After the party was over Fluttershy had come to me the next day and apologized to me. She admitted that she had had too much to drink and that her actions were rather out of character for her. I was glad to know that only she and I knew of the exchange between us. Twilight was still recovering from the night before and the others were trying to find Pinkie Pie who had galloped off into the night somewhere. I thanked Fluttershy and forgot the whole incident.
Two more months fell off of the calendar and I had on finger. I would look at the finger every day. It was my pointer finger and I would use it to do all sorts of things. I would lift things, practice writing and even swing one of my axes with it. I was overjoyed to play with it day in and day out. I could make out small lumps where the rest of my fingers were slowly developing.
I could wear my vambraces and gauntlets now without too much worry of one falling off. I had continued my practice and exercise I was now more fit than ever. Twilight came down the stairs and looked at me happily. We greeted each other as usual and she went to go make our breakfast. I sat down on my bed to clean my armor when she came out with our food.
She sat next to me and I set down my cuirass. Together we ate in silence and enjoyed the food. Spike came down from his bed holding a scroll. Twilight set her food down and took the scroll from the baby dragon. She unrolled and read it. She looked at me. I raised an eyebrow as I drank my tea.
“What is it?” I asked her. She looked at me.
“Well this says that the princess needs you and only you in Canterlot for a while.” She replied to me. I grabbed the scroll and read it. Twilight was indeed not blind. I lowered the note.
“I guess I’m off to Canterlot then.” Twilight was in shock.
“Why would she want only you?” she exclaimed. I could tell that she was a little shaken at her exclusion.
“Don’t worry Twilight, I’m sure it’s nothing.” I held up the letter. “Did you read the last part,” I shoved the note into her face. “It says I’m needed for some security work. Obviously whatever is happening is more important and needs me more there than here with you.” Twilight took the note and read it.
“Oh, you’re right.” She set the note down and busied herself with cleaning our breakfast. I looked at her. She was quite possibly the oddest being I had ever met, human or pony.
I finished cleaning my armor and packed up my possessions. Packing made me realize that I had so little to my name. In my home I had had land, and a farm and an equal in my wife. I looked at my meager sack of clothing and armor and realized I had nothing here but what was in this sack and it had all been given to me.
I stood and began to head for the door. Twilight called my name from the kitchen.
“You can’t wait for me to take you to the train station?” she said indignantly. I chuckled and waited by the open door. I looked outside. The snow and the cold were gone. Twilight had had me help with what they called winter wrap up, another odd experience to say the least.
These ponies actually had to move the snow and clouds to change seasons. I learned for the first time living here that the pegasus ponies control the weather. I felt it absurd that such a thing went on and an insult to the god thunder himself that such beings as small and insignificant as ponies would have control over such forces. But I had refrained from voicing my feelings as I was the only one out of place here.
We walked through town to the station. The small town had grown on me in the time I had come to live here. The common two story buildings were rather quaint and charming after a fashion.
We came to the train station. I had ridden the train several times since our first disastrous trip and I still was uncomfortable on the train and I had never truly felt comfortable on it. Now, however, I was going on it alone something I had not anticipated before.
We stood on the platform as the train rolled up. It belched smoke from its open maw or what I assumed was its mouth. I still couldn’t figure out how it moved no matter how many times Twilight explained ‘steam power’ to me it was evil and I didn’t trust it a bit.
I stepped onto the train and looked out the window at Twilight. The purple pony waved at me and I waved back. The train’s whistle blew and began to chug along. I settled in for the worst ride of my life.
The journey was different without a traveling companion. The countryside rolled by and I took the time to enjoy the rolling hills and the small stands of trees. I could even spot creatures and critters as we zoomed by.
After a few hours the train finally stopped at my destination. I stood and disembarked from the train. Waiting on the platform stood Twilight’s brother Shining Armor. No matter how many times I met him, and I had spent some considerable time with this stallion since I had been living with Twilight, I could never ever get over how stupid his name sounded to me. I wore armor that shone because I polished it. Even the damn pony wore shining armor. And yet no one could see the obvious idiocy of Shining Armor wearing shining armor.
