Ponyville Trainstation
3:35pm SET
“I don’t care what fancy pieces of paper you have; you’re not getting on this train!”
The conductor of the train adamantly declared that Faith, Shield and Ajax could not board the train.
“You will let us on this train sir. Royal orders are not something that are debatable” Faith responded
“Please sir, just let us on the train” Shield also said
“I will not and I cannot. That thing will break the train! Whatever it is, just look at it!”
Faith and Shield looked at Ajax.
“I’m afraid the conductor is correct. I may be able to squeeze inside the train but I doubt it would support my weight,” Ajax said to both of them.
Many faces that were pressed against windows vanished at the sound of Ajax’s voice, leaving only a few ponies looking. There was quite a large crowd gathering though, and it was beginning to annoy Ajax. He was being made into a spectacle for these creatures and he didn’t like it one bit. This whole land annoyed him, but he’d have to put up with it for now. He didn’t want to come across as being in a constant attack mode to the people who were offering him a chance of escape.
“We’ll have to find another way to get to this “Canterlot” place.” Ajax finished.
“Walking it is then, unless you have other suggestions?”
Ajax looked at the large crowd behind him. They were all watching him with their big, cheerful eyes and their brightly coloured skin. It disturbed Ajax.
“I refuse to walk with these creatures watching my every move and I refuse walking altogether. What are the geographical coordinates of this “Canterlot”?”
“You expect us to know the coordinates?” Faith said shocked. This thing actually expected them to know an exact location for a city?”
“Ok, something simpler. Which direction is it in and how far?”
“Uh…” Faith thought.
“It’s about an hour by train in that direction,” Shield pointed to the north east.
“Carved into the side of a mountain; a few hundred meters off the ground.” Faith added.
“Where exactly are you going with this Mr.Ajax?” Shield asked?
“Walking isn’t my style pony and I don’t intend to change on account of you” The device on Ajax’s back began to come to life.
“What would you suggest then?” Faith asked
“What would I suggest?” The device on Ajax’s back began to crackle and spark.
“I’d suggest holding onto something”
Ajax reached forward and grabbed the two ponies and held them close to him, despite their protesting. Faith very nearly dropped Twilight off of his back, but Ajax’s hands stopped that. Their coats were beginning to stain a dark black colour due to the liquid on Ajax’s body being rubbed onto theirs.
Most of the crowd standing behind Ajax had fled, but a few stayed. They didn’t really say anything, just watched. They got quite a show.
“Put us down! You’re covering us in some disgusting ink!” Shield yelled
“That’s oil pony, it’ll wash out, just don’t get it in your mouth it and you’ll be fine. Besides, a few stains on your body are the least of your worries”
“What do you mean- Ah!”
The device on Ajax’s back reached a peak of power, and the entire world seemed to twist with psychedelic colours. Faith felt faint and Shield was holding his hoof over his mouth to prevent himself from vomiting on Ajax. Celestia only know what Ajax would do to Shield if he emptied his stomach over him. He’d probably be enthusiastic to demonstrate to Shield how his weapon works. Everything seemed to be moving a million miles an hour; all Faith could see was streaks of green here and there amongst the purple haze. Quite suddenly though, and with a blinding flash of light, they appeared in Canterlot. Faith was amazed, not sixty seconds ago he’d been in Ponyville, arguing about a train and now he was in the middle of Canterlot, being watched by a good number of confused faces.
Ajax placed Faith and Shield on the ground and put Twilight back on Faith’s back. Faith proceeded to assure the ponies watching them that everything was fine and that it was royal business. Shield decided now was an appropriate time to empty his stomach all over the cobbled floor, having gotten well away from Ajax.
“Ah man, that was disgusting…” Shield moaned when liquid wasn’t pouring out of his mouth.
“Amateur” Ajax said as he stepped over the pool of fluid produced by Shield, picking the poor pony off of the ground as he did so and walking towards Faith.
