though I more knew only bits and pieces of the show.
Though the main thing I knew was I was before the main story and was close to being in the dark ages, so their technology would be around the invention of chain-mail. I was always one of those people who really enjoyed their technology and now I was either live without it or build it from the ground up. I had looked around to see if there was anything I could do with for now looking up and seeing that some of the clouds were parted in the sky.
That must have been the direction one of the other emeralds was launch, I guess why not follow it and see where it leads me thinking it would be his best bet rather than choosing a random direction. So dusting myself off and started running in that direction slowly building up speed. I noticed I wasn't as fast as the original Tails yet though with all the work I will most likely be doing I'll get there.
It's possible I'm just a younger version of him before he started his intense training to keep up with Sonic more than usual, I was glad that I could at least still swim. After a little while the land started changing from a somewhat flat area to more hilly and mountains land, though the mountains were further off as he soon saw a small village come into view after a few minutes.
I choose it would be best to look more as a traveler then to come running in at full speed, so I had slowed down to a reasonable speed now just casually walking. Though I still worried I stood out too much since I was wearing black jeans that were made of polyester which I am pretty sure doesn't exist here. Even with my new mind I knew it is a synthetic polymer made of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) or its dimethyl ester dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) and monoethylene glycol (MEG) would take me months if not longer to get to the point where I could replicate it.
Now my head hurts a bit from that I haven’t used chemistry terms in a good many years and all this new information really gives you a sharp pain in the head. I was lucky my shirt was made of cotton and was just light black with nothing on it, the only things that seemed to be changed from transit not counting that, I am now a young Miles Prower, was my shoes changed to the original light red and white shoes and the large tool belt around my waist. Then I remember what the freak happened to my jacket and headphones, reaching into my pocket I found I still had my Cellphone and the emerald but my headphones were gone.
My best guess was i lost the jacket when running through the forest from the crazy chick with the battleaxe and you know with my luck my headphones cord most likely got caught on something. So technology wise the only thing I had left to work with was the seventy-five percent battery life for now I turned it off thinking best to keep it for emergencies or till I have high enough tech to charge it. With an audible sigh, I was nearing the edge of the village time to see how far I had went using the emerald as basically an emergency jump.
I was lucky that it was only midday. It seemed the streets were only half full of what I was guessing were griffins, running around either going to food stands or back towards their places of work. Most of the griffins towered over me seeming to be around seven feet tall at least I had a lot of work ahead of me seeing as I had to look up to see anyone. They were mostly ignoring me either too busy to notice me or not caring at the time being. I had a smile on my face as I heard the banging of a hammer, my guess from a blacksmith.
It was the perfect place to start with my most likely enhanced knowledge and if I am anything like Tails strength: I should be able to breeze through an apprenticeship, though I hoped that it came with a room to stay in. I had to weave my way through the crowds, which were starting to thin some as I looked up seeing the sign: an anvil with a claw above. I was guessing I was in the right place.
I was already feeling a bit at home, with the rhythmic hammering, and the hissing sound of metal being dipped into a barrel of cool water. The griffin blacksmith stood around 7’7 tall, and the once brown feathers on the top of his head were turning a silvery grey color. His muscles were primarily in his arms, though his hands were more claw then hand. I guessed I would stick out some, since from what I'd seen so far I was the only one wearing shoes. All the griffins still had the more lion-like feet which I am guessing would make me stand out a bit more.
I was waiting over by the door thinking it would most likely be best to wait for him to finish the project he was working on. I could see him glance over to me while waiting for the metal for, what was most likely, shaping into a bastard sword, a one handed long-sword. For the first time since I entered, the old griffin spoke, his voice a rugged croak, "What are you in here for young chick? This isn't a place of play you know..."
His voice had most likely having been hurt more when he was younger, as the forge had only a small opening for the smoke to exit the building. It looked newly applied most likely only put in during the old griffin's life time. I walked over toward, him speaking up to be sure I could be heard over the ringing of the hammer.
"I know this isn't a place to play sir, I had come to see if I could get an apprenticeship here so I could afford a place to stay and food for myself." It seems my words had surprised the old griffin guessing no young has ever came to him looking for a job.
There was a light clicking of his tongue most likely trying to think of how to reply to that not sure whether I would be any use around a forge or that it would even be safe. I waited silently, letting him have his time to think on it, watching him continue the work on the sword as he soon placed it back into the water barrel. The hissing filling the room before turning back to me with his answer.
"Son, you do know working in a blacksmith, especially at such a young age would not be good for you right? I mean why not go back to your parents and try again in a few more years when your not a hatchling?"
"Well sir, I would if I could but I don't really have any where to go back to since I'm an orphan." Which isn't technically a lie Tails was known to be an orphan having lost his parents minutes after being born, since they were killed by Robotnik right after he was born.
The old griffin had paused for a minute thinking over how long it has been a war or instance with bandits. He could think of anything that would have caused such a young orphan unless he was old than he looked.
"How old are you chick? You look like you should still be in your mother's nest," the griffin asked having leaned back against his counter.
"Well, sir, I nearing puberty for my race I just haven't hit my growth spurt yet, along with having some practice in metal shaping." I replied. Looking up at him I could swear I saw him flinch, guessing he thought I was younger.
"How about this: if you can prove to me that you are strong enough, smart enough, and don't need a break every few minutes, I'll let you be my apprentice?" He offered. I only had to think it over for a moment before I nodded.
With the old griffin chose to test me I was ready for anything he had tested my knowledge asking for different equipment to help him finish the long sword he was working on. I could swear his beak nearly hit the ground when he saw my lift up the twenty pound hammer with one arm handing it over to him for tempering the blade.
"Okay, this is the last test I would like to you to bring me the grinding wheel." The griffin said with a small smile.
"That's a trick" I replied, smiling back, "Since the grinding wheel is over there and moving it could damage or hurt the mechanisms of the device. That's why most of them that size are built into the floor."
The old griffin gave a knowing nod with a large smile, "Well color me surprised chick: you passed every test I put you through! I guess you are my apprentice now. Shall we finally trade names to make it official? My name is Sharpen Claw what about yourself my young apprentice?" Sharpen asked, holding out his claw to me.
"My name is Miles Prower, though most people just call me 'Tails' for short." I smiled, shaking his claw, my two tails unknowingly flickering back and forth behind me.
I have never worked to much with metal 'til now, but with some of Tails' pros I most likely got his joy of tinkering I didn't ask Sharpen Claw how much I would be making, as I thought it would be rude at the time being. He had continued tempering the sword before finally having me run over to grab one of the hand carved wooden handle.
"Master Claw, I was just wondering why this sword had a wooden handle rather then a metal one?" I had asked him generally curious since most swords did have metal handles, just usually having something such as leather covering it to keep the grip.
"Well Tails' the reason this one is wooden is cause it is a training sword this was ordered by the nearby guard station to help train new recruits. That is a good eye you have: if you see someone with wooden handled sword it usually means one of two things. One, they didn't have enough money to order one with a metal handle, or two, they are a guard in training." Sharpen replied glad to see so far he has not made a mistake.
I had continued helping him as he started making the shield to complete the last set of sword and shield the guard ordered. While I was helping him we heard the opening the door and a large armored griffin came in standing just a hair short of eight feet tall.
"Ah, Harden Wings, I did expect you to be by so soon just finishing up on the last shield for you. Tails, would you go gather up the five training swords and four shields that are already done." Sharpen told me. I gave him a nod before walking over picking up the shields first.
"Ha, I didn't expect I would ever see you with a kid running around the shop that wasn't one of your grandchicks trying to get you to play with them." Hardened replied, giving Sharpened a slap on the back. "It's nice to see that you finally got an apprentice: I thought you would've been stuck in bed by your children before you got one."
