The Sun slowly rose above the horizon as the Lunar Guards were slowly going to bed, while the day shift skeleton shifts started. William looked to Luna with a yawn before looking at the drink in front of him. “So, you are saying that this will keep me awake for the rest of the day? You do realize that will have me sleeping tonight.”
Luna only smirked. “Not unless we give thee the drink at night as well. I feel that thou shouldst enjoy this last day. For it shall be a long time till you shall see the sunlight as day, and not a time to rest for the war to come.”
William took the cup and looked at Luna over the rim. “Or we all adopt to working in the daylight and attack the Nightmares during the day when they are weaker.”
Luna shook her head with laughter. “Not if they decide to do what they did last time in my head. They shall cover the badlands with shadows and clouds, killing any desert life, and slowly turning that region into a twisted nightmare of it.”
William only nodded before tipping the cup and drank the contents, to his mind and mouth it reminded him of a mixture of artificial cherry flavor, akin to the Kool-Aid one might drink when back home. Yet he blinked as the mind seemed to jerked and he was fully awake now, as if he had gotten the full amount of sleep needed and he looked at the cup. “That can become a rather scary thing, some folks may just try to abuse it.”
Luna smirked. “Oh trust us, some ponies did try to abuse it. It loses any effect after the fourth day. Then you crash and sleep for two days and you are back to square one. It is only authorized on strict control and I have ordered one drink for you at the moment and another tonight at ten.”
William nodded his head to that once more. “Makes sense, So what exactly did you have in mind for today that required me to be up all day?”
“Oh, just visiting Ponyville, and letting you explore a setting that interested you in the past.” She replied with a smiled, which was followed by a light chuckle. “Shall we go?”
William only nodded his head as he held his arm out as if to take the arm of a lady before pausing and chuckling. “Sorry, but of course, lead the way Luna.” He blinked and looked confused as Luna batted his face with her wing. “Right, out in public call you Princess Luna.” he frowned a little. “I guess you look,”
“Not yet, and don’t talk of that, that is still classified.” She replied as she looked around William’s quarters. “Now… let’s leave Nightstar to sleep, unlike humans, Thestral’s need their sleep. The sunlight also hurts their eyes.”
“Of course Princess Luna, I look forward to visiting Ponyville.” William replied while looking over the empty room. The bed was made and then he turned around before he slowly walked out of the room as Luna turned to shut the door to the empty room. His hand moved to the side of his leg where he had his sidearm. Luna and William knew very well that the Nightmares could have dispersed, the woods were still considered dangerous and not even the Elements of Harmony were being allowed into the forest.
So it was with a little trepidation on William’s part that he boarded Luna’s Chariot, the design was a little archaic and more, night themed. Still he held to the side of the chariot as it took to the air pulled by two of Luna’s guards and speed through the forest zig zaggin and zipping up and down as if to avoid any real means of being hit. William was very happy to be on the ground as Luna landed in front of Town Hall of Ponyville before promptly falling onto his face from how off his equal liberum was at that moment in time. He looked up as he did his best to spit out the dust from his mouth as he saw all the different ponies standing and looking at him. Luna smiled as she stepped off the chariot and used her magic to lift William back to his feet.
“My Citizen’s.” She bellowed in a loud voice, but did not use the Royal Canterlot Voice. “I come with news. We have a visitor from another world and we have taken upon us to show him what it looks like outside of Canterlot.” She smiled. “Ponyville we felt would be a place he is more use to.”
William nodded a little and smiled a little. He raised his hand a little in a small wave. “Uh, hi?” He blinked as every single pony it felt like bolted from his presence. He dropped his hands and looked down at what he was wearing. “Uh… should I have gone with the Lunar Guard camo?” He asked as he looked at the outfit that he had woken up in when he first opened his eyes in Equestria.
Luna smiled a little. “Oh give them a little time, if what is true and with what my sister showed me, they did this when one Zecora kept showing up in town. Give my little ponies time.”
William only nodded his head and looked around only to be bowled over with the only warming being the word “HANDS!” being shouted at the top of one’s lungs. William rolled a little as he felt hooves touch his hands and move them all about. Finally William was able to stop the world from spinning and he felt the weight on his body being lifted off him.
“Lyra,” A voice called out in exasperation. “What if he did what Spike did when you first meet him? You want to have your mane burned to a crisp?”
William sat up and blinked at a Mint Green unicorn with green and white highlights in her mane, a golden Lyre was her cutie mark it seemed as well. She was currently pouting in the magic field she was currently trapped in. Luna was staring with a rather straight face at what she just saw and was continuing to see.
“You don’t have to remind me BonBon,” Lyra muttered, “He didn’t need to do that, all I wanted to do was see how dragon claws worked. As well as his thumbs.” She looked at William’s hands with fascination. “I have never seen hands like those before, usually they are covered by scales for Dragons or Fur with the minotaurs, but you… just skin, how do you keep them from breaking or hurting yourself?”
William answered more in shock at the question then any other real reason. “Callouses.” He muttered. “Work with your hands enough and you get callouses on your hands.”
Lyra only looked at William before smiling a little and waving a hoof at Luna. “Hello Princess, I hope you are not too mad at my actions it’s just I don’t get to see hands too many times and, well it is cool that there are races out there that can use their hands and have just wonderful tool use.”
Luna only smiled a little as she lowered Lyra down. “Promise not to tackle our friend? He is a Human and a guest of Equestria under my protection.”
Lyra only nodded her head with a grin. “Okay, I promise no more flying tackles.” She replied only to quickly hug William once she was free while she placed her head over his shoulders. “Oh, oh, what can you do with your hands? Can, can you scratch your face? nose?”
