//------------------------------//
// Bombastic Reveal 
// Story: Grand Hoof: The Legend Begins 
// by Banshee531 
//------------------------------//

The city was abuzz as the ponies of Canterlot and anypony near the city had witnessed the giant explosion that occurred above the city. Back at the building where the crashed party had happened, the guards were currently carting away anypony that had been there. So far, fifty four ponies had been arrested, others being searched or made to wait to get a statement taken.

As this happened, Grand and Live marched into view. The look on Grand's face was one not many ponies had seen him wear before, a look a despair and anger mixed into furious fire. He walked up to multiple mobile prison cells, "Where are they?!" He roared at the ponies inside, "Technica and Bomber! Where would they go?!"

However, silence came out of the cells, making Grand growl before Live walked up and teleported all the kung-fu ponies from before into an empty cell. "What about you all?" She asked the ones that were still conscious. "Tell us where your boss is and we can make this a whole lot easier."

But those ponies all remained quiet as well, making Grand grab one by the neck, "Last chance! You better tell me something, because if you don't, then I'll make sure you rot in prison for the rest of your lives. You think the charges you're facing now are bad?! Wait until I add aiding and abiding a murder to them!"

The guards all gasped at this, turning back to where the explosion had occurred, only to go wide-eyed as they now noticed one pony was missing. And as this happened, not a single pony responded. Grand then threw the pony back into the cell, hissing, "Get them out of my sight."

The guards all nodded and began to cart off the full cells while filling up the rest. As this happened, Grand just walked away, Live watching him as she whispered, "Grand..."

She thought back to Doom, only to sigh. The mare tried to think of anything to say, only for a sudden banging noise to ring out. She turned to see a trash can fall over, only to go wide-eyed, "Center?"

Grand heard this and spun around, now seeing the unicorn in question trying to hide. "YOU!" he roared, the unicorn's eyes shrinking as he saw Grand slam his hooves down, cracking the earth beneath him. He instantly turned and ran, making Grand screech, "Get back here!"

And as Grand chased after him, Live blinked at the sight, "This doesn't make any sense. Why would he come back here?"





Grand chased after the unicorn ran as fast, the unicorn taking a corner, only to find it was a fenced off dead end alleyway. Center scrambled up the tiny wall, getting over it after a few seconds, only for Grand to leap right over the fence. The unicorn gasped as he glanced back and saw this, grabbing a nearby trash can in his magic.

"Get away!" He cried as he threw the can, only for Grand to swat it away with a single hoof. Center then took another corner, Grand sighing as he reached for the hammer weapon Live had given him.

"ENOUGH!" He roared before slamming it into the ground, causing it to shake as a stone wall appeared in front of Center, the unicorn running into it.

"Augh!" He yelped, staggering back as the wall retracted. He stumbled back before Grand grabbed him and pinned him to the ground. "Aaah!" He felt Grand's hoof push him into the street, "Help! Get off me!"

"No!" Grand growled as the wall retracted into the ground, "I'm gonna make sure you never harm anypony ever again. Now where is it?"

"Where's what?"

"You know what I'm talking about. Where's the Cutie Marker, Bomber!"

Center went wide-eyed at this, "What?! You think I'm that psychopath that destroyed the theatre?"

"I know you are!" Grand yelled, "Now where is it?!"

"I don't have one of those Cutie Marker things! I only came because I got an invite to a party. I thought it was a normal party. I didn't know it had anything to do with those things!" Grand then pushed his hoof down, "Aaah! It's the truth!"

"You expect me to believe that?! That you just happened to be at the same party Bomber showed up at. That you just happened to disappear right before he showed up?!"

"I needed the bathroom!"

"STOP LYING!" Grand screamed.

"Grand!" His eyes spun around, now seeing Live walk up the alley, "I think he's telling the truth."

"What?!" Grand barked back, "What are you saying?! It has to be him! He attacked Remarie. Who else would want to do that? He killed DOOM!"