Faith began to question if brining this thing to Canterlot was indeed a good idea. Not because Ajax seemed aggressive, but because with every step he took he cracked some more cobblestone and probably cost Faith more of his pay check.
“Pony, you said help was here, lead.”
“This way” Faith said as he began walking.
“Canterlot Castle?” Ajax asked as he walked along the large corridor Faith was leading him down. They had arrived at the castle door several minutes ago and after a lengthy argument between the guard at the door and Faith concerning Ajax, were permitted to visit the throne room. Shield had been tasked with delivering Twilight to the medical facilities the castle possessed by Faith and had left the instant they had entered the castle, the medical wing being the opposite direction to the throne room.
“Indeed, Canterlot Castle; symbol to every pony in Equestria and home to Princess Celestia, ruler of Equestria. The Princess is just about the most powerful pony in Equestria and the pony I suspect will be able to help you. She is also the owner of the carpet you’ve just dribbled oil on.”
Faith looked back at the trail of black blots on the long red carpet lining the corridor leading to the throne room.
“I’m sure she won’t mind,” Ajax began as he continued down the corridor.
“Besides, I’m sure we’ll have much more interesting topics to discuss”
“Ajax, I must ask one thing of you.” Faith said. He stopped walking as he did.
“Ask.” Ajax said, also stopping.
“You must understand, you’re not exactly one to be trusted.”
“I haven’t displayed any untrustworthy behaviour? Why would you distrust me?”
“You haven’t displayed any untrustworthy behaviour. As a matter of fact, you’ve been very polite. It’s just… Well, the objectives of my mission.”
“Explain, why would the objectives of a mission cause you to distrust me?”
“Well, I was tasked with escorting Miss Twilight to Canterlot, that much you know.”
“Yes, I recall you mentioning that.”
“But I didn’t mention why. You see, Miss Twilight wrote to the Princess not too long ago claiming that she’d been having some terrible nightmares, something about being in somepony else’s body and not being able to leave and only waking up from said nightmare when she exerted a huge burst of magic.”
“Magic…” Ajax cast his memory back and remembered the incident at the Hyperion outpost. The voice he had heard had said that what was happening to him was their magic.
“Pony, what more do you know of these nightmares?”
“I know that most recent nightmare took place in a forest of some sort and that the body she possessed was under attack by four thieves. She also gave a very detailed description of what the body she inhabited looked like and, well…”
“I can guess where this is going…” Ajax said
“The description fits you, right down to the leaking black liquid.”
Ajax and Faith stood in silence. What could be said? Ajax had just been told some very disturbing stuff and Faith had just had to tell a potentially hostile killing machine that he couldn’t trust him as far as he could throw him. Faith just looked awkwardly at the ground.
“Uh… Shall we go in?” Faith pointed to the door and looked at Ajax.
“No.” Ajax said.
“No?” Faith asked.
“No, you failed to ask me anything; you said you wanted to ask me something”
“Ah… Yes. Please, if you want the best chance of gaining assistance, let me do most of the talking. Questions addressed directly to you, answer.”
“Very well… You have my word; I will not speak unless it is appropriate for me to do so”
“Thank you. Let’s just wait for Shield, I told him to come here when he was done and I could use his help with this.”
Canterlot Castle Royal Throne Room, Canterlot, Equestria.
4:00pm SET
Faith, Shield and Ajax all stood before Princess Celestia. All conversation that had needed to take place had. Faith had entered the throne room followed closely by Shield and explained just what was happening, who was waiting to enter the room and what it intended to ask. Celestia had been rather shocked by the fact that the machine intended to ask for help.
“What do you mean it needs help?”
“It has no idea what is going on and we thought you may be able to shed some light on the matter. We decided to work with it rather than go against it.” Faith repeated
“So you’re working with it are you? Is this heresy I’m catching you committing?”
“Let’s face it ma’am, it’s not the worst thing you’ve caught him doing” Shield laughed
“Very amusing Shield, this is after all the perfect time for joking. Remind me to punish you later. Continue Faith.”
