//------------------------------// // Book Three: Chapter Two // Story: Unity: A Tale of Arcadia // by Kieva Lynn //------------------------------// Book Three: Uncertain Days Chapter Two The enemy hoard advanced inexorably southwards. From their arrival point in Baffin Island the armies of Orcs spread through eastern Canada, most making due south along the shores of Hudson Bay towards Ottawa though a sizeable contingent also broke eastward towards Labrador and Newfoundland. The Canadian army, now further supported by U.S. forces, was unable to accomplish any more than slowing the advance, and even that was marginal at best. Evacuations began to be ordered in larger cities, both in Canada and along the American side of the border in New England. Naturally, this drew the attention of the media who had, as they say, 'A field day.' Speculations were rife, wide ranging, and generally irresponsible. All across the North American continent, and then the world, people began to panic and prepare for whatever the believed was going on: Aliens, zombies, vampires, that kid from the Twilight Zone that sent you to the cornfield... It seemed to Shining Armor, as he watched the news reports, that just about the only thing humans weren't believing was the truth. Talk of invading Orcs got people laughed at. At least the experiments in merging human weapons with pony magic (Called 'magitek' by the human researchers for some reason) were starting to show fruit even if they were nowhere near ready for deployment. But as it was, he'd been summoned to the labs for a demonstration. Shining was met by a woman named Tammy and one of his unicorn soldiers, Mystic Arcanum. "Captain." Mystic greeted as he came through the door. "I'm glad you're here! We're ready to try it out." Tammy said. They led Shining to a sealed bunker where there was a target set up at one end, and a pair of guns at the other. One looked normal, but the other was heavily modified. "M14's" Tammy said. "Fairly standard so a good choice for our first test. We'll be firing the one on the left first for a comparison. Then the one on the right..." The rightmost rifle now had a collar of crystals encircling its barrel. Shining could feel the magic enchantments in the crystals. There was also a larger crystal affixed to the stock, and some wiring connecting that to the smaller crystals. Mystic Arcanum explained "The crystals around the barrel are enchanted to embue an explosives spell into the ammo as it's fired. The larger crystal then draws ambient magical energy from the surroundings to recharge the small ones." "That would mean as long as there's a pony nearby there's no risk of losing power to dead batteries." Shining nodded. "Good idea, but I think I'd still include a thaumic battery just in case someone gets separated from us." "We're planning that for the final design." Tammy said. "But we wanted the proof of concept working first." "Alright then. Let's give this a try." The trio retreated behind a ballistics glass shield and donned earmuffs. Tammy fired the unmodified weapon first, which created, as expected, only a small hole in the target. "Now let's see what this does." She said, and fired the magitek upgraded rifle. The results were impressive: The target exploded as soon as the round struck it. "Nice." Shining Armor said, nodding, "Though I'm wondering how well it will do against an actual enemy. You'll recall that when we tried this against them with manually enchanted rounds the explosion didn't happen." Mystic Arcanum said "I may have an explanation for that sir. I've examined the captured Orc's armor. It has what I can only call a 'smart' enchantment on it, that can adjust itself to block either physical or magical attacks, but not both in the same place at the same time. That's why neither bullets or magic alone work. But when we combined the two, it forced the enchantment to choose which of the two it would block..." Shining had started nodding in understanding half way through. "So it blocked the magic, preventing the explosive spell from going off, but in the process let the bullet through." "Yes, I think so." Arcanum confirmed. "Well that's something isn't it?" Tammy said. She mused "Though it would be a lot more effective if we could trick it into stopping the bullet and letting the explosion through." "If the enchantment is as 'smart' as I suspect, it won't be easy to fool." Arcanum said. "Though... We do have the captured armor. Maybe it's time we started experimenting on it using different types of offensive spells. See if there's anything it will let pass instead of the bullets." Good idea. Get on it." Shining said. "In the mean time, I'll let Marsh know what we've got. Excellent work, everyone!" XXXXX Meanwhile in Unity, Rarity and Spike were having dinner at a former Ponyville cafe called 'Pickles 'A Plenty.' (Yes, pickles really were all they served. Ponies are weird sometimes. Spike had only agreed to the place because they offered little ruby and emerald seasoning packets for potential dragon customers of which he was the only one they'd ever gotten.) The pickle he'd been obliged to order sat ignored to the side while an empty cup he'd requested now brimmed with the contents of over a dozen packets. "You're not even going to try your pickle Spikey?" Rarity asked. "Nah. Been there and done that. The things are awful to a dragon's tastes. Besides, I've got a meal right here." Spike swallowed a clawful of the gems. "So, what was it like? Being back home?" Rarity smiled. "Well this is home Spike. Where you and our friends are. Still... Seeing Canterlot and the Princesses again... It was nice, I won't lie. I do wish I could have seen my parents in person, but things came up so quickly and they're off on some jungle vacation adventure... At least Rainbow Dash got to raid her old house for some of her things before we returned. She spent the first three days back decorating." "Sounds about right." Spike