I was busy.
Fighting aliens.
In spess.
Have your free entertainment now.
“Bon-Bon?”
The confectioner fidgeted side to side. She was slowly being withdrawn from the encompassing darkness of her sleep. Something nudged her foreleg.
“Bon-Bon?”
Finally placed back into the waking world, Bon-Bon cracked her eyes open. She was in her bedroom; the annoying striped wallpaper she never got around to replace indicated that. Her body felt uncomfortably warm under her sheets. Releasing a groan, she messily pushed the covers off of her and let the cool morning air regulate her temperature. She knew this particular lethargy. Again, it seems, she ate too much candy, fell asleep too late, and woke up bone-tired from the craziest dream she had ever dreamt in... probably forever. It was more akin to a nightmare. She attempted to recall some of it before it faded away forever. Some horrible-looking monster attacked the town. She was running for her life, trying not to look back, when she--quite literally--ran into her good friend Lyra. But it was not the Lyra she knew, it was some hybrid creature that half-looked like Lyra, but the other half had pale flesh, two extra limbs, and a peculiarly flat face. She could recall no more, which probably indicated the point when she woke up. Bon-Bon had no idea how or why her subconscious conjured up these ludicrous, surreal things in her sleep, but she dismissed it like every other strange dream, assuring herself that it wasn’t reality.
She was nudged on her foreleg again. Odd... It felt like something was wrapped around it. “Hey! Bon-Bon! You awake?”
She sighed. It was her roommate, Lyra, being obnoxious as ever. She may have been her friend since she was a little filly, but there was a good reason why Bon-Bon strove to wake up early every morning: So she wasn’t woken up by her. At least she didn’t use the miniature gong-
*BWAASHHHHHH!!!*
“Are you awake now?”
“YES! I’M AWAKE!!” She yelled. Out of spite, she didn’t bother turning to her direction, which was the other bed to the left of her. She just continued to stare at the annoying wallpaper.
“Ok, cool... I thought you went into a coma or something.”
Bon-Bon rolled her eyes. “Better luck next time, right?”
“I hope not...”
“You know what?” She felt her temper flare again, but she didn’t bother to quell it. She felt it completely justified to berate her friend from being so Celestia-damned abrasive. “Why can’t you just leave me alone for once, huh? Do you feel that it is your sworn duty to make my life miserable? Do you think it’s funny when I squirm?”
“No, it’s just... I thought...”
“I can’t even get away from you in my dreams! You were there, except you were some... mutant thing.”
Lyra said nothing for a long time. “You... thought that was a dream?”
A jarring sensation hit Bon-Bon. It made her put into question her initial assumption of the fantasy she experienced. The memories didn’t fade away. They were real. The monster, the running, the town in panic and ruins, Lyra...
Bon-Bon turned around.
“OH MY CELE-*hhmmphh!*”
“Please, please, please don’t freak out.” She tried to calm her writhing friend, her hand clamped firmly over her mouth. Still, she struggled, wide-eyed, attempting to twist out of the centaur’s grip. She persisted for a few more seconds, but then started to get weary of it. Lyra held fast.
“Ok.” She said after Bon-Bon had stopped thrashing. “I’m going to let you go, and then I’ll tell you what happened. You gotta promise me that you won’t scream, alright?”
With quivering eyes, the candy-maker nodded her head.
“Ok. I’m gonna let you go now.” She release her. Bon-Bon sat in place for a moment.
Then sprinted for the doorway.
“No!” Lyra leapt up and caught the terrified mare before she could make it across the room. She kicked and flailed with all her might.
“Help! Help me! Somepony-” The hand was forced over her mouth again.
“Bon-Bon, please! Don’t run away from me! Aren’t we still friends?”
That seemed to have an effect. She slackened, ceasing all attempts of breaking free. Lyra let go of her mouth.
“I’m sorry... I wasn’t thinking...” She admitted. The centaur released her from her arms and gently set her on the ground. Bon-Bon observed Lyra’s new form closely for the first time. She was still wearing Dominic’s red sash around her chest. Besides the fact that she never bothered to take it off, it made running a little more comfortable for her.
“What happened to you? How did you get like this?”
Lyra met her eyes with such remorse. “I... I messed up, Bon-Bon. I messed up bad.” She lowered herself to the floor. “I snuck into that alchemist’s lab. You know, the one near Everfree? I... took one of his potions. I didn’t care for my own safety. I... I threatened to... to...” She couldn’t speak any further. Bringing her hand to her face, she tried not to break down in front of her friend. “I-I’m sorry. I think you were right. I think I am crazy...”
Bon-Bon comforted her friend as best as she could. “It doesn’t matter, Lyra. You can be... difficult sometimes, but I’ll still be your friend, no matter what you look like.”
“But now I’m stuck like this forever!”
“What?!”
Lyra pulled away. How would she explain something like this?
“Well... uh... I kinda-sorta drank all of it. A good couple liters. Dominic--that’s his name--he said I’m stuck like this for the rest of my life for doing that.”
“Isn’t there an antidote?”
She shook her head. “He said no and told me why that wouldn’t work.” Lyra paused. “...I forgot what he said. His breath stinks really bad, by the way.”
Bon-Bon took a few steps back, eyes to the ground. “I’m sorry about that, Lyra, That you have to live like this for the rest of your life.”
“It’s not so bad.” She said, her gloom evaporating almost instantly. “I mean, at least I got these babies!” She held up her hands and flexed her slim fingers. “Just as good as magic! I can still play my lyre.”
