I stared out at the crowds of ponies flooding Canterlot from my chosen spot at the top of one of the Canterlot Castle's outdoor balconies. Luna had given me leave to use her personal suite to watch the festival if I was feeling overwhelmed by the crowds... and I was. I liked ponies, but there were a lot of them down there, today. This festival had been revving up for several days, now, and it was finally about to really begin.
From where I stood, I could see the ponies rushing about and finishing preparations. I sighed, and glanced to my left and right. Sapphire and Dusky had joined me at the balcony, and both of them were watching the festival with interest. Dusky was out of his armor, as was Sapphire, as Twilight had ordered the guards to leave their armor off for the day of the festival. She thought it would promote a "more friendly atmosphere". Instead of armor, they wore necklaces that had badges on them denoting them as "Friendship Festival Helpers". It was probably the dumbest thing I'd ever heard. All big events needed security! It was just how things went, right? Dusky and Sapphire were otherwise unarmed. Sapphire was wearing a blue knit scarf, and Dusky sported a pair of sunglasses. For my part, I just wore my new pair of brown pants and a grey, long-sleeved shirt to cut some of the chill of the wind coming off of the Canterhorn mountain. The shirt was nice, another gift from Rarity, and over a breast pocket was a monogrammed image of her cutie mark. The three blue gems against the grey shirt looked nice, in my opinion, though it was a little like Rarity had stamped her name on me, like she was staking a claim. Not that I minded...
"You guys are sure you don't want to go and grab your armor?” I asked, finally breaking the silence. “You're technically assigned to me, and I can make requests, right?"
Sapphire tore her eyes away from the sky, where a team of blue-suited pegasus ponies were working on a flight routine, and she smiled. "Jake, come on. Everything is fine."
"I know you worry, friend, but this request was made by Princess Twilight... and as Princess Luna explained, today is Twilight's day to show her ability to the country. That means that we must show her the utmost trust in things," Dusky said, smiling at me through his sunglasses. He looked silly with them on, but I understood that bright light was hard on his Sarosian eyes.
"I still think it's stupid," I grumbled, frowning.
"Cheer up, Jake. Why don't we go down to the festival and get something to eat? There's a lot of great looking food stalls set up down there," Sapphire said, pointing towards a grouping of carts exuding tantalizing scents that wafted on the breeze. My stomach growled in response, and Sapphire smirked. "Come on, big guy."
"Fine. Let's grab a snack and get back up here. These big crowds make me nervous. There's a reason I like working the night shift," I said, standing up and stretching.
We picked our way through the castle, which was mostly empty. Celestia and Luna had released a majority of the guards on liberty so they could attend the festival, and the rest of the guards were working down at the festival proper. It was almost unnerving, not having the familiar presence of the royal guards in the halls. I did my best to control my nerves, but I still habitually found myself checking my corners as I walked with Dusky and Sapphire. My two escorts were far more at ease, both of them smiling and joking with one another. We made it out to the central plaza of Canterlot after a long slog through foot traffic, and directly into the middle of a street performance of some kind. Dozens of ponies were singing together in harmony, and I watched with interest. Dusky seemed to be in a similar state of bemusement, his hoof tapping to the beat of the music being played by a nearby band. Sapphire, on the other hand, grinned a huge grin, and as the chorus broke in, she flew into the crowd and began to sing and dance along with the rest of the ponies. I stared, my jaw dropping slowly as she moved along with the crowd in perfect synchronization, her voice joining with the rest of the ponies. I managed to recover my wits and I turned to Dusky. "What the hell is going on?"
Dusky raised an eyebrow and smirked at me. "You have never seen this phenomenon, friend?" He gestured to the dancing group of ponies, and I noticed Rarity was with them, as was the rest of her friends, and even Princess Twilight, all leading the bizarre musical number. "It is the magic of Harmony, given form and taking shape before your eyes. It is a part of Equestria, as sure as the breeze in the air or the moon in the night sky. When ponies or those close to them feel strong emotions, they grow more closely connected, and they... sing." He chuckled. "It is not something that we Sarosians are quite in tune with. We are creatures of subtlety."
I pointed to his tapping hoof. "What's that, then?"
Dusky looked down at his hoof with mild amusement. "What?" He blinked, and frowned. "I do not—" Before Dusky could protest, Sapphire swooped in and grabbed him and pulled him into the crowd of dancing ponies, right as another round of the chorus broke in.
"We got this!" Sapphire sang, grinning fiercely at me over her shoulder.
"We got this, together!" Dusky sang back, looking a little startled as he danced along with the crowd. I couldn't help it. I laughed, holding my sides as my typically stoic Sarosian friend was dragged into the impromptu musical. After another minute of singing and a big flourish, the musical interjection ended, and the ponies went back to what they were doing as if nothing had happened. Rarity spotted me and gave me a wave and a big smile, which I returned.
"Jake!" She trotted over to me, adjusting her mane and casting me a wink. "Hello, darling. It feels like we haven't talked in an age! It's safe to assume that you've never seen such a harmonic display before?"
"Yeah," I said, shaking my head and looking around as the crowds acted like they hadn't just been involved in a song and dance routine. "It's, frankly, a bit creepy."
"Creepy?!" Rarity gasped, and turned her nose up in mock indignation. "Well, not everypony can be said to have good taste in music."
"I like my songs harder," I said, doing a little air guitar in demonstration.
Rarity watched my waggling fingers and giggled. "Goodness, what sort of instrument is that supposed to be?"
"A guitar?" I blinked, and realized that I hadn't seen many guitars around Equestria.
"Oh, yes. That Minotaur instrument. I think I've seen Pinkie use one, before," Rarity said, rubbing her chin as she mused over the number of odd instruments she'd seen in Pinkie Pie's possession. "No matter. The music comes however it likes, following the mood of the moment and the ponies involved."
I shrugged, "Well, it's still strange. Everypony just getting magically swept up in a musical number? Not normal."
"Well, darling, I assure you it is in Equestria," Rarity said, leaving no room for argument. She gestured towards a nearby stage, "Now, I need your opinion on the decorations for Songbird Serenade's stage!"
I chuckled. "Rarity, I have the utmost faith in your ability to decorate, and you know that I don't have any sense for it."
"Still, I'd love to hear what you have to say. I can trust that, with your lack of expertise in set dressing, if there's anything horribly amiss you will be able to see it. A laypony's opinion, if you will. Or layperson, apologies." Rarity said, bringing me over to the large stage. I stared at it, taking in the details. Ribbon, gemstones, velvet curtains, decorative light covers; it was set nicely. My eyes followed the edge of the stage, searching the details for anything that stood out as off, and I spotted it almost immediately. "There's a bunch of missing gems on that edge, over there." Rarity's eyes widened as she surveyed the stage.
"What happened? I was certain that I'd... oh." Rarity gestured to Spike, who was sitting beneath some of the bunting around the edge of the stage, wiping some sparkling crumbs from his face. "Ah ha. The culprit! I'll have a chat with him, and get the gems re-set. Thank you, darling. The concert is at sunset, and Miss Serenade should be arriving any time to start her sound check, so I need to make sure that everything is as ready as it could be!"
I smiled at Rarity encouragingly as she started away. "Anything I can do to help you out, Rarity?" I asked, hoping for an affirmative answer. I was itching for something to do, if I was being honest, because all the sitting around had made me antsy.
"Actually, there is one thing. My sister Sweetie Belle is around here with Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. Would you keep an eye on her while I'm helping with the set-up? I'm afraid that between the decoration and the final checks on everything for the show, I haven't had an ounce of time to spare to make sure she's keeping out of trouble," Rarity said, smirking in that knowing way of hers.
"Oh, yeah. That's fine. Do you know where she is, exactly?" I asked, looking up towards the sky. There were some clouds in the distance, rolling in towards the city. I wondered if the pegasus weather teams were handling it, or if it was part of the show for tonight.
"She was over with Applejack's family earlier, I believe," Rarity said, turning her attention to the stage.
"All right. Good luck, Rarity," I said, smiling at her.
