//------------------------------// // 48 - That evening... // Story: The Memoirs Of A Reality Jumper // by Techogre //------------------------------// Earlier that evening... "Blast and Tartarus fire...when I could," Doctor Emerald said between gasps of air as he ran. He grudgingly acknowledged the fact that he'd be in worse shape were it not for his past life's training. As much as he deplored his previous existence, exercising old muscles and skills felt invigorating. As he neared a small courtyard, he heard the distinct sound of a unicorn throwing bolts of force. Based on the tenor of the magic, it was male, and it held the unmistakable taste of desperation. His instinctual reaction was to let the other succumb to whatever fate The Mother had for him, but in his new life, he knew he had to help. Emerald focused. Unlike the unicorn he was trying to help, he was not prepared to blindly throw energy at the assailants. The doctor preferred a more surgical approach, one with more finesse. Seeing the diamond dogs, he started with something simple, combining his medical training with the need to incapacitate. He removed the liquid from their inner ear, causing the group closest to the fellow he was protecting to collapse in a heap. Some howled in anguish, and others projectile vomited. Unexpectedly, a few even had violent bowel movements. Doctor Emerald looked on with satisfaction. With the immediate attackers taken care of, the unicorn looked around for his saviour. His eyes coming to rest on Doctor Emerald, he stuck out a hoof. “Name’s Elusive. Who do I have to thank for this?” He waved a hoof at the pile of moaning and ill diamond dogs. He answered with a bow of his head, “Doctor Emerald at your service, Mister Elusive.” “Just Elusive will do. Are you-” Elusive’s eyes went wide in horror, “Look out!” Emerald turned his head just in time to see a diamond dog throwing a knife at him. He managed to jerk his head back enough that he was struck at the base of his horn by the handle rather than the blade. The pain was blinding, and his unicorn appearance dissolved in wisps of green eldritch flame, revealing his true form. Despite the pain, Emerald managed to shut down the dog’s somatic nervous system from the neck down. It dropped like a bag of rocks. The doctor’s black exoskeleton glistened in the setting sun. Elusive looked at him in terror, then quickly lowered his head to send a bolt of force in the changeling's direction. Expecting the worst, Emerald simply closed his eyes and waited for the blast.  It never came. Instead, there was a dull thud beside him. A diamond dog with a vicious-looking blade in its paw had fallen to the ground. It took Doctor Emerald a moment to realize what had just happened. With a flash of green fire, he quickly hid his true nature. From inside a tailor shop, an old unicorn called out, “You alright, son?” Elusive’s eyes stayed on Emerald, “Yeah, dad. Just me and my normal pony friend taking care of some dogs.” Snazzy Suit questioned, “New friend, kiddo?” Elusive smiled, “Without a doubt, dad.” Shining Armor sputtered in rage, “He did what?!” His long-time aide and companion, Lieutenant Stoutheart, had not seen his commander this angry in a long time. He repeated, “He let them return to whatever hole they came from, sir. However, he did ask them to come back in a week.” “He just asked them?” Captain Armor took a deep breath to calm himself. “Where are they now?” “The Alpha is under guard and on her way here.” Shining nodded in response to Stoutheart. “He is being taken care of by some Night Guard doctor.” “I don’t care! Get his biped meat-eating predator flank here ASAP! And while you’re at it, read up on battlefield banishments. That dog needs to be taught a lesson.” Shining thought for a moment. “I'm half tempted to see about banishing him too. If he thinks he can whinny orders around and set policy just because he has a pack full of bits and he’s the pet project of the middle Princess, he’s got another thing coming.” The fuming Armor was interrupted by a courier pegasus. “Sir! Messages for you, sir. From all three Princesses.” Shining took the three scrolls and opened the one from the Solar Diarch. As he finished reading, he grew a savage and satisfied grin. “Princess Celestia wants Alex Roberts in chains. Says he totally bungled the situation.” Shining took the following message, broke the seal and opened it. As he read it, his expression grew both slack and angry. He passed the message to Lt Stoutheart. “For the love of Celestia, can you please read this out loud? I must be having a nervous breakdown.” Stoutheart took the scroll and started reading. To: Captain Shining Armour. The aide cocked an eyebrow, “Huh, she misspelt your name.” Shining