William blinked and found that he did just that, he scratched the side of his nose before moving to scratch the back of his head. “Well, yeah, we use them to write, hold tools, weapons, talk,” He smiled as he moved and snapped his fingers a little. “Also that.” he held up a hand. “Before you ask, my species name is called Human.”
Lyra only stared wide eyed before looking to Luna, “I appoint myself the Ponyville director of human affairs.”
BonBon sighed and walked forward. “Like how you are the Director of Dragon and Minotaur affairs as well?” She just placed a hoof to her face as Lyra only giggled.
“Well, duh, If I claim the title first, then I won’t have to run against anyone and the Mayor knows not to question my logic, besides I don’t ask her for a paycheck it is just what I do on the side.”
Matthew smiled a little. “So, volunteer work, what do you do for a living?” He asked only to jump at hearing the sound of a pop like a firecracker and there in a gold aura of magic, was the same instrument that was her cutie mark. A Lyre was there and she strummed a few cords before grinning. “I do this on the street corners or as I am walking, helps me to think and ponies like to give me bits if they like the music so, why not I ask myself.” She grinned as she looked around at Luna and the guards who had relaxed from the first outburst from her. “Oh wow… Cool shades ponies.” She looked to Luna, “So, helps to keep their night sight?”
Luna blinked and looked to BonBon before slowly nodding her head before seeing Lyra smiling and suddenly waving to another Pony, Luna turned and found herself face to face with a bouncing Pinkie Pie.
“Oh wow, wow, you meet the human,” Pinkie Pie cried with joy, “I mean, He was part of that top secret stuff I had to go on back in Canterlot and… oh cool.” She turned to Luna with a smile. “Got no time, need to throw a welcome to Ponyville and hope you like what you see party before you all head on back to the Castle and plan all that super duper protection stuff you need. Bye General.”
Luna and William looked at each other. “Did she just call you? But how?”
Lyra shrugged, “Don’t ask me, but the Mayor pretty much gives Pinkie any information about meetings, she seems to know they are about to happen before anypony else.”
William only nodded and sighed. “Pinkie will be an absolute nightmare for intelligence of any nation. Still, I think a tour would be nice.” He replied as he looked to Lyra. “Princess Luna, would it be alright if we take Miss Lyra on her offer of a tour as being in charge of human relations?”
Luna only smirked. “I see no problem in that, however she will need to not be dragging you around any more, or pouncing on you. Other than that we are fine with the deal.”
Lyra only nodded her head. “Right, I think a stop at the Town Hall, Golden Oak Library, then some of the shops around town and then a trot out to Sweet Apple Acres before ending right in Sugar Cube Corner.” She looked to the two with a smile and the other two nodded their heads. “Alright, first stop is right behind you, Town Hall, which is actually the third building to have been built in that spot.” Lyra began, “Frankly, we have a slight problem of homes or buildings being destroyed, let’s see, the Parasprite ate the first Town Hall, which was built after a dragon sneezed six years bfore and burned that building down, then came a slight problem that allowed Applejack to go off and work to earn money to rebuild it a second time, and well the third time was when Discord attacked and turned it upside down. Thankfully after a slight fire back when it first was built with the Apple Famly just started we have had back up copies of documents stored there,” She pointed to the Town Hall, “In a vault to the north at the base of a mountain that a dragon went to sleep at the peak, then the final part is new, an entire underground vault that was build under where part of Ponyville needed to rebuild after Discord.” She rambled as she walked to the doors.
“Lyra, Mayor Mare told you you cannot enter the Town Hall without permission you interrupted two court cases and three meetings as you led Iron Will around when he visited.”
Lyra pouted before sighing, “Alright, moving to the next location, the library, where Twilight Sparkle is the librarian, personal student to Princess Celestia,” Lyra continued to prattle on, while Bon Bon walked up beside William.
“As to the records most of what she said is really just a conspiracy legend about old vaults and multiple back ups everywhere. Mainly in that we can always salvage the information no matter what happened with this crazy town.”
William shook his head. “even here there are conspiracy theories.” He paused as they continued to walk to the library. “Wonder what stories will be told by Lyra about the library.” He asked himself with a small shake of his head. He noticed that the ponies were slowly starting to poke their heads out to look at him. He smirked as he wondered what his family would think about this.
Needless to say, their little adventure grew a little more serious as they noticed something, three teenage dragons surrounding the Library.
“You namby pansy Ponies, give us the little dragon squirt or we will burn your home down.” The tall red dragon roared as a fist pounded on the door. “You messed with my little brother Garble, you mess with me.”
Luna’s eyes narrowed and a crack of thunder sounded as she spread her wings. “Enough. Dragons not of Royal protection you shall cease your assault upon a protected citizen or face the wrath of the Dragonslayer, the Nightmare cursed, She who plunged your kind into fearing the Pony race.”
The small group turned around at that before they began to laugh. “That is just a story, no pony can ever beat a dragon. That is just something told to us,” he trailed off as Luna teleported in front of the orange dragon a single stone piece, it looked like a chess piece with an image carved of a dragons head. “Th.. You dare steal from a dragon’s hoard their game piece?”
William looked at Luna and at the dragons. “I know the youth of a nation can be bull headed but this is ridiculous.” Luna only smirked at William’s comment.
“Stay out of this you weak minotaur, this is between one of the manby pansy princesses and us.” He looked to the other few. “Come on, let’s get her.”
Luna smiled. “Halt, I know dragon laws, and I know that I can challenge you to your game of wits. I challenge you.”
It was another dragon that just looked more like a bowl haircut with gold like hair or something. The main body was to William’s eyes more of a dark grey coloration. “Really? That old game? Please, that is just,” He sat down. “Fine. How big of a board.”