Rarity cast me a wink over her shoulder. "Luck? It's all skill tonight, darling."
I chuckled and turned in place, trying to spot where the Apple family had their tables of pies and other food set up. There were lots of vendors, and tons of ponies filled the streets, and I realized that I had lost my point of reference from the palace balcony. I frowned, trying to recall my view from above all the crowds, when a hoof reached out and touched my hip. I turned and looked down, and was greeted by the smiling faces of Sapphire and Dusky.
"You lost, little human?" Sapphire said, winking at me. I rolled my eyes, smirking at her and ruffling her mane, earning an annoyed snort as she worked to get her mane back in order.
"Yeah. Rarity asked me to find her little sister, and she said that she was helping the Apples with pie sales. Either of you two big, strong guard ponies know where they're set up?" I said, my tone mocking.
"Oh, the Apple family has their wares on display on the eastern end of the central plaza, right over there," Dusky said, pointing towards an area where there was a big group of ponies, all gathered at several long picnic tables. I spotted Applejack and Big Mac shortly after that, as the two ponies served steaming apple pies up to the hungry festival-goers. I approached, smiling at the ponies that were practically melting into food-comas as they devoured the delicious apple treats. Applejack spotted me and grinned.
"Jake! Land's sakes, there ya are. Where've ya been? Hidin' away?" Applejack said with a good-natured laugh as she cut another slice of pie and placed it on a plate, passing it off to Big Mac to give to yet another customer.
"Hey, Applejack. Yeah, sorry. Just was lying low for a bit, but I'm here," I said, looking around at the crowd that surrounded their tables of food. "Business sure looks good."
"Darn tootin'! We've been feedin' ponies faster than a... a... somethin' mighty fast!" Applejack's muzzle scrunched up and her ears flicked in annoyance. "So wrapped up in workin' I ain't got time for a countryism!"
"Well, don't overdo it. This looks like a marathon, not a sprint. You pace yourself. There's a whole weekend for this festival to get through," I said, smirking at the farmpony. "Hey, by the way, have you seen Sweetie Belle? Rarity said that she and her friends were around here somewhere."
"Oh, uh," Applejack's eyes darted around, and she did a quick turn in place. "Well, they were 'round here. Sorry, Jake, they're supposed to be helpin', but looks like they've run off," she said, chuckling. "You know how those fillies get. Always up to somethin'."
I let out a sigh. "Yeah. Okay, thanks, AJ. I'll go find them, they can't have gone too far."
"Apple Bloom said she was gonna grab some more apples from our cart. It's parked over by the castle's kitchen, right where Pinkie Pie's been set up," Big Mac said suddenly. I blinked and looked over to him, surprised.
"Wow. That's more words than I've ever heard you say... ever," I said, raising an eyebrow at the laconic stallion. Big Mac shrugged. I chuckled. "Don't change, big guy. Okay, castle kitchen. That's more my territory. Thanks!"
Dusky and Sapphire flanked me as we moved through the crowds, heading for the castle proper once more. I slipped down a back alley, arriving at a more familiar back route, and let out a sigh as we left the crowd behind. I took a pause, reveling in the quieter atmosphere and the lack of ponies. Sapphire glanced up at me, smirking. "Too much for you, Jake?"
"It just makes me a little anxious. I'm sure you can guess why," I said evenly, taking another deep breath and letting it out.
"Combat experience," Dusky said, adjusting his sunglasses. "The veterans get this way sometimes, too. Watching a whole crowd for threats is daunting. It is an instinct that is difficult to turn off."
Sapphire's eyes widened, and she took a step towards me, but I waved her off. "I'm okay, I promise. Just needed a moment," I said, feeling much better. "Okay. Kitchens! Let's see what kind of mess the Crusaders are getting into. Knowing them, they've managed to get themselves covered in... frosting or something."
Sapphire smirked. "Yeah, that sounds about right."
We took a few quick detours, dodging the crowds, and found ourselves outside the Canterlot Castle kitchens in short order. The area was dominated by a massive mixing bowl, the likes of which I'd never seen before, with some kind of wild bike-mounted mixer atop it, and a gigantic canon stationed to one side of the small plaza. I gaped at it, eyes wide. "What the hell?"
"Jake?!" A familiar voice squealed, and suddenly I was tackled into a hug. Pinkie Pie's snoot was pressed right against my nose as she gave me a massive, back-popping, ribcage-crushing squeeze. "Jakey-wakey! Oh my gosh, I'm so excited to see you! Where've you been?! Wait, don't answer, I already know it isn't your fault! Oooh, this is so exciting! You're just in time!"
I grunted as the air was crushed from my body. "Pinkie!" I grabbed her under the forelegs and pried her off of my torso, holding her at arm's length. "Yeah, happy to see you too. How's things going? You're all ready for the festival?"
"Yuperooni! I've got everything almost set! The mango fruit tarts with chili powder were selling like hotcakes, and the hotcakes were selling like hotcakes, too! Your idea is a huge hit! Mister and Missus Cake can hardly keep up, and we're making them as fast as we can!" Pinkie said, squirming in my grasp as she gestured excitedly.
"Awesome," I said with a sincere grin, setting the wriggling pink pony down. She giggled, pronking happily around, and then came to rest at the base of the massive canon.
"Anyway, I've got to run. I'm expecting a whole platoon of clowns to show up, and they're running late!" Pinkie declared, winking at me. "But that's clowns for ya! They are never late, or early, but arrive exactly when they intend to!" Pinkie paused, her eyes crossing. "Or was that wizards? Hm. I'll have to figure that out. Bye bye!" With a wave, Pinkie bounced away, heading for the main plaza and all the crowds.
"Oh, uh, okay. Bye, then!" I watched her go and let out a sigh and glanced at Sapphire and Dusky. They both looked equally nonplussed by Pinkie's erratic behavior. I gave them a shrug, before turning to look around the outdoor kitchen area that Pinkie Pie had assembled. Dozens of boxes, massive stacks of cake mix, and a gigantic mess. I spotted the Apple family cart, piled high with apples, and approached it. I could hear the Cutie Mark Crusaders talking before I got very close, and I smirked, happy that I'd found them, finally. The three fillies were digging into the pile of apples atop the cart for some reason, chattering with each other as they worked.
"I'm telling you, the green apples are just under all the red ones! We need the right ones or Applejack ain't gonna be able to make the right pies!" Apple Bloom declared.
"But there's so many red ones! We gotta haul all of these out of the way?!" Scootaloo protested, flopping backwards over a pile of apples and whining in protest. "This is going to take forever!"
"Need some help?" I asked, stepping forward. All three of the fillies turned at once. Apple Bloom smiled, Scootaloo rolled her eyes, and Sweetie Belle let out a happy squeak.
"Jake! You're here! Yeah, we'd love some help!" Sweetie Belle said, hopping up and down in her excitement. A few apples were crushed under hoof in the process, and she glanced down, noting the apple juice splattering her hooves. "... Darn it."
Scootaloo groaned. "No, we've got it. We don't need your help."
"Sounded like you do," I said evenly. I knew Scootaloo still hadn't forgiven me for my little dust-up with Rainbow Dash, but maybe this was an opportunity to win a little trust. "Listen, I know you don't like me very much. That's okay. Your big sister figure and I got in a fight, so I don't blame you. But... I can still help you out. I've been helping out everypony this last week, leading up to the festival, and that includes Rainbow Dash, and you don't see us getting into fights, or not accepting each other's help, do you?"
Scootaloo frowned, glancing down at her hooves. "No," she grumbled.
"So... why not let me lend you three a hand. I'll even have Sapphire and Dusky help, too," I said, glancing back at the two guardponies with a grin.
"Are you volunteering us for stuff again, Jake?" Sapphire said, scowling in mock-indignation.
"You know it," I said, winking at her.
Dusky stepped forward, smirking slightly. "Ah, it is fine. I'd be happy to help such fine young mares with a task."
