//------------------------------// // Chapter 46; In Need of Assistance // Story: The Wander Through Lands Unknown // by Tomas Lutwig //------------------------------// I laid awake in one of the simple beds that lined the bunk room in the barracks. The familiar feeling of slight discomfort that the simple pair of, now damp, boxers and undershirt provided awarded me little comfort in the strange situation. As it went, the rest of my rescue party returned not long after my shower. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie arrived to express their worry, or in some cases, chide me on getting captured in the first place. I thanked them all profusely, though internally wondering where their farmer friend was and how they had managed to come out of the ordeal almost completely unscathed. Almost of course because Rainbow Dash had managed to catch a few good blows from changelings, though she wore them as badges of honor. From them I also was informed of Sundance's plan to postpone the changeling's retreat and vanishing act, that they were so well known for, with her squad while waiting for reinforcements. What felt like a thousand years of milling around unable to think of anything productive to do, the guards returned. Worse for wear, but without any major injuries. The attempt had been a failure, only managing to capture a few straggling changelings. Bloody and worn, my things were returned, found when searching the castle for remaining enemies or other captives, both of which were fruitless. And now, I stared at the ceiling, the sounds of sleeping ponies echoing through the room, quiet breathing, shifting in their slumber. Silently I had wondered how not a single one of the ponies snored. Tightening the sheets and blanket around myself I shivered at the dream, or more accurately nightmare, that played over and over in my mind. The majority of the dream escaped me, something pleasant if fleeting, a comfort in the night that abruptly ended with something clawing through fabric, fear, and finally anguish. 'I need some air.' Ran through my mind. Rising, I grabbed my dirty and worn pair of pants, damaged and bloody from a lost fight. The foreign matter from weeks of wearing them without cleaning, and my last encounter felt like sandpaper against my skin. Starting towards my boots, I shook my head, the socks I had were strangely not wore out, but extremely filthy and the boots themselves would be extremely uncomfortable without them. Forgoing the footwear I started quietly for the door. My feet quietly tapped against the wood floor, the sounds of night muffled by thick stone and wood but they grew louder as I neared the front door. The light from the nearly full moon burned my eyes as I pushed the door open, quickly followed by a cool breeze that made a shiver run up my spine. Stepping out I pulled the door behind me until it clicked into place, the sound loud in a night who's voice was only crickets and the occasional rustling of grass or trees. I waited for a few seconds, almost expecting someone to come to investigate the noise, feeling not dissimilar to those nights I had stayed up sneaking around my house to keep from waking my wife. A cool hand went to my face before running down it as I blew air between pursed lips. 'I don't have a wife' I thought finally before turning around. Moments passed as I stood with my back to the door leading into the barracks, the occasional shiver of cold running up and down my body. Shaking my head, I finally decided to check on the promised forge that Celestia had added to the back. Wet grass seemed to flow around my feet adding chill and numbing my toes. Ducking beneath the few windows in what was more than likely a foolish display of being overly cautious. 'It's the middle of the night, only a moron like me would be up now' I thought. After making my way around the good sized building, I found a fair sized wooden shack. The building looked similar to the houses around Ponyville, if only they had shingled roofs rather than thatching. A red brick chimney rose up from the near side of the house opposite the door. Walking around to the door, I started to reach for the handle only for my hand to stop as a small note nailed to the door caught my attention. I plucked it from the door and read it. James, As promised your early birthday present is completed. I hope to see you make more than simply weapons. And I also hope that you won't be cooped up in here all the time. Maybe come visit in Canterlot? It's rather dull without you to talk to and cause a bit of havoc with. Your friend, Celestia I chuckled at the black cursive lettering, before turning to the city that hung seemingly precariously from the side of the mountain. The lights of the city gave off a warm glow that seemed to echo into the night before fading. Shaking my head, I folded up the note before putting it in the pouch on my belt. A hand went to the handle of the door before me, a hint of excitement biting at my heels as I pushed the door open and stepped in. Moonlight shown in from the few windows that studded the walls, casting silhouettes around vaguely familiar objects. A feeling of unease crept into my stomach as I observed the darkened smithy, searching the wall for some sort of light switch. A moment later I suppressed the urge to smack a palm against my face. 