In which a tree falls in Kansas, Teagan’s parents hear thrilling tales from Equestria, and we learn why Sun Hammer did not join the diplomatic corps.
“Remember, the bridge will open near Lady Teagan, but I can’t guarantee perfect accuracy.” Subtle Dancer cautioned Sun Hammer as they stood in the Everfree forest surrounded by members of the Sun Shield.
“The bridge won’t open in mid air or into a wall, but there’s no telling what’s on the other side. If everything goes according to plan you should see her the moment you step off the bridge. But you could end up a short distance away, inside another room for example.”
“Ye’re nae bein’ a comfort, Subtle Dancer, and that’s a fact.” Sun Hammer grunted.
“Sorry. Also, I can’t keep the bridge open very long, perhaps thirty seconds at a time. I’ll open it again in exactly six hours. Make sure you and Lady Teagan are ready, because you won’t have much time.”
“Aye. What happens if we be just a wee bit late?” Sun Hammer asked.
“I’ll open the Bridge every six hours.” Subtle Dancer replied. “I don’t know how many times I can do that, so don’t miss too many opportunities will you?”
“Dae me best, Chief.” Sun Hammer said seriously. “Be ye ready?”
Subtle Dancer nodded and closed his eyes. His horn lit up, rapidly growing too bright to look at. A hole opened in mid air, swelling until it touched the ground. Sun Hammer charged into the rainbow-edged opening.
“Fer Celestia, ye glaikit brig!” He yelled at the top of his lungs. There was a crash and cursing, then the Bridge snapped closed.
Subtle Dancer wondered if he would ever see that cheerful maniac again.
ooOoo
Teagan was happy, really happy. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt like this. Setting aside the sweater and the brightly wrapped box she’d just finished demolishing, she hugged her mother.
It was Christmas day and she was home and safe. It had been eleven months since her abduction. Now sixteen, she’d matured from the whiny little brat Discord had stolen away. But she hadn’t come home unscathed. Ever since then she never felt safe until she was home with Crush close to hand and both her parents in the house.
She still had her freckles and a nose no one spoke of. Her hair was still long and her pretty eyes still green. But after spending two hours every weekday with her Krav Maga instructor she no longer had a hair-trigger temper.
Matt Sanders had literally beaten it out of her during the first month of training. He’d shown her how easy it was for an enemy to use her temper as a weapon against her. He’d demonstrated by purposely taunting her into a rage and then wiping the floor with her.
Over and over again.
Every day for a month. And each and every day she’d asked herself why she kept going back. But she knew why. She couldn’t forget that cheerful voice in her ear, the tips of claws lightly pricking her throat. The look in Fluttershy’s eyes as Discord happily talked about torturing the kindly pegasus to death.
She’d been too stubborn to quit, and too dumb to learn. Every time Matt gleefully and painfully pounded the lesson into her thick skull she got back up and let him do it again. But in the end she finally learned the most important lesson of all: how truly dangerous fighting was, how much she sucked at it, and how easily she could get killed—or worse.
That was the day she actually started learning how to fight.
On the plus side during these past eleven months he’d managed to replace her bravado and mindless rage with a cold calculated precision. Once he found out she’d been kidnapped he seemed to take her abduction personally. He’d sworn to her after that first month that no one would ever be able to steal her away again when he was done with her.
His Christmas present to her had been making sure she’d earned her Level 2 certification and starting her Level 3 training. She still had years to go before she was an expert, but at least she knew how and where to hit someone so they wouldn’t be able to hit her back.
After a few months she’d begged to train with Crush as well as Krav Maga. He’d refused until she broke down and showed him Crush’s magic. She was afraid he’d drop her as a student, but he hadn’t. He was wary, at first, and still refused to spar with her and Crush during practice, but he had taught her how to parry and counter-attack, skills she hadn’t had when she fought Discord.
Unfortunately all that training made her feel even more vulnerable, not less. She was constantly hyper-aware of her surroundings, how every person could be a potential threat. She was constantly on edge and absolutely could not sleep unless Crush was in the bed with her. Even then she had at least one nightmare a week.