I was walking over to the the soldier griffin handing up the four shields with the three swords balancing on them. "Here you go sir, if you need any help or need anything just ask sir." I said as I walked back over to Claw, who had gone back to tempering the blade.
"Well Tails here, has shown he at least knows the basic items needed, has the strength to help hand me items and move things around without much help, and has kept up with me so far today." Claw said between the hammering of the blade and the hissing of the water touching the hot metal.
Hardened was a bit surprised some as he looked down at me my two tails swaying back and forth as I headed over to the counter to grab the wooden handle for the last sword. As I handed the final handle over to Claw he nailed down to opening of the handle keeping the blade in the wood.
"There you go captain. Your final training sword the four swords is five bits a piece, while the four round shields are seven, since they were built to last all the punishment you could throw at them." Claw said with a smile as Harden reached to his belt, pulling off the small bag of coins and handing it to Claw.
"It's always a pleasure! I'm sure before you know it I will be back here to make more blades so they can be ready in case the dragon clans choose to move over here to our mines." Harden said as he saluted Claw before walking out of the forger.
"Who are the dragon clans Master Claw?" I looked at him as he let out a light sigh.
"Well Tails, we don't know completely who they are, we call them the dragon clans cause unlike the original dragons they are much like how we, walking on two legs, wings folded to their back though no feathers and are about a foot or two taller then us. They are covered in scales that are stronger then iron and breath fire like the original dragons. Though they still have the hoarding habits of their forefathers, they are a bit less aggressive. A few independent ones do trade from time to time but are more known to be raiders. They usually never talk much of their culture to any who they don't trust with their lives." Claw replied as he walked over to the counter starting to polishing the already finished swords, axes, shield, and spears that were up for sell.
It seems the dragons were still around and intelligent but were rare and a distant relative to the dragon clans. They sounded like they wouldn't be to hard to win over, but the main problem I saw was finding a starting point with them. Though I'm getting way ahead of myself in that area, that is something that would be done at another time, for now I must continue working and build up a nice sum of bits.
Claw had told me that I would be staying on the second floor of the forge in a room he had slept in at the late nights at work. It wasn't much it was a place to sleep and a roof over my head along with a paying job so it's a good start. He handed me a small bag: I had got seven bits for the few hours that I had worked that day, and he told me that, if I work a full day, I would get ten bits, and I'd have midday off to go get something to eat.
He told me I would have an hour and half before the stores in the main square closed, so I should go and buy something to eat. With a nod I took off my modern tool belt, slipping it under the bed along with my phone, thinking it would be better here. I looked at the Chaos Emerald slipping it under my pillow for now just encase of pickpockets.
With my small bag of bits I headed off towards the market area.
The market place was nearly empty other then the few sales griffins and even surprisingly a pegasus. I had made my way over to the griffin who was selling bread along with some cooked meat. It cost me five of my seven bits though the loaf of bread and meat was almost as large as my head! I had got it wrapped up before walking back towards the forge, while taking some bites out of the bread idly as I thought about how I could increase their technology. I could always slowly but surely add 'new' inventions each year but that could take centuries, and I didn't have that kind of time, especially since the Chaos Emeralds are scattered across them world.
I suddenly face-palmed, I just remembered I was following one of the emeralds and never completely found it. I hoped no one else has found one yet, or who could tell would happen since the emeralds could have negative effects on people who are not embodiment of Chaos. It also didn't help that Discord could have put fail-safes in them in case worse came on himself. Though with my luck a good many of the other emeralds were already claimed and I would have one hell of time collecting them.
When I got back I had half a loaf of bread left, so I put it along with the meat in a cold area of the room. I start thinking over what I remember about the games, then it hit me: quickly, I ran over to my bed and pulled out the emerald. I had forgot the Chaos Emeralds are attracted to one another, I could use mine to find the closest one while I had time before the moon was in the sky!
After heading outside the town making sure to keep the emerald hidden in my pocket looking around making sure no one was around me. I had pulled it out pointing it in different directs, the way I originally came from the light in the emerald was dim but as I pointed it north of the town the light inside sprang to life. With grin and a nod I started running off in that direction to try and claim my second emerald...
I have no idea how my luck is holding out as well as it was though the second emerald I was after had gotten lodged into the side of a plateau. No one had seemed to notice it yet thinking it was best not to try and fly up their with my tails since, well it was at least twenty feet off the ground. So, tightening up my short I began my hour long climb up the plateau. I was thanking god that my sister wasn't here she would be laughing at my very slow pace and awkward footing. I could swear I was close to doing the splits once or twice.
It took nearly an hour before I had made my way to the emerald, looking at the emerald trying to think of how I could keep myself held in place while pulling it out. Then I let out a knowing smile, I remember my tails should be strong enough to hold me in place. Moving one tail to each side of me before striking them into the cliff side to hold me in place, before gripping onto the little exposed part of the emerald. With a few minutes of grunting and pulling on it with a loud pop it came out of the cliff.
Looking back at the spot it was pulled from it have a perfect form to the emerald. I saw the shadows of the day were getting longer with a string of silent curses, I had slipped the emerald into my pocket before gripping back onto the wall pulling my tails out of the two newly formed holes in the cliff-side.
It luckily didn't take me as long to get down though I may have panicked a bit when I lost grip and there is now about five or a dozen new holes in that cliff side. Once back on the ground I stretched popping my back some before starting to make my way back to the town. Right, now I am on stage one of three in the plans I have made so far for my new world.
Stage one, was gathering the emeralds while gathering the money and resources to start my own business. Stage two, work to upgrading the technology to the modern era while seeing if I can find a way of copying Eggman's plan of using the emeralds as a power source. The last stage, would me not only establishing a permanent base and some how prolonging my life without having to giving up something like my soul or my new intelligent.
Though I know it will most definitely take more steps than that but it was the general idea of what I was going to do. Well I do know how to understand how to stretch the most out of little money. Since being in college with a small part time job does that to people. The streets were basically empty at this point as I had finally made my way back into the town having slowed down to a reasonable speed when I was nearing the view of it. I still would rather keep my speed as my trump card if I really needed it along with also needing to practice my flight skills.
I had made my way back to the blacksmith to stash my second emerald, making my way into the building before locking it up behind myself. I made my way upstairs going into the room before slipping the emerald under the bed with the other. For now I would have to get use to being the blacksmith apprentice till I had worked my way up along with using half my pay to feed myself while saving the other.
Though as the days started seemed like they were flying by from doing the same things each day. For now I was more of an assistant only doing any hammering when my boss needed to do anything. Even know he said I was a natural I think he wanted to test my patience. Though if there was one thing I was it was patient, I remember I use to beat the principle to my school in high school the only people their were me and the janitors.
While the days seemed easy for me the days for the newly establish Equeastra were anything but easy. The newly crowned princesses were having to deal with the land settlements for the nobles, who would be paying for the new towns to be settled. They were also having to deal with the Crystal Empire who were refusing to become part of it, Princess Platinum was refusing to let go of the power of her kingdom to ones who had no idea what they were doing.
Though the Pegasus and earth ponies were happy enough to enter the fold of equality along with a good third of the unicorns from the Empire. The princesses were relying heavily on their old mentor for how to run things having gotten thousands of ponies but not sure where to settle them. StarSwirl was a bit stuck in his ways being in his later years, even know he hide it well from his students. He had help split up the large groups into well organized though he had a good amount of the unicorns settle with him in the castle, for as he said 'help his research'.
As the groups matched out to their appointed lands they started settling on the grasslands while staying away from the plains, seeing them as unexplored areas. With their subjects settling and the nobles satisfied for the time being it had took almost a month for them to get their country into a semi-stable position. Though it was time for them to start visiting one of the few world known countries, the Griffin Empire.