“Ol.” He greeted me.
“Shining Armor.” I replied. I found it hard to not laugh at his ridiculous name. Together we walked from the platform and we were met by a massive wheeled carriage. It was black and heavily armored with ports. I could see the mouths of cannons poking out of the sides.
“How does this thing move?” I asked the stallion as a door swung open on the side of the contraption.
“Magic.” He answered simply and stepped aboard. I stepped in behind him and the door slammed shut and two massive bars were pushed across to lock it into place.
The interior was dimly lit with a small red light. Two unicorns sat at the fore of the vehicle looking through a shuttered slit for sight. There were four cannons positioned around on pivots and trucks at each corner. There were two sliding shutters on each wall where the cannons could poke out and be fired. Two guards stood at each cannon one for firing and the other to load and clear the barrel. There were two seats in the middle one for the commander that could be raised and lowered so he could see out the top of the vehicle and one for the second in command. I took the latter seat as Shining Armor moved his seat to top.
“Forward.” He said. The massive carriage began to roll. The thing rumbled as it was magically powered forward. Shining Armor came back down and began to talk over the sound.
“There’s been a major threat issued against the city. We’ve had these things recently pulled out of decommission orders of the princess, she’s been calling them tanks, rather bulky and obtrusive in my opinion but these things can bring a ton of firepower to bear and semi accurately.” He told me. I was curious.
“If the princess has brought these things out then why bring me?” I asked. Shining Armor shrugged.
“She said you had experience with siege warfare or something like that.”
I searched my mind for all the battles I had fought.
“I’ve never been part of a siege. The only battles we had that were difficult were against a wall.” Shining Armor put a hoof to his chin in thought.
“A wall huh?” he said.
The tank rolled down the street and came to stop before the palace. I disembarked followed closely by Shining Armor. We entered the palace and headed for the armory. Shining Armor explained further.
“I’m having my wedding soon and this threat isn’t helping me prepare for it.” He stated. I was shocked.
“When did you get betrothed?” I asked him.
“About six months ago actually.” Shining Armor told me. I raised an eyebrow.
“Why haven’t you told Twilight yet?”
“I haven’t had time to. Cadence has been in control of setting up the whole thing and she’s been stressed about it enough without having to worry about inviting all of the guests. With this new threat, well,” he shrugged as we entered the armory. “I won’t be able to worry about anything but this threat and coordination. We’ve been drilling and preparing for all sorts of scenarios for what looks like a possible invasion.”
“Raiders?” I asked him.
“No,” he answered. “No, it’s something much worse than simple raiders, that much is obvious but I have no idea what this threat really is the princess has offered me no information at all other than there is a legitimate threat.”
We stepped through a door set in one of the walls that led into a massive room filled with bunk beds.
“This is the barracks, just pick a bunk and fall into it when you’re tired. There are footlockers at the foot of each bed where you can store your armor and weapons. After you get settled in come meet me in the yard.” The stallion turned and left.
I selected a bunk near the front and popped open the footlocker. I stowed my gear neatly making sure it was laid out so I could access it all quickly. I stood and walked out of the barracks to join Shining Armor in the yard.
One side of the yard was occupied by an archery and magic range and in the middle there were three fighting pits. The pits were sunk into the ground about a foot down and were filled with sand. All three were in use. I moved to the edge of one and watched two stallions trying to rip each other apart with their hooves and teeth.
Neither combatant was armed as they smashed into each other. One of the guards let fly with his foreleg and smashed his hoof into his opponent’s face. The bout had been going on for some time and this was one of many such blows to have landed and the guard who had been struck went down.
“You want to go a round Ol?” Shining Armor asked me. I looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
“I have only one fist.” I said holding up my mangled hand.
“Don’t worry, it’s more wrestling than striking.” He told me. I shrugged.
