“So this...plan of yours...you sure they’re ready for this?”
Sunset Shimmer sat at a table facing Princess Luna, looking over the grand plan the Princess of the Night had been concocting.
“Our salvation lies in a strategy not even Cascadius will see coming” Princess Luna answered “I trust the agents with my life and throne. They are prepared and they are eager. Often that’s all one needs”
“Well, most of these look pretty up-for-it” Sunset admitted “All of these names...double-lives?”
“It was necessary. One way or another, I am not letting this warmonger play my sister for a fool. I have seen your old teacher day after day. Ever since the attack on Boulette, she has had nightmares. Nightmares I must constantly interrupt for her sake...Nightmares of the day we met that monster”
“Yeah...Princess Celestia told me about that once...back when I was learning under her” The amber unicorn admitted “I can’t imagine how horrible it was for the two of you...makes me kinda’ glad I gave up on this whole ‘Princess’ gig”
Princess Luna nodded slowly and looked away.
“Above all else,” she said grimly, her lips pursing with resentment “I want to look that murdering psychopath in the eyes and show him I am no longer the scared little filly he had at his mercy those many millennia ago”
“What puzzles me is...How the hay did he get out of Tartarus”
“Oh forgive me, Princess, for I have sinned”
Both mare’s heads jerked toward the ceiling as a slithering serpentine mass coiled around the pillars on the wall of the observatory. Revealing two dissimilar forelegs and a bizarre grinning visage between an equine and a dragon, it spoke.
“Princess Luna. Miss Sunset Shimmer. I couldn’t help overhearing your predicament and wondered how a humble master of chaos can be of service”
Luna groaned.
“Discord...” she said without a hint of joy “Dare I ask how you found your way inside my observatory”
“Oh puh-lease!” Discord waved the more avian of his hands, talons clacking upon each other “It’s really not that hard to get in once you know the right dimension to bypass. But enough about intrusions on this and that, I believe I can answer your question, Miss Shimmer”
“Really?” the mare was sceptical.
“Oh yes. I mean I could save it all for a big reveal at the end but there’s always the huge risk of totally shoehorning it in at the last few moments of the story, am I right? We got enough of that as it is!”
“Sorry, wha-”
“Twas many millennia ago when I chanced upon the foe you seek” Discord interrupted, suddenly dressing as a weathered, bespectacled author in a dressing gown and an armchair that seemed to have materialised under him “Back in those blue-remembered days, I was a slip of a sly devil, the sly devil in question being my father and the slip being me” He chuckled “A young but ambitious junior villain, trying to move up in the world”
“Discord...” Luna said, concern growing in her voice “Was he working for you?”
“Me?! Oh goodness, no! Not for me...With me” He leaned forward with a smile “Times were hard in those days. A draconequus would do anything to climb the greasy pole. Perhaps you were familiar with an old acquaintance of mine, one whom Cascadius owed his freedom to...the one they called the Deceiver”
“Marephistallion...” the Princess of the Night whispered “By Laurelore’s mane...the Storming of Tartarus!”
“You’re a winner!” Discord cried, a giant, flashing, beeping arrow in his hand pointing to Luna “Since the old demon took a little bit of ‘Fry and Laurie’ {You see what I did there?!} at Faceless Rock, he was stewing in his cell getting madder and madder, waiting for the chance to break free” He shrugged “It seemed like a good idea at the time. I admit I had a few too many that day and when one of the bigger draconequui dared me, giving me the old ‘What are ya? Hippalectryon? Bwawk-bwawk-bwawk-bwawk-Bwark!’ Of course by the time, I realised who this maniac actually was, I was already in his palm. Rather be there than in his way though. I was still fairly new to the game and without much influence. Marephistallion was loose and sought about building an army there and then, breaking into nearly every cell in Tartarus and recruiting its prisoners. I imagine Cascadius was somewhere among them. I didn’t actually see him until much later...when he turned New Flutterby into a blasted ruin and brought forth the captured Lady Serendipity, the Very Lucky Pony they called her ironically, to be Marephistallion’s mate...from whence his son was born...poor mare”
“Geez” Sunset Shimmer winced “What did Cascadius look like?”