She’d nearly hurt people on two separate occasions when they startled her. One had been a teacher. It felt like she was walking on egg shells all the time. Matt thought she had a mild case of PTSD and urged her to see someone to talk about it. She’d tapped Crush and raised an eyebrow. He hadn’t pushed her after that, except to say if she wanted to talk about it he’d listen. She couldn’t bring herself to tell him about Equestria, she was certain he’d think she was certifiable.
As a result she thought she finally understood Sun Hammer now. She prayed for him every night, and asked God to bless Celestia for intervening when she had come within a hair’s breadth of killing Discord.
After eleven months of intense and punishing training she now thought she understood what it really meant to kill someone. Matt hadn’t just taught her Krav Maga, he’d shared a lot of his past Special Forces stories with her. He talked about some of the people he’d killed in Iraq and Bosnia and other places. Shared with her all the horror and the guilt and the senseless waste of it. Made sure she knew killing was forever. That it was the last resort.
But he also made sure she would be able to do it if she ever needed to.
Eleven months ago she’d been innocent and oh so very dangerous—but not in a good way. Now she was no longer quite so innocent and she understood just how little she did know. No wonder she still had nightmares. Ones where Crush was coming down and the sky split open and it was her own face looking up at her instead of Discord’s…
“Honey, are you ok?” Teagan’s mom asked worriedly as Teagan’s eyes lost focus, staring at something only she could see.
“Huh? Oh, yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking about Sun Hammer.” Teagan came back to herself, smiling for her mother’s sake.
“Pumpkin, he’s fine.” Her father tried to lighten her mood. “From what you’ve told us that pony could stand up to a Marine division if he had to.”
She chuckled.
“I just miss him and Fluttershy and the others. I wish they could be here to share Christmas with us.”
“I know what you mean.” Her father said, surprising her. “Friends that you’ll never see again are always a bittersweet joy. Auld Lang Syne. When I was your age I had some good friends. After high school we just drifted apart. Haven’t thought about them in years. That’s how the world turns, Teagan. You make a new life for yourself without realizing the old one fades away.”
“Yeah, well that sucks.” She said. “At least you could see them again if you wanted. It’s not like they’re in another world or anything. I’ll never be able to go back to Equestria. The Bridge of Days can’t be opened from this side.”
“I’m sure they’re thinking of you too, pumpkin.” He said gently. “Today is a day for celebrating friends and family. It doesn’t matter if they’re here or there. Just be glad you have them.”
“You’re right. But I still miss them.” Teagan said, straightening up and shaking off her somber mood.
“Here’s a toast I learned a long time ago.” Her father said, picking up his punch from the table next to his chair. “To our friends, the good guys, and to our enemies, the bad guys, and to the hope that one day we’ll be able to tell them apart.”
“Sounds like something Matt would say.” Teagan said with a giggle.
“To friends, and family, no matter where they might be.” Her mother raised her own cup.
Teagan picked up her own cup from the tray table and raised it.
“Here’s to Pinkie Pie, the only pony I know that puts hot sauce in her punch! And Fluttershy, the kindest, gentlest person I’ve ever met. And most especially, to Sun Hammer, a pony unlike any other!”
Just as they drank there was a blaze of rainbow light from the corner behind the Christmas tree and a loud voice shouted.
“Fer Celestia, ye glaikit brig!”
There was a confused moment where the tree seemed to leap aside, the rainbow light disappeared and a massive shape exploded into the room, cursing with an incomprehensible Scottish accent as the tree toppled and smashed into the floor amid a tinkle of smashing ornaments and flailing limbs.
Eyes snapped open in her mind as the world seemed to slow to a crawl. She saw the massive shape looming up to the ceiling as it reared, screaming a challenge. Her mother’s scream and her father’s startled curse answered the battle neigh.
She was about to call Crush to her when the scene suddenly snapped into focus. She knew that impossible figure rearing before her. That shaggy black mane, the scars, the eye patch…
“Sun Hammer!” She exclaimed joyously. She struggled to her feet as his massive fore-hooves came slamming down onto the carpet.