"I know you're angry, but just think about it. Technica grabbed him and flew him far away. Why would he come back to the scene of the crime when he knew he'd likely be arrested."

Grand blinked at her words, only to roll his eyes, "Oh please. Criminals make mistakes all the time. And you said it yourself, using Cutie Markers makes a pony less rational." He turned back to Center, "He probably came to see how many ponies his big explosion killed."

"I didn't kill anypony!" Center cried, "Now let me go! You're ruining my suit!"

"You're not going anywhere except to jail." Grand hissed, only for Center's horn to spark. He shot out a beam that Grand leaned back to dodge, just enough for Center to push himself away.

The unicorn rolled back to his hooves, only for Live to exclaim, "Wait!" He stopped and stared at her, "Just listen. If you run now, it'll only make us think you're Bomber more." Center glared at her before glancing back at Grand, the solider ready to tackle him again as Live continued, "But if you come with us, answer our questions and not try to fight, then you will be set free."

"Are you insane?!" He screamed, "I didn't do anything!"

"Then you have nothing to lose by coming with us and proving that." She held a hoof, "Nothing bad will happen to you. I promise." Center hissed at her, only to stare at her hoof before sighing.

"Fine," he took her hoof, "I'll come in. But I'll want a formal apology after this." He then swatted his hoof away from Live, "And this better not take long. I'm hoping the theatre will be fixed in time for another rehearse-AAAH!"

The other two flinched as he suddenly fell over, both going wide-eyed as they saw something now glowing on his back. His clothes were now glowing purple, the light pulsing as it spread around the rest of the suit. Center picked himself up and looked down at his jacket, seeing the light appearing on the front. "What's happening?" He asked, turning to the others. "What is this?!"

"I don't-"

"TAKE IT OFF! NOW!" Live screamed, Center flinching at her before trying to unbutton his jacket, only to start pulling at it, trying to rip the jacket off. But the suit refused to come off as the light completely enveloped it. Seeing this, Grand tackled Live just as the light reached its peak, Center letting out a horrified scream as-

KABOOM!

The street shook as the ponies were blasted away by the shockwave, both rolling along the streets. Their ears rang out as they got up, Live dusting herself off as Grand asked, "You okay?"

"I'll be fine." Live muttered before they turned back to the spot Center was. However, all that was there was cinders and flames, and a burn mark from where he had been.

"It...it can't be," Grand whispered.

"He wasn't Bomber." Live added, only to squint at the area. Her gaze slowly went up, gasping as she pointed at a building across the street, "But he is!"

Grand followed her hoof and saw the suited pony, a beam coming for them next. Both leapt out of the way, the laser then hitting the wall of the building behind them. They twirled as they did this, just as the wall let out a small explosion. However, unlike the last blast, it didn't rock the street. All it did was blow off some of the concrete that made up the wall, leaving several marks in the wall without damaging it. The pair looked back at the wall, the dust fading as it revealed a message in the wall itself.


Grand Hoof, I have no real qualm with you. Stop your investigation into me and you'll never have to see me again. But if you persist in finding me, then I can't be held responsible for my actions.


They simply stared at the words for a few seconds before Live glanced back at the where Bomber was, only to gasp, "He's gone!" She then glanced back at Grand, only to see him staring at the wall, "Grand!"

But he didn't respond, instead just starting at the wall. "No...it couldn't be..." He turned back to the blast zone that had killed Center, "It has to be." Tears filled his eyes as he looked down at the hammer, then back at the wall.

Live's horn sparked as she teleported up to the building Bomber had been, only to come back to Grand a minute later as she yelled, "There's no sign of him! I hate to say it, but I think we should-" She stopped when she saw Grand was gone, "Grand? What the...first you freeze up and now you vanish?! Grand!"

She glanced back at the wall Bomber had written into, now seeing the Celestic Gear sitting under it. The sight made her sigh, taking the hammer in her hooves as she found she could barely lift it. And as she dragged it out of the alleyway, she let out another long sigh, "Grand..."





