//------------------------------// // Chapter 7 - Call of Duty // Story: Reforging a Broken Blade // by ElkinFencer10 //------------------------------// After the stressful encounter with Flame Knife, Twilight Sparkle decided that her coltfriend needed a vacation. Razor Blade, on the other hand, felt that he just needed to focus on his work to clear his mind of the encounter. "Twilight, really, I'm fine. I'll get a few more orders finished, and before you know it, I'll have forgotten all about that unpleasant visit. See, look at this. An order of axes just came in from our allies in Germaneigh," Razor said, trying to convince the concerned mare that he didn't need a vacation. "Razor, I swear, sometimes I think one of your parents was a donkey with how stubborn you are. We're going on vacation, and that's final!" Twilight practically shouted; Razor did not look convinced. "I'm not giving you a choice. If you won't go willingly, I'll force you go to Oatracoke for a relaxing weekend at the beach." "You are, are you? You and what army?" Razor asked skeptically. "Oh, you'll see," Twilight said with a smirk as she trotted out the door of the smithy. The next day, he awoke, paralyzed from the neck down, in a purple aura. He turned his head to see Twilight standing beside his bed, her horn aglow. Next to her was Applejack who was tying a rope tightly around his body. Behind her, Rainbow Dash didn't even try to stifle her laughter now that he was awake. "What the hell is going on, Twilight?? How the hell did they get in here?" he asked, too bewildered to get angry. "You asked what army, so I got one. Spike, Rarity, and Fluttershy are waiting outside. And, obviously, I let them in to help me force you go to the beach with us. You gave me a key, remember?" Twilight said with a grin. Knowing he was going to be uncooperative, Twilight had put together a rather elaborate method of getting him to the beach. Tied up tightly in Applejack's rope, he was being carried through the air - by Rainbow Dash on one side and Fluttershy on the other - to the station where they would board a train to head to beach town of Oatracoke, southwest of Ponyville. Rarity lead the way and, using her magic, carried the group's baskets of beach supplies while Twilight brought up the rear, ready to use her magic to keep Razor tightly bound. "You girls do realize that this qualifies as ponynapping, right?" Razor said flatly after he had given up struggling to free himself and had resigned himself to his fate. "Oh, hush yerself. Ya know ya like the attention," Applejack said with a chuckle. Razor simply grumbled under his breath. Once the seven of them actually got to the beach, Razor's mood improved dramatically. "Why the hay are you so cheerful all of a sudden?" Rainbow asked. "You were whining like a foal an hour ago." "What?" he asked. "You forced me to come; I might as well enjoy it if I have to be here." They had planned to spend three days relaxing in Celestia's sun and enjoying the ocean breeze, and for that first day and half of the second, that's exactly what the six ponies and the dragon did. Rarity lay in a chaise lounge beneath the shade of an umbrella as she perused the latest issue of Canterpolitan. "Good heavens, these outfits are absolutely dreadful. It's as if they allow minotaurs to dress them..." Spike was, not surprisingly, to be found fanning Rarity with a large palm branch and fetching her drinks at the slightest indication that she might be thirsty. Fluttershy contented herself to interacting with the various crabs and gulls on the beach. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were fighting the most intense splashing war that anypony had ever seen. Twilight had been lying on a beach town beneath a second umbrella as she read yet another book on magic. She looked to her left at the snoring pegasus beside her and jabbed him in the rib with a hoof. Letting out a quick snort, he shot her an annoyed look. "The point of vacation is to enjoy yourself, you know. You haven't set hoof in the water since we got here," Twilight pointed out. "Don't like water," Razor said, closing his eyes again. "Do like sleep in the sun." "You're going to burn, you know," she pointed out. "Your coat can only protect you so much." "Yup. Don't care. Feels good," he replied. Twilight sighed and turned back to her book. A few hours into the afternoon as the sun began its descent, the group noticed two pegasus soldiers flying towards them. When they landed, they saluted and said, "Terribly sorry to interrupt, but Miss Rainbow Dash is required in Cloudsdale immediately for a meeting at Wonderbolt HQ. Miss Twilight Sparkle, Miss Applejack, Miss Fluttershy, Miss Rarity, and Mister Razor Blade are all summoned to the Canterlot Palace for an audience with Princess Celestia as soon as possible." Nopony knew what to say. They were all too surprised. Even Twilight, who knew the princess better than anypony