The month for me had went by easily I had learned most of the names of regulars and have even learned that while they have chain-mail they rarely make it as it takes too long to make each ring for it. The main troubles I have been having was keeping the two emeralds I had hidden even if the griffins didn't know what it was, better safe than sorry. I would rather not be a target for have such a large gem on my person.
Over the month I have been able to save up a decent sum of bits I was a few bits short of three hundred. I was walking around with a my small bit bag that I had attached to my tool belt. I notice a small crowd around the usually area I looked over to the post border. Oh, so today is a small tournament for chess. I could try it that was always a nice pastime for me before all this and I have played it a few times with Sharpen even if he wasn't too good at it. There was a small entry fee which was only five bits along with a five hundred bit prize.
I was a bit surprised after entering when I walked over to the five places set up for the tournament. There were nineteen other competitors four ponies, three minotaurs, three dragon clans, and the rest are griffins. The thing was one of this ponies really stood out mostly because he was dressed up like the stereotypical wizard with the hat, cape and even the long white beard! It took every ounce of my will power not to laugh at the ridiculousness of his hat since it even had it's own little bell.
He seemed to staring at me in either disbelief written all over his face along with a hint of curiosity. I might have been a bit lucky that me and him seemed to be in different brackets of the tournament. The first competitor, a teen griffin who the only way she could be more cocky was if she was part rooster, I was up against busted out laughing seeming to think she thought she got the luckiest person to go up against to the kid. Though after five minutes I called out checkmate and the female griffin's jaw looked as if it was about to hit the ground.
"Next, time miss it might not be a good idea to underestimate your opponent just because of their age or appearance." I said lightly before walking over shutting her mouth as my name was moved up higher on. The wizard had finished his match not too long after myself seem he had been almost bored and teasing the griffin who he was playing against. He had looked a bit surprised when he saw I had finished before him they had called him Starswirl.
Once, the first rounds were done all but one of the dragon clan members were knocked out along with all of the minotaurs though they seemed to shrug it off before heading over to the audience seeming to have just want to give it a try. I also saw that Hardened Wing was in the tournament he seemed to at least know what he was doing as he made it through the first rounds.
Within the first hour the first round had came to a close there were only two ponies left counting Starswirl and the other looking to be a guard of some kind though seemed to be a pegasus. My next victim, um I mean opponent was the guard pony I will give him this much to his credit he was trying his best to counter my moves. The problem was he didn't pay attention to the layout I was putting my pieces in and about about ten minute of back and forth I called checkmate. With only taking four of his pieces, took both his knights and his two mages, which is what they called the bishop.
The guard strolled over to waiting in the crowd which I could swear I heard a string of what I was guessing was pony curse words being spilled under his breath. This time I saw that the wizard was having to focus much harder as he was up against Hardened, who was in charge of the garrison that was in town. I've had many conversation with him while helping or waiting for Sharpen Claw to finish a new project for him. He was in his early thirties having been not only the captain but the as he likes to call himself the motivation that the guards do the jobs right and make no mistakes.
Though I was sad to see he was out maneuvered Hardened I was a bit excited this could be a nice change since it was a bit hard to not get cocky since Tails' mind is impressive. I have been having to drift off some so I don't beat the regular people in five moves. I mean over the first week I had to force myself to not list off things I could have done to improve the forge, so it would burn hotter and had to stop my hands from trying to use my boss' metal to make my own inventions.
While I could most likely will do this when I have my own business and enough Bits saved up that I will not have to worry about my inventions breaking the bank. I wanted to keep just how good my mind was till I had established my own business, whether from getting the shop from my boss or buying my own building. I was finally snapped out of my thoughts when they called out saying round two was done we're down to five people. The ones left were myself, the wizard pony, the dragon clan woman, and two griffins who looked to be in their sixties.
We all had took a seat as the people running the tournament saying how that the last stage is a sudden death round they will pick two names at random of the last five and the last person left is the winner. I wondered who would be going first as the griffin judge reached into a helmet pulling out two names. "Oh first two competitors are, Starswirl vs Grey Feather." The announcer called out as the wizard pony and one of the elder griffins walked up to the now one table.
While us, the other competitors, watched as the two took a staggering two goddamn hours to play the game mostly because the old man took so long to do his move, but come on! They could have have just disqualified him for taking so long though I guess those rules hadn't been added yet. We were all blessing our god or goddess when Starswirl finished the other old griffin dropped out to go and hang out with his grand chicks since it was taking too long.
So by default they had choose to have me go up against the female dragon clan member, whose name I found out was Cloudy Onyx. She had proven much more of a challenge then the other opponents, she had scanned the board making sure to do her best to counter my plans. Though luckily that she had seemed to pay no mind to the pawns seeming to see them as more as distractions than really threats. That was her largest mistake as she got sloppy and even more when I surprised her by taking her queen with a pawn making her go into almost a rage of plays, which shortly after it began I declared checkmate.
With a large growl she bowed her head before standing out and heading out to the crowd sitting down glaring at me as the board was being reset Starswirl walked over sitting across from me. "Well little Miles, it seems it is down to me and you though one thing I won't be going easy on you even if you are a foal." Starswirl said his gaze hardened as he looked down at me.
I was wondering if this was his attempting to scare me or was he just like this when he was serious, so I choose to push back. "Well Mr. Starswirl, since it is down to us I will make sure not to go easy on an old man like yourself. I'll be sure to finish you off fast so you can get back to your grand kits." I replied with a wide toothy grin almost getting a flinch out of the old man with my large canines showing. This was most likely going to me my hardest challenge so far though I am not going to go down without a fight if I lose, oh well if I win I will more than double my money so let the final round begin.
The chess games before this one felt like I had been facing toddlers and I had just switched to facing a grandmaster. I had to be sure to think through each move even thinking more long term rather than short term like I had with the others. I had forced Starswirl in full retreat during the end part game, I had made sure to keep him on the edge. Almost every other turn we were trading pieces it was hard tell who was winning from the outside.
Though I was starting to make the old man sloppy, he was getting nervous I was playing fast and strong handed, I could swear I heard his teeth grinding when I had took his final knight. I was down to one knight, the queen and king, and a pawn, while he was down to two pawn, a mage, and his king. I was making him over think my moves, though I had him cornered he has very few moves that could get him out of the position. Through the game he had been overprotective of his queen having sacrificed many pieces before I had took it. I had lost one knight and my mages to take the piece, but he sacrificed half his pawns and his other mage.
Though I would say it was a gain since he had lost his rooks or as they called them by their old name towers. I’m close though I saw a path that he could still pull out a victory though he most likely hadn’t noticed. While moving his remaining mage would leave his king more opened he could take my knight and make my life difficult and he would reverse the tables on me.
Doing my best to keep my face straight as he made the worse move that he could he tried to move his king back away into the further corner of the board. I had moved my queen to the back row before saying in a calm voice that I had kept since we had began. “Check.” I had him trapped and he saw it from then on it was nothing more than a matter of time.
After ten minutes of cat and mouse having lost all other pieces I had corned his king with my knight and queen. So I had declared, “Check and mate old timer, seems you just have been dulling over time if you were sharp to start with.” I said teasingly as I stood up the old unicorn still sitting there in a state of shock of having lost.
I had went and claimed my bag of Bits as the two guards had walked over and helped the stunned Starswirl to his feet walking him off to the carriage parked not too far away from the crowd.
The guards had whispered into Starswirl’s ear, “Sir, isn’t that creature that beat you the one the princesses are looking for shouldn’t we try and arrest him?”