Overhead, there was a rumble, and we all paused in our discussion to look up at the sky. Black clouds were streaming in from the west, arriving without warning and darkening the blue skies above us. My eyes widened in surprise, and my hairs stood on end as the air pressure dropped suddenly, a chill permeating me. "Wow. That's... something else. Special effects for a performance?"
"I don't remember there being dark clouds scheduled," Sapphire said, staring up at the sky and biting her lip.
"... Yeah. You know what, kids, let's get you back to your sisters. How's that sound?" I said, a creeping sense of unease suddenly hitting me.
"That sounds like a good idea," Apple Bloom said, frowning up at the clouds. "We should probably cover up the apples, too, in case there's gonna be rain?"
"No," I said, the feeling of unease only growing as a massive black airship pierced through the bottom of the clouds. "I think we need to go right now. Sapphire, Dusky, are you guys sure there isn't anything scheduled like this?"
The Cutie Mark Crusaders all let out gasps as the airship struck a trio of decorative towers on the edge of the far pavilion in its descent, and they wordlessly leapt from the cart, gathering at my feet. Sapphire stepped forward, face serious. "No, absolutely nothing like this. Barring foreign dignitaries wanting to make a grand entrance, this is totally unheard of. The Airship docks are on the other side of the city, regardless, so this is an unscheduled landing. Somecreature is in huge trouble."
A squadron of blue-suited pegasus ponies, whom I recognized instantly as the Wonderbolts, flew overhead at top speed. They disappeared into the storm clouds, swallowed up by the dark. I watched them go by and scowled. "Yeah, this is all wrong." Something inside me screamed to head for cover, but I ignored it. I had to get these fillies to their families. "We're going right to Applejack's family, and we're gonna get you guys to Big Macintosh and Applejack, and then we'll go and see what's going on once you guys are taken care of. Okay?"
"That sounds good," Apple Bloom said, voice tinged with nervousness.
Scootaloo looked less nervous, her eyes locked on the airship. "... That thing is so cool. I wonder what it's like to fly it?"
"I think it looks spooky... and Rarity would call it ‘ostentatious,’" Sweetie Belle said, sticking close to my side.
"Yeah..." I said, looking to Sapphire and Dusky. Dusky removed his sunglasses as the sun was blocked out by the clouds rolling in overhead, and he gave me a serious look. Sapphire's eyes were on the sky, scanning it, squinting into the dark clouds. Her ears perked forward, and she didn't spare me a glance. "Let's go."
Sapphire and Dusky followed me, falling a few paces behind as I lead the way. The Crusaders kept behind my feet and between the two guardponies. The crowds had gone quiet, and we could hear some loudspeaker announcement floating over the streets of Canterlot as we moved down the back alleys, but it was difficult to make out the words at this distance. Every hair on the back of my neck stood on end, and I suppressed a shiver.
Everything was fine, right? The ponies had this handled. Some idiot foreign dignitary obviously was trying to make a splash, and the Wonderbolts would be clearing out these clouds in minutes. They were already on top of it, in fact. I glanced up at the clouds again. I could swear that I could see shapes moving within them, but I shook my head, pulling my eyes away.
"They've got this. Relax,” I muttered, my anxious tone hidden beneath the ominous rumblings beyond. “Get the kids to Big Mac and Applejack. Go get some answers."
Our circuitous route through the city took us to the square where Applejack's family had set up the pies, just beneath the large central square where the concert was scheduled to take place. The black airship loomed overhead, and had banners on display: a black-armored, Sasquatch-looking thing with white fur appeared prominently, a big dumb grin on his face and a menacing claw pointed out like a riff on some kind of war propaganda.
I mentally breathed a sigh of relief. A dumbass foreign dignitary. I spotted Big Macintosh and a gaggle of the Apple Family relatives huddled together near their tables full of pies, talking in whispers and glancing up at the airship with curiosity and some concern. "Big Mac!" I called out, waving to the pony as I approached.
Big Mac saw me and waved me over, and Apple Bloom rushed directly to him, Scootaloo right behind her. "Big Mac! Sorry, I was just grabbin' apples, but we couldn't get to the green ones. What's goin' on?"
Big Mac shrugged. "Dunno." He looked up at the airship, just as the announcement carried over the city."And now, to deliver the evil, evil message, put your hooves together... for Commander Tempest!"
I raised an eyebrow. "... Evil, evil message?" I snorted. "They can't be serious. Who announces their intentions like that?"
"Bad guys. Bad guys announce their intentions like that," Sapphire said, putting a hoof on the small of my back. "Jake, we need to move back to the castle."
"I agree with Sapphire," Dusky said, already turning and heading that direction.
"Wait, hold on. I told Rarity that I'd watch Sweetie Belle," I said, gesturing down to Sweetie, who had stuck at my side, glancing anxiously up at the airship overhead.
"Bring her, then! We need to go. Now." Sapphire said, looking around anxiously.
I knelt down, getting Sweetie Belle's attention with a hand on her back. She looked at me, biting her lower lip. "Sweetie, we need to go. I told Rarity I'd take care of you, so I need you to come with me, okay?"
"What about Apple Bloom and Scootaloo?" Sweetie said, pointing to her two friends.
"Apple Bloom is with her family, and you know Scootaloo would rather not hang out with me. I really need you to come with me and Sapphire and Dusky. I'm getting worried about all this." As I spoke, there were audible gasps above us, and I looked up just in time to see the Princesses flying overhead... Luna, Celestia, and Cadance, making a straight flight to the square above us, disappearing as they flew in for a landing. I grimaced. "The Princesses are handling things, but I need to keep my promise to your sister, okay?"
Sweetie Belle hesitated, glancing between her friends and I. Scootaloo looked over and waved for Sweetie to come. Her ears flattened. "Can we all just stick together?"
"Jake!" Dusky's voice carried over growing crowd sounds, and I looked up. He was at attention, wings spread, and he pointed up. "There's more airships in the clouds! We need to move now!"
I grimaced. "Sweetie Belle, we need to go. I'm not arguing with you. You're coming with me. Rarity put me in charge of keeping you out of trouble, and this is definitely trouble."
I stood up and took her by the hoof. Sweetie put up a brief moment of resistance before I started walking, and she fell in beside me just as Dusky and Sapphire broke into a run, heading for the nearest stairway up to the upper plaza and the castle just beyond it. I moved to keep up, jogging just short of a full-on sprint so that Sweetie Belle could easily stay at my side. Above us, more airships broke through the clouds, sounding bellowing horns as they approached the upper plaza. I cursed quietly and reached down, scooping up a yelping Sweetie Belle and throwing her over my shoulder, carrying her with one hand. She wriggled in fright, but I moved faster, soon arriving at the back of the plaza and dashing up a set of stairs. From this height we could gradually see—far below—a large crowd of ponies who had thickly gathered in the Canterlot Courtyard to greet the uninvited guests. It was startling to see them gathered together, as I’d figured they’d be fleeing in terror by now, but when I saw a quartet of Alicorns at their head, it made more sense that they were standing their ground. A single armored unicorn stood on a ramp, facing Princess Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Twilight. The two new airships, as they approached, dropped ropes that dangled near the ground.
My eyes widened. "Oh shit, those are troop transports."
Just as I spoke, dozens of black armored, white-furred bipeds poured from the ships, sliding down the ropes and advancing rapidly across the pavilion. I cursed, watching as the strange creatures charged from every side, hemming in the massive crowd of ponies. Where the hell were the guards?! I realized that the guards were down there among the ponies, out of their armor, protected by nothing but lanyards bearing 'Friendship Festival Helper' badges. Dusky and Sapphire stayed at my side, grimacing, heads on a swivel, watching and taking stock of the situation. I glanced down at them. "How bad is this?"
"We're about to be totally surrounded. If we make a break for it, we can get to the castle," Sapphire said, stepping close to me. We all stopped as the armored unicorn on the ramp suddenly made a move, leaping high into the air and kicking a glowing green ball of... something... at the Princesses. Princess Cadance stepped forward, intercepting with a magic shield... but the ball broke through as if it were nothing at all, smashing into Princess Cadance and covering her body in green smoke. Sapphire stiffened, wings flaring open in surprise, and we could hear Twilight scream as her sister-in-law was suddenly turned into black crystal.