there, had rarely known her to summon somepony outright. Extend invitations, certainly, and request to see them at their earliest convenience, but to summon, and to have the message delivered by soldiers no less? "What's this all about? What's going on?" Rainbow Dash was the first pony to break the silence. "I'm sorry, Miss Dash, but we couldn't say. We're just the messengers. Good travels to you," one of the pegasi said before he and his partner flew away. "Something must have happened. The princess doesn't just summon ponies for no reason. We'd better hurry," Twilight said. Turning to Rainbow, she added, "You go on and fly to Cloudsdale, Rainbow. We'll pack up your towel and stuff and take it back to Ponyville on our way to Canterlot." Rainbow Dash nodded and bolted off in the direction of her hometown. "Are you quite certain?" Celestia asked, visibly distraught. "100%, your majesty. Princess Cadence herself gave me the message to relay to you," a crystal Earth stallion said, standing at attention. "I see. Thank you. You are welcome to rest here for the night before you return to the Crystal Empire if you wish." "Thank you, your majesty," the crystal pony as he bowed and left the throne room. Princess Celestia got up from her throne and walked towards the window. She looked out at the Equestrian landscape before her, quickly losing herself in thought. Ashnard, what have you done? When Twilight and the others arrived in Canterlot several hours later, they galloped at full speed towards Canterlot Castle. The city was abuzz, much more so than usual. When they arrived at the palace gates, a pegasus guard said, "Good evening, Miss Sparkle. The princess has been expecting you and your party. Right this way, please," he said as he lead the ponies into the palace. When they arrived at the throne room, Twilight trotted in as quickly as was considered polite and bowed before asking "Princess, what's going on? Is everything alright?" Princess Celestia looked at her favorite student with an unnerving look of concern. "No, my little pony, all is not well. Gather around, please, everypony. I have important matters to discuss with each of you." The group made a semi-circle around the princess. "I'm afraid the peace which we Equestrians hold so dear has been taken from us. Gryphus has invaded the Crystal Empire." Everypony in room sat in stunned silence. Equestria hadn't fought a war in over a hundred years. Sure, there had been internal conflicts - Nightmare Moon's return, Discord's return, the invasion of the Changeling swarm - but a war against an established nation? "Fortunately," Celestia continued after giving her words time to sink in, "Germaneigh has been providing military training and assistance in the period after I granted their independence, so they had an army stationed to help repel the attack, but it's only a matter of time before the gryphons push through and reach the capital city. As allies of the Crystal Empire, however, Gryphus has also declared war on Equestria, the unicorn kingdom of Prance, and, of course, the Earth ponies in Germaneigh." The gravity of the situation started to sink in for Twilight and Razor. Being the scholar that she was, Twilight had studied about the wars several centuries ago with Zebrica, and she knew that the devastation only multiplied as more countries joined the conflict. As for Razor, he had taken military history electives at Appaloosa University, and while his knowledge was less in depth than Twilight's, he had enough of an idea to know that a war of this scale was not something to be taken lightly. Princess Celestia continued, "I have issued a writ of conscription, reinstating the Wonderbolts as an elite military squadron, as it was originally. I believe Rainbow Dash is currently at the meeting in Cloudsdale to inform them of this and to discuss deployment. For the time being, they will remain in Cloudsdale to defend our borders should the gryphons make it this far. I'm dispatching the 23rd Earth battalion and the 4th Mixed battalion to defend the Crystal Empire, but the truth is that Equestria isn't ready for war, especially not against a nation as militaristic as Gryphus." "Wait! Shining Armor. Is Shining Armor okay?" Twilight asked, the familial implications of a war in the Crystal Empire finally sinking in. "I don't know, I'm afraid. The last report I received was that he was preparing to lead what army the Crystal Empire has against the first wave of gryphons in the event that they break through Germaneigh front line," the princess said. Walking over to her student, she said, "Twilight, I know that you are not violent by nature, and I never taught you to use your magic in a fight, but I also know that you have studied nearly all magic that is known to ponykind of your volition. Am I correct to assume that this includes combat spells?" Twilight didn't like where the princess seemed to be going with this. "Umm...Yes, I've