Luna only smiled, “You pick the board size, however,” She turned and smirked. “You who doesn’t like the history, you shall play against my second.” William found a wing suddenly pushing him forward a little. “Junior board size with regular rules. Since you don’t respect the traditions. I shall even provide the board, and pieces for my second.”
William looked at Luna and the dragon that reminded him of a beatles haircut. He did not get a chance to speak as the dragon smiled. “Oh, this is nice, I like this idea.” He got up and walked over to the weakling. “What’s your name Minotaur?”
“William Howard. I am a human, not a Minotaur.” Only to purse his lips at the laughter from the dragon.
“Yeah right, We all know a Minotaur when we see one, and you match it.” The Dragon sat down, “Well sit down and let’s get this game started.” William sighed and sat down on the ground and found a small, he blinked and realized that as this dragon was setting up the pieces with a smirk. He was going to play chess, only the pieces looked different.
He looked at his side, as it was already set up. The Pawns all looked like thestrals on his side, on the other side were what looked like blue versions of Spike, the King it seemed was the spitting image of the dragon while his king was, he blinked and an eye twitched it was his Thestral form standing on a pedestal, he noticed that the bishops on his side were airships on a pillar, his two knights were cannons and where the rook should be were, well they were the image of the elements of harmony. Finally the Queen he found was a tiny version of Luna.
William found that suddenly the other dragon moved one of two two giant flying dragons and smirked at William. William looked at the board and gulped he did not know any rules and, he paused as Luna spoke aloud, but in English, meaning only William could understand him. “Only one move per turn, but all troops can move if you can defend your move verbally.” Luna only smiled and looked at the two boards, her board was much larger and had a lot more different pieces then William’s board.
William looked at the Airship and smirked as he moved forward and turned it sideways. “Well, as you can see, I have gunports, I shot cannistars.”
“Dragons cannot feel that, you wasted,” The dragon interrupted with a smirked and moved a clawed hand to make his move.
“I was not finished.” William shouted back, “I shot canisters that creates a fog bank.” It was William who smirked back as the Dragon growled, which William took as a victory in that move. He smiled and watched as his opponent moved his other winged red dragon into the field. William only smiled a little as he then moved his cannon and thought a little. “So, as it seems we can defend our moves I think we can attack as well.” He looked down at the board and then lay down flat on the ground and looked at the chess board level before he smiled. “I can fire the cannon that I had moved forward. With magic cannonballs, damage to your front line, if anything, it will remove your first troop in front of my cannon.”
The Dragon blinked and looked at William. “Do you think that can hurt a dragon?”
“Well, seeing how magic cannonballs are well, magic. Then I could say that it could do anything from turn the area into any real things, from sleep to changing forms to changing colors, whatever the result, it would remove them from the fight.”
“Ah, realistic, instead of trying to destroy us. You try to remove us at least from the fight, I can accept that.” he moved one of the small blue Dragons in front. “You took first blood.” The words caused pause from Luna who was facing Gables older brother, and two of his cohorts. The three dragons seemed confused and Luna only smirked. It also appeared that only movement had happened on the larger board.
It was here that the three dragons looked at each other and promptly moved a piece each from their side and placed it in front of the opponent's front lines to defend. Luna only smirked. “Under laws, I can now move three pieces of my own forces to defend William’s lines, and I give him full control of those pieces.” She took three more massive airships. “These ships are loaded with only magic cannonballs.” With that she placed them in front of William’s pawns.
It was the Dragon’s turn now. “I, the Great master Yorick the Green shall destroy the massive airships. I attack with flame breath from the massive red dragon.” he pointed to his flying piece.
Matthew looked and gulped as he looked before making a move. “I sacrifice two of my pawns to protect my airship.” He removed the two pawns behind the airship, or was about to only to have one of the dragons next to Gable’s big brother shake his head.
“Foul, foul, you cannot do that, you get a target you either talk your way out, or, no one sacrifices your pieces to protect others.” They looked all to Luna. “We ask your ruling you challenged and you have the most senior pieces.”
Luna looked at the group. “A commander knows when to defend, he also,” She gently picked the pieces of the two thestrals up. “Knows what the bigger picture is.” She looked to William. “These two shall belong to you as permanent pieces in any future game played against dragons.”
William just looked at his board and then at Luna’s. “If I understand the game, it feels like I am,” he paused as the dragons began to laugh.
“Oh, scared of breaking a rule? When we mean those three rules, that is it, this is a visual representation of a verbal sparring that the Dragon Elite like.” Once more Luna bristled at the attitude towards the game. “So, go on ahead, your turn.”
William nodded his head and looked at the group. “I wish to debate something, if I fire with these larger airships, they will be unable to move for three turns, Is that acceptable?” He got nods of the head of his opponent. “Now I know you have thought of a way to protect your large pieces from magical attacks, but, what about this?” He moved to point his fingers. “I know certain powers can become itchy when exposed with other items. So, the reason behind my airships not moving is I fire the large compliment of weapons from these two large ships, with cannonballs wiped in the oil from Poison Joke on all weapons fired to hit your dragon.”
They all looked once more as they looked at each other. “Wea, but no one is crazy enough to touch that stuff, it would harm you as much as,” They looked at the Human, as they found connections firing as they thought of means to fight a little. Luna while composed was inwardly smiling, and happy that this human was in her care and under her protection. The horrors that mind might come up with under an evil influence, would be unthinkable.
William broke the silence with a question. “Did it work? Would it work?” And all he got for the answer was to see the removal of one of the big scary dragons.
