Chapter 10
Gunpowder, history and a uniform
General Ace and Commander Davis walked side by side through the enormous training camp for the Equestrian army. Same as before, the ponies around looked at Davis with surprise, though some even with fear or amusement. He tried to ignore the looks, but it began to be difficult as more ponies looked at him.
"We should make something so that they know who I am," Davis stated to Ace. The general nodded.
"There's going to be a speech by all the generals. I think you and Louis should he there as well," Ace said. He turned a corner and the smithy finally came into sight.
Davis immediately recognized it for a couple of reasons. It was the only building made out of stone, with a couple of chimneys from which smoke rose up into the sky. There were many ponies around, many sharpening their weapons and some others forging swords. For what Davis could see, they were technically mass producing swords. There were at least thirty ponies working on them, and that was outside the building. He wondered what could be inside.
The two approached the building with the now normal glances thrown at Davis. Ace received a couple of salutes, and surprisingly Davis did as well. They returned the salutes each time until they finally reached the door. The forge was pretty big, though not much. There were not many windows, which made Davis wonder how hot it was inside. All around the building there were small work spaces for the smiths working on the swords, but he also noticed many working on spears, lances, bows, arrows and crossbows.
Ace stopped in front of the door and opened it. He entered. Davis had to crawl in order to fit. He was surprised, since most if the doors in Equestria were always big enough for him to enter normally.
The first thing he noticed was the cool air. Outside wasn't hot, but once he entered the smithy he was surprised to find it comfortably cool. Next thing was a sharpening sound. He looked around and saw the inside.
It was very tight, but not for lack of space but because of the overflow of things. There were metals everywhere, there was a center table with many papers all over and an ink and quill. He saw in the walls and on the floor, in cases and shelves many strange looking things. He looked at one of them. It seemed like a modified crossbow with a cartridge-looking thing full of arrows. He picked it up and saw that it seemed like a semi-automatic crossbow.
Ace touched his shoulder lightly and pointed to a side of the room. Davis turned and saw the smithy.
There was a dull gray earth pony stallion with a light gray mane and tail. His Cutie mark was a hammer crossed with a sword and he looked very concentrated into something he was doing. Both Davis and Ace approached. Ace coughed to get his attention.
The pony looked and saw Ace.
"General!" he exclaimed surprised. He saluted rapidly. He then saw Davis and turned surprised, then confused. "Err... What?"
Ace looked at Davis. "Oh, yes. Introductions. Tempered Steel, this is Commander Davis appointed by the princesses themselves. He is also technology and military advisor. Davis, this is Tempered Steel, captain smithy of the army."
"My pleasure," Davis said, extending his hand. Tempered Steel shook his hand and then saluted.
"Commander." He looked at Davis. "So, technological advisor. I'd love to discuss things with you, but I have one simple question, if you don't mind."
Davis shrugged. "Sure, ask away."
"Just what in Tartarus are you? Forgive the expression," he said.
Davis and Ace chuckled. "I was expecting that question. I'm a human, from another world. I came here by some strange explosion and ended up as your advisor."
The smithy nodded. "Okay, so... Any ideas. I'd love to show you some prototypes I made ."
Davis nodded. "Aye, I have some ideas and yes, I'd like to see your prototypes."
Tempered Steel smiled. "Okay. What are your ideas."
Davis cleared his throat. "Do you have a bow here? A normal one." The earth pony passed him one. Davis looked at it. "I saw that the ponies seem to struggle. For what I suppose is that the bows are very good for long range precision, but that you need to he very experienced in order for them to work at it's best." Tempered Steel nodded.
"Yes, they were designed by the griffons some couple of hundred of years ago. They have proven to be the best bows designed so far," Tempered Steel said. "But... yes as well, you need a long time of practice."
Davis nodded. "That's what is wrong. We don't have time to teach this recruits how to use this properly. We need an easier and faster to use bow." Tempered Steel scratched his chin.
"Nopony had cared to mention me that..." he told Davis.
"Excuse me..." Ace said. "But I'll take my leave. I have a couple of things to do before night falls." He saluted and walked away. Both Davis and Tempered Steel nodded and returned to business.
"Well, I have a couple of suggestions."
"Yes?" the smithy asked.
Davis placed the now on top of the table. "This bow is too long to he used practically on an open combat. Also it needs to be easier to carry and use. I suggest that we make them shorter, as well as the arrows."
Tempered Steel looked at the bow. He picked it up gently and began to look at it intently. He passed his hoof lightly over the wooden surface of the bow, just as he began to mutter some things. He turned to Davis.
"I believe I can fix those problems... I might even enhance the bow, but..." he looked at at the wooden weapon. "But it will take time."
Davis sighed. "How long?"
Tempered Steel examined the bow. "A month at most. If I give you my estimated time, but who knows how long it'll take."
Davis nodded. "Alright, fair enough. I hope we can manage on the upcoming battle without them."