studied theory, but I've never attempted one," Twilight answered timidly. "I see. I have a special task for you, Twilight Sparkle. Your magic is stronger than that of any non-alicorn. If our armies are not able to stop the gryphons before they cross into Equestria, the might of your magic will be needed in defending our homeland. I know it is a terrible thing, combat magic, and I would not ask this of you if I did not feel it unavoidable, but I must ask you to lend the Equestrian Army your power. Once we are finished here, please report to the Magi Tower and speak with Grandmistress Flemeth. There is no unicorn in all of Equestria better versed and trained in combat spells and therefore no one better to teach you combat magic." Twilight grimaced at the thought of using her magic - her special talent - to kill anypony - well, anyone. Gryphons aren't ponies, but still, a life is a life. Is all life not equally precious? "Yes, princess. I will do whatever I must to protect Equestria." Princess Celestia then looked to Applejack. "Applejack, Sweet Apple Acres is the largest and most productive orchard in the kingdom. We will be relying on your apples to feed our armies. From today until the end of the war, the Equestrian government will be purchasing each and every apple that your farm produces. With that said, I must ask that you and your family work even harder than usual to get those apples off the trees and into soldiers' saddlebags as quickly as possible." Applejack looked at the princess and said, "With all due respect, yer majesty, ma wife is going to be on the battlefield fightin' in this here war. I believe I'd rather be servin' Equestria in the same way, fightin' along side her, than in the orchard. Big Macintosh can run the farm well enough on his own, and Apple Bloom's about old enough to start buckin' apples full time. I reckon they can hire ponies in Ponyville for any other help they need." The princess thought about Applejack's words for a moment before saying "I understand your desire to fight alongside a pony so dear to you, Applejack, but the Wonderbolts are an elite unit - the most well trained and well equipped members of Equestria's Pegasus Corps. For logistical reasons, it is very unlikely that you and Rainbow Dash would fight on the same battlefields." "I understand that, princess," Applejack began, "but it just don't feel right knowin' that she's out there fighting for Equestria while I'm safe at home." "Applejack, I fear nopony will be safe within a few months." Princess Celestia could see that Applejack was adamant. "How about a compromise, then? I am planning to issue a decree that every town in Equestria organize a militia outside of the Equestrian Army for its own defense. I would ask that you take command of Ponyville's militia. That way, you would be ensuring that our armies - the Wonderbolts included - are getting the food they need while still serving to defend your home. Would this be acceptable?" Applejack thought about the princess's proposal for several seconds before saying, "Well, I don't much like it, but I ain't about to keep arguin' with a princess. That'd be fine, yer majesty." "Thank you, Applejack." The princess then looked to Rarity. "Rarity, I know that you prefer to design more...fashionable attire, but our army is about to get much, much larger. I would like to contract you to make uniforms for our new recruits. It would not be a very creative task, but it is one that will be badly needed." Rarity bowed low, replying "Princess, I would be honored to serve however I can." Princess Celestia nodded gratefully. She then turned to address Fluttershy. "Fluttershy, I also have a task to ask of you." "Um, I'm not sure how much help I could be in a war..." Fluttershy was hiding behind Twilight, her mane covering most of her face. She looked as though she were about to be asked to wrestle a manticore with her bare hooves. "Fear not, my little pony; my task for you is one that does not involve fighting and for which your cutie marks suits you well." Upon hearing this, she stuck her head out a little farther from behind Twilight. "Your heart is one of the kindest in Equestria. You even managed to help rehabilitate Discord, who, only a thousand years ago, brought the continent to brink of destruction. I can think of nopony better able to negotiate a peace. Work with our diplomats to end this war before more lives are lost, and if the gryphons won't agree to peace, then try to build as strong a coalition of nations to aid us as possible so that we might bring this war to end as soon as possible." Fluttershy looked nervous but much less so than when she feared that the princess was about to ask her to assume a more direct role. "If you think I can help save lives," Fluttershy said timidly, "then I'll do my best." "Razor Blade, you are the blacksmith of choice for nearly every quartermaster in our army. The quality of