“Need something?” It wasn't often Chrysalis I got visitors in my workshop, partly because I had only started using the place about two days ago. The insectoid mare also never seemed too keen on being around the Baneblade, especially after I told her the feeling was mutual.
“I need a favor.” I could tell exactly what she wanted, and she wouldn't owe me after I gave my assistance. Upon seeing the unspoken signal, a small smile came across the dethroned queen's face. We closed the distance that separated us, and both of us were thankful that we were almost the same height. Chrysalis rested her head on my shoulder, giving me a faceful of her mane. I ran my fingers through the strands, quite pleased with its gossamer texture. Leviathan was confused by the action, if its now-offbeat thrumming was any indication.
Chrysalis nuzzled against my cheek as one of my finger grazed the base of her horn. It was a good thing she wasn't wearing that crown thing; I never liked that piece of jewelery. It looked to much like part of her for my comfort. Despite my time in Equestria, I haven't figured out what unicorn horns are made of, but it was obvious that changeling horns were just extra chitin wrapped around the core. After a few seconds of embracing the queen, my hand found its way to the iron shackle firmly wrapped around her horn's midsection, that little place here it curved.
Right as I turned the knob to release some of her trapped magic, Leviathan got pissed.
You'd almost think Chrysalis and I were having sex inside the steel beast.
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“Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit!” Jay and several guards were trying to extinguish the fire, but had made little progress. While the inferno was contained by the stone walls, anything that came too close was either melted or incinerated. Water was worthless against the intense furnace, and magic had to be used after they'd exhausted the castle's supply of buckets. The flautist had ordered the kitchen's fire extinguisher, but the chemical spray had only stoked the flames higher.
“What did you do!?” Luna stuck her head out her window and yelled at the teenager, firmly believing he was responsible for the huge fire. Th alicorn didn't wait for an answer as she flew to the human's side.
“I didn't mean to!” Jay tossed a large block of ice into the inferno, only for it to melt far too soon. Princess Luna used her magic too gather a truckload of unburned dirt from the surrounding area and drop it onto the free-range furnace.
“Was that so hard?” The dark blue alicorn looked a little smug as she took in her work. Where a human and twelve guards had failed to preserve the castle, she had swooped in and saved the day. That was until the dirt she used to extinguish the inferno caught fire. She took one look at the blaze before she glared at the teenager. “How did you do this?”
“I don't know, just make it stop!”
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“And so it only makes sense for the Deceiver to have taught the changelings stealth and assassination.” Twilight was reviewing her and Trixie's findings, searching for any real lead about what the ancient human had brought to Equus so long ago. The lavender mare had written several pages of speculated information, with her blue counterpart rivaling the number. “But would that mean he had access to armor that bent light around him as a sort of adaptive camouflage?”
“Considering such a thing contradicts physic as we know it, I highly doubt it.” The former street magician knew a lot about science; she was bound to pick it up by hanging around the human that slightly broke reality. “But, Chrysalis did claim he had the aid of magic.”
“Then I'll put that as a maybe, and we're done.” The abrupt end to work was somewhat odd, but still warranted, given the fact they had been working for four hours without taking a break. Twilight neatly stacked her notes while Trixie just let them lay where they were. “We can start back up tomorrow, it's almost dinnertime anyway.”
“Yeah.” The former magician could feel stress leave her limbs and mind as she walked with Twilight, something she would have never seen herself doing a year ago. “I wonder why the princess didn't have Taylor work on this.”
“Something about his view being subjective, because it was possible he would know where the items came from but choose to lead us away.” The lavender unicorn understood the reasoning behind the human's possible motives for the theoretical betrayal, it was likely the Deceiver had access to technology on par with Taylor's FTL technology, if not farther along. While some would have thought the amount of preparation that went into the project was ludicrous, it was all Princess Celestia could do in the odd event the ancient human had become immortal. “The last thing we need is botched research.”
“Understandable.” Trixie was almost offended by her friend's casual dismissal of the human's judgment; it wasn't like the teen hadn't done more than most ponies or anything like that. “Though, what we are doing is arguably more analogous to speculation.” The two unicorns pushed open the pair of large doors that lead to the outside, only to be greeted by a raging inferno on the courtyard’s opposite end. Twilight would have said something had Celestia's voice not called from a balcony.
“What is going on out here?”
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Pick one thing to do before you die. Go on, I'll wait. Done? Good, now watch me top that. Princess Celestia sent a message to me, claiming to need my help with a threat to the castle. My first response? Getting my Baneblade ready for battle, and the massive beast was only too happy to oblige. With Chrysalis manning (ponying?) the lascannons, I felt we were ready to rock. Only upon arriving to the one of the castle's courtyards did I learn that I was being called to extinguish a fire.
That's right, I was using a motherfucking tank to put out a raging inferno that melted most conventional metals within seconds. Yeah, I think I had this in the bag. The tank's Mega Battle Cannon seemed too overpowered for this purpose, so the Demolisher Cannon would have to suffice. For reference, a Demolisher Cannon is essentially an anti-building artillery gun mounted on a Baneblade's front.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Chrysalis seemed genuinely concerned about the possible ramifications of using a bomb designed to tear steel like it was tissue paper. I shot the broodmother a grin as I entered the firing seat, complete with a thumbs up for good measure.
“Trust me, I'm a professional.”
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Extra – Grim Darkness (aka the obligatory 40k bit)
Kronus, four days into the Dark Crusade, at the border of Ork and Chaos territory.
A massive explosion ripped through the Chaos ranks as a semi-cloaked Baneblade fired its main gun. The Leviathan had been brought into battle against the Ruinous Powers for the first time in centuries, all thanks to the Korpsman. Said pseudo-guardsman was currently outside the steel beast, content with using his own weapons to fight any cultists that came too close to the tank. A stolen chainsword and bolt pistol hardly seemed like a decent arsenal, but it was all he had access to while defending the Valkyrie's Flight.
“Blood for the Blood God!” The battle-cry was recognized by the teen almost instantly; berserkers were on their way, and could obviously see him standing in the clearing. A full squad of eight Chaos Marines charged from the woodwork, eager to spill the blood of one they deemed somewhat worthy. To Taylor's credit, he was too stubborn to run when it was obvious that the odds were more than against him. Black scythes emerged from the ground as their shrieking owners crawled from their burrows, the modified changelings tore into the ceramite armor with a little more trouble than the average hormagaunt.
Taylor leveled his pistols sights at one of the berserkers, obviously the group's unofficial leader, and cracked off a shot. It served to piss off the warrior enough for him to charge right into the Baneblade's line of sight, where its gunner was waiting to fire. Just as the high-explosive round destroyed the Chaos Marine, a horrifying sound breached the air. It was almost enough for the remaining seven traitors to stop fighting the changeling rippers, almost. The Korpsman turned to its source, and nearly shat his black armor.
There was a green tide rapidly advancing on his position.