The pony froze in mid glare as she literally hit him in a flying tackle, her now muscular hundred and twenty-pounds not even making him flinch as she crashed into him like an affectionate (if petite) avalanche.
She was laughing and crying and hugging him all at the same time.
“Oh my God! Sun Hammer I’m so happy to see you! How in the world did you open the Bridge? I thought I’d never see you again! What are you doing here?”
Sun Hammer, having recognized his newly acquired limpet snorted softly in her hair.
“Um, Teagan aren’t you going to introduce us?” Her father said to the oblivious pair.
“Oh! Mom, Dad, this is Sun Hammer.” Teagan said, coming back to her senses. She became acutely aware that she and Sun Hammer where standing amidst the debris that used to be their Christmas tree. She froze until Sun Hammer spoke.
“Aye, lassie, tis good to see you too. Guid day tae ye, sir and madam. A be honored tae speak tae the head o’ Clan O’Gara and his lady, so A dae. Just wish ma visit was nae so dire.”
“What do you mean dire? What’s wrong?” Teagan asked, suddenly alert.
“There ain’t nae way tae say it soft, lassie. Princess Celestia’s gone. Somethin’ took her and we need you and Crush’s help tae get her back. Twilight Sparkle seems tae think ye can find us one o’ them investigators. We hae tae hae help. She figured ye’d know somepony.”
“What? An investigator? The Princess has been kidnapped?” Teagan stepped back and gaped at the pony. “Who could possibly kidnap a goddess? She raises the freaking Sun.”
“Aye. An now that she’s gone it takes Princess Luna and Twilight Sparkle both together tae dae it. If’n we dinnae find her and quick Equestria is doomed.” Sun Hammer said gruffly.
“You want Teagan to fight?” Her father asked.
“Aye, that A dae. The trolls been actin’ up, so they hae. Wi Teelo and Crush back in Equestria micht settle thae thrawn nyaffs doon a bit. We got a plate full o’ troubles wi out trolls, so we dae.”
“You want my daughter to fight trolls?” Teagan’s mother exclaimed, horrified. “She said you lost your eye fighting a troll!”
“Nay, Lady O’Gara!” Sun Hammer said hastily. “The trolls will nae fight Teelo, ‘cause Crush serves her, and those craiturs think the world o’ Crush, so thay dae. Thay’ll nae move against it, nor the one who wields it.”
“Then who do you want her to fight?” Teagan’s father asked, his eyes narrowing.
“What e’er snatched the Princess, o’ course. But she’ll nae be fightin’ alone. Every pony wi a backbone wants a place at that table, so thay dae. An A’ll be at Teelo’s right hand, so A will!”
“I forbid it!” Teagan’s mother said fiercely. “I lost my daughter once to your insane world, Sun Hammer, I’ll not lose her again!”
Sun Hammer threw back his head, appalled.
“Are ye daft, Lady? Wi out Teelo and Crush that wee loun what calls himself the new Troll King will use Celestia’s absence tae declare war on us! Subtle Dancer tells me if it hadn’t been for that glaikit dunderheid in the first place the Princess would ne’er hae tae play silly buggers wi the sun and wabbit herself tae the point she ne’er saw the noose closin’ round her ain neck!”
“What?” Her mother asked, bewildered by the spew of brogue.
“He’s saying the new Troll King is an idiot, Mom. Unless Crush and I are there he’ll use her disappearance to declare war on the ponies. That’s the last thing they need right now. Especially since it was the Troll King who made her exhaust herself in the first place.”
“Aye! Tis whit A said!” Sun Hammer said in annoyance.
“This is war, Teagan! You could die. I don’t want my baby to die in a war on another world! It’s nothing to do with us!” Her mother shouted.
“WHAT? Whit blether be ye spouting, ye daft besom?” Sun Hammer roared, stepping forward and sticking his muzzle in her mother’s shocked face.
“Hae the bluid o’ Clan O’Gara, the bluid that runs in ma own veins got so thin the head o’ the Clan married a coward? Hou did Teelo come tae be from the laiks o’ ye? She be a proper O’Gara! A hero! Yon quine run bare shod o’er broken glass tae save her friend! She fecht a monster what bested Princess Celestia her ain self and laik tae killed him wi but three blows! An nou ye think her nae but wally?”