The confectioner raised an eyebrow in scepticism.
“No, really! They’re awesome!” She moved a little closer. “Just feel them!”
Bon-Bon flinched away. “No, that’s ok. I take your word for it...”
“No, wait! Just let me run ‘em through your mane!”
“Lyra, I really don’t-”
“It’s harmless!” The hand still moved closer.
“Really, Lyra, I-” The hand met the curly strands of her mane, penetrating the thick, bundled layers of the hair and touching her scalp. Slowly, the hand ran down the length of her neck. A tingling sensation drained all the tightness from her muscles. She cooed unintentionally, but inaudibly. Bon-Bon shuddered as Lyra’s hand pulled back.
“Good?” She asked.
“Yeah...” Her friend replied, eyes fluttering.
“Again?”
“Yes~”
She moved her hand towards her friend again, but this time she went for the chin, then the neck. Bon-Bon rolled onto her back, legs splayed. The centaur began rubbing her chest while the pony lay staring off into space, tongue hanging out of her mouth.
“Can you rub a bit lower?” Bon-Bon requested. Lyra complied.
“Lower.”
Lyra went lower again, but with more hesitation.
“Lower.”
Lyra only went an inch downward, staying on the belly, the expression of discomfort plain on her human face.
“Lower~!” Bon-Bon said while a moan forced its way out of her throat.
“Wow, Bons,” Lyra retracted her hand. “This is getting kinda weird...”
The confectioner whipped her hoof out and stopped her hand. She glared a deathly gaze at her friend.
“Don’t you dare stop.”
+++++
Applejack waited outside of the hospital with her friends. Rarity and Pinkie Pie had to leave for their homes. Only the librarian and the alchemist remained. Ellis said he wouldn’t be long, but the wait was starting to agitate Twilight, who could not stand to be idle while the town was in ruins. Dominic, in his patience, sat on the other side of the doorway, humming some sad tune she did not recognise.
She hated it. She hated to see Ponyville like this. With every breath she took, she could smell smoke and fear through her nostrils. She could smell blood and broken spirits. Never in the history of the quaint village had anything like this happened. Applejack never would have thought that only a small taste of Earth’s dystopia would have this impact. Ellis said that there were at least dozens or even hundreds of these “Tanks” back where he come from, and all it took was just one of them to rend the ponies’ peace-loving society to shreds. She felt the festering sickness of melancholy wedge itself into her stomach again. As much as she wanted to be happy, fate just decides to take another course. Off to the side, Dominic suddenly blinked, as if he remembered something, and grumbled to himself inaudibly. He probably forgot to do something back at his lab.
Applejack’s thoughts were shifted to the Tank itself. Only anger and hate were present in the subject of monsters for the farmpony, but Fluttershy had reminded them all that the monster was once human... like Ellis. How could something so unassuming turn into something so big and scary? What kind of evil force does this “Green Flu” command to make such a horrible abomination? For the first time, she wondered about the human behind the monster. Was he as kind and carefree as Ellis? Did he have a wife? Children of his own? Did it matter? Everything about his previous life was gone, for he had been reincarnated into a mindless beast. Insanity tore at the frayed edges of his mind until he gave way to the corruption, forming the hellion he was today. It was only a monster with an insatiable lust for violence and destruction. It didn’t care for the victim its wrath ensnared, nor the hopes and dreams of the ponies who were unlucky. It killed some of the townfolk, she knew. The downfall of being the Element of Honesty is that she must be brutally honest with herself. There was nothing they could do to stop it, either. The Royal Guard was miles away, the Elements were scattered, and she wasn’t there, a fact that she would never forgive herself for.
That brought up a curious question: What made it leave?
That thought was cut short as the hospital doors opened and Ellis’ tall, bipedal figure stepped out. Immediately standing up, Applejack went to greet him.
“What was that all ‘bout?” She asked.
“Mah friend was there. We talked a bit.” He paused. “Listen, Applejack, Twilight... There’s somethin’ ah gotta do. Can ah get mah machete back from ya?”
“Ellis,” Twilight spoke. “I’m not sure if I can do that. The mayor said-”
“Things have changed, Twilight.” Dominic interrupted. “A monster just ran amok in your town, and the human is the only one who knows how to destroy it. Were you prepared to take action after the Tank had gone?”
She said nothing.
“That’s what I thought. If he’s going to remedy this problem, then he must at least be equipped for it.”
“We’re gonna hafta tell the mayor ‘bout this, though.” Said Applejack. “We can’t keep her in the dark, ‘specially at a time like this.”
“And she shall hear about it.” Dominic said. “The well-being of Ponyville falls to her. It’s only fair.” He turned to Twilight. “You retrieve his weapon while we inform Miss Mare. Are we in agreement?”
“Sounds like a plan, man.” Ellis confirmed.
“I’ll be right back.” The librarian almost turned to gallop off. “Where should I meet you guys?”
“Either at your library or...” He trailed off when he noticed that the townsfolk were wandering in the same direction. Twilight approached one of them.
“Excuse me.” She got the attention of the brown, hourglass cutie mark colt. “Where is everypony going?”
“The mayor’s called another meeting.” He replied. “Every able-bodied pony is to attend and such.” With that, he trotted off with the flow of the crowd.
“Why do ah keep seeing that guy everywhere?” Ellis queried.
“That’s Doctor Whooves. He’s pretty busy, from what I’ve heard. Has a lot of places to go to.” Twilight answered.