As they played their game right in the middle of the grounds in front of the Golden Oak Library, they started to gather a crowd of just not Lyra but also Bonbon, and others. William was focused on the game and so was not knowing that from a balcony the Elements of Harmony were watching, Spike was watching from a window, and above their heads two phoenix's and a baby phoenix were watching as well.
The watched as the score was still roughly even, and then came Luna’s voice. “You can still move your own forces.” William blinked and noticed that indeed one could see the difference in coloration of the pieces. He smiled and moved another cannon.
“Poison Joke cannonball to your front lines again. I target the pawns.” Another of the Dragon pawns were removed. Then came the three other dragons looking between the two boards and moved their own pieces on the smaller board getting in range of doing some damage.
Luna smiled and with a quick move and word play that William did not listen to as he watched his board and wondered how to take care of this problem, an idea forming in his head, the problem is that the fog bank was still in effect, as neither side were wanting, he didn’t smile as he realized what might or could happen. Still he blinked as he heard a sudden growl from the dragon on the end as he looked and found Luna’s right flank suddenly looking rather scary as it threatened a bit of that dragons forces.
He returned his gaze as it went to Yorick the Green who glared at his group of friends. “I want full control of the pieces on my board.”
What he got was three negatives as he returned to glaring at his side of the board. William had a thought that he lost a move he wanted to do. He finally moved defensively with his other dragon only to sigh and looked at William.
William looked at the board and back up at the Dragons side. “I Move my small airship to be next to the bigger airship and use these two to attack you with my Poison Joke weapons.” He looked at the board. “Against your large dragon’s belly. Tell me, with the poison joke, and your friend on your left piece behind. would it, what would happen?”
“Gah, no, no, no. I Grapple the Bold, defender of my brother Gable’s honor will not allow more honeyed words from two, the Namby Pamby Princess can get that, but not you, you do not have the ranks to do that.”
“Very well, then the big red dragon is sent back due to the Poison Joke. As agreed upon based on the last move.”
Yorick only glared and removed his piece, and sure enough, Grapple used the freed up space, at the expense of his ally to try and charge in to attack. “I attack your front line, with my speed of the racer dragon class, I can take out two of your forces.”
“Nope,” William replied. “You just raced into a cloud fog bank, your visibility is low and almost none existant you only ram into a wall of dirt that had been built up by the pieces who did not move.” He smiled a little. “if the board is to represent terran, then I can do that, that is something I would have done myself if staying put. With so many pawns, you are captured alive while dazed I would think, or you can flee and lose honor and shame and leave the game board.” William was seeing honor was a big deal for Grapple, one that he wanted all to himself.
“I, but, fog wouldn’t last, it cannot last, It should be gone.” Grapple argued back.
“Maybe, but neither Yorick or I discussed the time limit and well, do you want the fog bank removed?” William turned to ask Yorick, who only grinned.
“Nope, and he said captured, you lose your little racing demon piece to him.” It seemed that Yorick was not being to his friend, to William it looked like it was a bit of a rivalry.
Grapple smirked and huffed a little. “No matter, I shall win the game and he will not get to keep the piece.” He looked and turned back to Luna with a smirk. “Like to make a wager with your little hairless weakling? IF we win, he has to work for us.”
Luna only smiled. “Very well, but if he beats any of you. They pledge loyalty to him and are willing to be taught by him.” She looked at Grabble. “Are you willing to lose your pose for showing how, superior your mind is?”
Grapple growled and glared at Luna. “No words can defeat me. I accept your challenge, even if the structure changes, you shall lose, just as all ponies do when fighting dragons.”
Luna smiled. “So be it, I believe we have an outside dragon watching and the elements of harmony as well.”
“bah, elements of harmony, just fancy jewelry that will end up in one of the elite dragons hoard some day.” Grapple just ignored the rather scared gasps from the crowd, where as William finally noticed the large increase of onlookers, he returned again and did his best to clear his mind. It was just like when he carried the State flag in the last basketball game of the College season. He focused a little.
Grapple smirked. “We all took turns, so I say it is the future servant of Dragons to go again.” He turned back to the board against Luna. “If I beat you, I get that tiny crown on your head.”
Luna only smirked. “I doubt you will get to beat me.” She replied as William made his move and pulled forward the airship he moved from the start.
William then moved a finger to point at the piece he had moved. “This tiny one will attack your front lines again.” He smiled as he looked at the three large airships. “With the full broadside, I attack with the middle one against Mr. Blue winged dragon.”
The blue winged dragon blinked and frowned and spoke for the first time in the entire game. “I am a girl, thank you very much, and I pull my piece back to my side before you can waste your shot.” the now revealed female dragon took her piece, a dragon with a gold crown on his head and placed it in front of her in an attack position against Luna who was fully threatening her side. “Also, just to let you know, names Sapphire.”
“William.” William returned with a look at his board. The only piece left of the dragon’s support, was now two pieces from the orange colored Dragon between Yorick and Grapple. “Tyrant Orange reinforces with a flyer.” He placed a dragon bigger than any of the pieces of Yorick, and yet smaller than the two red dragons at the start of the game. “I attack with flames upon your small ship.”
William smiled and placed the two Thestrals he had removed. “The Crew abandons ship and get out of the mayhem. I regain two pieces.” Once more the three dragons looked at him and at Luna. “Really? No one hears about training crews to abandon a sinking ship? With a flying ship would it not stand that since my forces are more of, well all thestrals I would have them crewing my ships?”
Sapphire actually smiled. “A good and valid point, one that I hope none of the other three would like to argue on that.” She looked at William and back to the board. “If I manage to hold out and you are able to capture just one of my pieces, I would like to learn just where you come up with these strange ideas.”
William nodded his head. “Very well, if I lose and I am forced to join your group. I shall teach you still as one who wishes to better even those above him.”