“Leave my wife alone, you!” Teagan’s father got in Sun Hammer’s face. The pony took a step back.
“Nou thare be a proper O’Gara!” Sun Hammer said in an approving tone.
“You said the blood of the O’Gara runs in your veins! You’re a pony, Sun Hammer. How is that possible? And what’s this about my daughter running over broken glass barefooted?” Her father demanded.
“She ne’er told ye?” Sun Hammer asked, astounded, turning to look at Teagan. “There’s a time an place tae be humble, lassie, but that takes the hay bale, so it dae! Why dinnae ye tell them hou ye saved Fluttershy? The court was buzzin’ fer days wi the story!”
“Crap.” Teagan said, looking at her parents horrified faces. She actually had told them, although she’d edited out the more gruesome details, like how she’d been bedridden for two weeks after the fight with Discord.
“I didn’t want you to worry, ok?” Teagan said desperately. “I got hurt, but I’m fine now. It wasn’t a big deal, really.”
“And now this horse wants you to risk getting hurt again?” Teagan’s mother demanded incredulously. “Maybe get killed in some war they started?”
“A be a pony, Lady O’Gara.” Sun Hammer objected grumpily. “An we started nought. Who e’er took the Princess took the life o’ the world! Ye think craiturs in thair right minds wad dae that? Subtle Dancer tells me every livin’ thing in Equestria will be daid inside six months if’n the Princess dee’d.”
“What about the Troll King?” Her mother demanded. “You said he’ll start a war because she’s gone!”
“Aye, an so he wad.” Sun Hammer said. “His father, the auld Troll King, A killed cause he tried tae kill the Princess, did it cause he ne’er believed she raises the sun. But she proved to the Snøskred she was tellin’ the truth! Not one troll wad o’ harmed her after that.”
“Someone did.” Her father pointed out. “Tell me why you’re claiming to be an O’Gara? You’re not even human.”
“A may be a pony, but A’m as much part o’ the Clan as ye.” Sun Hammer said. “Dinnae ye tell ‘em the story o’ the Bridge O’ Days, Teelo?”
“No, it never came up.” Teagan said, embarrassed.
“Well, ye ken, it was laik this…” Sun Hammer launched into the same tale that Twilight Sparkle had told Teagan on that year-ago flight to Canterlot.
“An that’s why every pony in Equestria can claim they’re part o’ Clan O’Gara.” Sun Hammer said. “Cause it were the ghaists o’ the capaill an tuatha fusin’ wi the ponies from the harsh inch whit made ponies whit we be today.”
“So in some weird way we’re distant cousins?” Her father asked, astonished.
“Aye. So A claim Clan right! If ye forbid her tae come wi me ye’ll be forswearing your ain bluid. An truth tae tell, A dinnae think she’d listen tae ye. Wi Crush in her hand ye cannae lock her in her room, ye ken?”
“John! You can’t seriously be thinking of letting her go?” Her mother demanded.
“Mom, I have to go. Princess Celestia, well, she’s the center of their world! Without her there’s no life, everyone dies. Including my friends! If it wasn’t for Fluttershy I’d be dead right now! Rarity, Applejack, Twilight, all of them, they all risked their lives for me. I can’t just turn my back on them!” Teelo said forcefully.
“Are you ponies so helpless you have to have a sixteen year-old girl fighting your battles for you?” Her mother spat at Sun Hammer.
“Elaine!” John said, appalled. “That was uncalled for.”
“Well it’s the truth! Look at him! Just look! He’s one big scar! And you want me to let Teagan risk that? Or worse, you want to get her killed?”
“Of course not.” Her husband said trying to keep his own temper. “But if what Sun Hammer says is true just her being there could stop a war. Besides, you know what Matt’s been saying about her.”
