//------------------------------//
// War 
// Story: An American Werewolf in Equestria 
// by Ron Jeremy Pony 
//------------------------------//

An American Werewolf in Equestria
Chapter 9 – War

(Crystal Empire – Throne Room – sixteen hours later)

Shining stood next to Candace and uncomfortably looked at his sister standing next to the werewolf.  He knew its name, but somehow saying that name, thinking it, or even remotely thinking it gave him visions of being in a train car listening to his sister moaning that name over and over.  He looked over at Candace who was practically beaming with excitement.

“So, little sister tell me, what brings you back to the Crystal Empire?” she asked.

“Candace, I want to talk to you about a few things, in private,” Twilight replied.

Candace smiled and nodded.  She rose from the throne and motioned toward the hall.  She and Twilight began to trot toward it before she stopped and looked back at Shining Armor.

“Shining, perhaps you would like to show David where his civilian and military work will be.  I’m quite sure he would be interested in getting ready for both,” she said.

Shining nodded and waited until they were gone.  He trotted down to David and shook his head.

“It had to be my sister.  I wouldn’t have cared if it was another one of the elements, but why in all of Equestria did it have to be Twily?” Shining asked.

“I can’t explain it.  We clicked,” David replied.

Shining shook his head as they walked.

“I’m not going to hurt her,” David said.

“It’s not you I’m worried about.  I’m not even worried about the wolf.  Twilight seems to be able to reach you when you’re in that state.  The fact that she was able to get that part of you to accept us as pack members only speaks to the connection you both have.  I’m worried because this is my little sister, and you are her first coltfriend,” Shining replied.

The thought stuck with David.  He knew that Twilight had never done anything before they got together.  She had admitted that the first night they actually became serious, but to know that she had never even dated seemed odd.  She was beautiful.  He couldn’t understand why someone, anyone, would pass her by.

“That’s hard to believe,” David said.

Shining raised an eyebrow at him.

“Not because of anything she’s done, but because of her.  She’s incredible.  I’ve known very few women who could match her in intelligence and beauty.  I don’t know what else to tell you Shining.  I’ve come to accept a few things about me.  A few things that have changed since this… curse was placed on me.  I’ve become more in touch with my animal side, but at the same time I feel deeper than I have before,” David said.

It was true.  He did feel deeper than before.  Before all of this he felt connections, love, desire, bonds, but it had been amplified so much after he was turned.  His connection to Jack had went from a best friend to being a brother.  Every time Jack appeared he was glad to see him. He was glad to see to see him even when all he was doing was warning him about becoming a werewolf.  It hadn’t stopped there.  His connection to Alex, then once they came here he began developing a connection with Twilight.  Before he would have known her for a couple of months before they moved to this point.

The sad truth was that he wasn’t sure anymore where he began and the wolf ended.  It was as if they had blurred into one being.  Maybe knowing that made this entire thing easier to deal with.  In a sense it did make sense that knowing he wasn’t really human was making it easier to deal with everything.  It made it easier to deal with the fact that he wasn’t on Earth anymore.  He stopped his train of thought when they walked into a large building.  He wasn’t exactly sure what he was expecting, but an Ivy League school wasn’t exactly it.  

The building was made of crystal, like most of the other buildings, but the growth of a crystal like ivy over its surface made him think of Harvard.  The inside looked as if they had found crystal the color of wood, steel, and an off white crystal that ran the length of the ceiling.  He heard the sounds of hooves clopping toward them and watched as a twinkling pony with a tight ruby red bun turned the corner.  It was a mare, he was sure, and she was wearing a suit jacket that seemed to have a sharp v line.  She stopped, looked at Shining Armor and then at him.

“I take it that we have our new Languages and Literature professor?” she asked.

“Shining, I thought that I was to be an advisor,” David said.

“No other pony here seems to know the literature theories that you do.  Twilight has informed us of how advanced your theories are, and the University President here wants someone with that experience helping to design the class structure,” Shining said with an eyeroll.

“Captain Armor, although our part in the Empire may not be militant we are important.  I would take it as a kindness if you please reframe from treating us as a secondary part of the whole of the Empire,” she said.

Shining nodded and followed her as she walked.  David walked behind her and soon found himself in a large office.  She took a seat behind a desk and indicated to them both to have a seat.  They did as she instructed and she cleared her throat.

“Since we’ve been gone for a thousand years it has been difficult to catch up to the changing trends of the world.  It has been brought to my attention that perhaps the best way to learn more about the world is to read its literature.  Our Literature professors are distinguished stallions and mares, but unfortunately none of them have a clue on where to being with the new material.  We need new blood.  If the Crystal Empire is to become a great beacon of hope it once was we need to learn as much as we can about the world around us,” she sighed and leaned back against her chair, “Unfortunately I have no idea where to begin myself.  Mr…” she looked confused.

“Kessler.  My last name is Kessler.  Trust me when I say that Human names are different,” David said.

“Mr. Kessler, you are the best chance we have.  Other ponies are already engaged at various universities, and we do not want to have to specifically ask Canterlot for help.  It isn’t that we don’t think they would send it, but we would like to do this on our own if possible,” she replied.

David let out a sigh.  He was an English Scholar.  He did focus on Literature and Literature Criticism, but this was going beyond what his bachelor’s degree demanded of him.  He was thankful for the education classes he decided to take, at his professors suggestion, but even that was just barely going to give him any idea of what he needed to do.  Then again, he was being given an opportunity here to really help.