"... Shit," I murmured, watching helplessly, a few hundred yards from being able to do anything at all. On my shoulder, Sweetie Belle trembled, her hooves clutching around my neck. I placed my free hand on her back and glanced into her frightened green eyes. "Hey. We're going to be okay. I'm going to get you to the castle, okay?"
"Okay," Sweetie said, lower lip trembling as she fought frightened tears.
Dusky and Sapphire turned as one and pushed me. "Let's go." Over their shoulders, I watched as the black-armored unicorn hit Celestia with a ball of green magic, covering her in black crystal. I felt my knees go weak.
"Oh, shit. Guys, they just got Celestia," I said, turning on my heel and starting to run towards Canterlot Castle, only to be greeted with the sight of another airship flying over the castle, depositing more biped troops on the upper towers. Dusky and Sapphire stopped as well, gasping.
"The castle's being overrun," Dusky said, turning back towards the pavilion. By the way he froze in place and his jaw dropped, I knew something bad was happening, and I turned, just in time to see Luna get petrified in black crystal. "... H'luun...!"
The situation had just gone to shit. Dusky had frozen up, Sapphire was barely holding it together, turning every which way, looking for an option, and I had a filly in my arms. Helpless. I looked down below as a green missile flew and struck Twilight Sparkle, and she disappeared in a puff of green smoke. I clenched my teeth. Setting Sweetie Belle down on her hooves, I looked at her. "Sweetie, can you keep up if we run? I need my hands free."
Sweetie nodded twice, shaking anxiously. I turned, then grabbed Dusky and Sapphire each by an ear before pulling them together in front of me. They both gasped, protesting, but I soon had their full attention. "Guys,” I hissed. “We need to get to the castle. We can figure out what to do once we're out of the open and on our home turf. You guys need to get yourselves together."
Over the commotion on the other side of the plaza, I heard an angry bellow: "That's not the princess! Grubber! Get her, NOW!" All three of us turned to see a mass of the enemy troops moving towards one side of the plaza, chasing after a group of ponies. I spotted rainbow contrails between the rush of guards. "... That's Rainbow Dash."
"Rarity!" Sweetie Belle said, pointing. I could just spot her from our elevated position near the castle. She was running towards a bridge with the rest of her friends. Even Twilight was with them!
"New plan. Get to Twilight and her friends. They're the Elements of Harmony, right?" I said, pointing to them. Sapphire and Dusky nodded, and as one group, we ran along the upper street, keeping an overwatch of the situation. I could barely make out what was happening, but Rarity, Twilight, Spike and their friends were staying ahead of the squads of armored yetis.
"They're about to get hemmed in," Dusky said, watching as they reached a bridge over one of Canterlot's scenic waterways. A squad of yetis reached the opposite side. They were surrounded.
"Damn it. Come on, Twilight. Use that magic!" I hissed, speeding up. She was an Alicorn! Strongest magic user in Equestria, or so they'd told me! "Don't let me down. Don't let Rarity down. Come on!"
I saw Twilight's violet magic blast out from her, lancing out at a Yeti guard, but he raised a shield. The shimmering black surface of the shield reflected the blast... down.
Into the bridge.
We all froze in horror as the bridge collapsed, dumping the six ponies and one small dragon into the waterway.
"RARITY!" Sweetie Belle screamed, watching her sister disappear into the water. I was still, shocked, my eyes traveling down the waterway... to the massive waterfall at the end, only a dozen feet from the collapsed bridge.
"... Oh my god," I breathed, grabbing Sweetie Belle and turning her away. "Sweetie Belle, don't watch." I saw a few colorful heads briefly break the surface as I clutched Sweetie to my chest. She was screaming, trying to turn and see, and I couldn't stop her from watching as her sister and her sister's friends disappeared over the waterfall. Her voice cracked and broke into sobs, and I felt tears in my own eyes. "... There's no way they survived that," I whispered, mostly to myself.
"N-no! Rarity!" Sweetie yelled, twisting in my grasp, but I clutched her tight, not letting her go. "Jake, we have to go save her!"
Save her? She was dead. I'd just watched her die. I shuddered, the bottom falling out of my stomach. I felt like I was going to throw up, but instead I just sank back to my ass, keeping a hold of Sweetie Belle as she tried to get away from me. She hit my chest, but I barely felt it.
She was gone. Rarity was gone.
Sapphire was there, in front of me, suddenly, her eyes locked on mine. "Jake!" I blinked and looked up at her, feeling dazed, and she reached out and put a hoof on my shoulder, while her wings wrapped around Sweetie Belle and I. "Jake, we can't do this right now. I need you to push it down and we need to move. All of us. You have to take care of Sweetie Belle."
Sweetie grew quiet, sobbing and whimpering. I stared at Sapphire, blinking hard, trying to clear my vision. Sapphire was steady, her eyes full of worry, but she was standing firm in front of me. I tried to speak, but nothing came out. My heart was breaking, my entire body locking up as the cold realization that some of my best friends, ponies I loved, had just been taken away from me. I felt cold grip me, freezing me, threatening to send me into a spiral. Sapphire’s hoof squeezed my shoulder with sudden strength, and the pain gave me focus. I looked up into her amber eyes again, feeling mine starting to tear up, but her determined gaze brought me some comfort in the moment, and I rallied my emotions with a shaky breath. She was right. Push it down.
I swallowed hard and got to one knee, taking a deep breath, and then I set Sweetie Belle down, keeping one hand on the back of her neck. I looked at her, fighting tears, and her green eyes met mine. "Sweetie... Rarity told me to take care of you. I promise, I'll do that. Okay? I need you to understand, and I need you to do everything that Miss Sapphire and Mister Dusky and I ask you to do. No questions. Okay?" Sweetie nodded once, trembling. I put a hand on her cheek and wiped the tears tracking down her face away with my thumb. "I'll keep you safe. Stay really close to us, okay? No running off? I need you to say yes, please."
"Y-yes," Sweetie whimpered. I took a deep breath, centering myself, pushing everything down, locking it away for now. It made me feel sick, but the feeling faded, and I looked up to Sapphire and Dusky. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder, looking at me, and they nodded.
"Armory's our best shot," Dusky said with certainty. "It's safe, secure, and if anypony's organizing a counterattack, it'll be there."
"Armory," I said, nodding back to them. "Lead the way."
All around us, panicked ponies ran amok, looking to escape, and squads of yetis were pursuing them, using ropes and shackles to capture some, or simply tackling and pinning others down. One such squad approached us: two unarmed yetis and one using a spear and shield. They halted just short of our party, taking stock, but before they could do anything Dusky and Sapphire surged forward as one. My well-trained companions took to the air, lancing forward to meet the hesitating enemies, while I hung back, stepping in front of Sweetie Belle protectively. "Stay back, Sweetie."
Sapphire hit her target first, the yeti taking a swipe at her and missing as she slammed into his face with both front hooves. The yeti reeled back with a yell, his helmet denting from the force of the impact.
Dusky hit his yeti second, shrieking out some Sarosian war cry as he flew low under a clawed swipe and delivered a double buck to the invaders knee. Its leg buckled, dropping the yeti and making him lean forward... and within range of a ferocious uppercut that smashed into the creature's helmet and laid him out.
The third yeti with the spear and shield whirled his spear, seeking to smash Sapphire over the head with the haft of the weapon, but she ducked underneath the attack. The spear struck her first target in the gut, doubling the creature over with a grunt, and Sapphire capitalized by delivering a clasped-forehoof blow to the back of the injured yeti's head, knocking him to the ground.
Dusky took an opportunity to viciously kick his downed opponent's helmet, ensuring he stayed down, before launching himself at the armed yeti. The invader turned to meet his charge, raising its shield, and Dusky rebounded off of it with a grunt of pain. The yeti kicked out with a massive foot, catching Dusky in the side and sending him sprawling to the ground. I spotted an opening and took a running start. The armed yeti wheeled, turning to face me as I rushed him, and he leveled his spear at me just a moment too late. The spear haft hit my shoulder, making me wince, but I bulled into his shield. I was nearly the same size as the soldier, but my momentum caused him to slide back as he let out a roar of surprise.