This had snapped Starswirl out of his trance before replying. “While it might be the creature that the princesses told us about we are not in Equestria and have no power over it here.”
“For now we shall keep this creature in mind but not tell the princesses they might act rashly and we need no more trouble than we already have.” Starswirl had told the guards who nodded as they helped him into the carriage.
While this was half truth the real reason was Starswirl was furious he had been beaten by this creature in a game of skill. He would refuse to let this go without paying him back, but for now he will plot and wait for he finally had someone who may prove to be worth his time. The princesses were his students he knew all their flaws and their strengths, while this one was an unknown and proven so far to be at least as intelligent as himself. Though he would find the creature’s weaknesses one way or another.
I had made my way back to the blacksmith so I could stash away my winning from the small tournament. I had a reasonable size of income now, the main problem was I still had to find the Chaos Emeralds which were for all he knew scattered all over the world.
So I know what the first thing I needed to make, the Tornado, the problem was I was going to have to modify it. Since there was no way to get fuel I would either have to somehow make a steam powered plane, or have it run on the Chaos Emerald’s energy. For now I needed to wait till winter time when the shop had the least business because of the temperature usually made forging weapons difficult, since the cold could make them brittle. So back to routine till the first snow falls.
Meanwhile in Crystal Empire
Things had started getting out of hand ever since the formation of Equestria where ‘equality’ was being promised to all tribes. The Empire was having a shortage of food as most of the Earth pony population had left to go there the few that were left were not being able to make enough food. The unicorn nobles were trying their hardest to make runes that were to help the crystal berries grow faster but they were nowhere near as strong as Earth pony magic.
The unicorns were getting desperate to find a way to increase the growth of food for the Empire, not only cause of the shortage of food. Though by a force of her hand, Princess Platinum had promised the position of her husband or advisor, if female, to who ever found a fix for the problem no questions asked.
One of the young lower rank nobles, he was a disgrace for his family having never found his talent, he had saw this as his chance to help change the Empire for the best not just the best of the nobles. Thinking it would be best for him to test his ideas outside of the shield which was barely working as of now it was now a shell of it’s former glory. It had became as thin as a sheet of paper looking like it could be broken through with the simplest of hits.
The young noble had traveled out only ten feet from the shield before he noticed a large hole in the snow, it was already starting to fill back up. Though curiosity had gotten the best of of the grey unicorn, he had started digging through the snow till he found a large purple gem that could barely fit in his hand. This could be just what the Empi-, he was looking for to help achieve his goals, unknown to him his bright green eyes slowly turned red.
Deep in the badlands.
The species in this barren land had had it hard though one species had came out ahead having been able to feed on magic itself without draining the amount of magic in the air around it. Though when the large grey gem had smashed into the front of their home, most of them trying to avoid the foul smelling gem.
Though the leader of the species could not let such a horrid gem stay near her people. So with a stroke of what some would say bravery but others would say ignorance had grabbed a hold of the grey gem to toss it. The reaction to the species as a whole was nearly instant the screams of the strong species echoed through the barren land. As they were changed by the gem to a species that craved the one thing they thought they could never have from another species, love.
Within the Everfree forest.
Under the two newly crowned princesses’ nose was the finale bright green emerald embedded within a large old tree near the middle of the forest. The emerald had started pulsing sending energy through the tree to the root the continued spreading throughout the forest. The sound of howling started up as the creatures of wood had been empowered their eyes shining now bright green.
The forest was under new management, it was just the old management just hadn’t found out yet the forest darkening as even the manticores started traveling in groups as the new change swept through the forest. The forest weather starting to rebel against the pegasi who tried to destroy it or move it and the ground resisted the the Earth ponies trying to grow the plants faster.
Inside of the vault of Equestria.
There sat buried deep into the back of the vault sat the three gems, the two smaller ones set in large metal boxes chained closed. While the large green emerald was chained to the floor surrounded with trap runes, all from the small shock runes to the magic sapping runes. In the room a very familiar laugh started echoing in the room, as the emerald glowed lighting up the dark vault.
A voice echoed in the vault, “It seems three have fallen to corrupt, but there is one who holds out against the unknown corrupt. But the first one that should have fallen has been accepted as their wielder. Oh, this might just be an interesting time even without me physically present!”
As the laugh soon went silent the light in the vault had faded the only shine left was the original light green glow. Discord still in control even within the Master Emerald watching through his gems to see what chaos had followed them. His only regret was that he couldn't have a cup of cotton candy and popped paper to watch this with.
So over the past month or two before Fall I had started buying up some books on known ores and alloys they had found at the time being. I had started doing some editing of the book as well and what I found sad is they know every goddamn gold alloys that I know of. Why of all alloys did they find all the gold ones, yet when I found what I guess was their version of aluminium was declared too weak for use in armor too easily pierced, they hadn't even bothered trying to find it's alloys out. Which means it was cheap as hell and that means I could get it for cheap, if I can find someone that has dug it up.
Sharp had given me the day off since it was his birthday and he wanted to spend it with his chicks and grand chicks. I had wished him a happy birthday telling him I was going to start working on some personal projects today after, asking him who he brought his ores from. He told me that it Coal Feathers, he told me it wasn’t his original name it was a nickname he got since when he was young, his father was a coal miner and he was born with black and grey feathers.
I had started making my way towards the ‘mines’ though the second I came to them you know what I found. It was a farm with large patches of ores, growing like a you would see a bush growing up and out. Their ores were grown not mined, quickly pulling the ore book out from under my arms looking through the book quickly.
Near the end of the book was this sentences, “Ores, were once hard to come by than a hundred years ago a miner had noticed a strange bulb like object at the end of a vein of ore. It was later found out that if kept in poor soil and darkness, moonlight doesn’t seem to count as light to the ore plant. Their growth takes different amounts of time for different ores and grows in different size depending on ores.”
That is awesome but at the same time going to mean I will need find another book for growing ores at another time. I hope that he has an aluminium ore plant or if he didn’t bother with it for how cheap it was. I was making a mental list of the ores I would need just to make something that will last and slowly but surely making the frame for the Tornado. Though the problem I was having was still trying to find out how to make it run, I had the knowledge to make a basic plane engine, but I don’t have any fossil fuels other than coal. I really don’t want to make it where my precious Tornado runs on coal, if I had the frequency that the energy, magic, runs on I could try and transfer it to electric power.
There I go again rushing ahead in thoughts when I haven’t even started the most minimal parts, okay now that my thoughts are rolled back in I need to start by getting this ores; twenty pounds of copper, ten pounds of tin, twenty pounds of iron, and finally an unknown amount of aluminium. I will also need to see if they have any magnesium since I would need it for the alloy with aluminium to make Tornados frame. For now I was more focused on gathering enough for me to get started or just to experiment with so I can get a better grasp on how to work with the metal without the more advance tools.
I had walked up to the small house that had an open sign on the front door, I opened the door a small bell going off as he walked inside there being an old griffin taking a nap behind the counter. He fit the description I was given of Coal Feathers, he looked to be around seven feet tall having mostly dark black feathers. The only way I could tell he was getting up there in the add was his feathers were starting to fade, the hair, which I had guessed was once black, was now a bright grey color.
I had walked up to the counter and knocked on it just being tall enough for my head to peek over the counter. The griffin jumped up some seeming to have fell asleep without noticing he had looked around before calling out. “Hello, someone need something?”
I had sighed as he had missed me though clearly hearing my sigh he looked down and saw me with a bright smile he asked. “Oh, I did see you there little guy you need something?”
“Well yes I do Mr. Coal, I’m Miles, Sharp’s apprentice I wanted to start doing something on my own. He told me you were the griffin to see if I wanted to get some ores.” I replied, the old griffins smile widen after I spoke.