Many hours had passed since that moment, Live returning to the castle in order to give a report to Celestia. The princess had been horrified to learn the fate of Doom Chaser, only to now call her captain of the guard and order him to have every guard out on the hunt for the Cutie Marker users. Once that was done, Live went to where the ponies they had arrested were being kept.

She had hoped that Grand would be there, questioning the criminals...but he wasn't. The prisoners weren't saying anything, Live soon finding that Grand hadn't been there to question them. "Where is he?" She asked as she left the dungeons, only to spot a bunch of anti-magic-rings on a nearby desk. "Hmm...could be useful."

The unicorn took them and exited the Grand, remembering where she found him last time as she went to the royal gardens. She ran as fast as she could, soon finding her prey sitting on the same bench she and Doom had found him on earlier that day.

The earth pony simply stared at the plants that made up the many colors filling the garden. "There you are!" He heard Live exclaim, "Do you have any idea how long I've been searching for you?! We're never gonna find Bomber if you run off to go look at some pretty flowers!" She walked up and came to a stop, only for Grand to not reply, "Grand?"

"Wind Phantom." Live raised an eyebrow at this as he said the random name, "Snow Drift. Slipstream. Parsley Pinch...Doom Chaser."

"Hmm? What are you talking about?"

"Those are the names of the ponies I've gotten killed. The ones whose lives were lost because of me." Grand said as he closed his eyes, "I memorized them all long ago. I didn't want there to be any chance I'd forget even one of them."

Live blinked at this, her mouth slowly moving, "But it wasn't your fault with what happened to Doom."

"Yes, it is."

"Grand-"

"I failed to stop Bomber!" He almost yelled, making Live flinch as he turned and glared at her, only to glance down, "If I had just...if I had stopped him before he fired that spell-"

"You can't think like that!" Live interrupted, already recovered from the outburst, "We have no idea how different things could have been. Maybe they'd have been better, or maybe they'd have been worse."

"How could things be worse if I had stopped Bomber back there?!" He barked back, "If I had been able to take him down, then Doom would still be alive and Center Stage wouldn't have been murdered!" He glanced away as he let out a hiss, "I was right. I shouldn't be a Royal Knight. Even with the Celestic Gear, I wasn't strong enough to stop him."

"That's because the Celestic Gear was holding back." He turned to her as she took out the hammer and placed it on the bench beside him. "It hasn't fully awakened it true potential because it can sense you don't want it."

"I don't deserve it," Grand repeated.

Live took a deep breath, about to yell at him before shaking her head, "Grand...even if you're right, that doesn't change the fact that the weapon is bonded to you now." She tapped the hammer with her hoof, "I've made plenty of Celestic Gear, and every one of them will stay that way until the bonded user's dies. If you don't accept it and awaken its full power, then it'll just be a wasted piece of alicorn magic."

"It is a waste." Grand replied, making Live snarl at him as he added, "I didn't ask you to throw me the crystal."

She then leaned down in front of his face, hissing, "If I hadn't, you would have died!"

"Well maybe that would have been a good thing!" Grand screamed back, making Live flinch again. He began to pant as he yelled this, looking away as he continued, "If I had died...maybe Doom would still be alive." He stared down at his hooves, "Everything would have been better if I was gone..."

"Grand-"

"Everything I do just ends with ponies getting hurt!" Grand interrupted, putting his hooves to his face, "Whenever I try and help, all I do is cause pain."

Live watched him just look away, taking a deep breath as she formed her next words, "Grand...what happened to Doom wasn't your fault. Bomber was the one that cast the spell."

"Because I was trying to stop him."

"Maybe," Live replied, "But you weren't the only one there. I was trying to stop him too. You could just as easily say it's my fault. The same with Doom. Bomber wasn't just trying to take you out. I hate to tell you this, but the whole world doesn't revolve around you, you know. With all the self-pity you're giving yourself, you're starting to make me wonder if you apologize to everypony that sneezes next to you."