Grapple snorted. “Fine Sapphire, if I win you can be the main keeper of his safety.” He shook his head. “I only want to make the princess pay for her words and take her ally away, and then I can use the new mind to get back at the soiler of my brother’s pride.”
Yorick only smirked, “Well I will want to defeat him, you’d have to give me a kiss on the check in exchange for the Minotaur.” Looked to Sapphire with a smirk.
All she did was smirk in return. “Is that all, I can agree to that.”
William looked to Luna. “It appears part of the game is using words to create alliances and also fake out the opponents, I will call on your help if you wish.”
Luna smiled and placed a Gryphon with black tips. “To use against the Flyers that Tyrant the Orange sent your way.” She looked back. “I used my turn. You may attack when ready.” William could not watch Luna’s defense as he had to turn back as he saw Yorick attack with some of his smaller blue Spike dragon pieces. “I attack your ground forces that fled the airship.”
“I use the Black tip Gryphon soldier.” William replied and placed the piece to the side of the two Thestral pieces he had place where their airship had once been, only to blink at the drop of the dragon pawn as he looked at him.
“You, you are using them? Those damned by Nightmare Moon?” Yorick asked. “What are you thinking? You’ll bring Nightmare Moon here to blacken all our scales.”
William looked down at his pieces and looked to Luna, before looking right at Yorick. “I dare. You call me a Minotaur, yet I am not one, my race has fought beings and used many of a background. I do not care what your past is, what your ancestors might have done to mark your own present, I use those that will be willing to fight.” He looked right at Yorick. “Just for me bringing in a black tip, your fear will show and I say your attack on my troops fail. If not outright cause the attacker to run away.”
Yorick looked to Grapple but it was Luna who spoke. “As the vessel that once housed Nightmare Moon, I shall allow this fear tactic, for this turn, any piece that dares to attack the Gryphon will fail and either surrender and be considered captured, or run away.”
Yorick blinked and handed over a pawn to William. “Fine you get a prisoner.” He looked to the board. “I just wish I had not attacked before you placed your gift from the Princess.” He had William noticed not called her the same way Grapple was calling her. Still he looked down at the board. “Fine, I shall now moved and use my large airship to attack the Tyrant’s forces as they appear to be very close together.”
“I pull back.” Tyrant yelled as he pulled the two forces back. “I call and say he cannot attack because they flee at the sight of the black tip and move to defend my position.” William looked and saw that in the time that Yorick and he had taken to take a few turns, the others had already gone what looked to be four turns ahead of them and now it was Tyrant who was in trouble, William realized what was happening. Luna was pinching Grapple, making Grapple appear strong and yet not yet seeing the trap that William could see now.
He turned back and smiled. “I have forces now to still attack, the big airship will not move and bring all weapons to bear upon your front lines, two pawns gone?”
Yorick blinked and nodded his head. “Yeah, you got two in mind?” William smiled and pointed to the ones in front of the piece that looked like Yorick and the female dragon piece next to Yorick’s piece looked like a hand carved piece. Yorick actually smiled. “To far of an arch, I can say I will remove the piece here.” He pulled off the piece in front of the spot for the queen in chess. William smiled and spoke when the piece had been removed, “As for my regular airship, I move here.” he moved the airship as it had a clear line of shot of the pawn in front of Yorick’s kind. “As for my Black tip.” he moved and promptly landed it on the castle piece. Which looked like a miniature square castle wall with a tower in the middle. Yorick shook his head. “Too far for even a Gryphon to fly in a turn,” He didn’t finish as William placed him over the Spike Pawn. “Yeah, you could do that, you want capture or run away?”
“Your honor in tact, I capture.” William replied as he looked down at the pieces not seeing the look of relief on Yorick’s dragonic muzzle as he handed the piece to William.
“A good move.” Yorick replied as he looked at his set. “Using the limited time of fear to create a very good position, but tell me, can you protect such a far flung piece?” He asked with a smirk. “I use the castle defenses to attack your Gryphon, with intend on removing him from battle and future battles.”
William looked at the board. “You can wound him, but he falls back to be healed. He will not fight again in his match.” he moved to pick up the piece quickly. “As you can see there's a gap between our two boards you cannot count on your allies to stop his retreat of the side of the board.”
Yorick just seemed to growl and looked to Tyrant. “Well, go hunt him down.”
“No, I want to get back at this princess for getting my prized attack piece.” William smiled, these dragons were wanting petty revenge and were looking out for their own honor and lives, not working together as a cohesive unit. He looked to his own forces. He had a few more moves to go.
HOwever it was Tyrant who shocked both and placed a piece, a large dragon in the middle, but also cutting off any advancements from his ally as he made his move. “I will do this, I plan to wreak revenge for even thinking on using such boogeyman tactics.”
Yorick just looked and seemed to look at him with wide eyes. “Think, think where you put your piece, you are trapping me from moving and protecting my own scales, your re.” he did not finish as Tyrant snapped his jaws together.
“IF you fall for me to get my revenge a useful sacrifice, you’d still be in the posse, just a lower rank.” Tyrant smirked a little. “It is time for you to know that you are here to keep Grapple from facing the ire of your clan elder.”
Tyrant returned and smiled. “Come and defeat me, you cannot resist the big juicy target.”
William once more surprised the dragon by not doing a dragon move, he moved his big airship three spaced diagonally and smiled. “I fire poison joke at the pieces behind the big dragon, now, do you protect your friend and cause your dragon to return to your side where I am sure you have pieces to cure poison joke? Or let his lines take more hits?” William did not see Yorick’s face as he spoke to Tyrant, not realizing he had given mercy to him and shown an out for Tyrant to keep a piece in play.