“Ah, so you're the little guy who finally got that spot, your boss wasn’t lying I have the large ore farm on the eastern side of the Griffin Empire. So what are you looking for?” He said as he pulled out a small notepad with a inkwell and quill.
“Well I do have a list but there is one I hope you are growing even if it might not get much use it goes by alum.” I told him, he seemed surprised that I asked for such an under used mineral.
“Well, I have some of that grown but it’s further away from here I haven’t really messed with it since it reached it’s max size that the plant grew.” He replied with a groan as he stood up from his seat.
I had followed him as he walked out of the building leading me past the rows of ores, there were multiple of the bush like ores. They were hard to tell what was what other than the coloring of the bulbs which were the ores, or fruits of the plants. I saw the aluminium before we got to it, by itself the one plant had grown out to a seven by seven foot bush with the silvery bulbs, which were only four inches large each, making the strong branches sag with the weight.
“This is it, this is the largest the alum plant has ever got it stopped growing after reach this size, I don’t even do anything special like the other ores.” He pointed out as he walked me over it taking one of the bulbs in his claw.
“Tell you what, if you want to I’ll sell you the plant itself and keep it alive for you for a hundred bits, what do you say?” He asked looking over at me as I was examining the quality of the bulbs they looking almost like how a smelt ball of aluminum.
I was caught off guard by the offer I know they had basically given off growing this ore but to sell a plant that could produce such a large amount of metal. Though this was a deal I couldn’t pass on I had more than enough money to afford the plant along with getting what I needed. First, I needed to find out how much the other ores would cost me and if magnesium grow as well. Cause if not that could throw a wrench into make the Tornado since it was needed for the alloy for the airplane's body.
“I would be fine with buying that but I should make sure I can get my other ores first before I go for this.” I said as I pulled out my list calling off the amount of ores I needed before stopping right before magnesium.
I had not told him about the magnesium as that would have to come at another time when I have a better way to make the body of the biplane. Coal was working out the amount of Bits I will owe him for the amount of ores I wanted.
“Well, little Miles for all this ores and if I add in the Alum plant it will add up to six hundred Bits. Though since you're the blacksmith’s apprentice you get a small discount just like I do for repairs. That make your told down to five hundred, sixty bits will be your total.” He said as he showed me his math on the notepad.
Looking it over I found out each pound of iron ore is worth twelve Bits, copper ore is nine Bits, and tin ore is eight Bits. It was reasonable of course this was before the discount he had added to my purchase. I could afford this and have plenty of Bits left over as I was over a thousand bits from the months of working I have done.
“That sounds reasonable I will happily pay for it and head back to the shop to start working up some.” I replied with a smile handing him the notepad he had shown me.
He seem about as happy as myself he walked over handing me a large bag, “This is for the Alum you want to gather for now while I go gather up the other ores you order.”
With a wave he walked off as I made my way into the large aluminium bush, slowly filling the bag I had with the metal bulbs. That was till I had tripped on something falling over, with a groan I look to see what it was my eyes widening at what I saw.
It was a small yellow Television with next to no buttons it looked strangely familiar, but where the hell did it come from. I had reached over picking up before nearly dropping it from the sudden voice, an all to well known voice came from it.
“Perfect Harmony can only be reach with might. By bringing the whole world under the rule of one empire. I am Dr Eggman and if you need my help just press the self deduct button and throw it at your enemy and I will come and help.” The television had said before going silently.
I had shaken off my shock for now and quickly swept the item into the bag with the rest of the metal being sure that the button was not accidentally pressed as I tied the bag shut. “Well better to not test my luck, it could be someone like me or I might have just accidentally found an upset to my plans.”
I choose that was enough aluminium for now not really feeling like it would be a good idea to keep this thing in the bag while picking the bulbs would be good if I accidently hit that button. With the large bag in hand I started making my way back toward Coal’s store area I saw about three bags were already set in front with Coal waiting.
“Ah, there you are I was wondering how much longer you would take now just pay the Bits and you can be on your way for the day.” He said as he held out his claw, I had pulled out five large sacks setting them in his claw before emptying forty gold coins into a small sack before handing him the last sixty.
With a nod he handed me the three bags of ores which surprised him when I had put all four bags over my shoulders. First, I had went back to the shop and dropped of the bags before finally making my way to the one pony stand I had saw in my first month. It turned out the pegasus that ran the stand sold something I really could use.
He sold magic runes, the one I was looking for would be great for working with metal a rune the could shot a small stream of concentrated fire. I was going to make it into my first tool I need, a welding torch. Sadly, it costed another hundred bits, though I did also buy a book on the basics of building my own runes, using sixty Bits, so I can have them charge before I need them.
One rune, really caught my eyes, was the electric bolt rune it was possible to modify it to where I could have it transfer magical energy into electrical power. Though that was another time for now I had made my way back to the shop, using some of the aluminium I had brought with me I started making the frame for welding torch.
With the frame and trigger with the small opening on the end for the flame to shoot through into the great stream. There was also my symbol I had choose for my character form on holding, my twin tails. I had went out and bought some cheap paint one orange and the other white, waiting the orange white tipped tails.
I had went upstairs taking out my tool belt putting the rune powered welder in it before thinking for a minute. “Well I guess I can see if this will work.” I said to myself before focusing in on the toolbelt.
“To any who find this, if you need anything repaired, built, or just someone to talk with and hang out just call out for Miles Prower for help.” I had said before dropping the tool belt, it had then split in two one falling into a dark hole that opened while the original fell onto my bed.
“I hope to god I don’t regret that or I will have need to build up a collection of bombs.” I said with a sigh as I put the tool belt back with the two chaos emeralds I had, heading back to read over the book of runes seeing what he could make and how to make them.
I had started off small, building the parts needed for the Tornado' shell such as the bolts, the wires, the propeller, and some of the more complicated pieces. I had only one problem which was the covering of the wires, I needed rubber as far as I have seen so far it is not for sell any where around here. That left me with a little options since the instillation was needed before I even did any testing, I just need to make a certain form of it and I can use it to cover the metal wiring, which I had made from copper being the more common form of wires, and good at dealing with currents of electricity.
So far the most complicated part was making the wire just right it was hard to do by hand having to wrap wires around wires to make sure that it will be able to conduct electricity. The first thing I needed to do was find a forest and pray to whatever being that might be listening that I can find some hevea brasiliensis, or better known as the rubber trees. That way I do have any worry of wires getting crossed in the inner working, with a sigh I had went out to the main market to see if any new vendors.
Over an hour had passed before I had found at least a lead for the trees that I'm looking for. Some Zebra travelers who had come from the northwest, had talked about founding some trees that produced sap. Though they said some of the friends have nearly threw up trying it. It's a small chance but it could be the things I'm looking for, so using a few bits I had I bought a map of this continent. Most of it was not explored fully yet as it showed large forest, I had asked one of the Zebra travelers if they would mind marking the area they thought it was they found the trees.
With a smile the woman zebra, who was leading them, marked the spot on the map about a day or two walk away from the town. Though for me that would take me about a full day to get there, with a small bag of bits I had bought a tap with a large bucket that had an attached cover.
I had went back to the blacksmith, writing the note telling Sharp I would be gone for a day or two to go collect something I needed for a project. I had got my tool belt wrapping it around my waist, along with putting the two Emeralds in my pockets. I was still a bit paranoid that if someone found them I would have to hunt it down once again. With a small bag of food wrapped to one of my belt loops I nodded to myself and headed off.
I had walked out of the town making sure I was out of sight of the town before starting to speed up, almost instinctively once I hit a certain speed my tails started to spin behind of my launching me faster. This was the fastest I had gone, going up and down hills in the area with very little trouble. I knew I still would have been left in the dust by the original Tails but I was still a decent speed, if my math was right I was going one-third the original Tails' speed.