“Matt! That dirty—oh, let her take Krav Maga, Elaine! It’ll keep her safe until Crush can get there, Elaine!” His mother mocked her husband. “I agreed to let her do it—in spite of my better judgment—so that crazy world wouldn’t steal my baby again! Matthew Sanders won’t be the one burying a daughter! Assuming they even send her body back! And the best part? They’re not going to kidnap her this time, John! Oh no, this time they’re asking her to volunteer.”
“Let me ask ye this, Lady O’Gara.” Sun Hammer said, no longer raging. His voice was bitter but level. “How many stallions and mares got little bairns that’ll freeze tae daith when the Princess dies and Princess Luna can’t raise the sun nae mair? She needs tae take power from Twilight Sparkle tae manage nou, ye ken. Twilight’s jus’ a wee thing, Lady O’Gara. How much dae she hae tae gie?”
“Teelo, ye ken Rarity’s little sister, dinnae ye?”
“Sweetie Belle.” Teagan said, nodding. “And Apple Bloom, Applejack’s sister. Oh, and their friend Scootaloo. If those three were human they’d be about eight or nine, Mom.”
Elaine flinched.
“Aye. And Pinkie Pie was sayin’ hou the Cakes done had a pair o newborns foals. They’re just a few months old.” Sun Hammer’s voice was relentless. It wasn’t loud, but the images just kept on coming.
“They ain’t the only fillies and colts in Equestria, ye ken. There’s lots and lots o’ others. Bairns with parents who love ‘em. Just like ye love Teelo, Lady O’Gara.”
“You’re asking me to save strangers, Sun Hammer. To risk my baby for creatures I’ve never met on some other world that exists only as a cartoon.” Elaine looked at the pony. “She’s the only daughter I have. Can you promise me she’ll come back in one piece?”
“Nay, Lady O’Gara. Nae craitur in the world can promise that.” Sun Hammer said somberly. “But A swear tae you, by blessed Celestia her ain self A will protect Teelo wi ma life. I’ll guard her back in battle and anythin’ whit tries tae harm her will hiv tae come through me first.”
“That’s not really good enough.” Elaine said.
“Tis all A hae tae gie, Lady O’Gara.” Sun Hammer answered her.
“I’m ready to do this, Mom. Dad, you know Matt says I’m untouchable as long as Crush is in my hand.” Teelo appealed to her father. He sighed.
“Pumpkin, you have no idea what you’re asking of us. And Matt Sanders is a bachelor. He’s never had kids either. He can’t know.”
“He was Spec Ops, Dad.” She objected. “He went in before the wars started. He told me about things he saw, things both sides did that literally made me throw up! He trained me to fight, Dad. Fight like he does, not just look impressive in a dojo! I know what I’m getting into. I already fought a god, Dad—and won. I’m not helpless.” She carefully said nothing about how she’d won—with a double-supersized portion of luck—but her parents didn’t need to know that.
“A ne’er had the chance tae have bairns o’ me own.” Sun Hammer said. “An ye hae the right o’ it that A dinnae know what A’m askin’ o ye. But A ken fechting. Been a brawler ma whole life. A ken what A’m askin’ Teelo tae risk, cause A’ve done it ma ain self. But A tell ye truly, tae save the world ye gotta mean it. Teelo kens. She kens.”
“Matt says I’m ready.” Teagan insisted.
“Matt isn’t going.” Elaine retorted, and then paused. “But maybe he should. John, call him!”
“Are you nuts?” John retorted. “Hey Matt! Yeah, how’d you like to help a talking pony save a princess so she can keep making the sun come up? Sound like fun? Great!”
The man snorted.
“Who’s this Matt then? Why call him?” Sun Hammer asked.
“He’s my Krav Maga instructor.” Teagan answered. “He was a special kind of soldier before he retired, we call them Spec Ops. The best of the best.”
“Oh, aye?” Sun Hammer’s ears came forward. “Is he an investigator? That’s whit Twilight said we needed.”
“Well, no.” Teagan admitted. “It’s kind of a shame that he isn’t. He’s amazing. I don’t really know any investigators. Certainly no one I could—oh.” She suddenly chuckled, picturing it. “Wait, yes, I do know a pair of detectives. And they know the truth about Equestria. You still have their card, Dad?”