With his attention fully on me, he didn't see Sapphire launch herself into the air and come down atop his head with a flying bicycle kick right to the back of his helmet. The sound of metal-shod hoof hitting armor was intense, and he stiffened, his arms going limp, and I shoved into his stomach, sending him crashing to the ground, out cold. Sapphire flew in the air, grinning triumphantly, but her hoof was cracked from the impact, and I could see some blood welling from the injury. Dusky stood up, nodding to me and rubbing at his sore side. I turned around as soon as I was certain they were all right, looking to Sweetie Belle. She'd moved herself to the side of the road we were on, crouched down to make herself small, but as soon as I turned she ran to me, coming right to my side. "See?" I said with a grimace, rubbing my bruised shoulder. "No sweat."
"That was really scary," Sweetie said, gritting her teeth.
"Yeah. Hang in there, okay?" I turned to Sapphire and Dusky. "Let's go, come on."
We left the yetis groaning and squirming in pain on the cobblestones, and we made a direct run for one of the castle's side entrances, dodging down a few well-known alleyways. We passed civilian ponies along the way, hiding in the back streets, and they simply followed along with us. I didn't mind. The more we had, the better a fight we could put up.
We didn't encounter any more yeti soldiers until we reached the side entrance we were aiming for. The large wooden door was surrounded by six of the creatures, all pushing and straining at the frame. A big one with a club alternated smashing against the door and shouldering viciously into it, but somepony was holding the door in place from the inside, bravely keeping the invaders out. The ponies behind us faltered, but Dusky and Sapphire and I stepped forward. "Let's hope that whoever is inside is ready to help out, or this is going to be bad."
Sapphire chuckled, favoring her cracked hoof. "I've got three good hooves, that's more than enough." Her wings spread open and she took to the air, Dusky right on her tail as they both accelerated upwards. I approached at a run, aiming for the rear-most yeti soldier. He turned at the last possible moment, looking over his shoulder just as I stepped up to him. I didn't hesitate, turning my momentum into a shoulder rush that smashed into his back and sent him sprawling into the next soldier, knocking the one I'd tackled into on his face and unbalancing the other one. I leapt over the downed yeti and kicked out, catching the creature in the back of the knee and forcing him to drop down to one knee. He didn't have time to turn around as I grabbed his head and pulled him backwards, throwing him down to the ground.
Dusky and Sapphire dove down from overhead, using gravity to their advantage and catching two more soldiers in the back and knocking them prone. They wasted no time, leaping up and delivering devastating kicks to the yeti's faces and heads, trying to put them out of the fight as rapidly as possible. The remaining two soldiers turned in surprise, and the big one let out a bellow, raising his club and charging. I couldn't pay much attention to how Dusky and Sapphire handled the other two, because I had two problems of my own.
I still had two enemies to deal with. The first one I'd knocked over was scrambling to his feet, growling, while the one I'd pulled over backwards was beneath me. I threw my weight behind a hard kick, my shoe rebounding off his helmet and knocking it sideways. He let out a grunt of pain, hands going to cover his head and fix his helmet, and I turned on my heel to face the other yeti. He'd wasted no time, pushing off a back foot, and I turned my full attention to him as he rushed me, throwing a haymaker punch. I rocked my weight back, dodging the blow, and stepped forward and inside his reach, pressing in close as I raised up my hands and tried to grab his helmet. His other hand reached across, slapping my hands away, and he grabbed me by one shoulder, gripping me and trying to push me away. His elbow came down across my head, but was in tight to him, so he didn't have much momentum. It still rocked me and made my vision blur when he hit me, but I twisted my hips forward and threw a vicious knee right into his gut. I heard the air escape his lungs in a huff, and I delivered a second knee, hitting a little higher and finding ribs instead of soft belly.
It didn't do enough damage, and his grip on me tightened and his other hand grabbed me by the back of the neck, and he shoved me down. I reached up, catching his hand on my neck with both of my hands, and I scrabbled for leverage. His clawed fingers were huge, but I got a grip on one, and I didn't hesitate to wrap both hands around it and yank sharply backwards. I felt his finger snap, and he let out a startled bellow, pulling his hand away. I took my chance and came in at him, from my bent low position grabbing his knee and pulling sharply. His weight shifted back, and I let him fall backwards, making to stand over him as he fell, when two massive hands caught me from behind and physically lifted me up off my feet. The other yeti had fixed his helmet entered the fray. "Fuck!"
The yeti roared, pulling me in tight and away from his comrade, and he shifted one massive arm up to try and put me into a rear choke hold. I resisted his pull for a moment, making him strain as he struggled with me, and then I reversed my weight backwards into him, stomping my heel back and into his inseam, following it down until I drove my heel into his foot. He let out a surprise howl, but didn't relent, his arm going across my neck and squeezing tight. I grit my teeth, choking, and stomped his foot again for good measure, reaching up with both hands and trying to find the leverage to pull his arm away. His forearms were massive, and I realized that I was going to have to get serious. I reached up for his helmet with both hands, grabbing at it, twisting and yanking viciously. He growled as I messed with his helmet, and he slugged me in the kidney with his other hand. I grunted but persisted, even as he delivered another nasty punch to my back, hitting my hip this time.
I was starting to see spots, but I got his helmet loose and yanked it off. Holding it in both hands, I drove it backwards with all my strength, right into his face. Something above me crunched, and suddenly his arm was off of my neck. I took a gasp of air, staggering forward, as he howled, clutching his face with both massive hands. I turned around and lifted the helmet, bringing it down on his hands, crushing his fingers, and he yelped and staggered backwards. I followed, aiming a kick and catching him in the groin. He let out a more strangled cry in some strange language, and actually turned and fled. I didn't follow, spinning around to take in the fight happening behind me.
The door was open, and three other ponies, a unicorn and two earth ponies, had joined the fight. They were fighting the big guard with the club. He'd lost his club at some point, and was reduced to throwing massive punches. Dusky was fighting one of his other two yetis, darting around in the air and harassing the guard with flyby kicks and punches. Sapphire, meanwhile, was stomping a yeti, leaving him unconscious as she finished him off with a kick to the face that knocked his helmet off.
That left myself and the one other yeti. I turned to him. He was back on his feet, hesitating, and when he saw me approach, clutching a bloody helmet in my hands, he also decided to flee. I growled and turned my attention to the big yeti, who'd just managed to grab one of the earth ponies fighting him and throw them a dozen feet. I moved in, my head mostly cleared from the lack of oxygen after the moment's respite, and I threw the helmet at the back of his head. "Hey, asshole!"
The helmet flew true, ricocheting off the back of his helmet, and he grunted and turned to me as I ran at him. The remaining earth pony took my cue and rushed him as well. Attention divided, he took a swing at me as I rushed him, and I didn't hesitate, tackling downwards at his knees. I caught him, tangling his legs with my body and grabbing a massive haunch. To his credit, he stayed standing, and a closed-fist hammer blow caught me in the head and made my vision flash white.
When my vision cleared, I saw that the earth pony had joined me, tackling into his other leg, and the two of us strained and pulled, bowling him over onto his back. The unicorn rushed in, the yeti's own massive club held in his telekinesis, and he delivered a walloping blow to the yeti's head with it. The yeti went limp. I held on for another moment, gritting my teeth as my head throbbed with pain. The earth pony panted, grimacing, and glanced at me. "Think he's down?"
"I hope so," I said, finally releasing his leg and letting it fall limp. The earth pony did the same, and I turned just in time to see Dusky and Sapphire work together in taking down the last yeti. I let out a breath and reached up, gingerly touching the back of my head where I'd been struck, and came away with blood. "Damn. Anybody got a bandage or something?"
"Bandages are inside," The unicorn spoke, and I took a moment to take stock of the unicorn. Bright orange coat, red mane, green eyes, glasses. He was built, and judging by his demeanor, he was probably an off-duty guard. "You all right, Jake?" he asked, frowning at me.