William did not show his emotions as Tyrant began to laugh as he shook his head. “No way am I helping the weakest dragon in our group. Go on ahead.” William nodded his head, not sure even why he was going this way.
“Right, my final move for attack is my last small airship to moved here, and attack the king piece, What is your choice now Yorick?”
“I pledge my forces to the better of the foes and to show my commitment, I use all my pieces to clear off your big piece Tyrant. I remove my pieces from the board, but you lose your big dragon as a prisoner of not me, but him.” He pointed to William. “How is that for revenge?” he asked as he started to pack up his pieces as he kept the giant dragon on the board, William did not know what to do next.
It was not till Yorick finished that he smiled. “You can take the piece off the board.” He looked to the others. “Seeing how you are all putting pieces into our board, I see no reason to bar him from joining the fight.”
William smiled at that and looked at the group. “Can I move after Luna?” he asked just as she picked up a piece. The dragons only smiled and laughed showing they still did not see him as a threat.
William saw Luna as she smiled as she placed a piece down, it was another of her large airships. “I use a sleep powder shell and attack the castle.” She replied as she use magic to denote that castle, it was the same on the edge that was Tyrants piece.
She then moved another piece and smiled. “I capture based on earlier rulings your little Dragon magician.” She spoke to Sapphire. As for my move against Grapple, I give William the giant airship that is facing Sapphire’s troops.”
Grapple only laughed, or was laughing as it died as William moved lightening fast.
“I capture the sleeping castle with my Thestral crew of the small airship, landing the ship and grounding it.”
he removed the airship and touched the castle design, it was walled but had a large building in the middle and not the one tower as with Yorick. “As for my giant airship, I move to the edge of the new board and fire poison joke at your king piece.”
He noticed that Tyrant had small body winged dragons it seemed, he quickly took a pawn that was next to his king off. “I have this pawn take the hit and my king is still protected as a defensive move.”
William nodded his head and turned to looked at the Airship he got. “I use in tandem some of the deck guns which as we all know are on airships.” he got nods of the heads of the dragons. “I fire netting from those deck guns and snare your last giant dragon piece Miss Sapphire.” he blinked as she smirked and handed the piece to him.
“I do say, that of all the games I have played, I am learning a lot.” She looked to Grapple, “Seems you are going to lose your first prize when you battled my brother.” She looked to Princess Luna. “If you beat me, I still wish to learn from this creature, He has weaponized a meniche, he has shown valor in the moves not taken by those we fight, and frankly, using little details against us.”
Grapple just seemed to be steaming. But it was Tyrant who tried to attack, and all he did was succeed in taking out his own castle, in his rage he verbally declared him razing the castle to the ground. William was grim as he could not think of a way to pull out the crew of the small airship and so he nodded his head sadly. It was Grapple who went next and attacked with another of the racer dragons upon Luna’s lines. Luna removed a piece. “tactical retreat.” William looked at Luna, surely she was going to, he paused and saw that small glint in her eye that he could read. She was doing this on purpose. She was deliberately holding back, and he smiled as he looked back to his own pieces, goading the dragons in trying to show them her full powers of tactics, and it seemed that as he looked again on the map, that Sapphire had caught on, if she fell, he realized that an entire side of the board would open up upon Grapple.
Sapphire here only finally moved in a defensive move. She was drawing in her troops, but, she just left him, William smiled as he quickly focused on the site and found nothing that could go wrong in his mind.
Still he returned back to the map and moved the second large airship from the middle of the small board, or was about to when Tyrant growled and spun the map around. “Just, I want this over now, I want to destroy you, so your small enclave is attached.”
William only smiled and placed the airship now in the front in the middle of the two armies and pointed to one of his stronger pieces that did not have any pawns around it. He didn’t even speak as Tyrant removed the piece and shot William a glare. “I, How do you combat Poison Joke?” He growled at William.
William shrugged before moving up another piece, from his loaned set this time. “I use magic cannonballs to remove your pawns closest to me. Or rather pawn.” He amended as he did not want to go too far. Another piece was removed. “Now, as for Sapphire’s troops, you have built a nice defense, However,” he pointed to a line and traced from the new ship he had to the main ruling piece, which was a blue dragon curled around upon a piece that looked like ice, with a little tiara on her head. “You have this opened. I move forward and use my nets,” he didn’t speak as Sapphire raise a clawed hand.
“I have my queen captured, and having shown your worth, you may command either each piece or allow me to command the rest of my pieces still on the board.”
William shook his head. “No, Take your rest and regain your strength. I do not wish you to lose your troops.” He looked at Grapple. Only for Sapphire to grin.
“Oh I then will attack where I can,” She moved her pieces and pawn canceled pawn out as Grapple and Sapphire dropped into a language WIlliam did not understand, it was full dragonic, yet Luna to William’s eyes could understand and finally, Grapple saw his castle and a good chunk of his pawns were gone.
Sapphire only smiled and slowly handed William her piece. “Keep it safe, it shows you are in charge of my forces.” She smiled and sat back and looked at Grapple. “I told you attacking Spike would be a bad idea, he has more allies than you ever did, how many challenged you to battle in chess to get out of your planes? Didn’t you just verbally let them off the hook If they did not pull out the game?”
“Shut up.” Tyrant replied as he found that he was not in a very good position, so he started to move his pieces, William blinked in shock as small pockets moved back to surrounded Tyrants own leader. William almost blurted out, about the rules he was told at the start only for Luna to hush him with a wing.
“Advanced rules, you get to move larger numbers, due to more experience, and a larger board, makes things faster.” She smiled as Grapple then moved, pulled back and trying to wall off the sudden moves. Still when it came around to Luna’s turns she only smiled and moved her pieces against Tyrant and the entire time talking Dragonic to him as she and he removed pieces from the board.