“Well, I suppose that is where we’ll be joining up, then.” Dominic concluded. “Find us at the meeting after you reclaim his weapon. We may not have much time before it comes back...” Everyone took a wary glance at Everfree Forest.
“I’ll be back soon!” Said Twilight. Without another word, she galloped off to her home.
“Come on, y’all!” Applejack spoke up. “Ah have a feelin’ it’ll start soon!”
+++++
The library door creaked open to reveal the darkened room behind it. Twilight carefully stepped inside and used her faintly glowing magic to shut the door behind her. The house was strangely quiet.
“Spike?” She called. “Spiiiiike?” No answer. That was strange...
She continued upstairs to her bedroom. Zecora was still in her bed, right where she left her. The zebra was laying on her back, legs splayed in an unladylike fashion, snoring up an earthquake with the bedsheets in shambles around her. Twilight couldn’t help but giggle at the contrast between the mysterious, collected witch-doctor and her languid sleeping habits. She didn’t know her personally, being almost as reclusive as Dominic was, but it seemed she wasn’t as different as one might think. She had her... quirks, just like everypony else.
But now was not the time to muse. There was a monster on the loose somewhere in Everfree Forest that only Ellis knew how to combat. She needed to find his knife as soon as possible, though she couldn’t see how that comparatively small thing could hurt that hulking thing. It was the only weapon Ellis had when he came here, so they would have to make due. Somehow.
Twilight illuminated the enchanted cubbyhole with her unicorn horn. She was surprised how well the spell held up. All physical enchantments naturally decayed over time--unless it was imbued with magical runes, but she didn’t have the time nor the proper reason to do so--and the effectiveness of the illusion would wear with it. Though it was dark, it seemed her invisible wall was still as perfect as the day she casted it. The spell itself wasn’t particularly advanced or powerful, but it was more difficult than the usual spells she casts day to day. She expected the wall would have at least lost some detail within 24 hours, but it’s been more than two days and none of the magic has deteriorated. Her skills must have been improving. She took pride in that.
“Now, to dispel it.” She thought to herself. The process of dispersing the illusion was simple, but she was a bit crestfallen that such a prime example of her gift with magic had already run the course of its usefulness. Why, if Princess Celestia wasn’t so busy, she would invite her over to see it...
“No!” She chided herself. Now was not the time to get attached to little things. With a bright spark of magic, a bead of sparkling power floated from the tip of her horn and flew towards the cubbyhole. As soon as it connected, the barrier dissolved into a shower of magic dust, causing Zecora to turn a bit in irritation. The air cleared and Twilight looked into the compartment.
The machete was gone.
Twilight blinked. Frantically, she searched the recess. The books and everything else that was there prior was still present, but the sheathed weapon was nowhere to be found. The librarian started to panic. How could have it been gone? Was it taken? Her spell was perfect! Nopony could have seen past it. Did she accidentally misplace it and didn’t remember? NO, she wouldn’t do something as careless as that. She kept track of everything, and what she couldn’t keep track of, she left Spike to do it... Hold on...
She looked again. Her suspicions were confirmed, for the machete was not the only thing that was gone. The bag of pearls was gone as well. Twilight snorted in frustration.
“Spike...”
+++++
“SPIIIIKE!!!”
With his deadly, massive blade in claw, Spike turned to meet the source of the tremors that shook the earth to its core. From the hardened rock of the burning battlegrounds rose a towering, chitinous abomination. Its body was as black as death itself. Its mandibles spat out a combination of frothing spittle and pure malice. Its beady, red eyes penetrated the soul of all who dared to meet its gaze. It cast a great shadow, blotting out the blood-red sun for Spike and his comrades, who were engaged in furious battle all around him against the twisted creatures that came from beneath the ground. Giant, insectoid arms ending in honed, razor-sharp talons churned crumbling rock beneath its weight as it stomped towards its foe: the one they call Spike the Monster Slayer. Its terrible voice rang over the din of war, as loud as a thousand cannons and deep as the Hell from whence it came.
“Spike!” It repeated as it clawed closer. “Your insolence will be tolerated NO LONGER! Many of my kin you have slain, but they were weak; their chitin was not as thick as their resolve, but now you face ME!” It reared up, displaying the segmented, natural armor it so prided. Harder than the strongest steel and more dense than the most stalwart of heroes, its body was a timeline of a millennia of battle. Gouges and scorch-marks covered every inch, none of them ever came close to defeating the behemoth.
“Many have tried to best me, but their efforts were for naught! I have endured centuries of conflict, killed your greatest champions, toppled many of your petty, mortal kingdoms with my own claws! You are but a speck to me!” Its thunderous voice was paired with the foul stink of his breath. It was the smell of despair and a thousand opened graves. The very presence of this monstrosity would make any regular dragon cower with fear, but Spike stood his ground, heroically stoic to this horror.
“I am going to destroy you--slay the slayer--and then all of Equestria will meet the same fate!” It made sweeping gestures with his ebony limbs. “Nothing will stop me from erasing everything you love from the face of the earth!” Its beady, red eyes gazed upon the insignificant figure of the dragon. “Including your... betrothed.”
Rarity...
A low growl surfaced from his throat. With muscles strung tight as the mighty steel cable of a ballista, he raised his glittering blade to a ready position.
“You shall not lay a talon on her, fiend!” Spike snarled through gritted teeth. He didn’t actually know what “fiend” meant, but it came naturally to him. It seemed like the right word to use to describe something that would dare hurt Rarity. “Your tyrannical reign of fear is over! You may have killed our great champions before, but you shall not have me, this fair land, or my fair lady!”