“It’s Christmas.” He objected. “They’re probably at home with their families. Besides, they can’t just vanish for Lord knows how long. They’re police, pumpkin.”
“A world is going to die unless we get Princess Celestia back.” She retorted. “My friends will die. I’m not going to let a little thing like a phone call on Christmas stop me.”
Elaine had already retrieved her cell phone and was dialing a number.
“You’re calling them, Elaine?” John asked, surprised.
“No. I’m calling Matt. Let him talk some sense into her.” Elaine replied. “Hi, Matt? Yeah, sorry to call you on Christmas but we need your help. It’s about Teelo. You knew she was abducted? Well those same people may be trying again. We need you to come over and give us some advice. It’s really urgent, Matt. What? Thank you so much! Twenty minutes? We’ll be expecting you.”
“You did not just do that.” Teelo said, grinning in spite of the churning knot in her stomach. Her mother speared her with a disapproving look.
“In spite of what you may think, he was a soldier, Teelo. He’s seen how horrible war can be. I can’t imagine he’ll want you anywhere near one. He’ll talk some sense into you.”
Teagan held her peace. She knew Matt Sanders far better than her mother did. But she did want to get any last-minute advice he might have. And the thought of Matt and Sun Hammer face to face made her smile so widely her face hurt. It distracted her from thinking about Princess Celestia.
“Dad, get the detective’s card. We owe them a chance to talk to Sun Hammer. Maybe they’ll have some suggestions at least. They won’t say anything, you know that.” Teelo wheedled.
“Fine.” Her father said after an internal debate. He went to retrieve the phone number.
Teagan claimed the right to contact Detective Nickels. She dialed his number and waited, grinning. In spite of everything Teagan was still going to enjoy the meeting between Sun Hammer and Kansas City’s finest…
“Detective Nickels.” The gruff voice gave no hint if he was annoyed by receiving a call on Christmas day.
“Detective Nickels, this is Teagan O’Gara. Do you remember me?”
“Miss O’Gara. Yes, I remember you. You were the one who ran away from home and then came back when you found out the big bad world was scarier than you thought. I wrote the report myself. What do you want?” His voice was icy.
“Do you remember me mentioning I met several friends while I was away from home?” Teagan asked. “One of them came to see me today.”
“And?”
“He came to my home, detective. He is in the living room with my parents right now.”
“This is one of your friends from your travels?” The detective asked in a more interested tone.
“Yes, detective. In fact I think I mentioned his rather large tattoo? A war hammer on a blue sky next to a picture of the sun?”
“You didn’t tell me his name, just his nickname. What did you say it was?”
“Sun Hammer.”
“This was your extremely large boisterous friend?”
“That’s him. Could you and Detective Long come over to talk to him? The reason he came was because one of our mutual friends has vanished. He’s pretty worried, and frankly so am I.”
“I’m not sure it’s in my jurisdiction, Miss O’Gara.” He said drily.
“That’s not a problem, Detective. If you can’t help us yourselves I’m sure you could recommend a professional who can. Our mutual friend is rather important in her country. Her sister sent Sun Hammer to see me.”
“I see. If this is a prank, Miss O’Gara I will be locking you up and throwing away the key.”
“This isn’t a joke, Detective. Neither Sun Hammer nor our friend’s sister are known for their sense of humor.”
“All right. We’ll be there, give us forty-five minutes.”
Teagan snapped the phone shut. “Yes!” She said triumphantly, handing her mother’s phone back to her.
“Thay’ll help us?” Sun Hammer asked hopefully.
“One way or another. Listen, you can be pretty intimidating and you do not want to spook the detectives or Matt. If you did violence might ensue. We need their help, Sun Hammer. So behave yourself.”
“Aye, lassie. A’ll be a wee mouse, fou o’ jeelie.”
“What?” She asked, startled into a bark of laughter.
“A wee mousie, wi a fou belly, lass. Quiet, ye ken, and nae inclined tae move.”
“I should warn you they won’t believe you’re a person at first.” She said seriously. “They may make you do stupid things to prove this isn’t a big joke. Try not to get upset, will you? Too much depends on their help.”