It was then her turn around Grapple and like she did to Tyrant, she finally revealed her mastermind of battle as she took out the rest of Grapple’s pawns and left both groups open to attack.
William moved next, and with a smile he moved his Airship against Grapple. OR rather had two airships move. “I use my net guns to attack your center.” Grapple only smiled as he moved a dragon that was brown and was holding a boulder in a clawed hand in front of his leader and took it off the board. William looked at the airship he had been given from Luna. “I use my Poison Joke.” Grapple looked and smiled softly as he placed his dragon leader, a Red dragon wearing a gold crown, standing on a pile of jewels and holding a scepter, he moved that piece to another piece. William only smiled. “Castle Defense, fine, I can allow that.”
he turned to Tyrant who glared and William returned the glare. “Okay, I attack with poison joke airship still in my board, and the cannon I just moved up now.” he moved the Cannon into what was called range. “I attack with magical cannonballs.”
Tyrant only growled and looked to Grapple. “You might want to invoke the retreat rule now.”
Grapple only shook his head as his eyes glowed red. “No, Never, I will not run, you cannot run, I will show you all that I am the best one, that I will have my revenge.” He moved the third of his peices into attack Luna who only refuted any and all claims, leaving him three pieces in the end. The Castle, his leader, and a Dragon who to William’s surprise was wearing a green pope hat.
Luna smiled and looked at Grapple. “I do not attack.”
Grapple looked at Luna before looking at William. His eyes burning hatred at him. “I will rend you where you stand if you finish that move. I will not stand for being defeated by an unknown weakling without claws, horn or even a means to defend..” he paused as William finally lost it and would later regret doing what he did.
He pulled out his pistol and pointed it right at Grapple’s chest. “I do dare, I finish what I started, I use my poison joke net combo as before upon your last piece, and surround your castle with my troops. Now, surrender, you tied two pieces together, you lost.”
Grapple looked at him. “Oh? And what are you going to do with that.” Grapple asked as he stood up and looked like he was going to attack, he got his answer as William only fired once, Grapple grunted and looked down and back up before laughing. “You only dented my scales, is that the worst you can do?”
“I have bigger ones. I assure you, I am not afraid of you.” WIlliam replied. “You want to risk me breaking a scale?” He asked before Grapple, gulped and finally sunk to sit back down on the ground only glared at the ground.
Luna smiled. “As we agreed, you are adjuncts to William. Who is a military commander on loan from his nation.” She stood up from the battle. “Congratulations, you just lost into learning how to be better at the game you lost.” She smiled a little at the expressions on the three dragons, Sapphire she noticed was more happy at the thought, Yorick was appearing to be pleased at the thought, Tyrant seemed bored, and Grapple, turned around and growled.
“NO, I am going to attack and burn that.” He did not finish as he became soot covered as two Phoenix’s roasted him, he coughed and fell to his knees as he looked up at the six ponies as two of them appeared to be ready for anything. He then saw Spike on the balcony with a little baby Phoenix on his head. “You…”
“I told you he has allies, including some Phoenix's, you wish to fully engage with them? or accept your fate?”
Grapple growled. “This is not over, I will see to that.” He stood up as Luna smiled.
“Come along,” She paused and whistled as six Threastals appeared out of nowhere. “Crescent Dawn regiment, please take Mr. Grapple back for orientation, As well as any of the other dragons back to the castle, I think it is time that I explain fully just what game WIlliam just played.”
William only smiled and sighed. “Please do explain, as it felt like I was playing a game for my life.” He paused as the small thither that Luna hide behind a hoof. “Oh great, that just sounds great.”
“What? thou doest not trust us?” Luna asked with a smirk as the walked to the door which was already being opened with Twilight just standing there looking on in wide eyes. “Because We trust thee to succeed. Thou hast been blessed by us by wearing yon armor of my own crafting. Thou hast then been blessed by the luck of the moon, and today, the moon of luck was full. Thou were ready and fought.” She smiled as she nodded to Twilight as William and now Sapphire walked into the main room of the Library, she turned around and smiled fully. “Magic is much more real thou must remember.”
William looked at her and nodded his head. “Fine.” He looked around and paused as Luna looked at Twilight before looking back at William.
“Would you and Spike be willing to make some tea? I am sure you would love to learn how to make a nice Equestrian blend.”
William looked at Spike who was walking down as he looked up at the Phoenix. “Well, might as well show me what to do, and, nice fire bird.”
Spike only smiled. “Thanks, it seemed Pee Wee decided to come visit and good thing too, those dragons scared me, so, what happened?”
Sapphire only smiled and winked to Luna, “Let me tell you while we all make some food, I might be able to cook a nice gem snack for you.” She smiled and walked past Spike and into the kitchen, Spike blinked before racing after her.
“Hey, my kitchen I don’t want you messing up my stuff.” William looked a little like a lost puppy back at Luna before sighing and looked to the cieling as if to say ‘why not’ and entered the kitchen.
“Luck Magic?” Twilight replied with a raised brow, only for Luna to raise a wing.
“Please Twilight, student of my sister, but I had to say something to placate William’s mind, a fib like that will make him trust in his own self more, but be willing to take risks more often, what was I to say, that he outwitted four dragons because what would be a common war tactic is almost unheard of?” She sighed and looked to the window. “Let him think that Equestria and Earth are similar,” She smiled, “Discord likes him, and look at why, he shall cause chaos upon the world just be making war against the Nightmares.” She looked happy suddenly. “But we have learned much, and the Nightmares are still in the dark. I hope the war is short, but, I shall be ready if it turns into Europe.”