The smithy shrugged. "These bows might not be the most efficient, at least with what you told me, but fail you... I doubt. The archer fail, bows don't." He placed the bow down on the table. "You said you had some ideas, or was it just that?"
Davis shook his head. "No, there's more. I have this..." he said, placing a bullet on the table. The pony looked curiously at it.
"What might this be...?" He asked.
"It's called a bullet. It is shot by this," he showed him the gun, but didn't passed it to him. Tempered Steel saw the gun and moved his hoof to take it. Davis placed it back on his belt, earning a surprised look. "I'm afraid I can't give you the gun, which is this thing, but I can give you a bullet."
"And what does this... bullet do?"
Davis picked the bullet. "It's not the bullet what I wanted to show you, but rather what's inside. In it there's something called gunpowder. It's like black powder, highly explosive. I don't remember what's it made of, but it's inside. I believe it has sulfur and two other components."
"Sulfur?" Tempered Steel asked. "There's not much sulfur around here, but there's plenty to the north. About the others... I'll have to see what they are. If you remember please tell me." Davis nodded. "So, highly explosive, eh? I believe that might help us in the war."
"Yes," Davis said "but I want you to promise me that you won't tell anyone about it. I don't think good things will come if this becomes common knowledge."
Tempered Steel looks at him. "I think that is true. We can't have everypony around knowing how to make some explosive powder."
"I'm actually worried about enemy spies and what it might do once Equestria is at peace. This is something dangerous that could change the face of war." Tempered Steel picked the bullet.
"Don't worry, my mouth is shut."
Davis smiled. "Thank you. Now, you had some things you wanted to show me?"
The smithy looked around. "Yes, things that need authorization to be mass produced. Come, let me show you..."
*** *** ***
Twilight's hoofsteps echoed through the halls at Canterlot palace. Louis walked beside her, both engaged in silent thought. Both kept their heads low, not thinking outside their minds. Twilight accidentally bumped into something. She stopped and saw a servant.
"I'm really sorry princess!" the servant, an earth pony, said. The servant mare had dropped some towels she was carrying, so she quickly begun to pick them up. "I'm terribly sorry..."
Twilight helped picking them up with her magic, placing the towels on her back. "It's alright, don't worry," she said smiling kindly to her. The servant bowed and walked away.
Louis saw everything. "Well princess, seems like you've got a touch with your ponies."
Twilight blushed slightly at the compliment. "No, it's just what any princess would have done."
Louis shrugged and began to walk again with Twilight. They were now walking in a splendid golden hall that Louis had never passed through before.
It was like a ball room, the floor covered in elegant spruce wood. The walls had paintings and tapestries depicting important events in Equestria's history. He saw one where three ponies, one for each race, were hugging each other. He saw another were there were two armies clashing, Celesia and Luna in one, a dark unicorn covered in a green magic on the other one. He noticed that one side depicted Equestria and the other an empire made of crystal. He kept looking around, awed by all around.
"This place... It's amazing," he muttered. Twilight nodded. She was looking around as well.
"Yes, I've never get used to this part if the palace."
Louis approached another tapestry, on that caught his eyes. There was a throne room depicted, along with Celestia and Luna on two thrones. They didn't wore two crowns, but rather there were two pegasi ponies crowning them. There were many ponies assembled, all apparently stomping their hooves and cheering. The two young princesses looked happier than Louis had seen them, which made him somehow wish to be there, inside that tapestry, and see those genuine smiles. For some reason he seemed fixed on the two princesses, that is until Twilight spoke.
"The princesses' coronation. It happened thousands of years ago, right after the unification of the three races. They were accepted as the rulers and so they began their reign on the old castle, that now lays in ruins deep withing the everfree," the young Alicorn princess explained. Louis stared deeper into the tapestry.
"Why does the castle lay now in ruins?"
Twilight looked down, thinking. She finally looked up.
"Come, I can explain it better over there." She said, pointing at a large tapestry on the other side of the room. They walked towards it.
As they approached, Louis noticed that the tapestry was divided into sections. He saw that on top of the tapestry there was a large and elegant label: the war of the night.
"Long after the land of Equestria established itself and the princesses began to rule, there was a shirt period of war within the land. That was the last time Equestria saw war, that is until today... Though," Twilight said. Louis was listening. "The two sisters ruled together, Celestia controlling the day and Luna the night. They were happy, until Luna began to turn dark by her dark thoughts. She ended up trying to overthrow Celestia, accusing her of not giving her credit and saying that night was not appreciated as it should be. She rallied some ponies faithful to her and marched on towards the great castle of the two sisters. She began the rebellion on a small town whose name was long forgotten and that is no longer existing that was up north of Ponyville. From there she slowly marched, burning and pillaging everything that stood in her way."