I grimaced and poked around, trying to find the bleeding spot. "If I can get a bandage on this, I'll be fine. Just bleeds a lot." I turned to regard the earth pony, "Hey, thanks for the help."
"Yeah," he replied, mostly ignoring me as he moved away to go check on his friend who'd gotten thrown.
I addressed the unicorn again, seeing as my unexpected ally seemed all right. "You must be a palace guard, if you know me."
"Yeah," the unicorn grunted again, turning his attention away from me and approaching Dusky and Sapphire. They were panting, and looked rough. I followed behind him as he surveyed the downed yetis. "Nice work, Corporal Spirit. Specialist Roads. You all right?"
Sapphire and Dusky nodded, but their postures straightened up as they took in the unicorn. "Yes, Sir. Ready for action," Sapphire said quickly, snapping him a salute with one wing. I raised an eyebrow. Who was this dude?
I lost my train of thought as another one suddenly blared to life in my head. Sweetie Belle! I turned around quickly, searching behind me with a frantic gaze. The little crowd of ponies that had followed us were approaching timidly, about eight in total, mares and stallions and younger ponies. Sweetie Belle stood with them, and she approached me quickly. I breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing her, and walked to meet her.
"Jake! You're bleeding!" Sweetie squeaked, pointing up at my head.
I crouched down, grimacing at the way doing so made my head swim a bit. "Yeah, sorry. We're clear for now, though. Are you okay?"
"Me? What about you?!" Sweetie Belle said, ears flattening in worry. I couldn’t help but find a smile for her, despite the pain. She was a sweetheart, just like her name implied, to care about me so fervently. She turned around, eyes scanning the crowd, and landed on a mare wearing a scarf. She dashed over to the mare and addressed her, voice urgent. "Miss, I'm real sorry, but can I borrow your scarf? My friend is hurt, we need it to stop his bleeding."
The mare looked surprised, hoof going to her scarf, but she looked to me and noticed my hands covered in blood. "G-goodness. Uh, yes, of course," she stammered, hoofing over the scarf to Sweetie Belle.
Sweetie Belle took it and gave a very polite little curtsy, squeaking out a "Thank you so much!" before she rushed back over to me. "Here!" I took the scarf. It was a woolly knit thing, bright green, but it'd do. I unceremoniously pressed it to the back of my head, applying firm pressure. Sweetie Belle stepped around behind me, her hooves going up. "What else can I do?"
"I'm sure it looks worse than it actually is. Just blood. I need to keep pressure on it, and the bleeding will stop," I explained calmly, trying not to worry the filly any more than she already was.
"Pressure? So, you have to keep your hands on it?" Sweetie asked.
"Until I can bandage it properly, yeah," I replied, letting out a sigh. "It's okay, the unicorn guard said there were bandages inside." The unicorn guard in question was giving orders, directing the civilian ponies inside the castle, ordering a stretcher from inside for the earth pony that had been thrown, and generally taking charge of the situation. "We're gonna head in there, okay?"
"Okay," Sweetie Belle said, sticking close to me. She took as wide a berth as she could manage around the unconscious yetis, who'd been gathered into a group by the guard ponies and tied up. I approached Sapphire and Dusky, who were ushering the civilians inside, while the orange unicorn kept a weather eye over the whole affair. Sapphire and Dusky looked rough, coats mussed and manes askew, but beyond that no significant damage, though Sapphire was favoring her back hoof that'd been cracked in the earlier fight.
"Hey, guys. How are you holding up?" I asked, stepping beside Sapphire.
"Been better, but still good to go," Sapphire said, watching the last civilian pony trot into the castle. "How about you? The back of your head and your neck are covered in blood."
"Yeah, just broke the skin where I got punched. Rattled me a bit, but I'm good," I said, taking a deep breath, scanning the area. I could hear sounds of fighting inside Canterlot Castle, above us, as well as the sounds of panicked ponies out in the streets. I looked to the unicorn as he moved past us, gesturing for us all to follow him. "So, what's the situation?"
The corridors of the lower castle were filled with terrified staff ponies and civilians who had fled here for shelter, but I didn't see any armored guards. We could hear the sounds of fighting, distantly. As we walked, the orange unicorn spoke. "I don't know. I was out of uniform, as per orders, and when the Storm King showed up I made a bee-line for the castle to get to the armory.”
“Storm King. Do we know anything about this guy?” I asked, hoping for some more information.
The unicorn frowned—a common occurrence—and shook his head. “Not particularly. We’d heard some reports of a Storm King causing trouble to the south, around Abbysinia, but that was the last bit of intelligence we’d heard until he arrived today. The only reason we know anything at all is because his minions announced who they were fighting for in some stupid speech.”
“So, we know nothing?” I asked, crossing my arms.
“You know as much as I do. Airships indicate a mobile force. Those troopers, some kind of giant furred sasquatches—”
“Yetis,” I interrupted. The unicorn squinted at me. I shrugged. “They look more like yetis to me.”
He cleared his throat and then continued, “... or yetis or whatever, aren’t terribly well armed, but they don’t need to be just due to size and strength alone. Beyond that, I’ve only been able to gather little bits as I’ve been running for the Castle. By the time I got here, the invasion was already underway, and we were holding that door against the soldiers we just finished fighting." The orange unicorn glanced up. "We'd left a skeleton crew to watch gates and major entry points. If I were them, I'd have assembled around the internal and external entrances to the lower castle and I'd be holding those positions, hoping that the guards who'd been out in the city were coming back to the armory. That's our first move in case of emergency: report to the armory, get geared up, and then sweep out to assist."
"Right," I said, looking around as we rounded a corner. Two guards, still pulling on their armor, passed us, heading for a stairwell leading up. We turned another corner and were met by a hallway filled with guard ponies arming and armoring themselves. There were a dozen of them just in this corridor alone, and I could see beyond to the doors of the armory. Ponies were shouting orders, scrambling to assemble some kind of a resistance. "So, uh, embarrassing question. You know how all you guards have that glamour on your uniforms? I have no idea who you are."
The unicorn turned and fixed me with a squint, frowning ferociously. "Really."
I studied his face, the intense look, the frown, and then blinked in recognition. "Major Scope?"
Major Scope rolled his eyes. "Dumbass," he mumbled, almost under his breath. He picked up the pace, heading for the armory, and as he did he raised his voice. "LISTEN UP!" The ponies in the hallway scrambled to something like attention, and Scope's scowl deepened. "Don't buckin' STOP getting your gear on. Just clean your ears out and LISTEN." The action around us resumed, and Dusky pushed ahead, heading for the armory, while Sapphire went and grabbed a kit of medical supplies. "Once we're armed and armored, we're going to be holding the lower levels. No pushing out or heroic charges! This is an invasion, and we've got enemies inside the castle. We need to hold the lower levels and entrances and give every guard that's out there with the civilians enough time to get here and get armored! The more time we buy, the more reinforcements will have an opportunity to arrive and arm up!" Scope stopped and his voice grew louder, his horn glowing with green magic and amplifying it. "NO GROUND GIVEN. UNDERSTOOD?"
"YES, SIR!" Came the reply, clear and certain.
"Good. Let's go, ponies!" Scope trotted into the armory, disappearing from view.
I let out a low whistle. "Damn. That taciturn bastard knows how to give a speech," I said, looking to Sapphire. "What about you, aren't you getting armed up?"
"Yeah," Sapphire said, looking distracted. "Just wanted to make sure you're getting taken care of, first. Sit." I sat, and she grabbed a hoof full of bandages and, with professional practice, swapped the bloody scarf for a clean bunch of bandages. "Bleeding's slowed down. It's a small cut, like you said. I'm gonna wrap it tight, okay?"
"Do what you gotta do," I said evenly. She poured something from a little vial onto the injury, making it sting, and then she bandaged my head, wrapping the white strips of linen around my forehead and using them to secure a pad that maintained pressure. I held still, trying to focus myself away from the ache on the back of my head. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, I keenly felt my other hurts: where I'd been struck or hit in the two fights we'd been through. Beside me, Sweetie Belle watched with a mixture of curiosity and worry. "How about you? Your hoof has to hurt," I turned to ask Sapphire, remembering her injury.