Grand didn't respond, Live seeing this as her moment to continue, "You didn't make Doom do what he did. He chose to do it because it was the only way to save Canterlot. He was a hero. And if you cared about him at all, you wouldn't let his sacrifice be in vain." Grand turned to her as she took the Celestic Gear in her magic, "Bomber's still out there. And even if you think you're not worthy, you're one of the only ponies in the city with the power to stop him." She put the hammer on the ground in front of him. "Are you gonna let him get away with everything he's done?"

Grand didn't respond, staring at the hammer as he saw his reflection in the weapon. In there, he saw Doom's face, making him tense up. However, Live decided to continue to speak, "Grand, if we don't do something, Bomber'll only get more violent. It's clear the Cutie Marker's affected his mind to the point logic and reason no longer applies to him. He was willing to destroy half the city to get rid of us."

Grand let out a long sigh as she said this, making him glance up at her, "You're right. But stopping him isn't gonna be enough. We need to take both down."

Live nodded back, "I know. That's why you need to let go of your doubt and accept the Celestic Gear. If you hesitate, even for a moment, you'll give Bomber the opening he needs to take you down." She sat down beside him and placed a hoof on his shoulder. "You might have made mistakes in the past, but you've also done many incredible things. I read your folder and you've saved more than triple the lives you've caused the loss of. And even if you think that doesn't make up for them, it proves you're a pony that can save lives." With that, she hopped off the bench, "I can't make you do this, but think about it. Equestria needs ponies like you because the ponies that don't want power are the ones most trusted with it."

With that, she walked off as Grand stared at her fleeing figure before looking down at the hammer. He stared at the weapon, sighing as a certain memory rang out in his head. It was a time when he and Doom had been sent with a bunch of guards to a large mountain in the frozen north.





The Past...

It was snowing heavily on the mountain as Grand, Doom and four other guards worked to scale up the mountain. "Just a little further!" Their commander yelled from up front as he pulled himself upward before hammering a nail into place so the guards below him could latch onto it. The six guards had been dispatched to collect a special flower that was needed to create a potion that could cure a sickness that was spreading through a small town that had been magically quarantined. Unfortunately, the flower only grew atop certain mountains and were very rare.

"This is insane!" One of the unicorn guards screamed before looking back at Doom and Grand, who were the last two of the group. "Why aren't you jut flying up?!" Before Doom could replied, a powerful gust of wind blew past them, making them all cry out at the chill.

Once the wind died down, Doom looked back up at the unicorn. "That's why! No pegasus alive could survive getting hit by those winds! I'd like to survive this expedition, thank you very much."

"Just keep going!" The commander roared as he continued to pull himself up the mountain, hammering the hooks as he continued, "The sooner we do this, the sooner we'll be able to get off this blasted mountain!" The others nodded as they continued, stopping every now and then as a powerful gust of wind blew past them.

An hour or so later, the Commander spotted a section above them that flattened out. "We're almost there!" He cried as he took out another hook and hammered it into the ice covered rock. But as he did this, the wall suddenly began to crack, "What?" He watched as the cracks began to flow out in every direction, even heading straight down for the hooks the soldiers were using...and going up and splitting into a V-shape that reached the top. And when it did. the whole section of the mountain broke off. "LOOK OUT!"

The guards saw this and gasped, the rock holding their hooks now breaking off as gravity took hold. The all screamed as the rocks split and fell, slamming into the group. Every head was hit by the mini-boulders, knocking him all out...except for one.

"Whoa!" Grand yelped as he held onto his hook, the only one not coming loose as the others began to fall. He quickly swung to the side and pulled out a pickaxe to dig into the wall as they flew past him. The hook holding Grand to the wall was pulled out by the five other ponies, meaning the only thing keeping Grand from falling was the wall. "Augh!" He cried as the rope pulled on him, making him almost lose his grip. But as he tried to move, he saw his commander's axe about to fall out of the rock.