The great towering abomination bellowed forth gargled laugh. “Such petty, foolish sentiment. A great shame you cannot win battles with WORDS!” It raised his massive limb above its head, ready to bring it down on the warrior. “I will send you to the fiery pits of Korr like the gnat you are!”
The talon came hurling down on the battle-ready champion with the force of a hundred battering rams. Spike stood unmoving, poised to take action. The limb impacted the ground and the monster widened all eight of its eyes. It pulled back, screaming out a horrific wail from its thrashing mandibles, clutching the wound on its hand that was gushing out black ichor. Spike was on one knee, holding his greatsword, covered head-to-foot in the lifeblood of his foe. A crater had formed around him where he stood.
“I think I will prove to be more of a challenge!” The dragon shouted defiantly.
“Gah! Insolent creature! You mortals shall know your place soon enough!!” Holding aside its bleeding palm, it took another massive swipe with another of his many arms. Spike jumped backwards, feeling the vivid sensation of a gust of turbulence cooling the layer of slick blood on his scales as the claw missed him by mere inches. He executed a perfect roll and dodged another attack. The behemoth made its second mistake by using another overhead strike, which the dragon warrior sidestepped instinctually. For a moment, the razor talons were embedded in the ground. The monstrosity used its massive strength to wrench it out, but before that, Spike devised a plan to use this error to his advantage, hopped onto the limb, and charged up the arm towards the beast’s head.
“You dare?!” It slapped its palm on its arm in an attempt to rid the pest once and for all, but Spike dodged it flawlessly and continued up the monster’s chitinous appendage. Seeing that that didn’t work, it shook the arm vigorously. Spike stumbled and tried to keep purchase on his arm, digging his claws into the armored shell as much as he could, but he couldn’t hold on forever. Then he was hit with a brilliant tactic. Timing it correctly, he let go when the arm was swinging upward. Launched by the creature’s own force, the warrior soared through the air, arcing towards the twisted face of the abomination. The beast could see his undoing before his eyes and attempted, in vain, to stop it. He backpedaled on his towering legs and lashed at the air to ground his attacker. The dragon evaded these strikes in mid air while still rocketing down to his target, the eyes. He reversed the grip on his sword, tip down at his enemy. His cape billowed and fluttered in the wind as he gave a powerful warcry.
The sword connected with the soft flesh of its eye and sank hilt-deep. The monster shrieked in agony.
“Spike!” It gurgled with its blood cascading to the ground like black rain. “What are you doing?!”
Spike yanked out his sword and slashed away at the incoming claws before stabbing into the next eye. The ichor coated every inch of his body. Another warped howl exploded from its mouth.
“I’m slaying you, vile monster! Nothing as evil as you could possibly live forever!” Batting away more attempts to knock him off, Spike swung down below the creature’s jaw and proceeded to try and pry off its segmented armor with his mystical flamberge. He thrust into the soft part between the plates, gripped the handle with both claws, planted his feet firmly on the beast’s surface, and pulled with all his might. The behemoth felt this.
“Spike! Where are you? Are you down here?” That was no good. The armor was too firmly attached, and Spike feared that he would be dismounted before he got it off. All of Equestria was counting on him to defeat this menace and bring peace to the land. He couldn’t lose now! Grunting with effort, he put more strength into his pull. His muscles screamed in pain, but he could feel the armor start to snap off its tendons. Strange... the last time the monster spoke, it sounded off. Higher pitched. More feminine. More... familiar.
There was a sharp snap and the armor came off partway. A roar of agony and wounded pride followed. That same armor had stayed in place for centuries, and now the realization that it may be the end began to dawn on the monster. It thought it was indestructible. Nothing is indestructible.
Still, the beast would fight to the end. He tried to claw the infiltrator off of his armor, but Spike had already shifted position. He now had the handle of his blade on his shoulder, giving more push to the lever, driven by pure determination. He was partly protected by the creature’s own defenses.
“Spike! Where are you?!” The voice came again. He had to keep going, even though his body was begging for him to stop. Just a little further...
“SPIKE!!!”
“Twilight?”
The baby dragon dropped the machete. As it clattered to the floor, the illusion shattered. The smell of blood and smoke was replaced with the smell of dust. The sounds of battle were replaced with the silence of the library’s candle-lit basement. The gigantic monster was no longer. Instead, a couple of slapdash wooden dummies were there, chipped away by the hacking of his dull blade. And there was the unicorn known as Twilight Sparkle, looking at him with such burning contempt. Spike couldn’t find any excuse.
“What do you think you’re doing?!” She berated.
“I... uh... um...” He looked at the fallen machete as he stuttered out the words. “Stuff?”
Twilight couldn’t even begin to fathom the proper words to chide her assistant. She started by taking the knife with her magic and glaring down at Spike hard.
“This is a dangerous weapon, Spike! You could have hurt yourself with it!” She paced around him, her anger disallowing her to stay in one place. “All of Ponyville is in ruins from a giant monster, and here you are playing with Ellis’s knife like... like a toy!”
“N-no! It’s not like that!” He blurted defensively. “I didn’t know it was his! I swear! I... I just...”
“DON’T TALK BACK TO ME!” Twilight shouted. Whatever words Spike would have said became lodged in his throat. “I thought you knew better! I thought you had an ounce of common sense in you! I thought you had an ounce of respect for me in you! Evidently not, because here I am, scolding you like a child! Do you have any rational reason for doing...” She pointed to the crude dummy. “Doing this?!”