“Different to how he did last time anypony saw him at any rate. Like me, he had to claw his way to the top because, according to Equestrian history, he didn’t exist. I imagine he wasn’t best pleased about that” He pursed his lips in thought “I supposed he wanted to try a new look. He hardly looked evil. In fact, at first glance, I expected him to be on the opposite side. Of course that was what made him so effective. Poor naive ponies would take him in, wait on his wise words and never suspect he was plotting to do them all in. Trojan, he called himself, Bringer of Gifts. Marephistallion owed many of his victories to him...the rest he owed to yours truly, of course. Times were I saw myself as the wickedest, wiliest, wascal in their little gang but this stallion...this ordinary stallion...He surprised me” He sat down in mid-air, his chin resting on his leonine paw “By his hoof, we raised the army of Ungul that formed the bulk of Marephistallion’s armies, saved the life of Tirek from his ill-fated nephew, beat Mimic half-to-death and used her to blackmail Star-Swirl...and those crystals he relied on seven years ago? Guess where he got them!”
“Sombra?” Luna’s eyes widened “But he was an enemy of Marephistallion! All factions of the Crystal Empire worked against him, good and bad!”
“I know...that wasn’t a problem for him” Discord said, shaking his head “Trojan captured him at the Fall of the Ebony Spire, the single enemy he’d kept alive that day, and tortured him for information on how his crystals worked”
“He tortured Sombra?!” Sunset Shimmer cried incredulously “We are talking about the same stallion, right?!”
“Well, to be fair, the young prince was sixteen at the time. Still had plenty of growing up to do” Discord admitted, shrugging “In the end, Trojan became the key strategist and frontier general of Marephistallion’s armies...which meant I needed to one-up him a little. And then I thought ‘Why not one-up Marephistallion too? Hay, I’m feeling generous! One-ups for everyone!’”
“I remember” Luna said, eying the draconequus with equal disdain and amusement “You claimed you’d given him the power of the Monstrositor, the ability to turn Equestria into a blasted wasteland. He waited on your every word...and you sent him in completely the wrong direction”
The God of Chaos doubled up laughing.
“Oh you should have seen his face! I mean, honestly, I didn’t think he’d be that dumb! Wrong planet I can understand but wrong dimension?! And he didn’t even notice until he’d cleared a dead planet of the life that was never there to begin with! And, dear Rememberly, when he started screaming!”
He pulled an exaggerated rage face and stomped around robotically.
“Aberration! Pretender! You dare to disobey me?! You truly believe you can deceive the Deceiver?! You take me for a fool?! You will suffer for your insolence! You and all those you’ve ever opened your frail little heart unto shall plead with me for their deaths! Unending torment shall be yours at my hand! Ar-rargh-rargh-rargh!”
“Why?” Sunset asked, most of the information on the War of the Princess’s Pact a mystery to non-alicorns like herself.
“Oh I see!” Discord sneered “The wicked old god of chaos can’t simply do a good deed now and again, there must be some sinister, self-seeking motive to any action of his that helps others in any meaningful way!”
“Well, was there?”
“Obviously!” he sighed “Marephistallion wasn’t the boss of me. I didn’t vote for him. I wasn’t in it for his dream of destruction! I mean, why? Why did he want to destroy everything! That would leave behind nothing...nothing to play around with, nothing to trick and warp and manipulate!” He waved his arms around in frustration “Destruction shouldn’t be accomplished for its own sake! Didn’t they teach him anything in villain camp?! And didn’t he just yammer on?! ‘Destruction’ this, ‘Eternal Agony’ that, ‘Fill your throat with hellhound faeces till the end of time’ and so on! I went to all this trouble for him and he hadn’t made me laugh once! He wasn’t a supervillain! He was a dreary, inconsiderate, doomsday-spouting, nihilistic mass of walking tentacle porn! And Cascadius is no better!”
He slumped down in the armchair again.
“All this ‘practicality’ nonsense and his ridiculous head-count! Doesn’t he realise letting them live with the fear of you is so much more fun?! Gods, what is it with kids today? I remember the days when villains were all about panache and audacity and finding out how many terrible puns you could make about the elaborate trap the heroes were in and, let us not forget, the refined art of the diabolical cackle...” He sighed, almost fondly “Yes, we lost most of the time but we did it with style and dignity, damn it! And when we cheated, which we often did, we weren’t afraid to admit it! We were the bad guys! It was what we did! We didn’t choose the role! The role chose us! Do you not understand the majesty of it?!” He looked close to weeping.