"By then she was no longer Luna, but Nightmare moon. She was now a dark spirit, consumed by dark thoughts and dark desires." Twilight stopped to let Louis take in all that she had told him. The German soldier had been looming at the tapestry all the time, following Twilight's account through images. She saw the discussion between the sisters, Luna's transformation into Nightmare moon, her inciting the ponies to rise up with her and finally she marching with her army towards te castle of the two sisters.
"But she didn't moved unchallenged. Celestia's royal guard was giving her a hard time, until they finally stopped her advance right in the now present boarder of the everfree forest. There was were the bloodiest war inside Equestria was fought. Hundreds died, from both sides. Guards and Rebels alike fell for the sword and the arrow, until the rebellion was finally defeated."
"Just as the last remaining Royal guards rounded Nightmare Moon, she dissapeared and got in matter of hours a small army of one hundred. With that she moved towards the Castle. She attacked in the dead of night, a moment she made the moon darker than it should have been that day. So, with that started the three days of night, a constant battle between Celestia and Luna. The castle was destroyed, and most ponies fled, for the battle between the two sisters was just too powerful for a pony to survive all the raw magic."
"Finally, Celestia defeated Nightmare Moon, and by sending her to the moon the war was ended," Twilight finished. Louis saw the last image of the tapestry: the moon, which ha d dark spots all around with the form of a pony's face.
"And that was the last war Equestrians have fought?" Louis asked. It seemed like a long time ago.
"Yes, little more than a thousand years ago. Since then Equstrians left all forms of violence, encouraged by princess Celestia. She formed pacts with the surrounding kingdoms and an alliance with the griffons that stands to this day."
Louis nodded. "Why is Luna here now?"
Twilight looked at a particularly large tapestry. Louis followed her gaze.
"She was freed from her prison some years ago, on the thousand year anniversary of her banishment. The elements of harmony, my friends and I, defeated Noghtmare Moon and freed Luna from her evil." Twilight said that proudly. Louis smiled at her expression.
"I hope this war turned out differently and with less bloodshed," Louis said quietly, though making sure Twilight heard. "I've seen a very bloody war; I don't want to see that happening here."
Twilight's ears dropped. "I wish the same as well."
Just the the two heard the sound of the large ball room opening, revealing nine other than general Silver Ink.
"Yes, general?" Twilight asked.
The general cleared his throat. "I was sent to inform you that we will he departing soon. Celestia told me to tell you to meet her right away and help Louis get ready to leave for the training camp."
Twilight nodded. "It was nice to talk to you, Louis. I hope we can do this again."
Louis smiled. "I'm honored, princess. I'll gladly do that some time again."
Twilight smiled and walked to the door. She stopped and turned to Louis. "Please, don't call me princess. Just Twilight." She walked out of sight.
"Silver Ink..." Louis said, trying to look normal, but inside he felt anger at him. He had never liked that pony, and the more he got to know him, the less he liked him.
That pony reminded him of a captain back at the German ranks, one he despised since he joined the army and the second he was changed to a different command Louis had been the happiest men on earth.
"Louis..." the general answered. The German soldier walked beside him and then off towards his room. Silver Ink followed him.
He finally reached his room, much more easily thanks to Silver Ink. He looked around and saw a military bag laying on his bed. He also noticed a uniform laying right beside it.
"A uniform?" he asked. Silver Ink walked to his side.
"Yes, the princesses made a special uniform for you and the other human."
Louis was too busy taking the uniform to notice the uncomfortable tone Silve Ink had used when speaking to him. He picked it up and saw the shirt and jacket. It was like one if the German officer's shirt and jacket, only that there were no eagles or german simbols on it. He saw a small officer cap. He turned to Silver Ink.
Silver Ink looked at him.
"In going to out it on," Louis said.
"Go ahead," the General said casually.
Louis sighed. "I don't think you ponies mind being naked all day, but us humans don't take it lightly to be seen naked."
Silver Ink looked at him amused. "I'm... Surprised..." He chuckled. "Alright, I'll leave you, which is something I've wanted to." He simply turned and left.
Louis just kept hating more and more that pony...
He took off his German soldier uniform and proceeded to try his new officer uniform. He took his time, making sure he wore it correctly. He finally put on the officer cap and then walked to a mirror. He looked at himself and was surprised by how he looked.
He remembered one of those old commander uniforms from the seventeen hundreds. His cap was not how he thought it would look on him, but still he like it. The jacket had an equestrian symbol, the moon and the sun crossed with two crowns and two horns with wings behind.
He looked at the he'd again. He noticed a badge with a star. He took it and placed it on his pocket. That would certainly mean something.
After making sure he had everything, he walked out if his room. He had his rifle and his gun on his belt. He looked out of a window towards te busy city of Cabterlot.
Soon he would he fighting... Fifhtnjng ti help these creatures keep their freedom and their innocence. They were peaceful folk, he wished war had never arrived to them. He sighed as he walked towards the palace gates. He was ready to go to the training camp, and from there, to war...