So it was in Equestria. Celestia had expected the machine, after getting a very vivid description of what it was capable of in Twilight’s letter, to simply execute every pony it came across. After the way it had described all of a certain group of people to be scum that needs destroyed, she didn’t expect it to be very tolerant, but she was strangely mistaken. The machine actually sounded nice.
After Faith had explained all that had happened after they had met Ajax in Ponyville, Celestia commanded Faith to bring Ajax in. Celestia wasn’t shocked when Faith opened the doors, in fact, she was slightly underwhelmed. Twilight had said Ajax was someone who the very sight of would give you nightmares, but he didn’t look that bad. Besides the weapon he held in one hand and the talons extending from said hand, he didn’t look all that threatening. She had expected more than a few claws and contraptions. A frown appeared on Celestia’s face, and it attracted attention.
“Something the matter?”
The voice wasn’t that of Faith, or even Shield, it was Ajax. Celestia was surprisingly shocked by its voice. It was much like hers, loud but not overpowering or threatening. Soothing in a way. She didn’t quite know how to respond, tell the mechanical creature that she wasn’t impressed by its appearance or lie and say nothing was wrong. Being a very honest person, Celestia opted for the former.
“Not really, I just expected more”
Celestia braced herself for what could be the end of her. She did just say something that could be offensive and she said it to a very powerful being.
“Sorry to disappoint. If someone had told me I’d be having an audience with a pony princess where I’d be asking for assistance I might have washed up before I barged in.” Ajax half laughed
Celestia hadn’t expected that, to get such a… normal response. But the machine had rather misunderstood her.
“I didn’t mean I was expecting more with your appearance, I meant I was underwhelmed with your attitude. I was expecting that you’d be more aggressive and that you’d-“
“Allow me to guess. The letter your good friend Faith was telling me about detailed that I am a heartless killer and that if you ever came across me I’d kill you and anyone in my path instantly. Am I on the right track with that?”
“Yes. I just didn’t expect you, after what I’ve been told, for you to be so civil.”
“After what you’ve been told, I’m intrigued as to why you haven’t called more of your “Royal Guard” to contain me and I’m rather amazed you’re not trembling in fear.”
“I’m a princess sir, standing firm in the face of fear, making relations with foreign ponies and solving crisis’s is my job.”
“Well princess, I’m about to put you to work. I’ve got one helluva crisis for you to solve.”
“So, you have no real idea as to how you got to our current reality besides a theory involving tremendous amounts of power?”
“Correct.”
“And you have business back in your reality?”
“Correct.”
“But you have no idea how to get back to your reality.”
“Correct.”
“Then I see your problem.”
“It’s a very plain problem to see.”
“The question is plain to see, no doubt. The answer however…”
“The answer eludes me. I care not for who you are or even what you are, I care only for if you can answer the question”
“Hmmm…. Celestia droned.
The conversation had lasted a lengthy amount of time. Ajax had shared every detail he could remember leading up to his transportation to Equestria to a very interested Celestia. She didn’t know what half of the things Ajax was talking about were or meant but she could gather that he had obtained a very powerful device and said device had exploded. He had then drifted through some type of warp state and ended up in Equestria, met Faith and Shield and came to Canterlot to consult her on the matter. She didn’t know if she had an answer. Faith and Shield had listened just as closely, even after having already heard the details. Celestia really didn’t have an answer at this moment, so she decided to ask them their thoughts, giving her time to think.
“Faith? Shield? What do you think?”
Faith and Shield stood to attention, having fallen into a slouched position some time into the conversation.
“Well ma’am,” Faith began.
“It’s a very strange situation. I can only offer what I have.”
“You have what I’m sure is vital information Faith, as it usually is. Share”
“Well ma’am, Ajax was sent here when he was hit with a wave of tremendous power.”
“That is correct” Ajax confirmed
“Then, if we got power of equal strength and hit Ajax with it, wouldn’t it be entirely possible that it could send him back into this “Warp” place and back to his own reality?”