“Discord. Snap out of it” Luna barked, slightly worried.
The Draconequus paused, straightened up and gave his head a shake, quite literally, pulling it off his neck and rattling it in one hand before placing it back and waiting till his eyes stopped rolling.
“Sorry about that. Nostalgia trip. Where was I?”
“What happened to Cascadius or Trojan or whatever he was calling himself?”
“Well...it happened so long ago” Discord tapped his chin with one claw “As Marephistallion slowly lost his grip and his armies were driven back by Star-Swirl and Scorpan, I had a little wander and, wouldn’t you know it, ran right into him. I have to say...he didn’t seem all too afraid. Maybe he thought he could beat me...Maybe he could, wouldn't that be something! But right before I could find out, ‘zip’, he took off. Not because of me, you understand, but because of a certain scruffy-looking time traveller who’d wandered onto the scene to finish the job. A stallion I’d worked with, uneasily in truth, in order to send Marephistallion on the wrong course”
“The Doctor...he was there” Luna whispered.
“Indeed he was! And the second he saw him, Trojan, the stallion who’d faced down master wizards, slain dragons, captured kings and tortured puppies, ran like hay with his tail between his legs as if Tartarus itself was after him...”
“It practically was” The Princess of the Night said grimly “So you believe Cascadius owed his release to Marephistallion?”
“Most likely”
“And...Would that mean that he and the demon would be working together, had they the chance?”
Discord chuckled.
“I wouldn’t think so. Marephistallion is not one to forgive desertion, whoever commits it. And last time I checked, the Doctor dealt with him and his son last time he showed up, while everypony was away at the wedding...The things they get up to when nopony's around”
Luna nodded.
She still hadn’t gotten around to telling her sister what she and the Doctor had been doing that made them so late for the wedding of Princess Cadence and Shining Armour.
It would make quite the impression, she was certain.
“So Marephistallion is not involved?”
“Well...I hope not” Discord gave a grimace “One can never be certain. What we, in our naivety, are still trying to figure out...” He paced over to Luna “Is how to deal with your current threat. The army of warmongers, commanded by a stallion so dangerous that Tartarus itself could not contain him. What will you do, Princess Luna...What will any of us do?”
“I know what I’ll do” The grim-faced Princess of the Night said, determination burning in her heart.
“I’m going to sit down and write some letters”
*
The train journey had been long but not unpleasant. Sleeping on a train wasn’t impossible and the girls were used to it.
Staying in a VIP room also helped.
The breakfast was fairly simple, toast and condiments mostly. But Twilight Sparkle couldn’t help but notice none of the staff or even passengers seemed all that friendly towards them. She’d catch them walking by slinging a dirty look towards whichever bearer caught their eye.
From the looks of things, several of the others had seen it too.
“Well...” Applejack began uneasily “Hospitality here’s quite something”
“Yes...I’ve been noticing that too, ever since we boarded the train...” Rarity murmured “It’s as if they feel some sort of antagonism towards us”
“Why would anypony think that?” Rainbow Dash snapped “Don’t they know who we are? Don’t they know we’re here to help them?”
“What do you know about Boulette, Twilight?” Fluttershy asked as she gave Angel a drink from a small water bottle.
“Well...it’s a city on what is known as the Outskirts, Equestrian settlements furthest away from Canterlot. Now, the Outskirts are somewhat notorious in that some of them make their resentment towards the Princess’s rule quite obvious. Boulette especially”
“Why don’t they like the Princess?” Pinkie Pie asked “She’s nice to everypony and she loves having fun and making a good prank like the rest of us!”
Twilight shrugged.
“Apparently that’s just not the way they like things. My knowledge on the Outskirt territories isn’t fantastic. You can’t find all that much of it in Canterlot’s Archives. I’ll ask Carcassonne when she comes in”
Sure enough, the Boulettian Representative appeared after a minute or so.
“How we all doing?” she asked “Sleep okay?”
“Well, I’ve had better nights but, then again, I’ve also had worse” Rarity said sleepily, giving her neck a little rub.