Spike was taken aback by just how angry she was. She was never this angry, not even when she found that charred book he kept from her. She only talked sternly to him. This was different. It scared him.
“I-I don’t know... I just... pick it up... and I start seeing things. Things that I’ve never seen before...”
Twilight stopped him before he could carry on with this manure. She bucked the dummy to pieces before his eyes. Splinters clattered to the floor, and Spike gasped as all the work he put into those was ruined.
“I don’t have time to put up with your lies, Spike! Everypony in town is reeling from what happened last night, and I...” She faltered for a split-second, blinking off into space like she was thinking inwardly. The edges of her eyes became moist. “You don’t even acknowledge that... just... ponies died, Spike! Nopony will ever see them again! It may be a foal who’s lost his mother, or a colt who’s lost his best friend. They’re gone, and... and I couldn’t... I didn’t...” Her emotions threatened to go into a landslide. She bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut.
“Where’s the cover?” She said curtly.
“Over there.” Spike pointed to the strap sitting by the doorway. He couldn’t bear to look at her.
Twilight picked up the sheath, put the machete in it, and walked out with only a suppressed sniffle.
He didn’t know exactly how or why, but Spike felt like dirt. He didn’t know that the town was destroyed. He didn’t know anything about how serious the situation was outside. Still, he felt the shame come all the same. Here he was, acting out a delirious fantasy while suffering took place elsewhere. His rump fell to the cold, stone floor. He sat there in the light of the flickering candles, quivering, trying his hardest not to cry. Warriors don’t cry... warriors are tough as nails, but Spike knew that he was no warrior. He was just... a stupid idiot who thought he was a warrior. Still, he held back his tears, because despite the fact that he knew he was just the baby dragon assistant of a librarian, who he loved like a sister, he kept telling himself that warriors don’t cry.
Upstairs, he could barely make out Twilight sobbing loudly in the lobby.
+++++
Outside the town hall, where the last meeting took place, the entirety of the town waited before the stage. Unlike last time, however, there was no excited buzz amongst the crowd, only quiet, disconcerted murmurs. Everywhere they looked they beheld the chaos of the rampaging beast. There was no part of town one could go without being reminded of the destruction that took place prior. Even the very ground they stood on was broken and churned. Sometimes, one would find that there were entire chunks of cobblestone that were missing, only to discover the missing piece embedded into a building. Some ponies lost their possessions, some lost their homes, some even lost their loved ones. Though tragic, death was a thing most ponies could accept. Everypony had to die someday. Murder, however, was something they couldn’t. In the near-utopian Equestrian society, virtually nopony had a reason to kill another. It wasn’t completely unheard of, of course, but Ponyville has not experienced anything like this since its founding nearly a hundred years ago.
There was movement on the stage. A somber Mayor Mare came slowly trotting up to the podium, a slip of paper in her mouth. There were bags under her eyes, evidence of her lack of rest and the weight of the town’s tragedy set firmly on her back. Her greyish-white was not as neatly kept as it usually was. The burden she had to bear was unspeakable. She barely knew how to cope with it. Any lesser mayor would have given up, but even in the worst of times, Miss Mare had always stuck with it. She promised the ponies of Ponyville that she would uphold the law and the well-being of the town, no matter what the personal cost. The piece of paper was placed on the podium.
“Citizens of Ponyville.” She announced through the mic. Everypony hushed almost immediately. “Thank you all for coming, and... bless all who couldn’t make it...” She stole a moment of silence. Then, she got right to business. She didn’t want to waste her breath on mindless pleasantries. “I regret to announce the statistics of the results of the attack last night. WE have a total of thirty-nine injured, three critical, and... nine dead.”
Not a soul in the crowd dared to even draw a breath.
“But...” She went on to say. “We shall persevere like we always have. We will mourn the loss of those who did not live to see today, and we will rebuild what has been destroyed. On the subject of the monster, I have sent a letter to Canterlot requesting troops from the Royal Guard. They will protect our borders. In time, this tragedy will be forgotten. Let us hope that, with care and caution, nothing like this will ever happen again.”
When her head turned to the ground, the ponies knew that the major’s speech was done. Short and simple. Mayor Mare didn’t have any affinity for soaring speeches, and if she did, now would not be the proper time. Her will was hanging by a thread. She had much work to do.
+++++
“Ya sure, man? She’s up on stage.”
“We will not get another chance to convene with her.” Replied Dominic. “She’ll bury herself in paperwork as soon as she steps inside of her office.”
Ellis wiped the sweat from under his hat. “Alright, but if this goes sideways, it’s on you.”
Ignoring, or just not plain not hearing the grumbles of irritation from the dark earth pony, Ellis jaunted up the brief stairway that lead to the stage floor and got the attention of the mayor. When Mayor Mare caught sight of the human, her expression turned sour. He was the last... thing she wanted to see right now.
“Hey, uh... Miss Mare! Ah wanted tah talk to ya fer a sec!”
The mayor scowled. “What could you possibly want now of all times?”
Ellis stopped right in front of the politician at the front of the podium to catch his breath. The remaining crowd of ponies all became interested in the presence of the human.
“Now hear me out, Ma’am. Ah know ya got a lot on ya an’ stuff, but ah kin help. Ah kin take care a’ yer monster, if ya just let me have mah machete back.”
The mayor’s glare intensified. “Why on earth would I allow you to help with anything! You’ve done nothing but act like a buffoon since you got here! You’ve ran across town screaming at least three times and instigated a drunken brawl!”