And a second later, it fell, Grand grabbing it in his free hoof. As he did this, another powerful gust of wind flew past them, the pony barely able to hold on by sticking the second axe into the wall. The others were blown around, Grand crying out as he felt the rope yank him. But as it kept pulling on him, he kept his grip on the axes.

The wind then came to a stop, the squad swinging back under him. Feeling the weight of all his comrades and their gear felt like the world was pulling him down...but he took a deep breath and began to climb. Inch by inch, he used the pickaxes to slowly dig his way up the mountain, his body screaming at him to give up. But he refused, fighting the mountain every step of the way.





A few hours later...

Doom let out a long groan, his lips smacking as his eyes twitched open. His body went straight up like a board next, blinking as he glanced around. "Uhhh…" he moaned as his eyes began to focus.

And when he could fully see, he saw he was in a cave with the rest of his squad. He turned to the mouth of the cave and saw it was still snowing outside, then turned back to the other guards, now finding them all bandaged up. He checked his head and also found he was wearing a bandage as the guards began to walk up.

"What happened?" The commander asked.

"I don't know," a unicorn replied, "The last thing I remember is...getting hit in the head with a rock."

"Same..." Doom groaned, only to notice something, "Hey...where's Grand?" They heard this and everypony awake glanced around...only to find no sign of the earth pony. That is, till they heard the sound of crunching snow, making them turn to the cave's mouth and see somepony step inside. "Grand!"

"You're up!" The guard smiled, "That's good."

"What happened?" The commander asked, "Where were you?" Grand replied by turning to show something balanced on his back: The plant they had come for. "How'd you get that?"

"I found it on a ridge a half-mile above us," he replied, "After you all were knocked out, I pulled you up and found this cave." He gave the plant to his commander, "Then I tended to your wounds and went out to find the plant."

The commander went wide-eyed at this, the others doing the same as he slowly asked, "Wait...you were able to carry us all up the mountain side...at the same time?"

"Just doing my duty," Grand replied before sitting down, the group now seeing ice in his fur along with some minor wounds. His voice was low and heavy, his eyes darkened with exhaustion.

"Grand..." the unicorn added, "You're a hero."

"What?" Grand responded before shaking his head, "No, I'm not that. I was just doing my job."

Doom sighed and shook his head, "Grand, he's right. You're a hero." Grand opened his mouth to respond, only for Doom to say, "And don't say you're not. If it was anypony else, they might have been tempted to cut us loose." The guards all nodded, Grand remaining silent and the commander sat opposite him.

"You should be proud." He held up the plant, "You didn't just save us, you've also secured the lives of the ponies that are sick."

Grand just raised an eyebrow at this, "I was just doing my duty."

"Maybe," Doom added, "But anypony would be willing to call this mission off if they ran into complications like that. But you managed to pull us all to safety, tend to our wounds and then carry on alone while knowing it could be suicide."

"He's right," the commander finished, "Be proud. And remember this: A hero isn't just somepony that does heroic deeds. They're also the ones who push on, overcoming any doubt and any mistake made. Remember that the next time you feel like you can't go on any longer."

Grand just blinked at him, the words barely reaching his ears as the memory of those words tried to etch themselves into his mind.





The Present...

The memory sank back into Grand's mind, along with the image of Doom flying to his death also there. Grand stared back down at the hammer, gripping it in his hooves before Live's words rang out in his head.

"I...I won't let your sacrifice be in vain," Grand whispered, his eyes drilling themselves into the hammer...only to loosen his grip. That night so long ago came back into his head, telling him he wasn't worthy of anything. But as this happened, he tightened his grip again, "No...I'll stop him. I'll...do it. I'm the only one who can."

With that, he began to stand up, feeling an immense weight as he tried to lift the weapon onto his back, and he knew what it was. It was all his sins, the feeling pouring down on him as he placed the hammer on his back. And as he did this, a light caught his attention and made him look to the horizon. Celestia had raised the sun, its light illuminating the kingdom and washing away the darkness...and Grand felt his own start to fade away. "I know what I need to do."