“Well, don’t worry. We’ll be at Boulette in another hour or so”
“Miss Carcassonne” Twilight asked “We were just saying...This is our first time in Boulette and none of us really knows all that much about it. We thought you could give us a little insight”
“Sure thing. Not that many ponies want to talk about it” Carcassonne explained, sitting down.
“Why not?” Applejack asked, puzzled.
“Well...It’s a bit of a shaky subject” the scarlet unicorn said at length “Boulette isn’t like anywhere you’ve ever been, at least in general atmosphere. The city was never part of the first kingdom of Equestria under Laurelore, nor did it want anything to do with the Flutter Valley under Rememberly. In fact, it only became part of Equestria in the middle of Celestia and Luna’s reign and vied for independence whenever it got the chance, such as during the Civil War”
Rainbow Dash groaned.
“Ugh, why are you telling us so much boring Twilighty-stuff! When are we gonna’ get to the flank-kicking! I was promised flank-kicking!” She folded her forelegs and sulked like a filly.
“Aw, c’mon Dashie” Pinkie gave her multi-coloured mane a ruffle “Haven’t you ever seen an Exposition Chapter before?”
Her friends gave her a clueless stare.
“A wha....never mind”
“Why don’t ya’ pipe down and let Carcassonne talk, Rainbow” Applejack said sternly “We can’t just saunter into the city without knowin’ nothin’ about it. Remember the mercenaries have been hiding around here. Any information’s useful”
“Exactly” Twilight said “Carry on, Miss Carcassonne”
Carcassonne nodded and did so.
“Now, Boulette was founded by two very powerful ponies called Superbus and Lucretia”
“I didn’t know buses were around in those days! With a name like that, it would be ‘super’ to ride in!”
“Not Super-Bus, Pinkie, Superb-us” Twilight sighed “Sorry, Carcassonne”
“Nah, don’t worry. That joke’s a classic. Anyway, they were husband and wife...and brother and sister”
“Eurgh!” Rarity stuck out her tongue “That is repulsive!”
“Rarity!” Twilight hissed.
“No, no, she’s right, it is repulsive” Carcassonne pointed out “Superbus and Lucretia weren’t normal ponies. Nopony quite remembers what they were. They could have been alicorn, bicorn, tricorn, one-winged angel, anything really but they had powerful magic and very long life-spans...and they ruled the Kingdom of Boulea with an iron hoof and an all-seeing eye”
“Boulea?” Spike piped up “There was something in the old histories about that, wasn’t there, Twilight?”
“That’s right. It just a few notes though...” Twilight said, thinking back “Boulea...Boulea was one of the feudal kingdoms during the Age of Migration when the Flutter Valley was destroyed. One of the most powerful, they specialised in...Metalwork, wasn’t it?”
“They specialised in war” Carcassonne answered grimly “Before the Second Age, various nobles founded petty kingdoms all over the land. It’s believed they were once part of the High Hooves that exiled Rememberly and fled the ruins of Hycarion. Superbus and Lucretia certainly possessed the same arrogance and narrow-mindedness. Boulea had vast deposits of iron in their lands. They had weapons, armour and a large workforce. So they began expanding, very much getting into the whole feudal spirit at the time. Then Equestria was born. The three tribes had united and were presenting a threat, at least in Superbus and Lucretia’s eyes. They mounted numerous invasions, some of which cost Equestria greatly, until Laurelore arrived. Laurelore never invaded Boulea but she certainly put an end to their invasions. Boulea may have had the most well-equipped armies but they were commanded by absolute idiots who’d gained rank through lineage or wealth. Equestria focussed on strategy and a meritocratic rank and honours system. They were clever, clever enough to make fools out of their enemies. With the power of their armies challenged and their omnipotence proven false, Superbus and Lucretia sought out an ally...in Tirek!”
“That wasn’t very clever” Rainbow Dash sniggered.
“Rainbow!” Twilight hissed in the same way she’d done with Rarity.
“No, she’s right. It wasn’t very clever” Carcassonne piped up “Though they despised all non-Boulettans zealously, times were desperate and Tirek was one of the only forces on the earth that could challenge Equestria. Superbus and Lucretia offered Tirek the position of Auxiliary General if he led them to victory. Tirek...” she sucked her teeth “...didn’t think much of that plan. He gave them both a fate nopony would envy and laid waste to most of the city...and then headed on to Equestria and you know how that ended”
“Oh...I’m sorry to hear that” Fluttershy said.