'No electricity moron' I thought opting to light a hand up casting yellow light around my surroundings. A familiar feeling of discovery seeped into me as I approached one of the, what looked like two, large wooden tables that sat closer to the entrance in the middle of the room. Light spilled over a myriad of tools, hammers of different types and sizes, chisels, files and rasps. I felt like a kid in a candy store looking over tools I had never seen before to ones I had seen, but never gotten to use myself all the way to familiar tools that I had seen for much of my life. Directing myself further into the smithy after feeling the handles of a few of the tools I found the origin of the chimney. A red brick forge sat before me, the mouth of it waiting to be filled, sparked to life to work metals. Turning to walk around it I stumbled into a large piece of steel that rang silently with the impact. Biting my tongue, I rubbed my shin before looking to the large anvil, easily five hundred pounds or close to it, mounted on a stout log by way of large nails that looked similar to railroad spikes. My grimace of pain disappeared as I ran a hand over the steel feeling the cool metal and the smoothness even as my hand felt over the square and round holes before feeling the horn. Quickly returning to the table, I grabbed a fair sized cross pein hammer before walking over to the anvil. The hammer bounced across the anvil's surface multiple times as the ring echoed through the dark shop. Resting the new hammer on the log, I took a closer look at the surface of the large hunk of steel only to see the same uniformity. A chuckle sounded as I gave the anvil a happy pat before investigating the rest of my new shop. A large bag of coal sat next to the forge, multiple aprons made of a thick fabric hung from the wall next to the door, pliers of different sizes and shapes hung near the forge as well. My smile had only seemed to of grown larger at every new discovery only for my heart to nearly stop as the door to the smithy opened spilling moonlight into the shop. My hand went to the loop on my belt, the place where my axe normally would have been had I not forgotten it inside the barracks. The outline of the unicorn before me however made me feel more like when my parents caught me up at night. “James?” Sundance's voice sounded as she saw my form lit up by the glowing aura around my hand. “What are you doing up this late?” An embarrassed chuckle sounded as I walked over to one of the tables before sitting on a corner. “Bit of a nightmare, thought I could use some air.” The tone of my voice dismissive as I fiddled with my thumbs before motioning to the shop around me. “I remembered that I had asked to have this built and decided to look at it. Cool huh?” Looking around the dark shop a moment I pulled my face back to the mare standing in the doorway only to find she had ignited her horn as she entered. A yawn echoed across her face before she nodded. “It's quite nice, almost homely” She said looking around before turning back to me. “Nightmares huh? Want to talk about it?” I shrugged my shoulders, wondering silently. 'What would be the point, it's not like any of it was real.' I finally concluded. “Don't worry about it. Sometimes when you've seen some of the things I've seen you don't really know what to do with all of it.” Trying for a reassuring smile, the mare didn't quite seem to buy it, but the questioning died there. “Well if you want to talk about it just let me know. For the time being, you only got a few hours of night left before Princess Celestia raises the sun, it's up to you if you want to try to head back to sleep or not, but you might try” I nodded my head, “I might just take you up on that offer, while this is exciting I wouldn't get much use out of it with all of the guards sleeping next door.” Turning back to the anvil I blew air out my nose while shaking my head as the reason Sundance was here hit me. “Sorry I woke you by the way” A smirk crossed the sergeant's face as she looked up at me, “No worries there, I hadn't fallen asleep when I heard the door to the barracks close. We had a long day yesterday and I had to write my report to my C-O. When I came out to investigate I heard you shuffling around in here playing with your new toys.” Embarrassment hit me in a wave making me scratch at my beard and chuckle. “Well you know how we guys are, gotta check out the new toys” I finally said, glad that I did still have friends after what felt like so long. A scoff echoed off the wooden walls as the unicorn walked around the shop looking at the different tools and other equipment. “All too well, sometimes some of my guards are too preoccupied polishing their weapons and armor to remember their positions! Oh and of course I only have four or five mares in a squad of thirteen! Celestia help me.” I chuckled lightly at the mare's over exaggerated monologue on her troops. “At least there are a few promising individuals. After our little squabble with the changelings I plan on approaching them for promotions” she continued an honest smile forming on her face. “All around, I'd say I'm pretty lucky to be stuck with those goofballs” “At least you're happy” I replied returning the smile as well. A thoughtful “Hm” sounded from the mare as she looked into the darkened part of the shop. “I guess I am happy, though I'm glad that my friends are not only back where I can bother them,” She stopped trotting up to me and punching me in the arm to which I replied with a loud “Hey!”