“That’s brilliant. I knew you would hold vital information.” Celestia said.
“Then let’s do it, let’s Ajax back to his own reality.” Shield said.
“*Ahem*” Ajax interrupted
“From what I have seen of your reality, I have deducted you possess great amounts of magical power. Your guards demonstrated that with their ability to telekinetically hold their swords. But the real question is; do you possess a source strong enough to provide the power a reality jump would require?”
“That depends on how much power you require. Just how much is that anyway?” Celestia asked.
“Assuming that the power core that caused my initial transition into warp space had the exact amount of energy required, I estimate that you would require 25 terawatts of power. 25 Terawatts is about equal to 25000000000000 watts of power. Now, I estimate that even if each of you could generate 1000 watts of power each it would take a copious amount of you to create a blast with enough force. The bottom line is it’s incredibly unlikely that you will be able to conjure up enough power to replicate that of the power core. Even if you did, you think I’m a homicidal maniac. I doubt you’d agree to help me.”
Celestia thought long and hard all the way through Ajax’s calculations. What was the most powerful thing she possesses? It was a difficult question. She knew many people of power and she knew many items of power. But besides a few unique unicorns, she couldn’t think of anything with nearly enough power. But then it hit her, a brilliant idea. What’s the most powerful thing in Equestria? What’s the thing that freed Luna from her evil shackles? What was the thing that keeps the universe going?
Friendship.
The elements of harmony.
“I think I have an idea how we’re sending you back to your dimension.”
“Does that mean we have an agreement?”
“Yes. But there is a catch.”
“There usually is. I’m guessing this is going to be something that will try my patience.”
“You probably guess correct. Faith, send forth a letter to Ponyville. Tell the mayor that there will be a gathering just north of the town. Tell them a stage must be constructed out of the strongest bricking available to them and everypony in Ponyville must attend.”
“Public appearances. How very very annoying...”
“Annoying yes, but it is all I ask of you. If the people I intend to call in to help you see that an entire town is happy to have you around, I suspect they will be happy to help.”
Celestia held her breath. Was it wise to take this thing into the heart of Ponyville? Was it wise to ask 6 ponies to devote all of their energy to sending it home if they’re, as friends of Twilight’s, inclined to side with her on this things nature? Too late to ask questions now, she’d said she had an idea and she doubted this this was something to play games with. It’d likely get angry if she said “Actually, this isn’t such a good idea. We’re not doing it” and it’d likely start using this weapon Faith has informed her about. If it could turn an Alpha male Timber Wolf to wood chips with a pull of a trigger, what trouble would it have defeating her? She did of course have her magic, but she doubted her own power to stop it.
“It may not please me, but your logic is undeniable. Please, prepare your staging.”
Celestia let out the breath she’d been holding in a sigh of relief.
“Good. It will take mere minutes to set up the staging, but I suspect the people who I intend to ask for assistance may take a while to convince. You may not like this next part.”
“Let me be honest, I don’t like any of this.”
Celestia was slightly annoyed. She was being incredibly generous considering the circumstances, and this thing couldn’t seem to appreciate that. It didn’t even try to hide the fact that it didn’t like the situation; it didn’t try and be polite. It had basically said “I don’t like any of what you’re doing to help me. In fact, I find trying to be polite to the ponies who are trying to get me home very irritating”. How very rude. She had to admit, the metal creature had been rather polite when it had entered and it sounded like it had behaved nicely towards Faith and Shield, but she couldn’t excuse his actions. She couldn’t argue with it either. This was probably the norm wherever it came from. She didn’t like the prospect of annoying it even further, but she had to.
“I suspect it will take at least two weeks of you living in Ponyville before you earn anypony’s trust.”
Celestia once again held her breath.
“Two weeks? I must admit, considering the circumstances I had predicted a much longer stay. I had also predicted that there would’ve been a large amount of tactical planning before I actually had a plan, but it seems you saved me months of thinking. Even though spending time here is something I’d rather not do, two weeks is acceptable compared to the alternative.