The human shifted uncomfortably. “Now in mah defense, only half of those were my fault.”
“I’ve stuck my neck out for you, too! All yesterday morning I’ve been conversing with the chief of police, convincing him to not arrest you for public disturbance!” She pressed on aggressively. “You know what you are? A foal! A childish foal! I don’t care about where you're from, or what you’ve done, but your actions clearly speak for themselves!”
Ellis grimaced, but recovered. “Yeah, ah know ah’ve been actin’ kinda stupid, but jus’ listen to me. Y’all have no idea what yer up against!”
“I have the royal guard on its way, straight from Canterlot. Any monster, no matter how big or vicious, will think twice if they it sees the golden armor of Celestia’s chosen few!”
Applejack and Dominic caught up with him on stage. They watched the argument swing back and forth with intent.
“But that’s just it, Ma’am! It ain’t some rampaging wildlife creature from some parts unknown!”
“What are you saying?”
“It ain’t gonna back down from any show a’ force. It don’t think no more, it just kills.” Ellis explained darkly.
For a Moment, Mayor Mare said nothing. She inhaled a long, quiet gasp to calm her nerves. Before long, though, she regained her perpetually cool composure. She couldn’t let fear and uncertainty overtake her now. She had an example to set.
“And how do you know this, hmm? How is it that you’re suddenly a monster expert?”
Ellis hesitated. “Well... Ah’ve dealt with these things before.”
“From where? Where did this creature come from?”
A little voice inside his head told him that he was being played. Mayor Mare wasn’t the best at verbal skirmishing, but she had a way with words, a few tricks, and Ellis was an easy target. Nonetheless, the mechanic stuttered out an answer.
“It came from where ahm from.”
The facts were becoming clearer to Miss Mare. She had him on the anvil. Now it was time to bring down the hammer.
“What are you saying? How did it get here?”
Ellis paused for a moment, unsure of what to say. “Well, like ah’ve said before, ahm not really sure how ah got here, but it may have gotten here the same way-”
“IT CAME HERE WITH YOU?!”
She may have let too much anger and volume slip into her voice. She only wanted to be aggressive to get her point across. She knew Ellis’s type. He was a thick-skulled ignoramus that wouldn’t listen to reason if he set his mind to something. She only wanted to chide him into submission and get back to dealing with the problem on her own terms, but that idea completely dissolved in an instant. She felt as if her lungs iced over and her heart ceased to beat when she heard her shrill voice echo over the loudspeaker. She sensed the wide-eyed stares of shock and confusion locked on the stage coming from the crowd of ponies that still remained. The air itself held it’s breath and not a even a murmur was heard. Calm before the storm. Applejack, Dominic, Ellis, and Mayor Mare all went numb with dread.
She had, again, forgotten to turn off the microphone.
“Ah shit...” Said Ellis.
Like a spark catching on tinder, a hot flame was born into existence. From the tribulation of the common citizen who felt the panic of last night’s events, to the sorrow of those who lost their homes, to the agonizing grief of the few who lost a friend, family member, or loved one, the pendulum swung and that all turned to bitter rage. The assembled ponies began gritting their teeth and raising their voices, shouting curses and ugly obscenities at their nearest source of pain, which was Ellis. The fire spread, and soon, the entire crowd was consumed by dissent and anger. Gone was all rationality and compassion. Only chaos and the threat of absolute anarchy was present. Mayor Mare had her hooves rooted to the floor. Her heart was racing. She may have made the greatest mistake of her life. Maybe her last.
When she gained what was left of her senses, she made her way back to the podium. “Now, there’s no need to act violently! I’m sure-”
“He had something to do with this!” One bystander yelled.
“I knew no good would come of him!”
“How could you do this to us?!”
Mayor Mare had never had an angry mob on her hooves before, but from what she learned from her earlier days of apprenticeship, she knew there was no stopping the turbulent emotions that took hold on a large group of ponies. “It’s a spectacular phenomenon,” He used to say. “In the same manner a crowd could be fueled with adrenaline at a sporting event, they could also be roused into a singular entity of public unrest.” How he used to talk of it so nonchalantly. Being face-to-face to one was too terrifying for words. Meanwhile, Ellis slowly backed away while the crowd threatened to spill onto the stage like a pot of boiling water.
Then, Applejack pushed the mayor off the podium and sucked in a deep breath.
“WILL Y’ALL SETTLE THE HAY DOWN?!?!”
They did.
“Ahm darn near ashamed to live in a town where y’all lose yer heads at the first whiff a’ trouble! Whatever happened to compassion? Forgiveness? Love and tolerance?”
The majority cast their eyes downward.
“Ellis is guilty of nothin’ but the pursuit of happiness. He’s fought an’ bled for that goal, just as we’ve all had! When he came to Equestria, he had no friends, no family, an’ he owed nothin’ to us, but he put a smile on his face an’ worked to help Ponyville! He worked to earn your trust an’ become closer to those he met here. Ah’m proud to call him mah friend.
“There’s a monster out there, yes a monster that came from Ellis’s home, but it’s the same monster that destroyed his home as well. It’s his enemy as much as yours, except he’s fought them before. Now, he wants to help put it down fer good, an’ all you ponies kin think of is taking it out on the nearest unlucky fellow?”
The crowd was silent. They all felt regret.
“Pull yer heads outta the dirt, Ponyville! We’re better than this! Go home an’ think about how you’d feel in his position, but before you do, know that all this pain an’ sufferin’ ain’t fer nothin’. We’re gonna make sure this monster does no more harm. You have mah word.”