I was hoping that I didn't accidentally run into someone cause I don't think I could stop without sliding five feet. That or I would do a good many flips and have learned a valuable lesson, which is learn how to fly sooner than later. Since right now I still have to keep my feet on the ground unlike, when original, who would be able to maintain his speed while not having his feet on the ground.
Though I was enjoying the wind in my face the fresh air and being able to stretch my legs, I guess being in front of the forge so long does get tired some. It needed to be done, I'm a long way off from making parts without the need of a forge. I am making a note to self that one of the first machines I make with a be a metal press, to help from parts without the need for hours of hammering.
I watched as clouds and the landscape flowed pass me, my eyes opening wide as I skidded to a halt, leaving two five feet long hole in my wake. There was a large caravan no more than twenty feet in front of me, it was clear by the amount of griffins and empty wagons, this was most likely lumber jacks on their way to the forest. This could cause problems if I need more rubber than what I can collect right now.
I had started making my way towards the caravan they had noticed me pretty quick, I mean bright orange sure kind of stands out in an almost wilted grass covered hill. An elderly griffin, who feathers and hair had became completely grey even the rest of his fur and feather looked to have lost their color. Though he still looked as if he could knock down a tree without much trouble.
"What bring you out to our little camp? We were just setting before take down a few of this trees for some furniture, while it doesn't have the best smell at first this trees are easy to work." The elderly griffin stated with a smile pointing a claw back at the trees.
"Well sir, I had came to get some of the sap like substance that this trees produce for a project I was working. If you don't mind I was hoping that if you can leave a few of the younger trees here so I can tap them if I need more." I had respond showing the bucket and tap I had brought with me.
"I see no problem with that, that stuff does make it harder to use the tree, so if you find any use for the stuff be sure to let us know. We have been replanting them for three generations now and have yet to find a use for the sap. Taste horrid, so we have been just trying to use it for wood shine." He replied seeing the spark of hope almost lighting up his bright green eyes.
"I almost forgot my name is Miles Prower, if you can I'll leave my tap with you after I filled my bucket. If you fill a bucket or three, I'd be more than willing to pay thirty bits for each bucket of sap." I said with a smile, hoping to god that it would be enough.
"My name is Holz as for your offer. Hmm, how about thirty-four bits, along with you pay us half for three bucket now and the rest when we deliver them to you deal?" He replied offering out his claw to me.
With a nod I reached out shaking his hand, walking over with him over to their camp I had circled the town which I was staying in on his map writing down where to find me. Now that that was out of the way I made my way over to one of the younger rubber trees, taking out the tap and hammering into the tree with the hammer in my tool belt. I made sure that my bucket was under the tap with the lid open as the rubber started slowly pouring into the bucket.
Taking a seat next to the bucket I pulled out my small bag of food starting to eat the small sandwich I had made with some bread and meat, with a little bit of lettuce that was on sell before left. Even after all this months I still missed not have as large of a variation, that was something that I would just have to wait for on someone else to make it. Since when it came to food I wasn't taking any chances, I had once burned noodles! Fucking noodles, just cause I had maybe got a bit distracted and forgot about it not noticing till I smelled something burning..
It was about almost an hour before the bucket was filled, carefully removing the tap, and slipping the lid over the bucket and locking the lid onto it with clamps. I had lifted up the bucket heading back towards the lumberjacks camp. After a few minutes of searching I had found Holz handing him the tap and the half the bits for the three more buckets. He wish me luck as I started walking off back toward town.
It was going to be a long road to set up the alternator, regulator, and much more though hopeful with the time I had I was hoping that I would have the Tornado ready by the first day of spring. It is a large leap in technology I was trying to do, though I needed to find the rest of the Emeralds before they got into the wrong hands or worse were already in bad hands.
I had softly started humming to myself as I had picked up my speed, though not going full speed just in case, really didn't feel like refilling this bucket. I looked up watching as the clouds floated by, with the resources I had I should be able to finish the Tornado. If my math was correct with two lightning runes as the battery I should be able to run the biplane easily.
Though if my math was wrong there was a fifty-fifty chance that it would explode and I'd have to start over from scratch once more. Though this just the first one, as the saying is 'the first step is always the hardest' if this works I can start building the machinery I need to make construction easier. Though for now I needed to stay focus on the Emeralds, once I have gather all the lost ones I can focus on my business.
With a fluid plan set up I had some goals set my first being to piece together the first Tornado, second, gather as many of the Chaos Emeralds as I could. The third would to be building my home/business from the ground up, and I guess I'll just make it up as I go.
Meanwhile with a certain old unicorn.
With a groan he still had no idea the young creature, beat him he had went over every possibility even going as far as thinking Discord was using the being as puppet and was messing with him. Though even that held no water the creature, Miles, was organized, calculating, and calm traits which were nearly the opposite of everything the being stood for.
He was looking through the ones for hire trying to find a being that won't stick out in the town somepony that could get close and get the information he required to find out what Miles weakness was. A smile had spread across his face as he found the forms for one of the few griffins that lived in the newly formed country, he was a mercenary willing to do just about anything for the right price.
With this tool he shall find out what makes the little fox tick and if possible get him to see things his way, since what's an old unicorn without a young impressible student to continue his work. He had moved over to his book untitled by containing a large formula for a spell that he has yet to complete, thinking he might have found the way to solve his problem.
Though time was against him he would have to hope this mercenary was fast and would be easy to keep silent when told to. Even if there was more than one way to get rid of loose ends when the time came, he had started writing down a letter to be sent to the griffin and where to meet him. Since the game had already began the new player would just have to find out who already was running this game.
When I had made it back to the town the sun couldn't be seen any more the moon having started it's raise into the sky as the stars slowly faded into existence. The town had all but became dark, only a few lights from torches and candles that had yet to be put out. If it wasn't for being a fox I would be blind as could be, but after a few minutes my eyes adjusted to the low light.
There was no time to sleep while I made my way into the blacksmith, within minutes I had lit up the forge. After hours and hours of working and testing to find the right amount of temperature to have the rubber become the right form. I had barely noticed as the sun had raised, what told me I had stayed up all night was Sharpen had came into the forge to open shop.
"Miles, what are you doing up this early I would have thought that trip of yours would have tired you out?" Sharpen asked, making me jump some as I was to focused I didn't even hear him come in.
"It's morning already? I had got here with one of the main things I was missing for my project I was testing it to see what temperatures I needed to get it where I needed it. I guess I lost track of time." I replied ending it with a large yawn rubbing my eyes, really wishing caffeine was easy to get at the time being.
Though buying tea leaves here were expensive as can be since they were an export from the Zebras, which at the time were more of tribes rather then a country at the time being. Cause of that the ones who sell here usually double the price if not more, though that is cause the Zebras only have enough money and supplies to come and sell their goods before making the trip back home.
Coffee wasn't a choose either since they were still unknown from what I have seen, sugar was worth as much as a suit of armor since it was also an import and rare. I started the long and painful path of covering the wiring in the newly made rubber covering. I had only just created the first part the regulator, I already knew what I was going to use the battery using the lightning runes as a substitute.
After finishing one more part I thought it was best not to push my luck it was time for me to get some rest, making sure to clean up the station. I move my stuff out back to where the almost completed frame of the plane was the only thing left, was the inside and welding the parts together.
It was going to be the Tornado mark one, I wasn't sure if it was even going to work with all the substitutes I needed to use. For all I know the whole thing could explode! Which is why when I made the wheels I will roll it outside of the town to test it. I think I could survive the explosion if it happens, even if I'm not as tough as the original I'm still considerable tougher than your average person.