“Ye dinnae gie me any credit, lassie.” He snorted. “Tis fer the Princess’s sake. A dee’d once tae protect her, A’ll nae fail her nou.”
“We should probably clean this up.” Her father noted, going to examine the remains of the Christmas tree. Half a ton of raging pony had not been kind to it. Nor the ornaments, and even some of the lights.
Sadly he picked up one cracked ornament. “This was from Dublin.” He sighed.
“Sorry aboot that.” Sun Hammer said in embarrassment. “Subtle Dancer said the Bridge wad nae stay open verra long, so A rushed a bit. A guess A ruint yer Hearth’s Warming Eve.”
“We call it Christmas, Sun Hammer.” Teagan said. “And you didn’t ruin anything. Well, the tree obviously, but having you here for Christmas was the best present you could ever have given me.”
“Ye’ll make me blush, so ye will.” He turned his head aside. “Jes’ wish it were good tidings whit brung me, lass.”
“How are we getting back?” Teagan asked. “I didn’t think the Bridge would open from this side. Besides, you aren’t a unicorn.”
“Subtle Dancer’s waiting back in Equestria. He’ll open the Bridge every six hours. When it opens we gotta move sharpish ‘cause he can’t keep it open fer long.” Sun Hammer explained.
“I better get packed then. I wonder if Rarity’s clothes will still fit me?”
“You’re not going, Teagan!” Elaine snapped.
Teagan turned, feeling her old temper flare to life. She let her hands curl into fists but took a deep breath like Matt had taught her, then forced the anger to die. Her mother’s eyes widened when she realized what was happening.
Teagan spoke carefully, her body tense.
“Mom, you know I love you. But I am going back to Equestria. I have to. They could die if I don’t.”
“And you could die if you do.” Her mother said stonily.
“I might get hit by a bus if I stay here.” She snapped. “I know you’re worried. But Crush will be with me. Sun Hammer too. Maybe Matt, if he’s half as adventurous as I think he is. Not to mention whoever the detectives can send our way. Mom, I’m the only one who can wield Crush. The trolls will leave the ponies alone if I’m there. If nothing else that’s one less disaster to worry about. But I can’t do that from here!”
“I don’t want to lose you again, Teagan.” Elaine said, eyes glistening. “You’re my baby girl. I can’t bear to think of some monster killing you, eating you…” She shuddered.
“Lady O’Gara, A swear by ma life an every breath in me, A will fecht tae protect yer filly wi all ma heart.” Sun Hammer said. His words were heavy and slow. It was an oath and everyone knew it.
“I believe you, Sun Hammer.” She looked at him. “It isn’t enough. It will never be enough.”
“I have to get ready.” Teagan stood up abruptly, unable to sit and listen any more. “Sun Hammer, be nice until I get back. Mom, please don’t fight with him. He’s one of the good guys.” She left the room, torn between wanting to help Sun Hammer and not wanting to hurt her mother. But she was going to go and nothing her mother said was going to stop her.
“This sucks.” She snarled, retrieving Rarity’s clothing. She had grown taller over the last year, but between the constant Krav Maga and the clothing having been designed to be easy to move in, she could still wear it.
Which is one small blessing, she thought.
She packed the survival kit Matt had helped her assemble. It contained a knife, a small sewing kit, a first aid kit, a small flashlight, a lighter and some matches, a couple of candles and about a day’s supply of granola and chocolate.
“Good thing I have a Green Beret for a trainer.” She mumbled grumpily. “About the only good thing.”
Fully dressed now she slung Crush over her shoulder.
Wake up Lazy, she thought to the eyes in her head. The eyes had been there ever since it had agreed to let her wield it.
The eyes opened but said nothing.
Sun Hammer is here. Princess Celestia has been kidnapped and we’re gonna go get her back.
The eyes watched her silently, waiting.
Aren’t you going to say anything?
Wake me when it’s time to fight. The eyes closed again.
“You’re such a witty conversationalist, Crush.” She muttered as she headed downstairs.