“Fine.” The two combatants were hauled out of the pit and Shining Armor hopped in. Most of the guards started cheering his name. He was the house favorite apparently. I pulled off my shirt and hopped into the pit after him. He faced me and cracked his neck. I popped all the knuckles in my good hand and rolled my shoulders. Some guard above us yelled out “Begin!”
Shining charged me with a grunt and tried to head butt me. I sidestepped and struck him in the ribs with my fist. I heard the air leave his lungs. I tried to reach around his waist to lift him but he swung out with his foreleg and caught me in the forehead. I felt blood trickle down my eyebrow and realized how sharp his hooves were.
The stallion withdrew and sized me up again. He had underestimated my strength. This time I was the one who charged. I ran in and expected him to strike me with his forelegs. The stallion turned around and fired both of his back legs into my chin. The second time I had received a blow like that and the effect was similar as darkness overcame me.
I awoke with a start with a strange metal thing placed on my chest that had a hose the led up to another stallion’s face. The stallion stepped back surprised by my sudden awakening.
“Well he’s alive at least.” the stallion said. Shining Armor was standing on my other side and chuckled. I spat out a tooth and some blood and rose unsteadily to my feet.
“Damn you horses and your kicks.” I said looking at him. The captain chuckled again.
“You left yourself open.” He told me.
“Yeah well next time I won’t go down so easily.” I stated. We went back to the pits and watched the next few bouts.
It was interesting to watch these stallions fight. You could read them like men and they fought with the same attitudes of men. Maybe they were men just trapped in the bodies of horses. I didn’t care either way.
Shining Armor tapped me on the shoulder I looked at him.
“We need to go see the princess. I have an idea to help security.” I placed my shirt back on and together we made our way to the throne room.
The princess sat on her throne regally reading over documents. Shining Armor bowed to her while I stood, I bowed to no creature not even a Gydja.
“My princess,” Shining Armor began. “Ol here has given me an idea on how to greatly improve security around the city until the threat blows over.” Celestia looked at Shining.
“Well Ol, what is it?” she asked me. I looked between them confusedly.
“I have no idea.” I stated flatly. “He has discussed nothing with me but I am also curious.” I tuned to the captain. “Tell us, what is your plan exactly?” I said somewhat perturbed that he hadn’t told me a damn thing about any new strategy.
Shining Armor pulled rolled up map out of nowhere. I was curious as to where the map had come from but after thinking about it a second I would rather have not known. The captain rolled the map out on the floor and began pointing.
“We could encase the city in a massive shield bubble that would only allow exit or entry upon invite.” He said excitedly.
“Oh really?” the princess commented. “And who is going to maintain it?” she asked the captain. I thought about it. As long as it was unbreakable then it could work but if anything at all could break through it the idea was pointless but I did not voice my opinions.
“I would maintain the shield your grace.” Shining Armor stated, bowing again.
“Excellent idea,” Celestia said. “You have my full approval. Now be gone.” She commanded. Shining Armor back out of the room bowing while I turned my back on the princess and strolled out.
We walked on in silence back to the barracks. On the way I noticed the sun was setting.
“So when is your wedding.” I asked the captain.
“In a month.” He told me. “We’re going to be married by the princess.” He finished. I nodded. Before we reached the forge we were stopped by a pink and purple horse that had wings and a horn similar to the princess. Shining Armor put his foreleg around her.
“Ol I’d like you to meet my fiancé Cadence.” I nodded my head.
“A pleasure to meet you.” I said as Twilight had taught me. Cadence pulled a lip up as she looked me up and down.
“Likewise…” she said condescending. She turned her attention to her lover.
“Is this the reason you’ve been gone all day?” she demanded.
“Well, yes, he’s needed to help out with the security work and his knowledge has proved useful.” Shining Armor stated.
“I don’t care, I need your help and I need you, so hurry up or you’re sleeping on the couch again tonight!” she fumed. Cadence stormed off around the corner.
“Wow, sorry to say this Shining but she’s kind of a bitch.” I stated. The stallion shot me an angry look and left me at the door to the forge. I shrugged my shoulders and went to my bunk.