“Europe?” Twilight asked in a very strange manner as she tried the strange word on her tongue.
“Something I gathered from William’s mind,” She looked at the doorway with a smile. “I must admit to thee as the wielder of the element holder of Magic, that I wish I was banished to his world instead of my moon.” She looked at her hooves. “The start was rough, from Sombra, to my own fall was the the only battles, we had Discord, and Tirek as well who came to destroy and conquer us.”
“Who?” Twilight asked with a confusion.
“A being I hope you shall never have to meet Twilight Sparkle.” Luna replied with a looked at the doorway and turned to a window where she saw the eyes and heads of many of the ponies who were staring in wide eye. “Surely you live in a library, and it is open, why does none come inside?”
“Scared of you I would think.” William replied as he came back in with a tray of food. “I mean, if the President of the United States decided to stop into my small town unannouced it would bring onlookers, and the protestors.”
Luna shook her head. “Still, they must not fear us, we stand as a guardian against the tide of darkness, surely your world would respect,” She paused as William shook his head.
“I had my arm broken by one who said he would love it if I was never born if it meant the bomb was never invented,” He shivered. “I never told you the full story there.” he touched his arm with fear and remembered pain. “I struck him only after he threatened to make a repeat of a Campus riot.” he looked at Luna. “He threatened to attack, deface, and burn an ROTC building down, the symbol of our military on campus down because he declared that anyone who wore a uniform was too dumb to be in college.” William sat down. “I served two weeks in jail, while he was sentenced for two years on assault, and conspiring to destroying government Property. His family drove me out of my home state and I was finishing my college work in another state.” He looked back at the window.
Luna blinked before a slow anger burned. “How dare they,” She however took pause as she realized her anger was not where she thought at first, it was not at the actions taken by those against William’s love, but against William himself. She felt anger at hearing William being forced from his home, from his family. “Does your family visit?”
“Every year, and we usually go down to Williamsburg or up to DC.” He smiled at the confused look of Twilight. “Williamsburg is a city that is a living museum from the era of our founding of my nation, the time before and leading up and during the entire Revolutionary War, it is to show us how we lived over two hundred years ago. As for DC, that is the shorthand for what is our nations equivalent to Canterlot. I have seen the White House, home to the President, Lincoln Memorial and,” he paused and laughed again, “Sorry i forget that not all ponies did what Luna did and you have no clue what I am talking about.” He looked down and smiled as he realized he was still holding the tray of food, he quickly moved to a table and set it down, just as Sapphire came out carrying a tea pot, and Spike walking out holding a tray of tea cups.
The conversation paused here as they had the tea poured and they sat down around the table, and Spike finally sighed as he moved and turned the sign to closed. Only after he and twilight failed to invite the others into the library.
Luna waited for the crowd to disperse and looked at William. “Now, let me explain, the Dragon Chess was very serious, you see Dragons cannot harm one another very much and they had found out, that a game as random and chaotic as what we played escaped Discord’s touch. Still, dragons are territorial and they found that games like that would work on some of their greed attacks. So it became an almost law and tradition that Dragons will hold themselves to the game, so if a dragon beats another dragon in that game it would be the same as winning in a physical battle. The Badlands were actually formed by a squabble between two dragons right before Discord’s rise to taking the throne.”
Luna grimiched. “Those were dark times. However once we won, and I took the night, many dragons sought me out to fight me, to try and gain favor and clot in Equestria, they soon found that I was becoming an apt warrior in their game, and in defending Equestria, so instead of giving up on gems, they gave up something that would prove much more valuable, training.” She looked at William. “Like you who have had done things that were done from triggers, I too earned a name, A dragon actually threatened my guards upon defeat, he gave my closest friend a reason to wear an eye patch before I acted. I slew him in minutes, and that is where I earned that title, It was there that my word in a game became as binding as a Dragon Elder.” She smiled a little as if remembering one funny thing. “His son tore one of his own scales from his tail to act as the eye patch. It was usually frowned upon to wear even a scale of another creature, yet as compensation, it was agreed he would only wear the scale of a dragon to cover the scar left by a dragon.” She sighed. “As for what I have done, I have called you my second, in dragon terms thou art being groomed to become one of my ambassadors upon dragons. That I have as much trust in your abilities as my own.” She smiled. “A phrase that I gave without thinking yet, one that I do not regret. I shall teach thee, come next year, we shall win.”
William nodded and turned around and blinked. “Wait, oh right, weather manipulation,” he smiled as the shock was wearing off. He just smiled at the now white flakes falling outside. “Wow, first snowfall I have seen in Equestria.” He sighed and looked back at Luna. “How, how long till Hearth Warming Eve?”
“Ah,” twilight spoke with joy, “You know about that, that is in four weeks.” She looked at Luna. “You think…” She smiled a little wider. “That he can see the play?”
Luna laughed a little. “As for seeing it? I would say he should watch it with the entire royal family and Element holders this year.” She paused and looked at Spike who was holding a letter. “Is that from my Sister?”
“Oh, no,” Spike replied waving a clawed hand. “it is a invite to Sugar Cube Corner from Pinkie Pie stating that she wants to throw a non surprise surprise Birthday party for our friend, as well as a welcome to Ponyville for a visit party.”
“How did she know my birthday was missed?” William asked only to cause Twilight to laugh aloud as Sapphire looked confused.
“Pinkie Pie knows anything it seems, just don’t question it, or you will have anvils falling on your head.” Twilight replies as she rubbed a hoof over her head at some memory.
“Ouch.” Sapphire replied with a small snort laugh into her tea cup.
“Indeed,” Twilight replied. “Never question Pinkie Pie.” She finished before taking another sip of her tea.