"I'll get myself next," she said, finishing securing the bandage, ensuring it wouldn't slip. "Okay. Feel tight enough?"
"Any tighter and I'd think you were into choking," I said with a smirk, the smile not reaching my eyes or coming through in my voice.
Sapphire snorted, and her reaction made my smile a little more genuine. "Cute. Still got the jokes. That's good." She sat down in front of me, holding out her hoof. It was cracked partway up the middle, and though the bleeding had stopped, I could only imagine that it was very painful. Her free hoof rummaged in the medical kit, and came up with another vial full of brown liquid marked with a horseshoe. "This'll do the trick... just... it really sucks. Seals the crack and it'll help it mend, keep it solid, but it hurts like a—" She glanced at Sweetie Belle, "—a punch in the mouth."
"Ow," Sweetie Belle said, wincing.
"Yeah," Sapphire said, holding the vial out to me. "I'd rather not do it to myself. Do you think you can do it, Jake?"
"Sure," I said, taking the vial. I took her hoof into my lap, focusing as I uncorked the vial. I tilted it, noting how it flowed slowly, like syrup, and I held it over the crack in her hoof. "Deep breath. Here we go." Sapphire took a breath and looked away, and I held her wrist firmly as I poured the brown liquid over the crack. It seeped in immediately, and Sapphire's breath hitched. I held her steady even as she hissed in pain, and I ensured that I covered the whole length of the crack in her hoof, including the underside, turning it over. Her frog twitched as I rolled her hoof over, and I checked the backside of her hoof. Luckily, it didn't seem to have cracked through. Just a surface split, then. "There, done." I tapped the horseshoe on the bottom of her hoof. "Probably would have been worse without this. You're lucky."
"I don't feel lucky," Sapphire groused, pulling her hoof close to her chest and looking it over. Dusky returned, wearing a set of Night Guard armor, the glamour turning him into a nondescript sarosian, and Sapphire stood up gingerly. "I'm gonna get geared up."
I stood up. "Me too."
Sapphire and Dusky blinked. Dusky spoke up first. "Jake, you are not military. We do not have anything for your size, at any rate."
"No, you don't, but you do have something that belongs to me here in the armory," I said, moving towards the armory doors. Dusky and Sapphire shared a look, and I pointed to Dusky. "Stay with Sweetie Belle while Sapphire and I get ourselves sorted out." Dusky looked like he wanted to object, but he stayed with Sweetie Belle, leaving Sapphire to follow me into the armory.
The interior of the armory was a scene of chaos, another dozen guards arming and armoring themselves rapidly, hustling to and fro. Half-armored guards helped companions, while others were moving out the doors. Major Scope was in the middle of it, discussing with a black earth pony that had an anvil and hammer cutie mark. I knew him as the pony in charge of the armory, Gunnery Sergeant Hot Iron. Scope was finishing getting his gear on, his orange coat and red mane transforming before my eyes to the usual grey and white of the palace guard. He tucked his glasses into a special case and gave it to Gunny Iron, and turned to regard me, frowning. "Jake, you need to clear out, this is a military area."
"Absolutely,” I said, looking past him and raising my voice so that Gunny Iron could hear me. “I'm just here for my personal effects!" Hot Iron looked surprised, and Scope turned to look at him.
"What's he got in here that he needs right at this second?" Scope asked.
"He has personal weapons that are being kept here, by order of the Princess," Hot Iron said, looking at me as he spoke, "But I was told that releasing them to him required authorization."
I grimaced. "Gunny, you're killing me, here. We're getting invaded and you won't let me retrieve my stuff?"
Scope rolled his eyes. "We don't need civilians arming themselves and running off to get hurt."
"I might not be a military man, but I'll bet I've seen twice the action you have, Major Scope," I said, turning to regard the Major. "I know this isn't normal, but nothing about this is. I watched the goddamn Princesses get taken down like they were nothing. You need all the help you can get!"
Scope stiffened, eyes going wide. "You saw the Princesses?"
"Yeah. They're out of commission, all of them. Princess Luna, Princess Celestia, and Princess Cadance are all trapped in some kind of crystal stuff that their commander was throwing around, and Princess Twilight..." I grimaced. "Princess Twilight fell into one of the canals and was swept over the waterfall."
The noise around me quieted. Scope's ears pinned back as he looked up at me, and he turned.
"Keep moving! Go!" He shouted, getting everypony hustling again, and within a minute the room was clear except for the four of us. Scope glared at me. "Way to hit our morale, idiot. Corporal Spirit, can you confirm this report?"
"Yes, sir. Dusky and I saw it with our own eyes. Celestia, Luna, and Cadance are captured. Twilight is..." Sapphire's ears went flat.
I spoke up. "Listen, we don't have Princess backup coming, and we don't have the Elements of Harmony, either. They all got swept away with Twilight and went over a two-hundred foot f-fucking waterfall." I swallowed, hands clenching into fists, fighting the emotion out of my voice before I spoke again. "We're on our own. We need to handle these guys and try to... I don't know. But you're going to need every edge you can get, and that means letting me have my weapons."
"Absolutely not," Scope said, stomping a hoof. "Princesses out of commission or not, you still aren't military. Even if you have a spear in hoof, or whatever you've got, you aren't going to turn the tide single hoofed. We need unit tactics and discipline, not... mercenary lone ponies!"
"It absolutely will make a difference. Gunny, tell him what I've got. I know I showed you," I said, pointing to Hot Iron.
Hot Iron frowned. "It's a weapon from his world, sir. He calls it a pistol. It's a ranged weapon, fires small projectiles with a force and speed like the heaviest crossbows we've got."
"More powerful, even," I said. "And I can fire it faster than a crossbow. It holds fifteen shots, and it can pierce through... pretty much any type of metal armor you guys have, unless it's magically enchanted. Barring a glancing blow against very heavy armor, it'd go through any of the armor that I saw those goons outside wearing." I briefly pined for my MP5 or even one of my assault rifles, but I had been brought to Equestria while guarding a gate, so I only had my sidearm.
Scope frowned. "Not convinced. I've got spells that are just as effective."
"Major, please. What if any of those yetis break through and come down here? You expect civilian ponies to defend themselves? I can help, even if you don't want me on your front line. If things go badly, I can guarantee that I'll be able to kill anything that comes through you guys," I said evenly, looking Scope in the eye.
Scope sneered. "Kill?"
I hesitated for a moment before replying. "If I have to? Yes. It wouldn't be the first time, Major. If I'm protecting ponies, then I'll do whatever's necessary."
Scope stared at me, evenly. "... Fine. Give him his pistol, Gunnery Sergeant." As Hot Iron hustled back into the armory's lockup, Scope approached me and put a hoof into my chest, glaring up at me with intensity. "But I want you away from the fighting. We are going to handle this. The only reason I'm letting you have your weapon is because, for some reason, the Princesses trust you. If that means I can have somebody at my back keeping the civilians safe, so I can focus on the enemy in front of me, then that's as good as anything I can ask for right now."
I nodded. "Thank you, Major." Scope gave me a nod, and then trotted for the door, his voice carrying and rallying his guards. Sapphire, in the meantime, started getting armored up, and I helped her out. It was a complex procedure, but over my time in the castle, I'd learned a thing or two about the guard's armor. Professional curiosity drove me to ask questions, and so I was able to assist her, gearing her up more quickly. She took a deep breath, helmet under one foreleg, and then pulled it on. I watched her dappled coat and blue mane become grey and white as the glamour washed over her. Just another guard, once more. She gave me a stoic look.
"Thanks, Jake," she said, clutching a spear close and adjusting the heavy weighted guard shoes over her hooves. She gave a few experimental stomps, and the heavy thud of the shoe sounded like brass knuckles against concrete. She grinned, looking up at me. "I wish I'd had these earlier."