“Why? It was long ago. We got over it” Carcassonne said nonchalantly “Tirek was sloppy. He wanted to pay Superbus and Lucretia for the insult, then move on to the real enemy. Those he left alive set to rebuilding the city and naming themselves rulers...usually after killing the previous one. Throughout that time we made ourselves busy trying to become the power we once were, building armies and walls that would encompass the land...then the iron ran out”
There was a pause as the weight of the notion sank in.
“We had no metal to carry on building our walls and weapons which meant no more conquests. No more conquests, no more money. No more money, no more Boulea” She shook her head “With no other options, Boulea surrendered to Equestria as a vassal in exchange for supplies. Equestria accepted with open forelegs. Yet we were always resentful. We’d done the unthinkable, we’d sold out”
“To protect those in need. To feed and clothe your families” Applejack pointed out “Ain’t no shame in that”
“There is in Boulette” Carcassonne retorted grimly “For us, pride is everything. That was the lesson Superbus and Lucretia taught their subjects, a lesson they’ve clung onto for millennia. For most older-generation Boulettans, it doesn’t matter if there are families cold and hungry, as long as they're still your families and nopony else’s. As a vassal state, the glory days of the Kingdom of Boulea were at an end. And that’s something they’ve never forgiven Equestria for. When Celestia and Luna fell out, Boulette and several other territories on the outskirts fought for independence. Didn’t get very far”
“I dunno’. It sounds like you were fighting to rule your own place the way you like” Rainbow Dash pointed out.
“Ideally but you need to actually be able to support yourself if and when you’re independent...which is what cost Boulette its independence in the first place” Carcassonne explained “What’s more, old Boulea’s practices were questionable at best. Workers were basically slaves, foreigners were killed on sight, mares were practically owned by their fathers or husbands, foals were hauled into military service before their Cuteciñeras, it was a dark and delusional way of life” She scowled in distaste “Stupid, selfish...and violent”
“Oh my dear, I’m sure that’s not true” Rarity cooed “You’ve never struck us that way”
“I’m not” the scarlet unicorn said “I don’t think the way they do. I never did to be honest but living in Equestria opened my mind somewhat”
“So that was why you were so...um...” Twilight found herself backtracking her own sentence.
“A jerk?” Carcassonne suggested.
“No, no, no, I-I mean...” The Bearer of Magic stammered nervously “C-Cadence always told me...but if you grew up with that sort of...of...er...exposure”
Carcassonne chuckled.
“Nah, I was just a jerk. But I’m better now. And so’s Boulette. Not everypony thinks that way. This isn’t like Griffonstone where they work to escape the place. We’re working on improving things, slowly but surely” She looked out the window “Sometimes...all you need is a voice that says ‘No. No more. This is wrong. This needs to change’ and it can. It really can” She turned to them.
“I’m glad you’re coming here. This city seems a lot more friendly with you around”
The train’s pace grew slow as massive walls loomed over the hillside in their direction.
“Here we are”
*
“LADIES AND GENTLEBEASTS! WELCOME ALL TO THE HOTTEST SHOW TONIGHT!” A finely-dressed white goat with bushy-eyebrows and several golden teeth smiled as the cameras came to life, flood lights lit up the ring and microphones gave a small hum on activation “ON BEHALF OF THE KNOWN WORLD WRESTLING FEDERATION, LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO THE BATTLE OF THE GODS, THE CLASH OF THE TITANS, THE ULTIMATE DUEL BETWEEN THE TWIN POWERHOUSES OF M.W.E MASTER LEAGUE RAGING BULL SERIES CHAMPIONSHIPS!”
The crowd erupted into applause as the lights flashed every colour of the rainbow in swift succession and the commentators spoke.
“And with that word from our CEO, Mr Piefinger, the stage is set to prepare for the biggest bout this year. This is Grover McGotham here at the ring with legendary wrestler, Caius Cape, come out of retirement to watch these giants vie for glory. Caius, a word in edgewise?”
A Zebrican/Equestrian accented minotaur spoke in a gravelly but merry tone.