Though for the time being I really needed to sleep, being tired and working with machinery or even just the furnace would be dangerous and cause mistakes. With a large yawn I started gathering up the finished and unfinished parts moving them out of the way putting a cover over them to keep them out of the way and out of sight. I had slowly made my way up to the room before I fell face first onto the bed quickly drifting to sleep.
It was nearing the end of the month by the time I had finished the prototype engine block using the electric runes I crafted using iron. I had made plenty more wiring even more than I had needed using the first bucket and some of the delivered buckets of raw rubber I had paid for. While it isn't the best metal for the runes, it's the most durable and easily the cheapest, other than aluminium, that gives the best results. I had spent hours of the last day of the month tinkering the engine even making the diagnostic gauge to tell me when the electric rune started showing signs of weakening.
I had spent the past week doing the finishing touches on the outside, making the metal rubber covered wheels. It was just like the original so the wheels couldn't pull in to it or change since I don't have the time or equipment to do a more advance version. I had wiped my forehead before heading inside to get Sharpen.
"Hey, boss I wanted to tell you my project is finally complete and ready for it's test. Would you mind helping me push it out of town so I can test it?" I asked him, while I could test it myself, but if something went wrong I would rather have someone nearby.
Sharpen smiled he had been curious himself what I had been working on for the past month. I had been spending most of my bits on food and materials for the project. He followed me out a bit surprised at the size of the Tornado Mark One the main difference between it and the original other than the engine was that it was completely unpainted having a bright shiny coming of the grayish metal.
With Sharpen's help I had it out to the side of the flat land next to town as I gave Sharpen a thumbs up. "Thanks for the help boss, you might want to get back I'm not sure if it will work or if I made a miscalculation."
With a begrudging nod he moved back about ten feet, as I climbed into the pilot seat putting on some makeshift goggles, I moved my hand over to the starting key, silently whispering to myself, "Please don't explode." repeatedly.
Closing my eyes tightly as I turned the key the sound of electricity started filling the air before quickly being replace by the sound of the propeller blazed to life. With a large smile I got hold of the wheel, starting to push forward as the it slowly started to speed up.
My eyes wide open now as I could barely hear the whistling from Sharpen coming from the side, even know he hasn't seen anything yet. It was time for the real test as I pulled back on the wheel as I could almost hear Sharpen's jaw hit the ground as the Tornado took it's first journey off the ground.
The feeling of the wind rushing through my fur I could barely hear over the propellers roar was the faint beating of wings as I saw Sharpen had finally gotten his jaw closed and had flew up next to the biplane. I luckily wasn't going too fast at the moment being, though with a large smile on my face I gave him a thumbs up.
I had chose to do a loop around the town to make sure that nothing was wrong with it I had a feeling when I landed Harden would most likely be either freaking out that I didn't warn him. That or he would panic think this was an attack or something.
"Oh well, it would totally be worth it my first step on my path has been forged while it is not the largest it is the best I could make with what I have." I had thought to myself as I had started heading down for a landing.
I would have had to be blind to miss the large crowd that had formed on the edge of the town Harden in the front of the crowd. The look on of his face was somewhere between 'I'm going to strangle you.' to 'How in the ever living fuck did he do this?!?!'. So yep, I was sure in for an ear full the second I turn off the Tornado.
I choose to get this over with now as Sharpen had landed next to Harden seeming to have to try and calm him down some. I had turned the key stopping the engine as the propeller started slowing down I took my goggles off setting them in my seat as I climbed out.
Before I was even ten steps away from the Tornado I felt my feet leave the ground as Harden had lifted me off the ground by the back of my shirt, with his eyes looking to be almost on fire from fury. I was giving a half nervous and half friendly smile at Harden.
"Hey, Harden buddy, oh pal would you be so kind as to set me down? I'll buy you a drink at the tavern to help celebrate the first flight of my prototype." I said cheerfully, hoping to god that the drink would help calm him down.
"Hmm, throw in a meal as well and I will let this slide this one time. Though next time warn me before trying anything new like that again or you will be tied up by your tails outside the barracks for five hours." Harden responded with a deadpan face showing no sign of kidding.
It's not the first time I have had this threat from Harden and will most likely not be the last, the first time this happened was during the testing of my engine about three weeks ago. It wasn't the best planned experiment it only exploded a little, you know how in cartoons the character gets covered in ash and is mostly fine. That happened, not counting the being blasted against the blacksmith back wall, though luckily I am very sturdy. That is how I was not allowed to do any testing without Sharpen watching.
Sharpen understood I had used runes for the Tornado but he said all the wiring and my tries to simplify it went right over his head. Which is understandable I skipped over the easier machines that could have been formed and went for the most needed thing.
I wasn't going out yet though I needed more money and supplies. I was a bit in luck in a month, me and Sharpen are going to the capital. He has some swords and shields that were to replace some of the castle guards, I may or may not have helped Sharpen make them out of steel.
I have made what I hope is the best I can replicate at the time of Damascus steel, sadly I don't know how it was originally made so I use one of the modern reproduction styles. For the shields though I choose Hadfield steel since it was known to be able to take the hit and keep on going.
It had took me about a week to get the formal for the two steels at just the right properties to be passable I had wrote down the formals in the alloy book I had even kept some extra papers in it when I had started running out of room to write. Sadly, my funds were shrink with each discovery and each passing week.
While I was still working at the blacksmith ores didn't come cheap for my inventions it also doesn't help I have been keeping most of my formals to myself. I have no idea how much they could even understand it since according to Sharpen my handwriting looks like I wrote it using my tails, I would not state to him I had at one point tried to do that but could do nothing more than trace.
Now that I had my first Tornado I can nearly start up my plans the only thing I have trouble with is this griffin who I have noticed the past few weeks watching me. I had asked around in the taverns and no one knows her really well, they said that she is from outside of town doesn't talk much to anyone.
I have been sure not to do too much that would give away that I noticed her, I'm lucky the griffin didn't get anywhere near me as long as I had Sharpen or Harden nearby. I had started walking with Harden slipping the key to my Tornado into my new chest pocket, I had it added on to some clothes for me when the griffin started following me just in case she caught a sudden case of sticky claws.
With a reluctant sigh I walked Harden into a tavern, I had gave a wave to the owner Ethel, she had got use to me coming in here either with Sharpen on his rare food runs when he doesn't feel like cooking or heading home. That or when I have to come here to treat Harden to get out of trouble with him, Harden is really weak when it come to getting a decent meal and ale for free.
With a smile I paid for Harden's regular which was, wild rabbit and deer stew with a mug of ale. It is one of the few things I don't really know what it is made of mostly cause I'm not a drinker, before or after I came here. I always thought of trying it but dulling the mind doesn't seem like a good idea when I really needed that now.
Now I just had to prepare something for when we get to the capital, I hope that my math is right and the way things turnout will work. I was told I couldn't bring the Tornado with me to the capital by Sharpen, saying it would either get me in trouble or chances a noble griffin would try and steal it or me for having made it.
We were keeping the fact I made the swords under wraps for now till I could talk with the guard captain alone or if possible the king. Though I will most likely need more experience before I get what I'm looking for but I never said my plan would be easy.
First, thing I did after I had finally got away from Harden was make my way inside of the smithery going over to my self made work area. I had made a very simple metal burner, similar to a wood burner I had used when I was in wood shop in high school.
I had been using it to make the etching for my runes luckily if I messed up I just melted down the metal and started over. Unfortunately, this was a very time consuming part still had nothing on making the god forsaken wiring by hand. Though thankful I already had the rune set up for when I completely the tornado. That being something to keep thieves from trying to take it apart and stealing what made it work.