"Yeah, me too," I said, reaching up and touching the back of my head.
Hot Iron returned, bringing a leather case that I knew held my pistol, spare magazines, and my combat knife. I opened them up, retrieving the belt and holster from within, and set out my pistol, the knife and the three spare magazines. The pistol was a Glock 40, a 10mm handgun that was made for better accuracy at range. It wasn't a pretty weapon, but being able to hold fifteen rounds in the magazine plus one in the chamber meant I wouldn't need to reload as often, which was my preference. The knife was a simple affair, an eight inch long blade with a triangular shape, fatter than a normal knife, with a knuckle guard on it that was molded like brass knuckles. It was a weapon for punching and stabbing, not slashing, and the blade's design was made to do as much damage as possible and leave a large wound. I slid it into the sheath on the pistol belt, and turned my attention to the magazines.
Two of the spare magazines were completely full. The third magazine was missing the first five rounds, which had been used to demonstrate the weapon to the Princesses and donated to pony scientists for study. The magazine in the pistol was empty, and the rounds had been removed and left in a cloth bag, leaving me with fifteen loose rounds. I took my time, reloading the third magazine fully, ensuring the gun's mechanisms were still working and clean and oiled, and testing the safety to make certain it was functional. Everything was in good condition. I had three full magazines, plus my fourth magazine with ten rounds. Fifty-five shots.
I stared at the weapon and raised it, aiming up towards the ceiling and looking down the sights. I practiced the movement a few times, ensuring my skills had not dulled. Not as fast as I'd been, but still fast. I sighed, pulling on the pistol belt and moving it around, adjusting my shirt so that I could rapidly conceal the holster if necessary, and then I loaded the first full magazine. The hiss of metal and the soft click of the magazine locking into place was familiar, but the shiver it sent down my spine was not. I held the loaded pistol, looking down at it, lost in the moment. "Jake?" Sapphire's hoof touched my side gently.
"I never thought I'd need this again. I never thought I'd be here again, with a gun, ready to use it." I swallowed, and holstered the pistol. "I was ready to never have to use it again."
Sapphire stepped in front of me, giving me a sympathetic look. "This isn't your fault. Those bastards outside took our peace from us. We never want to fight, but sometimes you have to fight to protect what's important. There's no shame in using a weapon for the right reasons."
I took a breath, and nodded. "I know you're right, but..." I hesitated, and then pulled my shirt out, letting it fall over the holster and conceal the pistol. Anybody from my world would see the outline instantly, but here in this place, it wouldn't be recognized. "I'll keep it as a last resort. If that weapon comes out, creatures are dying. I... don't think I want that on my conscience, asshole yetis or not. I don't think Rarity or Twilight would... would approve." I felt my voice crack a bit and tears rose in my eyes, but I cursed and sat down, holding my face in my palms.
I could hear Sapphire blow out a sigh of relief. "I don't think so either. Save it for if things turn ugly. I'll ask Gunny Iron if he has something you can use. A truncheon or maybe a quarterstaff?"
"I'll take the club," I said, looking up at Sapphire gratefully. She smiled at me, reaching up with one wing and wiping away a tear that tracked down my cheek. The brush of feathers across my cheek brought a smirk across my face.
"We're gonna make it through this, okay? Major Scope's tough and strong. He can handle the defense, and we can hold out long enough to make a solid counter-attack and push these yetis out of Canterlot," Sapphire said with confidence. "So, get your serious face on, and let's get back out there. I'm sure Dusky and Sweetie Belle are wondering where we are."
"Yeah," I said, taking a breath. I reached out and grabbed her shoulder, stopping her before she could turn away. She gave me a curious look, and I smiled at her. "Thank you, Sapphire. Really. I don't know what I'd have done today without you and Dusky."
Sapphire giggled lightly, giving me a light shove with one hoof. "Yeah, yeah, okay. Let's save the thank-yous for after this is all over, okay?"
"Yeah," I said, getting up and wiping my eyes. Sapphire trotted over to Gunny Iron, and within a moment returned with a guard baton. It was much like the batons that police officers on my world would carry, complete with the short handle extending out from about a third of the way down the length, offering a variety of grip options. I held it in my hand, feeling the weight, getting an idea of how to use it effectively. The pistol and the knife on my belt were killer weapons, but this could be blunted easily and offered more options for restraint. It felt more appropriate... more harmonic. I tucked the baton into a loop in my belt. It sat a little awkwardly, but it would do for now.
I followed Sapphire out of the guard armory. The hallway around the armory was empty, save for one guard stationed at the very end. He was keeping civilians away from the armory and keeping it clear. Even as we stepped out, two more out-of-uniform guards rushed around the corner, heading for the armory. They looked harried, but it was a welcome sight. More guards arriving, just like Major Scope had said. Sapphire and I got to the end of the hallway and found Dusky and Sweetie Belle waiting just around the corner. Dusky was lying down, and Sweetie Belle was curled against his side. When she looked up at me, her eyes were red and puffy and her nose was running a bit. I knelt down next to her and ran a hand down her back, rubbing it gently. "Hey, Sweetie. You doing okay?"
"N-no," Sweetie Belle said, sitting up and grabbing my waist, hugging me hard and pressing her face into my chest. "I'm really worried about Rarity."
I swallowed a lump in my throat. She was in denial. That... was okay for now. We didn't have time to process. I didn't have time to explain to her that her sister was gone. I just wrapped my arms around her little frame and held her close, scooping her up and cradling her against me. She pressed her face into my neck and I let her stay there, rubbing her back as she hiccuped and sobbed into my shirt. I took deep breaths, willing myself to stay strong, but hearing Rarity’s sister weeping in my ear was eating at my resolve. I couldn’t help but think, for a moment, of the white unicorn mare that she was crying for.
What was I going to do without her? Without Twilight? I relied on them, and they gave me anchors to the harmony that they so loved and lived for. I’d spent all this time fighting, keeping myself and my three companions safe, that I hadn’t been given a moment to process what had been taken from me. I felt it keenly, now, and it left me at a loss. The two ponies most responsible for my rehabilitation and the centers of my new life had been ripped away at the hands of some unknown enemy. I grit my teeth, taking shaky breaths that bordered on sobs, and tried my best to focus my attention fully on Sweetie Belle, stroking her mane as she cried. I couldn’t lose it, not now. Not yet.
Dusky and Sapphire, meanwhile, were talking. "What's been happening?"
"Word came that the enemies are concentrating their efforts on the palace, now. The streets of Canterlot and most of the city is theirs, though there are a few little pockets resisting. The outer gatehouses are ours, but they're surrounded. The air is locked down, and there are a dozen airships keeping pegasus ponies from escaping. The last anypony saw, their commander was moving the captured Princesses here," Dusky said quietly.
"Target of opportunity?" Sapphire asked, tail lashing.
"Likely. Major Scope said he'd assess when they arrived. See if he couldn't potentially remove their command structure. If we can take her out and re-secure the Princesses, we've got a chance." Dusky and Sapphire shared a look, and then turned to me. Dusky approached, face serious. "Jake. Will you be all right here?"
I looked down at him, taking in his body language. The way his ears quivered at the sounds of battle above, the way his eyes flicked towards the stairs, the anxiety in his posture making his tail lash behind him. I pushed down my emotional turmoil and nodded, understanding immediately. "Yeah. I'll be fine here, and Major Scope needs everypony he can get."
Dusky grinned, showing me his fangs, and he tapped a shod hoof against his chestplate. "H'luun bless you, Jake."
"H'luun protect you, Dusky. Go kick some ass for me, okay?" I said, tapping my chest with a fist as well.
Dusky wasted no more time, heading for the stairs. Sapphire flashed me her fierce grin, eyes fiery. "I'll make 'em pay for Rarity, Jake. Okay? You just keep Sweetie Belle safe."
I nodded to her. "Yeah. Give them hell. Be safe." Sapphire rushed up the stairs after Dusky, wings flapping in excitement and her shod hooves stomping. I watched them go, and then slowly sat down, cradling Sweetie Belle close. "Good luck."