“I’ll do what I can.  The first thing I suggest is that you have all of your current professors talk to Princess Twilight Sparkle,” he noticed her scowl, “I’m suggesting it because she is a well learned mare, and because she has an extensive knowledge of popular literature.  If you really want to learn about the world as it is then you need to start with the popular literature.   Begin back as far as two hundred years ago, and work forward.  There has been more, a lot more, but start then.  That will give you a decent grasp of the society.  The next thing we need to do is find out how the class structure is,” he said.

“It’s a basic eight hour structure.  The students remain in one class room while the professors move from class to class,” she said.

He thought of his study of Japanese classes for his education class and shook his head.

“That’s something we need to work on.  I’m not going to say it won’t work like that, but if you have the students go from class to class, and you arrange the classes on an alternating schedule it will allow you a few extra rooms for side projects or extra classes.  It would allow more students, and beyond that you could open the school to other places beyond the Crystal Empire.  Open it to students from around the world,” he suggested.

She looked at him and shook her head.  The idea of what he had just said danced around in her head for several minutes.

“This is a major project,” she finally said.

“It is, but you’re bringing an entire university up to current standards.  It’s the same as building one from the ground up.  It’s going to take a massive amount of work, and a load of determination to get there, but it will be worth it,” he said.

She nodded and got up.

“I’ll inform our professors of the change in plans.  Mr. Kessler, I do hope that we can make the Crystal University the beacon of learning it once was,” she said.

“I don’t doubt that we can,” he said.

Both he and Shining left the college and he followed the Captain toward a different building.  This one almost looked as if it was made of Quartz.  He walked inside to see a number of guards.  One of the end guards watched him and nudged the one standing next to him.  David felt the eyes on him and shook his head.  It was something he had gotten somewhat used to, but he still didn’t like the gawking stares.

He noticed a look on one of the Pegasi guards face and it wasn’t a curious stare, but rather a hungry stare.

“So, what exactly are we doing here?” David asked.

Shining looked at the guards behind them, and he watched as they turned their attention back to each other instead of on him and David.  He opened the door and the two of them walked into a different room.  Once it was closed Shining breathed out a sigh.

“I need your help more than just as a part time guard,” Shining said.

“What are you talking about?” David asked.

Shining turned around and looked out the window.

“King Sombra has been gathering an army.  They are creatures of horrific abilities and terrible destruction.  Most are creatures that we believed to be long dead, and the others are the Changelings.  He’s promised them all of the powerful emotions they could ever want from the ponies here.  Our scout brought this information back, and it was the last thing he ever did.  You have to understand that we are not prepared for this kind of attack,” Shining said.

“What can I do?  I’m an English Scholar!” David exclaimed.

“No, you’re a werewolf.  You have the ability to sniff out Changelings.  You’re sense of smell is far better than any of ours, and there is the other option,” Shining said as he turned to face David.

“What other option?” David asked.

“If worse comes to worse we could allow some of our guards to become infected.  If we need a chance to turn the tide so to speak,” Shining said.

“No.  Sorry, but no.  I won’t turn anyone.  Trust me this isn’t something you want to become.  It’s horrible.  Every transformation hurts.  It never gets any better.  Imagine every bone in your body breaking, snapping in a dozen places and then reforming into a longer bone.  Imagine your muscles stretching, ripping, all of your internal organs reshaping.  Picture that for a moment and then realize what it is you’re asking me,” He said.

“I understand, but it may be a sacrifice that we may have to make!  I won’t allow that tyrant to retake the Crystal Empire!” Shining exclaimed.

“Damn it you’re asking me to make more like me!  The first night they turn they don’t have any control, none, they will kill anything and everything in front of them!  Think about that for a minute.  Hundreds of innocent lives lost, for no reason!” David shouted back.

Shining swallowed and took a seat.

“Not if they are already on the battlefield.  All they will have is the enemy in front of them,’ he said.

“And then we run the risk of one of those things being turned into a werewolf,” David said.

“It’s not a complete answer, but for now it is what we have,” Shining said.

“This should be the point that I turn around and leave,” David replied.

“David, we’re talking about stopping a madstallion.  We’re talking about stopping someone who would go from here to all over Equestria.  He would hurt everyone, including Twilight,” Shining said.

“I’m not turning anyone,” David said.

“I won’t ask you to until there is no choice,” Shining replied.

(Same time – Sweet Apple Acres – Jack’s room)

A bleary eyed Jack slowly sat up.  He held his head and tried to shake off the oncoming headache.  Eight tall mugs of hard cider had been thrown back in a competition with Big Mac, and once the larger stallion finally drank him under the table he had been helped up to his room.  He remembered that his help, Applejack, had been about as sober as he was.    He moaned, touched the spot beside him and felt something other than bed.  He turned to see a sleeping form under the quilt.  He touched it again and felt it stirring.

“Yer touching ma flank,” a southern voice said.

“Applejack?” he asked.

She raised up, looked around, saw him and then looked at the situation.  A sheepish smile crossed her lips.

“Granny! What does a hat on a doorknob mean?!” Applebloom shouted from outside of their room.

“It means that two young’ns are gonna have a talk with me!” Granny shouted back.

“Oh Horseapples…” Applejack said.