“Well Grover, I haven’t been wrestling for thirty years now but seeing the excitement down there makes me want to jump down and teach the kids how it done in my day! But that would invalidate my contract so let’s just get this party started. The crowd look more nuts than my third-wife after that incident on the yacht in Fillydelphia!” he chuckled “Good times”
“Heh-heh...whatever you say, Caius. IN THE RED CORNER! HAILING FROM THE MAJESTIC CITY OF ACABULCO IN MEXICOLT! WEIGHING SIX-HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN POUNDS! A WRESTLING CHAMP WHO HAS DEFEATED EVERY CHALLENGER THAT OPPOSES HIM! THE WALKING CABALLERAN ARMADA- EL TORO MASCARADO!”
Music pounded through the speakers as a towering, jet-black minotaur in a gleaming, red and silver half-mask strode into the ring, greeted by cheers and boos in equal quantity as he raised his fists high in the air and gave a mighty moo of confidence, shaking his massive head from side to side, his forward-pointing horns shining with varnish. Grover McGotham spoke again.
“AND IN THE BLUE CORNER, BORN AND RAISED IN CAPRAMENTO, COLTIFORNIA! WEIGHING FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY EIGHT POUNDS! RETURNING, LONG-AWAITED, FROM A YEAR OF TRAVELLING CENTRAL EQUESTRIA ON A QUEST TO HELP THOSE IN NEED OF HIS STRENGTH AND WISDOM! AN ALL-TIME CROWD FAVOURITE, FIFTEEN YEARS RUNNING! GIVE IT UP FOR...IRON WILL!”
The crowd went wilder than ever as the gigantic, blue-grey powerhouse of MWE stood atop the gigantic flashing icon above the arena and roared before leaping down, burying a fist in the walkway and sauntering into the ring, accompanied by his trademark theme.
“Ooh, you're gonna’ need to replace that tile” Caius chuckled “Well, I been hearing some fine things ‘bout Iron Will, though I haven’t seen much of him since the Tramplemania Tournament three years ago”
“None of us have, Caius. Iron Will has not been seen around these parts for quite some time and it’s already clear that we’re glad he’s back! But will he return to put the challenger in his place for good and claim the title that has always been his or will he find he’s not the bull he once was and fall like all others who opposed El Toro Mascarado?! The crowd cannot wait to find out! One thing’s for sure, ladies and gentlebeasts, you will not forget this day! And now...LLLLLLLLLET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE!”
After fifteen minutes of fast-paced, high-powered action, an intermission was called.
Iron Will and El Toro Mascarado exited the ring, both patted on the shoulder by a most satisfied Mr Piefinger, and headed for the changing rooms, both of them glaring at each other, bruises dotted across their faces.
As they slammed the doors shut behind them, the two turned to each other, smiled and broke the facade.
“Nice work, there, Paulo” Iron Will gave his opponent a fist-pump “Gotta’ say, you play the crowd well”
“Thanks, big guy” El Toro Mascarado, real name Paulo Guisando, said breathlessly “Still got a long way to go before I’m on your level”
“Don’t sweat it, brother. It took Iron Will years to get the crowds as worked up over him as they are now. Back when young Will was training under Aldebaran ‘Breaker’ Aurox. Now there was a real legend...Minos and Celestia rest his soul”
“Ah, Breaker Aurox. I remember watching him fight on that little TV in the bar down our street when I was a calf” Paulo said fondly “When he pulled that Double Hornswoggle on Mad Marathon Farlow, the whole place was cheering!” He sighed “I never got a legend to train me but I did get Durando Furioso”
“The Underground Superstar?”
“Oh you heard of him?” Paulo gave a heartened smile “Yeah, underground pit fighting was big in Acabulco. And Durando Furioso was the biggest bull around. He grew up on my street as well. He wore this mask before me. He was like a pa to me, certainly treated me better than my real one did...Till he made an enemy of ‘Piggy’ Pecarrino and the mob took him out. Couldn’t take it...Found Piggy one day and me and a few bulls from the neighbourhood paid him back...went too far...that was what landed me in prison”
“Sorry, dude” Iron Will patted his shoulder “But don’t sweat it. You’ve come far, brother. Keep going the way you’re going and you’ll get there one day, sooner rather than later if you fight as well you did back there”
“Thanks hermano, means a lot” Paulo sat down on the bench and stretched his fetlocks “So, I’m curious, what have you been doing in Equestria all these years?”