The crowd finally dispersed, heads hung low, trudging back to their homes. Applejack released a huge sigh, letting her muscles slacken before hopping off the podium and returning to the group with a smile.
“Ah think ah did good fer- OOF!”
She was caught breathless as Ellis stooped down and picked her up for a mighty, two-armed bear-hug.
“Thank ya, AJ. Outside the whole ‘zombie apocalypse’, that was the bravest thing anyone’s ever done fer me.”
He squeezed her hard. It was not unlike the constricting embrace when they first met, but differing from last time, Applejack hugged him back. While blushing up a storm, one might add.
“Ah’d do anythin’ for a good friend, Elli.”
While they were busy, a harrowed Mayor Mare slowly backed towards the door of city hall. She was stopped when she hit something solid, yet not wood, and her nasal passage was assaulted by the most horrific stench.
“Going somewhere, Miss?” Spoke a deep, rasping voice.
Gasping (and regretting the intake of air), she turned around to meet the eerie, deep-blue gaze of the alchemist Dominic. His breathing was slightly audible.
“Who are you?”
“Dominic, Miss. You may not know me, but that is due to me not concerning myself with politics these days. However, my associate still needs your express consent on the repossession of his weapon.”
“I... I can’t. I can’t let him put himself in harm’s way for the sake of my town.”
“Your town? I was under the most convincing impression that this town belonged to the citizens that resided within it.”
“But I was charged with protecting and governing it!”
“Maybe the only way to protect and govern it at this moment is accepting the help we are offering you.”
“I can do it myself!” She exploded. “It’s my duty, my responsibility! What good am I as a mayor if I can’t do that?!”
“Look at what is happening for one fausting second!” He shot back. “This is much bigger than you! You cannot possibly handle this yourself!”
“I can and I will! I owe them nothing less!”
Dominic narrowed his eyes. “That’s not what your father would have done.”
Mayor Mare’s eyes widened, but she gritted her teeth once more.
“You know nothing about my-”
“Mayor Mane? Yes, I just so happen to have known him quite well. He was a good leader. An inspiration. Wise beyond his age.” Dominic shook his head to rattle the memories and stared beyond the mayor. “I remember a quote of his, one he told you, I’m sure. ‘I could do so much for these ponies, but I am still but one pony. You must know, Gingersnap, that there are some things you cannot do alone.’”
She was speechless. She hadn’t heard that nickname since she was just a little filly. Tears almost flooded to her eyes, brought by the seemingly ancient feeling of nostalgia. There was no doubt that this strange stallion knew her father.
“...Or have you forgotten such words?” His gaze returned to her. “I believe you know what has to be done.”
+++++
Ellis and Applejack were just finishing their rather lengthy hug when Mayor Mare approached them. Slowly, she brought her eyes to the tall human.
“Ellis, I know we’ve had our differences, and admittedly, some of them were not entirely rational, but I had good reasons to doubt you. You came from nowhere. That alone was enough to raise suspicion.”
The mechanic had nothing to say. Now that he saw it from her perspective, he could see why she would distrust him.
“Your friend tells me you are able to help. I want to hear it from you.”
Ellis kneeled down to the aged politician to meet her at eye level.
“Miss, the last few weeks of mah life were a livin’ hell. Taking down a Tank ain’t a walk in the park, but ah’ve killed hunnerds of infected, an’ they only managed to kill me once ‘er twice.”
The mayor blinked in confusion.
“Er... The point is, these things trashed mah home an’ killed jus’ about everyone ah used to care for. Ah would give mah life--again--tah make sure that don’t happen here.”
She was silent for a moment. “Very well, If you say your intentions are truly selfless, then who am I to deny you. You may have your weapon back, as well as anything you require to do the job.” Mayor Mare clopped back to the town hall door and stepped inside.
“Thank, Miss! Ah won’t disappoint!”
She stopped just before she closed the door and looked back with weary eyes.
“Just... get rid of it.” The door slammed.
Dominic joined up with the group, receiving a raised eyebrow from Applejack.
“How the hay did you change her mind? Ah know the mayor. She ain’t the type to be swayed.”
The aged alchemist smirked. “I have a few methods of persuasion I’ve acquired over the years. Let’s dismiss the matter on that note.”
The farmpony scowled. “Now hold up! You can’t just-”
“Hey, Twilight!” Ellis suddenly shouted, cutting Applejack off in mid-thought. She and Dominic turned to see the librarian returning from her tree-home with the machete levitating beside her with a mystical, lavender aura. The human gave and exuberant wave with both arms in the air (as if he thought Twi couldn’t make out his stark appearance). The trio hopped off the stage and met Twilight halfway. Applejack noted that she looked as if she was dragging her hooves.
“Did the mayor say yes?” She croaked.
“Yeah. Red tape’s all cut an’ such.”
“Well here you go.” Ellis watched in fascination as his possession floated into his hand. Magic was still new to him, so it still left him in awe, no matter how small or nonchalant the use. Once the object was in his hand and the magic had dispersed, he unsheathed the blade and held it in front of his face, carefully inspecting it. Without proper warning to the others, began to swing it through the air. The ponies jumped back a few inches as the metal cut through empty space. Ellis brought it over his head, around his shoulder, behind his back, and to his right hand once more. He twirled it in his hand, twisting his wrist in familiar coordination. He tossed into the air, where it flipped twice and fell back into his palm. It was as if it was an extension of his body, not just a tool. A smile crept on his face and a hungry look seeped into his eyes.