your blades and your armor is beyond compare, and what we need most of all now is the highest quality equipment we can get. Would you continue to supply our armies with weapons and armor?" the princess asked the blacksmith. "With all due respect, your majesty, no." A deafening silence descended, and everypony in the room looked shocked, even horrified. "Excuse me?" Princess Celestia asked. She had not been told "No" in many centuries. "I said, no, I will not continue to make weapons and armor. Sure, mine are the best, but anypony can make a sword or a shield. You need me on the battlefield," Razor Blade said, a bit too nonchalantly considering that he'd just flat out rejected a monarch's request. If the princess were angry or offended, she didn't show it; aside from a brief look of initial surprised, her face retained its usual composure. "How do you mean? Do you truly think you would be of greater benefit to Equestria as a common soldier than as a blacksmith?" "No, your majesty, I don't. That's why it's a good thing I wouldn't be a common soldier; I'd be the best damn swordspony this kingdom's seen in centuries. Not many ponies know this, but before I enrolled in Appaloosa University, I spent a summer in Gryphus competing in the combat tournament their military academy holds every year. With just my rapier, I defeated every gryphon, pony, minotaur, and zebra that stood in my way. I fought some of the best gryphons in their military, and I beat them all. I know how they fight, and I know how to beat them; I know how to kill them. You need me on the battlefield, princess." Razor spoke with a confidence that his friends - even Twilight - had never before seen from him, or for that matter, anypony except for Rainbow Dash. Princess Celestia carefully considered his request. "And what about this new pegasus armor I hear you've developed? That would be of great benefit to our pegasi troops, and you're the only pony who knows how to make it." "I'll give you the blueprints. My gift to the war effort. It's not that hard once you - what the hay?" He was interrupted when a glow of purple energy enveloped him and pulled him back towards a corner. "I'm sorry, princess. He'll be right back," Twilight said, laughing nervously, before turning to the still-floating pegasus with a death glare. "What in the world do you think you're doing?!?" she hissed. "Arguing with PRINCESS CELESTIA aside, are you trying to get yourself killed?" Her eyes burned with anger, but they began to soften soon after her outburst. She lowered him from her levitation spell, her voice suddenly very quiet. "Please don't do this. Please just stay with me and make the weapons and armor the army needs. What if something happened to you?" He was truly touched by the unicorn's concern. He knew she loved him - she'd told him as much - but to see her so visibly distraught over the mere prospect of his going to fight the gryphons was moving. "Twi, don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Most ponies think that my cutie mark means that my special talent is making swords, but that's not actually what it means at all. My special talent is wielding them, not making them. That's why there are two crossed swords - crossing blades in battle. I don't want to leave you - I really don't - but Equestria needs me." He did not like the sad look on her face. "Besides, what better first impression could I possibly make on your brother than by saving his and his wife's asses, eh?" he said only half-joking in an attempt to make her smile; though to only a small degree, it did work. "Okay, but if Princess Celestia agrees to this, please be careful. Promise me you'll be careful," Twilight said, knowing full well that, in war, even the most careful pony can catch an unlucky arrow or slash. "I promise, love. I'll come back in one piece, and I'll bring your brother with me," Razor said, and he meant it. He paused for a moment, and added, "I'll try my best to avoid taking any arrows to the knees." Twilight simply rolled her eyes. As they walked the few yards back to Princess Celestia, who, despite being declined and interrupted, simply sat with a small smile, Twilight said "I'm so sorry for interrupting you, princess. I guess I got a little...overzealous." "It's quite alright, Twilight," the princess responded. "Now, about your enlistment in the army, Razor...If you are as skilled as you say you are, then you would certainly be an asset to our war effort. The two battalions I'm deploying to the Crystal Empire move out tomorrow morning at dawn. We have about two hours left of daylight today; I want you to seek out Colonel Iron Hide and duel him. If you can beat him, I'll instate you in the 4th Mixed battalion, and you'll leave with them tomorrow morning. If you lose, you will return to Ponyville and begin making enough pegasus armor for our Pegasus Corps. Does that sound fair?" Razor Blade grinned. "That sounds perfect."