She let her breath out in the same style of sigh as before. This had gone much better than expected.
“I have but one problem though” Ajax added.
Darn, problems.
“Go on.” Celestia nervously said.
“Where do you plan on me staying for a minimum of two weeks? I’m not exactly your size and I don’t have any of your currency to spend. Even if I did, I’d have to earn people’s trust. You said it yourself.”
“Accommodation is also something we will have to earn you in Ponyville. I have an idea of a place that will accommodate you though, and I’m sure the pony who owns said place will be unable to refuse. “
“So, our agreement is that then? I spend a few weeks living in this “Ponyville” and you convince someone to assist me?”
“That is our agreement, yes”
“I may not like what the agreement dictates I do, but I’ll agree to it none the less. “
Ajax held out the hand that wasn’t already engaged in holding a weapon.
“Where I come from, we shake hands to signify an agreement.”
Celestia put her right hoof forward.
“I hope a hoof will suffice.”
“Ha. Aye, it’ll do.”
Celestia put her unarmoured hoof into the metal hand of the creature. It was, quite surprisingly, warm. Why was it warm? Then she looked at the black stains on creeping onto her coat. She was slightly annoyed she’d removed her armour after she’d finished with today’s business. Maybes if she hadn’t, she wouldn’t have her current problem.
“Damned leaks.” Ajax said as he removed his hand after firmly and quickly shaking.
“Do you have any tools I could borrow? I have leaks to patch.”
“Shield will escort you to our royal forge. You can fix yourself before we leave”
“Thank you. After you Shield.”
“This way.” Shield said as he and Ajax began to leave the room.
Celestia and Faith were left alone when Shield and Ajax finally exited the room.
“My princess,” Faith began.
“Is all of this wise? Taking this thing to Ponyville and leaving your sister in such a state? Miss Luna has yet to fully recover from her strange coma and she has only been awake for mere hours. Would it not be more productive to ask Mr.Ajax if he knew anything about the coma your sister fell under?”
Princess Luna had awoken from her deep sleep hours ago. She had demanded that everyone who was in her room at the time, including Celestia, leave. She hadn’t given any reason, she just demanded they leave. True, it could be helpful to ask Ajax if it knew anything about it, but Celestia doubted her sister would accept any help, even less so from an alien being.
“It is the best thing we can do. Luna demanded we leave her bee and I want this thing gone as quickly as possible. It can mean nothing but trouble.”
“Yes ma’am. Shall I send your letter?”
“Yes, please. And do me a favour; check on Twilight before we leave. Make sure she understands what’s happening. I fear that if she is not brought up to speed on the events that have just passed, she will convince everypony that this creature is indeed a monster, thus ruining any chance of being rid of it. We cannot allow that to happen.”
“But princess, I suspect you intend to call on the elements of harmony for assistance. Twilight is an element of harmony. How do you intend to convince her to help?”
“That’s all part of the plan. You’ll find out when the time comes. For now, just send the letter.”
“Shall I tell them of who we intend to bring?”
“No, that’s part of the plan as well. Ponyville must not know that Ajax is coming.”
“Princess, I really do not understand how your plan is going to work.”
“It will work. Once we get to Ponyville, everything will make sense.”
Apology/Note:
Just a small apology for the long span of time between the previous chapter and this one. This should have been unloaded around about the seventh of November but on the sixth it was my seventeenth birthday and well there was some celebratory alcohol at home… I had my first experience with a hangover. Wasn’t in any state for writing and wasn’t in any state to upload this. Following the hangover I became ill. Major headaches, sickness and that sort of rubbish which again, put me out of action for a few days. I’m still not feeling so awesome (Maybe if I hadn’t been such a bad damned girl I wouldn’t feel like this) so if you see any really pathetic errors in this, yell at me. So, just apologizing for the sort of deadness of the story for quite some time.