chuckled. "What about you darling? I know it can't be easy staying in the Apple's spare room since Twilight doesn't want either of you in Gandalf and the other's way while they work." "It's the dumbest thing." Spike said. "First Twi freaks out over what might happen to us if something the wizards are doing in our basement blows up and makes us move out 'til they're done. Then she goes full-tilt into what Shining Armor calls 'Twily-nanas' mode trying to figure out what they're up to... Which she would have had a better chance of if she'd stayed put." "Oh dear... Sproingy mane hair?" "And how." Rarity sighed. "You know, I actually have learned that these episodes normally have to be allowed to run their course. But in this case, we both know what they say about 'meddling in the affairs of wizards.' We might need to stop her at some point." "Yeah that's a given..." XXXXX Three hours after sunset, Lyra Heartstrings was sitting in the Spoony Bard Diner, nursing a cup of coffee. There were no other customers; Herself and the cook, Herbert, were the only ones present. "You're here awful late Lyr." Herbert said as he cleaned the pots and pans. "Something on your mind?" "Just what's usual these days. Everyone's so worked up over the war. And I get it, it's scary. But at the same time... There's always something scary right? And we always come through. And we always forget and go right back to freaking out the very next time something happens." Lyra shook her head. "Well that's just human -and pony- nature. Fear's actually a good thing. None of us would live long without it. I mean, can you imagine a world where the deer walks right up to the wolf? It's just that tendency to let it rule you that you gotta look out for and stamp out." "You get that from your time as a marine?" "Damn straight." Herbert answered. The bell over the door dinged, and Lyra looked to see who it was. And gave a slight yelp at the sight of an enormous blue skinned troll squeezing through. He appeared, in all honesty, much too large to actually fit but he managed somehow to the unicorn's great surprise. Once past the door he stood (In a crouch) and approached the counter. "Well I do think you're the first troll to come in here. What can I do for you?" Herbert asked. "I was told you served alcohol. Our pub in Trollmarket is not yet open again. The gremlins did a number on the place." The troll rumbled. "Might you have glug?" "Glug?" Lyra asked. "A beverage made by a troll of the same name. Not one hundred percent alcohol, but it hits as if it were that and more." "Never heard of it. But I do have this." Herbert poured a small glass of Everclear. The troll eyed the tiny glass with a raised brow. "How will this little do anything?" "Don't knock it 'til you've tried it." Lyra said. "I had one shot. Once. Knocked me clean off my hooves. So you are...?" "Drall." Drall took the glass and downed it, glass and all, in a single swallow. He crunched on the glass, then, after considering for a moment he said "It's no glug, but it will do. I need more." "You tryin' to get plastered or something?" Herbert asked. "Yes." Drall replied. Herbert shrugged and produced a bottle. Over the next hour Drall downed three bottles. He was uncommunicative on why he was drinking at first, but once the third bottle hit his system he began to talk. "I betrayed my oath. Attacked and tried to kill the one I had sworn to protect. I am without honor. That mare, Twilight, she told me it wasn't my fault. That I was controlled and not to blame. She was right about the first part, but surely the blame is still mine to bear." "For someone else's wrong?" Lyra asked. "I should have been able to stop myself!" Drall cursed. "Has anyone else? Ever?" "Well... No, but..." "But nothin'!" Herbert declared. "Dunno how much you know about humans, but we've got this thing called 'Stockholm Syndrome.' What happens is, somebody gets kidnapped or taken hostage or something. Then, the longer the bad guys hold them the more and more they begin to see the bad guys as their friends. In extreme cases, like this heiress named Patty Hearst way back, they even join them!" "Disturbing." Drall said. "But I fail to see your point." Lyra said "I think I see it. Your culture doesn't blame them for this does it?" She asked Herbert. "It's situational but... They're usually seen as victims. Get counseling rather than punishment. The thinking I guess, on why it happens, is that it's some kind of survival adaptation. Keeps you alive by going along." "And that's his point." Lyra said. "If they don't even blame people who technically did have a choice, how can anyone blame you when you didn't?" Drall mulled that thought over. "Perhaps." He started to stand, but the alcohol seemed to have had a bigger effect than he had thought. Drall slumped back to the floor. "Yeah that's what it'll do to you all right." Herbert laughed. "'Perhaps' you say." Lyra still pressed the issue. "Maybe I should tell you about the Discord incident back home. He was what you call a 'Draconoquus.' A creature of terrible chaos magic. Chaos magic he used to flip flop the personalities of almost everypony in Ponyville. Sweet Fluttershy became a jerk, Applejack became a liar, I... I don't wanna talk about what I did." "Then you do understand, at least some." Drall said. "Yeah but the point is we all forgave each other because it wasn't really us!" "I take your point." Drall said. He tried to rise to his feet again and failed again. "This 'Everclear' is impressive. But I must return to the Trollhunter's home before dawn." "Oh you've got the whole night almost. You'll be fine." Lyra insisted. Herbert agreed, "Especially if you drink a few cups of this. Sober you right up." He passed Drall a mug. The troll eyed the dark substance within the mug warily. Then took a large sip. His eyes went wide. "The nectar of the gods!" He proclaimed. Lyra patted Drall on the arm. "Wait 'til you try it with cream and sugar..."