At the same time, Live was waiting outside the garden, letting out a long sigh as she got off another bench. "Guess he gave up. Figures."

But as she said that, the sound of hooves made her glance back and see Grand with the Celestic Gear with him. "So?" She asked, "You gonna give up?"

Grand shook his head, "Never."

"Oh?" Live replied with a cocked eyebrow, "Aren't you not worthy of anything and wasting my work on that Celestic Gear?"

"I am not worthy of anything." Grand responded as he stopped in front of her, "But I know what I have to do now. I'm going to go stop Bomber and end this." Both of Live's eyebrows went up at that, only for Grand to walk past her before stopping, "And...thanks. For helping me see straight."

Live started to giggle as she heard those words, walking up to his side, "About time you got it together." She put her hoof on his shoulder, "You know, we might have just met, but you can trust me. I'll be here to help you, no matter what." Grand looked back at her, a small smile forming. "See? There you go. Nice to see a smile from you."

"Don't push me." Grand replied, rolling his eyes while still showing his smile.

"Good." Live chuckled, "Now, let's get to work. With Center dead, we don't have any clue who Bomber really is."

"I wouldn't say that," Grand responded, "Follow me."





Thundering Calculations was Canterlot's number one accounting company, first created by the mathematical genius Thunder Counter. The accountants there were the best in Equestria, some working for the richest ponies in the kingdom, with even Celestia hiring them to help with her yearly budgets. There was even a rumor that the company had a wolf that worked for them on the side.

And in its primary location was Number Cruncher, working at his desk while letting out a yawn. His space was cluttered with papers, his eyes twitching as he scribbled on one of the pieces.

"Tired?" He glanced up to see a smiling Remarie with a basket in hoof. "You must be exhausted after that all-nighter." She held up the basket, "I brought you some breakfast."

"Thank you," he replied before taking the container, "But you shouldn't be here. Not with that Bomber pony out to get you."

Remarie smiled as she reached up and straightened his tie. "I'm not gonna stop living my life just because some nut-job is threatening me. If I let him ruin my life, I'll just be playing right into his plans." She gave him a kiss on the cheek and stepped back. "Besides, I have a bunch of guards around to help me. They're waiting outside and said they would make sure nopony suspicious enters. Now," she picked up the basket and glanced around, "Who wants bagels?"

The other accountants in the room all raised their hooves, all licking their lips as she went to a nearby table and took out the bagels. Jars of different James came next, everypony walking over to the table as the office's selection of teas and coffees were gathered as well.

But just as Number Crunched finished his bagel and sipped the last of his coffee, he heard the door open and Remarie's voice, "Oh, hello again." He turned to see Grand and Live, both showing large frowns on their faces. "I didn't get the chance to tell you yesterday, but thank you for saving me. I owe you and your friend my life." She raised an eyebrow at this, "Though...is he here?"

"No," Live shook her head, "I'm afraid he isn't." It was then that she turned to Grand as Number Cruncher got up.

"Grand?" He asked, "What's going on? Where's Doom?"

Live sighed, "I'm afraid...there was an incident. Doom, he's..."

She was about to say it, but Grand raised a hoof. The mare nodded back as Grand marched up to Cruncher, the stallion blinking at him, "Grand, tell me. What happened to Doom?"

It was here that Grand's face twisted, his eyes narrowing as the frown morphed into a look of seething rage. "You already know what happened." Before anypony could say anything, Grand's hoof slammed itself into Cruncher's face, knocking him over his desk with a mighty thud.

Everypony gasped at the sight, Live exclaiming, "Grand! What are you-"

But her words suddenly came to a stop. The sound of a metal ting rang out, only for her eyes to glance down and saw a tiny device roll across the floor. A Cutie Marker, which had the name and fake cutie mark as the pony that they had fought last night.

She then glanced back up and saw Grand grab Cruncher's shirt's neck, pulling him up till they were face to face, "You have a lot of explaining to do."