Iron Will raised his head, thinking back.
“Long story. Let’s just say...Iron Will learned a lot of things...Returned home a sadder but wiser Minotaur”
“That’s cool...” Paulo said nonchalantly “So in the next fight do I pull a Hornswoggle or is that you?”
“Ah...Iron Will thinks that’s your bit. Iron Will’s wrist’s kinda’ sore from the body-slam. Though Iron Will thinks...”
There was a knock on the door.
“Curd! Get into character!” Iron Will whispered as the two minotaurs leapt to her hooves and stood growling at each other.
“When I’m done with you, you’ll wish you’d never gone back to wrestling!” El Toro Mascarado snarled.
“When Iron Will’s done with you, you’ll wish you’d never started wrestling!” Iron Will snarled back.
Another knock.
“What is it?!” They both snapped as a goat in a baseball cap entered.
“Uh...hey guys, heh-heh” he quaked under the steely glare of the two giants “Two letters for Iron Will...Good luck in the ring, fellas”
Iron Will snatched the mail from the goat’s fore-hoof and billowed steam out his nostrils.
The newcomer exited as quickly as he’d arrived.
After a moment, the two wrestlers broke down laughing.
“That never gets old” Iron Will chuckled as he checked the letters.
The first was from Ponyville.
He opened it and read.
‘Dear Mr Iron Will.
I heard you were going back to wrestling.
It sounds quite scary but you told me it’s helping.
I’m glad you’re back on your hooves.
I was so happy to help you when you weren’t feeling yourself and that I was able to convince my friends you weren’t a monster or a bully like they used to think.
Feel free to stay again if ever you’re around.
Me, Angel and all the critters are wishing you the best of luck.
Sincerely.
Fluttershy’
The words of that shy little pegasus who’d changed his life brought a heartened smile to the great minotaur’s face.
The other was smaller with a typed address. It could have passed for a note.
Now he was curious.
He opened it and read as his eyes widened and he steeled himself for hard days ahead.
‘Iron Will.
It is time’
*
“Alright so who do you think would win? An elk wizard or a troll king?”
Tungsten pondered the question hard as he and Pipsqueak surveyed the playing board.
“Well...the troll king’s got the advantage of brute strength obviously but elk magic is incredibly powerful. Shields, teleportation, invisibility, cloning, anything the troll king could throw at it the wizard could probably block”
“As long as he didn’t run out of mana” Pipsqueak pointed out.
“Ah, true. And troll kings are incredibly tenacious so the elk might run out of energy long before the troll did”
“Right...and what if the elk wizard had a battle familiar?”
“What level? Which powers?”
“Fourth tier. Flight, swiftness, clairvoyance and bloodlust”
“Hmm...Then probably the elk wizard would have the better of it”
The little pinto smiled.
“In that case,” Pipsqueak said, bringing out his figurine and adopting a reedy, eloquent tone “Troll King Zagg-Nuragg! I, Wandilo the Wise, and my trusty glade-hawk, Nerlim, are here to vanquish thee! Your slavery of the mountain goats ends today, foul beast of greed!”
Tungsten chuckled and brought his own figurine to the board, talking in a slow, snarly, gravelly voice more than several octaves lower than his real one.
“Fool Elk! Puny Four-Hoof!” His lips rolled around his teeth in his act “I, King Zagg-Nuragg! My mountain! My gold! My slaves! You no take them! I, Master! You, Slave! I, Warrior! You, Dead!”
Pipsqueak stared in awe.
“Someday, I will learn how to do that” he grumbled.
At the sound of their son’s playing upstairs, Blue Murder gave a chuckle as she helped Nancy with the drying.
“Your Tungsten should probably go into acting one of these days” the frizzy-maned washer-mare said, impressed.
“Yeah, that’s what he seems to be going in for. Though it looks like creative writing’s his passion...and illustrating” Blue Murder said, smiling “I don’t think I’ll be seeing him anywhere except an Ogres and Oubliettes Workshop”
“Oh well, it’s nice to enjoy your job and they do say Luna herself came up with it as a filly”
The clock above the oven gave a ring as they left the drying momentarily and brought out grilled cheese sandwiches.
“Boys! Lunch is ready!” Blue Murder called up the stairs.