Sun Hammer and her mother were clearly no longer on speaking terms. The tree was gone, and the debris had been cleared away. Teagan’s father was staring at her, appalled.
“What? They still fit, I know they do!” Teagan protested, looking down at herself.
“Teagan Laoise O’Gara.” Her mother said in a low dangerous voice. “Sun Hammer has been kind enough to fill in some of the details you forgot to mention, young lady.”
Teagan stiffened, throwing a worried glance at Sun Hammer, who refused to meet her eyes.
“Sun Hammer likes to embroider, Mom. He says it makes the story more interesting.” Teagan said, knowing it wouldn’t make any difference. She braced for the storm about to engulf her.
“Does he? Did he embroider the part where that monster stripped you naked in front of the entire country?” Elaine asked her daughter. “Or how about the part where you ran across a circle of broken glass and attacked a monster eight feet tall? How about the part where you spent two weeks recovering from that little stunt? Is any of that embroidered?”
“No, that’s pretty much what happened.” Teagan admitted reluctantly. “But Discord was going to spend two days murdering Fluttershy, Mom! You didn’t see that horrible machine! It was like something out of the Saw movies—only a lot nastier. I wasn’t about to let him do that!”
She could feel the rage explode in her as she once again saw Fluttershy struggling desperately in Discord’s choking grip…
“Sun Hammer says Discord took out all six of the ponies by himself. Six of them. And then you go after him with an overgrown stick!”
“Crush isn’t a stick, Mom!” Teagan snarled. “It’s a magical weapon! I hit Discord with a mountain, not a stick!”
“Sun Hammer also says you tried to kill Discord after he was helpless.” John said quietly. “Is that true?”
Teagan hesitated, remembering the world turning white. Not to mention smashing Crush into the decoy Discord’s throat… Her rage evaporated, turning to shame in the face of her father’s sorrowful eyes.
“Yes. If Princess Celestia hadn’t intervened I’d have smashed his skull in.” She said. “And I’m thankful she did because he wasn’t the real bad guy. Discord was possessed by a demon. It wasn’t entirely his fault.”
“A demon?” Elaine asked incredulously. “Like from Hell? The Exorcist?”
Teagan shrugged. “I don’t know where Nightmare came from. All I saw was a wisp of black smoke leave Discord before the Princess blasted it with her magic. It burned to nothing.”
“And you want to go back?” Elaine asked in disbelief.
“I want to save the Princess, Mom. I want to save Fluttershy, save all of my friends!” Teagan said tiredly, a headache starting to creep behind her eyes. “I want save all those little boys and girls with four legs and hooves. Because they can’t save themselves. If I don’t help them who’s going to? You?” Teagan snapped.
Elaine’s shocked face turned white.
“Mom, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it!” Teagan took a step forward, just wanting the argument to end. “But can’t you see? Innocent lives are on the line here! Just because they walk on all fours and have fur doesn’t make them any less people than you or me! Look at my clothes. Rarity made these for me! A unicorn made these! She didn’t have to do that! She gave me that emerald broach the first time she met me! She did all that because I needed her help!”
“Fluttershy could have run away when she found me in the woods that day! I was big and frightening, but I was crying my eyes out because I was lost and scared and had no clue what to do next. She’s a saint, Mom! How can you ask me to turn my back on her?”
“Celestia kept me from murdering Discord. If she hadn’t caught me I’d have landed flat on my back on all that broken glass! She healed me, Mom! If it hadn’t been for her I could have bled to death! And now she’s in trouble, exactly the same trouble I was in, maybe worse. You want me to close my eyes? When I can help save her? Save all of them?”
“Stop it, stop it.” Elaine clutched her head. “Teagan, just stop. All right. We owe them. But why you? Why not get someone else? A soldier or a detective? Somebody who knows what they’re doing?”
“Lady O’Gara.” Sun Hammer said quietly. “Teelo an Crush air baith needed tae quell the trolls. She matched wits wi Discord, and in the fecht she outmatched him. Seems tae me she kens right well whit she be aboot.”
“I’m going to lose you again, aren’t I?” Elaine said heavily.
“I will come back.” Teagan promised.
Just then the doorbell rang.