This shield runes lasted at most two weeks though unlike most runes after that point they can't be reused. The magic literally eats through the metal to keep the shield up, but the only thing that will break through the runes is if two dragons choose to body slam the shield at the same time. This runes didn't mess around sadly I also won't be able to mess with the Tornado till the rune runs out either.
Though it could always be worse after I slipped out the back I stuck the rune to the underside of the Tornado as I activated the bright orange shield surrounded the biplane. I had looked around the shield making sure there was nothing wrong with it with a smile I gave a nod. Well I guess it's time to get ready for my trip, as I made my way into my room an idea strikes me.
Walking over to my desk pulling out my notepad before writing it down as I use my tails packing a bag with my two emeralds and some extra set of closes and runes. "Note to self: when I have the resources look into making a bag of holding using magic runes, if doesn't exist then try and see if spacial magic exist and try and transfer it into rune for."
The day had came that Sharpen had got the carriage ready for us to start making our way towards the capital, I had helped him load in the swords and shields for the guards. Though the problem is being since we are having to go there by foot, and by foot I mean me pulling the carriage with Sharpen.
Since I don't have anything at the moment that could make this a faster trip we will just have to take the normal time which is a six day walk away from town. True, I could get us there much faster but even then I might tire myself out and who knows if the carriage could survive if I ran with it.
Since as I was told by Sharpen after he showed me the carriage I was not allowed to modify it in any way till I have had my chat with the guard captain. That way I at least have some shielding from the nobility while they are not too powerful compared to the king and queen, they still had sway with some of the lower tiers of the army and officers.
I saw his point so I didn't push the fact, we had took turns for who would pull the carriage I took the first day since being truthful I could carry almost all the armor we had forged on my own. So pulling the wooden carriage was a piece of cake, we had made it to the edge of town where Harden was waiting to see us off. Mostly to scold me telling that if I embarrass Sharpen in the capital he would make a blanket out of my pelt.
I must say that was a new threat from him as I had not heard him say that one so I am going to go with that is worse and I should do my best not to stand out. You know as much as a bright orange bipedal fox could wearing grey coat, shorts, and having a book on magical runes in my bag. Okay, so I stand out more than a spot of black on a white shirt but hopefully I won't get in trouble.
I stop that thought immediate not feeling like jinx myself for this trip. I started softly humming to myself as we continue down the path towards the capital, watching the scenery, which was slowly giving away from clear hills to thick forestry. The tree looked to be pines or something that closely resemble them.
I had stopped my humming to listen to the sound of what was animals moving through the undergrowth, I had turned back to check on Sharpen who was laying back against the cloth of the carriage. We had not talked much as both of us when we were together was either one sided, either him talking about his family.
Sadly, Sharpen's wife had passed away about five years ago, he was pretty old for this era, having just hit his fifty-seventh birthday a month again. His son was in his thirties and his youngest grand chick was around my age if not give or take it a year or two.
If he had any other children he didn't talk about them so I did pry, I mean he said his son work in the capital but he never told me what his job was. The best I got was that he ran his own kind of store but never what type it was. I was pretty surprised when I found out how old he was. Though with griffin men it is hard to tell their age, it seems after they get past twenty their feather can start turning grey between five and fifteen years.
As we had slowly continue moving along the road Sharpen having gotten onto the carriage as he tired out for the day. I was kind hoping he'd fall asleep so I could at least go faster rather than just 'regular' speed. Sharpen might have already found out I can go faster as I have been doing some exercises outside of town on my free days.
I would run back and forth between the hill outside the village towards where I found the Chaos emerald embedded in a cliff side. By my count I have been able to go back and forth in just under a minute now, though I have no barring in how far apart the two spot are in feet or if it is even miles.
Though I at one point when I was pushing myself near the end of a trip I had saw the forming of the sound barrier, sadly I wasn't fast enough to break through it yet. I'm getting faster with each training, thinking about it pulling this carriage might help some with my speed training. Though I was waiting till I hear snoring coming from the carriage before slowly picking up speed.
I was sure to slow down a bit when I heard the wheels having trouble keeping up, with this speed I should make it to the stop that Sharpen told me about an hour earlier. According to what he told me so far there are small outpost along the road, they were made for traders who needed places to stay safe from night. Since bandits have became a more common with the dragon clans and some griffon mercenaries who lost their jobs since there were no wars at the time being.
Thankfully, those were just the ones that were in the army just for the money as the army/guards were paid more during war times or times of trial. From what I heard the dragon clans, were somewhat honorable, as they never used ambushes, anyone can hear them coming miles away. Their wings unlike from what I have seen and heard of griffins and pegasuses wings were light and barely made any sound.
While the dragons wings, from what I have been told, sound like someone smacking the ground with a piece of leather just louder. With my hearing I could most likely hear them coming miles off, I've had to wear some hand-made earmuffs at night to be able to sleep as I could basically hear every snoring person in town.
With a smile I couldn't wait till I had enough Bits to afford doing some experiments I would first start building construction equipment as it was what I would need to to make my own workshop. I can't mooch off Sharpen for my experiments I mean for the past few months I have used his furnace more than him. His face when he saw me hammering out the larger parts of the Tornado.
I heard the sound of Sharpen stirring after a while, so I slowed down a bit since I had already cut down the amount of time before we reach the first stop. There were other carts and griffins now flying by some of them in armor as we were nearing what I could best call a fort. They most likely had to reused for a safe area for traveling merchants and other travelers could rest without worrying about keeping watches.
This is not what I was expecting when he said rest areas, the fort was made of wood so best not to use too much fire in the area. It looked like it would be a horrible defense against flying, fire breathing dragons they also had some I would have to call them very low prototype ballista, large crossbow. The bolts were just sharpened branches, they didn't have any metal on them and the bow looked like after firing once it would break.
I had to stop myself from running up and trying to repair the poor things myself cause they looked like they were barely cared for. They didn't have anything to keep the bolt flying straight so it was almost impossible to call it more than large bow. Speaking of which it looked more like someone just made a large bow before trying to make the crossbow. They do have crossbows but they were the large bulky ones that would take about two minutes to reload.
My guess was they were in such disrepair cause of all the soldiers that had left to become either mercenaries or bandits to try and get better money. That or for some reason the supplies were much lower than thing had seemed which would raise some worries for the Griffin empire as a whole. There was also the possibility that their budget was cut so much they can't afford to keep the siege weapon, or a large number of them repaired.
I felt a claw on my shoulder and looked back seeing that Sharpen had woke up, most likely noticed I was staring at the dis-repaired weapon. He was giving me a head shake meaning I was not allowed to go repair them unless him and me were requested to do it. I understand that he was right we were trying to keep on the down-low so best not to repair a whole fort on our way to the capital.
That didn't stop me from making a note of this fort is in need for desperate need of repair and if I am allowed to I will at least upgrade this fort being one of the closest defensive areas near where I am staying for the time being. I'm truthfully more worried that the bandits or aggressive dragons will see this place as an all you can take buffet.
Though I do have a few aces up my sleeves though I hope I won't have to use them. As we had found an area to set up for the afternoon while Sharpen started up a pot of stew for the night I had slide under the carriage making sure everything was in good shape.
I may have, without Sharpen's knowledge, reinforced the axles holding the wheels to the cart it wasn't much just a light cover of steel to help stabilize the cart. It also helped make sure that the wheels just didn't fall off. After seeing everything was fine I had looked through my bag grabbing my runes book.
After half an hour Sharpen said the stew was ready, grabbing myself a bowl while holding my book in my tails I started eating while reading the next chapter. I had a feeling something bad was going to happen tonight and I was really hoping I was wrong, I can only prepare for so much and have to hope that my aces don't get wasted before I have the resources to reproduce them.
