Ch5: Preparation
It has been nearly a week since the attack, and it seems things have almost gone to normal, barring some hysteria from the more concerned ponies about Discord. Lance was helping Rarity with some dresses for a large order going to some prestigious shop in a city called Manehatten. Swift was staying in the nearby forest, saying that there was someone she needed to thank for saving her life.
“How many more dresses do we need to make?” stitching dresses by hand was annoying, and slow, but it seemed that the more checks she was putting on the list was going up.
“Another twenty, but don’t worry, if we split up the work we’ll be done in no time.”
“Good, I think I’m getting tired of pricking myself with a needle.”
“I’m surprised at how good you are at this, you don’t really look the type.”
“I know right, must be the connection we have when you revived me, gave me some of the same skills you have.” His mind turned back to the battle, and how unprepared he was. The sudden influx in anger caused him to jerk the needle upwards, ripping the fabric. “Gods damned thing.”
“What’s got you so worked up?”
“How unprepared we all were when Dagon sent his soldiers after us.”
“If it makes you feel any better, how could we have known or prepared for an attack like that?”
“Training, when we finish, gather your friends, we are going to train.”
“We?” Lance nodded. “As in, all of us?” he nodded again. “Will it involve dirt?” he face palmed. “What?”
---------------------------------------------------
It took a while to finish the dresses, one day to be precise. At noon, swift, Lance, and the elements were gathered in the park.
“Um, Lance, what are we doing here, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Training Fluttershy, making sure we don’t get caught off guard again.”
They all groaned, but that is why he brought Swift along. “The good news is that I won’t be training you, Swift is.” They seemed to perk up at this.
“ALRIGHT MAGGOTS, FALL IN!” Lance laughed at his sisters imitation of the trainer from their tribe, that month had been the most grueling. The six ponies then stiffened up, and stood at attention. “I want twelve laps around the park, running… err, galloping. We need to shape you up.”
Lance left to begin his own training, his sister would push them, make them stronger. Lance on the other hand, needed to speak to a certain deadric lord for help.
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Sheogorath was sleeping soundly at his throne, thoroughly bored with the constant petty troubles of his subjects. When the demented dark elf finished, Sheogorath woke up.
“So my lord, will you help?”
“I, need to think about it. Court is closed, be gone, your constant chattering is making ma teeth itch.” The room quickly cleared, thanks to his ever loyal Dark Seducers and Golden Saints.
“Do you need anything my lord?”
“Yes, I need the crystal ball, not the one jyggalag made, the one ah did.”
“Is there someone you want to talk to outside of the realm?”
“You could say that, so, you going to get it, or are you just going to stand there staring at me like I have two heads. That isn’t a bad idea actually, after you get me the crystal ball, find me someone who isn’t really attached to their head.”
“Yes my lord.”
The isles were always fun, sure the people were a bit drab, and tiresome, and... Oh who is he kidding, he misses the Argonian that made his realm seem infinitely less boring, and the assassins that followed him seemed to liven up the streets.
“The crystal ball my lord, we will begin the search for the head now.”
“Thank you, now, leave, I have someone to talk to.” The guards left, and Sheogorath then summoned up magic, and it showed him Lance, his favorite Argonian, Trying to contact him through a mirror. “Lance my friend, how are you, long time no see.”
“Yeah, long time. Listen Sheogorath, something big is going down here, and I need your help.”
“Lance, are you on Equestria, how in oblivion did you get there, I thought only I knew it existed.”
“What, never mind. Sithis, Dagon, and some fella named Discord are planning a big assault on the realm, and I need your help.”
“Hmm, the law enacted by the original eight forbade any deadric lord from directly interfering with another ones plan, but I think I can indirectly help by putting some guards under your orders, and maybe giving you that armor you left in ma castle, and also giving back the necklace you left here.”
“I left my amulet there? Shit that was my favorite to, stole that in Cyrodiil from the emperor, says it was a remake of the amulet of kings, but I thought it looked cool.”
“Well it’s a good remake; it is imbued with the power of Akatosh after it was given to the emperor. Never worked for him after that, but it should work for you.”
“How do you know?”
“Ah looked at the script my boy, don’t you?” Sheogorath proceeded to take out a stack of papers like a certain pink mare has done before.
“I don’t want to know, how soon can you get them here?”
“It will take ma a few days to get a portal on Equestria again, but it will be done.”
“Thanks Sheogorath, oh, and before I forget, how is that new champion of yours doing?”
“Oh, he didn’t work out, boring, like the others. You were right.”
“Yeah, I was, see you in a few days.”
“What a nice lad, shame what happens to him later. Ooh, I get to host a part later, I wonder what type of cheese there will be? No matter, I have a job to do.”
The dark elf from earlier burst through the door, “my lord, did you consider my proposal, I just couldn’t wait to get your answer.”
“How dare you interrupt my thoughts, guards, throw him in the dungeon!”
“My lord, we don’t have a dungeon, they were destroyed during the last Greymarch that you stopped”
“Really, I need to get those up and running again. Okay, string him up, time for a hangin.”
“Yes my lord.”
“Wait, you can’t do this, what about my proposal!”
“Don’t care, get him out of my sight, and string him up by his own intestines.”
“Yes my lord.”
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“Well, that was easy. I wonder how the others are doing with Swifts training.” Lance left the bathroom, and went downstairs. He saw Rarity passed out on the couch. ‘Dang, sis must have run them hard, then again, first days the easiest.’ He took a look around the room, and saw that it was a mess. He started to clean up, and found a note for a dress that’s going to a bride in Trottingham, next to it, a complete design for a dress. “Might as well get started, don’t want it getting in the way later.”
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Rarity woke up sore. Yesterday was the first day of training, and she was already sick of it. She decided to try and make the dress for the Trottingham order, to find that the entire boutique has been cleaned, and the wedding dress was on a mannequin, it looked exactly like her sketch. Granted it was only a bit frillier than the normal wedding dress, but then again, it was for a family member. She went upstairs, and found Lance passed out on the guest bed.
She sighed, she wanted to make the dress herself, but was also glad for the break. It gave her more time to prepare for the days training.