. “But also safe” she finished pulling me down from the table to wrap hooves around my waist and pressing her head against my chest. I felt a chuckle echo from my stomach as I put a hand on the back of her head running a hand through her mane. “As safe as I'll ever get at least” I said. We sat there holding one another for a few moments enjoying the little time we could spend alone together, it having been weeks on top of my imprisonment, a time frame of which I was still unsure. It had felt like years, being asleep, holding onto my girlfriend, who quickly turned into my wife. Only to wake up to a cold, empty, hateful cell. A shiver ran up my spine as I remembered the musty chill that never failed to rouse me from my comfortable slumber. The pain that seemed to permeate my body from the wounds, self inflicted or not. It wasn't long before I felt myself shivering constantly as sweat started seeping from my pores, my legs threatening to give out. My discomfort was obvious to the mare holding me as she pulled away from me, part of her face now damp with sweat, worry obvious on her face. “James?” Her voice fell on deaf ears as my knees gave out without her added support, impacting the cold stone floor of the smithy with a dull thud as I held myself. Images flashed before my eyes in the darkness that formed, my magic quickly faded without a calm mind to keep it powered. The light from Sundance's horn didn't even seem to reach my eyes as I watched a large ursine creature chase down a woman and rip her apart. Green eyes stared at me, glazed over green eyes attached to a face frozen in a scream for help splattered in the previous owner's blood. Something tight wrapped around my shoulders, even as I held myself. Something strangely warm in the chill of the night. “Shh, I've got you” A voice finally said, calmness seemed to radiate from it even as the hulking black figure continued. “It's alright, shhh” My vision started to swim as I blinked, the darkness still surrounding me though something a little brighter stuck out in the corner of my vision. The voice continued to whisper, calming, reassuring words. The chill stuck to me as did the sweat, but the shivering finally stopped. “James, are you alright?” the voice finally said as she pulled away. Sundance looked at me terrified, but obviously trying to keep herself together. Blinking, things seemed to trickle back and I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding. Looking up at the mare I opened my mouth trying to form words, to say something. “What happened?” Sundance's voice cut through the silence again. Her horn had died similarly to the glow around my hand casting us in darkness once again. Shuddering breaths flowed in and out of my mouth, “I...” swallowing hard I tried to continue, but the words seemed to lock in my throat. “I... I don't know” I finally managed, my addled brain finally deciding that I needed to talk to someone, just not her. She had her squad to worry about, her future. I managed a weak chuckle, “It... Don't worry about it” I said offering an equally fragile smile. “I... I just need some air I think” I said getting up as she let me go, still obviously worried. A myriad of emotions played across Sundance's face before she finally settled on a mix of anger and anxiety. “Air? We all need air and there's plenty of it in here! James you need to tell me what's wrong! Not try to be some kind of macho hero and play it off! That's how these things get worse!” “Sunda-” I started, but the mare had started a tirade and wasn't planning on letting that be the end. “Oh don't even try that horse apples with me! Friends help one another when they're hurting, not push each other away or go sulk in a corner! I understand that it's hard to talk to ponies close to you, but even if you can't talk to me you can talk to the Princess! For Tartarus' sake there's even a shrink in town that the guards get sent to in situations like yours! James you ne-” “That's enough” I finally said holding up a hand, she started to say something but I continued. “If we turn this into a shouting match we'll just blow out our throats so shut your mouth for a minute.” I motioned for her to follow as I walked out into the moonlight watching as the moon drifted across the night sky for a few seconds before sitting down in the damp grass. Looking to the aggravated mare besides me I closed my eyes. “Honestly, I didn't think it was that bad. None of it was real, simply a terrible changeling induced nightmare, but...” I trailed off before sighing. “I don't plan on going into detail with you. I'm sorry for my little, outburst? But I don't think you should have to be my psychiatrist.” Looking back up at the moon and the surrounding stars I shook my head. “Your one of my best friends, if not my best friend. You're the first real friend I made here, I don't want to have to make that into some kind of weird relationship where I spill out my guts for you to deal with, that would only make your life harder. I mean, what's the point of doing that to you? It would only add that much more for you to worry about.” I added with an unconvincing chuckle. A sigh sounded from the mare behind me before I felt her sit down and put her back against mine. “I suppose I can respect that... but only because you're one of my best friends. Most of the ones I knew back in hoof camp didn't really keep in touch.” A smile came to my face before a hoof prodded me in the lower back. “And you don't need to think of me as some kind of fragile little filly, I'm going to worry about you regardless of if you 'spill your guts' to me as you so eloquently, and disgustingly, put it. Friends can help keep you on the right path and from falling on your face in more than one way you know” I let out a chuckle before leaning back on the mare who stumbled forward a bit before re-adjusting her position to better hold my weight. “Well I guess you're ri-Oof!” A hoof impacted my back and she let my slide off of her's and onto the cold ground. “Oh shut up you smart-flank.” I laid there in silence looking at the stars as Sundance looked up. The mare was in the corner of my eye silently making me wonder how I was lucky enough to get a friend like her with all the stupid things that I did. 'Real question is if I should do it again' I though closing my eyes. “So I guess I should go with you tomorrow to talk to that shrink huh?” I heard the unicorn sergeant say. “You can come if you want, but I have someone else in mind if I'm honest.” I replied, comfortable with the strange warmth of my friend beside me.