“Coming”
The two colts made their way downstairs and sat down.
“You two been enjoying yourselves?” Nancy asked as she set down glasses of water and a few cucumber and tomato slices around their plates as they dug into their sandwiches.
“Yes, mother! We were playing Masterclass Dungeon Duels of Doom!” Pip said excitedly “Tungsten beat my Mouflon Chieftain with his Blood-Moon Batpony and my Demon Hound with his Royal Genie”
Nancy and Blue Murder glanced at each other cluelessly.
“That’s...unfortunate” Nancy managed to summarise.
“Yeah, but Pipsqueak won with his Dryad Queen against my Necromancer, his Ice Dragon against my Spitting Spider and his Thogolgothoth the Mindbreaker against my Blood Knight Commander Thryce and Ardulea Redstream”
They were greeted by more blank looks.
“Well...who’d have thought it” Nancy croaked as Blue Murder shook her head, laughing.
“It’s alright, Nancy. It never means anything to me either”
“If I still had Ulach the Brazen Guardian, I could’ve won that last duel but that was in my old set”
“What happened to your old set?” Pipsqueak asked. Tungsten grimaced at the memory as his mother answered for him.
“Happened three years ago, back in Trottingham Primary. Nasty old boil of a colt named Kirby broke them. Thought it was funny, the little toe-rag”
“Kirby was always picking on me” the blue colt murmured sullenly “I think they expelled him after that. I didn’t see him the next day and by the end of the month, mum had sent me to Cheerilee’s”
“Sorry, Tungsten” Pipsqueak patted his friend on the shoulder “Have Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon ever bullied you?”
“Not really. They’re stuck-up and make fun of everypony but they’re nowhere near Kirby’s level”
“Well, whatever happens, you tell me and Cheerilee, understand?” Blue Murder put a hoof on that of her son’s.
“It’s okay, mum” Tungsten said, managing a smile “I’m really enjoying it at Cheerilee’s. Nopony makes fun of me and the lessons are pretty fun. And starting next week, Miss Cheerilee’s letting me run an O&O club”
“I know the CMC will want to join. They always throw themselves into things”
“Including septic tanks” Nancy muttered.
“It was only once!” Pipsqueak explained “They needed to get that piglet back to the palace before all hay broke loose!”
“Well, if I was their mother I’d have quite a few things to say about that kind of thing” his mother tutted “No sense of responsibility some parents. It’s a wonder they don’t just bring the house down”
“Uh...on that note,” Blue Murder butted in “Tungsten, me and your Aunt Nancy were talking earlier. I’ve got to spend a few days away again and Nancy’s running behind on her work. Would you two be alright staying at Sparkler’s for a few days?”
“Sure mum” Tungsten said without much trouble. Pipsqueak looked a little puzzled, remembering how worried her mother had been of Dinky and Derpy.
“Sparkler’s responsible isn’t she?” Nancy asked Blue Murder and Tungsten “She...keeps an eye out”
“Of course, Nancy. No need to worry. Me and her are working on something at the moment so we keep in touch”
Blue Murder placed a comforting hoof on her friend’s shoulder.
“I’ve just got to go out for a few minutes. Be good for your godmother, Tungsten”
“I’m not six years old, mum” The colt couldn’t help but smile as his mother kissed him on the forehead and left for home.
Blue Murder kept the study in her bedroom hidden away. A wardrobe with the back cut out hid the door.
Entering, the feared assassin checked the contact and profiles folders, the weapons drawer and the transceiver in succession.
There was one message.
“Blue. This is Shadowplay. Just got the heads-up from the paymaster. We’re going to have guests later and they want to be impressed. You, Bloodhound, Corax and Agravain are being sent into Boulette. Find the Elements and put the fear of Cascadius in them by whatever means necessary. One rule, don’t let them see your face. Good luck and...Happy hunting”
Blue Murder took a deep inhale through her nostrils.
This was the life she chose.
There was no running or hiding from it.
Whenever she needed proof, she would glance to the right above her desk at a newspaper headline hung up on the wall.
Body of Thirteen Year-Old Colt Found In Woods. Tortured To Death By Mystery Predator. Full Story on Page 5.
She couldn’t help but smile with grim satisfaction.
‘Didn’t find that very funny did you...Kirby’