“It’s good to have you back, old buddy...” Ellis sheathed the blade, fixed the strap over his shoulder, and turned back to Twilight.
“Thanks fer keepin’ it safe.”
“Sure thing...” She replied.
“What’s the matter?” He asked, perplexed. He kneeled down to get a better look at her face. “Have you been cryin’?”
She flinched away. “It’s nothing. Just... all the dust in the library. It got in my eyes.”
“Alright.” He stood up and turned to Applejack. “Well, we got one part of it. Rum Run said she’d supply me with some incendiary devices, but...” He trailed off.
“But what? We got everythin’ ya need tah get it done. What else could ya possibly need?”
“Believe it or not, AJ, a Tank is one ugly mother. It ain’t gonna even let me get close enough to use this, and if ah do get close enough, it’ll turn mah bones to gravel. Naw... every time ah’ve faced down one a’ these, ah had three other guys backing me up. With guns. Even then, it’s still a lead-absorbin’ sponge.”
“We’ll stand by ya, Ellis. We’ll help ya.”
“Aye.” Dominic agreed.
“‘Preciate it, but that won’t make a difference either.”
“You’d be surprised.” Twilight countered.
“It’s not that ah don’t think y’all can hold yer own, it’s just that, unless you kin shoot lasers outta yer eyes, it’s a suicide mission.”
“Well what can ya do?” Applejack queried while Twilight was still reeling from the “lasers from her eyes” notion. “Ya have everythin’ ya came with. What you have on yer back is probably the deadliest thing in Equestria right now!”
Ellis rubbed his chin in contemplation for a moment. He stood there for what was about thirty seconds before his hand dived into his pocket and he extracted a heavy cylinder made of plastic and brass. He turned the shell in his fingers, pondering deeply.
“It’s crazy, but it just might be possible...”
“What?”
He turned to Applejack. “You know a good blacksmith?”
“Wrought Iron. One’a the best smithies around. He trained in Stalliongrad.” She replied. “Why?”
+++++
Within the sweltering pits of the forge, an old pony worked. A steady beat of clangs resounded through the room, signaling each fall of the hammer. Sparks splashed out like white-hot water from every staccato of metal-on-metal. The place smelled of liquid iron and burning fuel. More clangs rang off the anvil before, finally, it ceased for a moment, and the noise of the room was replaced with the hissing sound of instantaneously vaporizing water.
Wrought Iron, a stallion in his early 80’s, wiped the buildup of perspiration on his brow with an overused rag while his unicorn magic brought the horseshoe out from the steaming pool of water and held it in front of him. From his worktable came a pair of pony-sized spectacles. Donning them on his face, he inspected his work, scrutinizing every square centimeter for flaws or irregularities. When there was none to be had, he smirked in satisfaction and willed it to a rack over by the wall, where it was hung with the rest of the newly-made horseshoes.
Taking a deep sigh, he carefully bent his neck until a cluster of small popping noises were heard. His mottled blue-and-grey coat was clumped with sweat and grime. He had a long, wiry, grey beard rolling from his chin, knotted in two places. He had some hair left on his scalp. He wished he had a bit more. His frosty eyes matched the white aura of his magic as it held his hammer. Now that his work has been done, he thought of appeasing the growling of his stomach that had been bothering him for the last hours of work. He thought of his wife cooking up a hearty supper at home. He thought of Granny Smith’s apple pies, and all other thoughts were pushed out of his head. He loved her pies. They were at the top of the things-he-couldn’t-do-without list. Life would be dull without the occasional taste of that sweet, flaky, tart flavor, with just a hint of cinnamon, and whatever unknown, but immaculate ingredient she puts in them.
There was a ring at the door as somepony entered the forge. His daydreams faded while the sound of steps descending the stone staircase was heard. From the hallway emerged Applejack, the sweetie that came by yesterday to have her grandmother’s gardening tools fixed. Her company was refreshing to Wrought. Following her was a figure that almost gave him a start. It was the strange, tall creature the orange farmpony spoke of yesterday. He furrowed his brow while he attempted to remember his name. It would come to him eventually. He set his hammer and adjusted his spectacles as he took his place behind his workbench, which doubled as a counter.
“Hello, sweetie. What can I do for you today?” A distressing thought came to him. “Oh dear, were those tools no good? I-I am sorry for any mistakes I made. The fire didn’t seem very hot yesterday...”
“The tools’r fine, Mr. Iron. Just like always. But ah ain’t here for fixin’ things. Ellis would like to ask somethin’ of ya.”
The human gave the blacksmith a wave and walked towards the table. “Nice to meet ya, Mister. This is askin’ a lot an’ all, but we got a problem on our hands, and ahm prepared tah pay whatever price tah get this done.”
He thought for a moment. “Is this about that monster?”
“Yes. Yes it is.”
“Hmm...” Wrought Iron had his share of toils during his time in the bleak, wintry lands of where he trained, but he had never been more fearful of his life and love than the events of the previous night. The commotion alone was enough to scare him and his wife half to death, but when they heard of a monster, he thought it was the end for sure. In the end, they came out unscathed, but the memories were still unnervingly fresh in his mind. If there was something he could do about it, then he would take that opportunity.
“I’ll help, but what did you have in mind?”
The human’s hand was clenched around some sort of small object. What it was, Iron did not know. He would soon find out.
“Well, to put it simply,” The shell was placed on the table in front of him. “We got a special order tah fill.”