sighed. He rubbed the back of his neck, “No, she always spells it the old way when she’s upset.” The lieutenant kept his face neutral, “Right you are, sir.” From Princess Luna, Lunar Diarch, Protector of the Moon, Defender of Equestria, Mistress of the Eastern Armies... Stoutheart let out a low whistle. “There’s three more lines of that stuff. She’s going to throw her weight around for this one, isn’t she? She must be really upset.” Shining Armor thought to himself, ‘Mare, is she ever, and that moon can be really, really heavy.” With resignation, he sighed. “Just skip to the message.” Stoutheart shrugged, “Right away, sir.” I am writing you this message regarding the displeasure my sister has expressed about the actions of my champion, Paladin Alex Jean-Paul Roberts. His ability to find the correct action to assist others in finding redemption on a small scale has proven very effective. I believe the outcome of his chosen plan, vis-a-vis the Ponyville Diamond Dog attack, will provide Equestria with friends and allies, whereas our traditional way of resolving this issue would bear far less fruit. In short, I would thank you for not questioning the methods and actions of my champion. I am formally countermanding the order given by my sister, as is allowed under the Agreement Of Power, Signed 137th Day of Fall in the Year 1001, whereas in matters of internal security, any order given by any Royal Princess or Prince may be overruled by a second Royal Princess or Prince. This will be allowed to stand if a third Royal Princess or Prince agrees with the second Royal Princess or Prince; otherwise, the original decree will stand. Please be informed that your dear wife has already agreed with my position. Shining quickly opened the third scroll, the one with Cadence’s seal. It was quite short. He muttered to himself, “Nightmare's frozen teats, she’s siding with him.” As Shining was fuming, a familiar voice he barely tolerated spoke up from behind him, “Armour, sitrep.” He turned his head and glared at her. “That’s Captain Armor to you.” Captain Nightshade smirked, “Whatever you say, Captain Armour.” Her expression became much more serious and professional. She said flatly, “Now, sitrep.” Stoutheart, used to the posturing these two always felt they needed to partake in, answered. “Currently, no hostilities. The enemy's primary leader was captured, healed, and on her way to the train station for transport to Canterlot. All enemy combatants neutralized and healed or have retreated. They’ve collected themselves in a small camp just outside of town. The night guard is providing water.” Shining glared at Nightshade. “They are also collecting and paying for appropriate foodstuffs for the enemy combatants. The raiders seemed to focus primarily on food, even forgoing valuable goods like cash, gems, and even aluminium.” Nightshade gave a quick salute, “Thank you, Stoutheart. Efficient as always.” She smiled kindly, “My offer for you to join the Night Guard still stands, you know.” The ever-suffering soldier sighed, “Thank you, ma’am. But breaking in a new CO would be far too much work.” The two Captains chuckled at the joke, this being one of the few things they both agreed on. Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty, sat beside the bed where the person she loved slept an uneasy sleep. With a flash of pain crossed his face, his head turned away, and he muttered a, “... no …”, then in a begging tone, “... please …”. He finally made a long, low, sorrowful moan. She looked around the room, her eyes hunting for a hint or a sign of something, anything. What could she do to help him? Her eyes fell on a framed scroll on his wall. It was the scroll from Princess Luna, the one telling Alex she had chosen him as her champion. She was loyal to Celestia but could never call on her. Not directly. Since this was a dream, Princess Luna would be the one to seek. She had seen the younger diarch at her worst. Could she trust her? The one who was Nightmare Moon could be forgiven, and she might be redeemed, but was there any trace of Nightmare left in her? Would she risk his mind with her care? Could she even get into his dreams if he wasn’t a pony? As if her eyes opened for the first time that night, she saw a silver ray of moonlight streaming in the window, touching her hoof and his hand. Smiling sadly, she reflected on the events that had brought her life to this point. ‘If somepony would have asked me a year ago what I would be doing now, I would never have said I would be watching my future husband sleeping.’ She smiled despite her worry. ‘Future husband. A year ago, that was something I never even considered. I was sure I would never connect with anypony like this. The best I could hope for was fans who loved me and maybe some short-term flings, just for fun. But now I’m watching my husband having a nightmare, and there’s not an apple-bucking thing I can do about it. I think... I almost wish I was a unicorn so I could do some magic to help him.’ She gave a soft little chuckle. ‘He’d still love me, no matter what. And I’ll do whatever it takes to help him.’ Rainbow placed a hoof on his chest as he moaned, his arm weakly moving. She softly cooed an old song, half-forgotten from when she was a little filly. It was sung by mares to their sick or injured herd mates. It was supposed to give strength and hope, and maybe it did. He calmed a little, but he was still ill at ease. She finally came to a decision. She would do something she had not done since she was a filly. Despite her misgivings, she called upon the Princess of the Night. Her eyes shut tight, desperation and hope in her whispered tones, “Dear Princess Luna. Please help Alex with his bad dream. Your friend, Rainbow Dash.” After a moment, she added, “P.S. You owe me one.” She prayed, repeating her simple request again and again, fueling her plea with love. In the night court of Canterlot Castle, Luna sat on her throne. A fresh steaming pot of her favourite tea was just being delivered. The nightly parade of supplicants waited patiently. She had dispatched the night guard to deal with the incursion in Ponyville and was awaiting reports. The main doors opened with a familiar golden glow. There, in the doorway, stood the Princess of the Sun. Luna spoke a word to her majordomo, and the room was quickly cleared, giving the two sisters privacy. As soon as the doors were closed, Celestia spoke calmly, “Sister, I have an issue with your… project.” Luna calmly took a sip of tea with a small bit of displeasure at her sister’s tone. “Do you mean Paladin Roberts?” The solar diarch answered in a controlled voice. “Yes. Alex.” Before Luna could answer, there was the sound of a commotion at the side door. Fly True, a pegasus courier in the Night Guard, burst in. Celestia turned a withering glare on the young corporal. He stopped in his tracks, terrified by the Sun herself. Luna raised a hoof and smiled kindly to the young pony. She bid him to come forward. Bowing deeply to Princess Luna, he spoke excitedly, “My Princess, I bring you glad tidings from Ponyville. It is with great pleasure that I tell you the townsfolk have been saved, suffering only minor injuries.” Luna smiled with pride, even more so when she noticed the pleasant surprise on her sister's face. The corporal continued with a grim smile, “The Dogs did not go unscathed. Eyewitness reports state that Paladin Roberts not only subdued the Alpha and her two lieutenants single-hoofed but was personally responsible for stopping at least a quarter of the other attackers.” Celestia flashed an irritated glare at her sister. It was subtle enough that the corporal didn't notice it. Luna, on the other hoof, got it loud and clear. The courier removed his helmet, “However, I do regret to report Paladin Roberts was injured in the process.” Luna gave a little gasp. “But, I personally saw Doctor Emerald attending to his injuries.” The princess of the Night gave a slight, somewhat un-princess-like sigh of relief. “Here are the detailed reports, your Highnesses.” Luna nodded to the Night Guard, “I thank thee, Fly True. Please, go to the Royal Kitchen for refreshments. You are dismissed.” The pegasus bowed deeply and left. As the door closed, Luna smiled graciously, “What do you think of my champion now, sister?” Celestia started reviewing the field reports, “Why didn’t you pick that Sergent always chatting with you? Noctus, isn’t it?” “Sir Noctus wishes to protect ponies above all else. That is a fine and honourable calling, but I need somepony who wishes to redeem others despite all else. Paladin Roberts cares not a fig if the one to be redeemed is a pony, a diamond dog, or a warg. He cares only that they are given a chance at redemption.” Celestia’s expression became one of curiosity. "Looking over the reports of injuries and thefts, I must admit, sister, I may have been too hasty. Perhaps there is something to your choice of champion." Later that night, Captain Nightshade and Stoutheart were taking a moment to rest in the slowly organizing chaos of the evening. Stoutheart began hesitatingly, “You know, Captain-” Nightshade smiled and lightly shoulder-checked him, “No non-coms around. You can call me Al.” He smirked, “Alright, Al. Don’t be too hard on Shining on the subject of Alex. He’s seen his share of weird stuff ever since the Elements have been back together. He wants to keep everypony safe. That’s all.” Nightshade closed her eyes and sighed, “I know. But Luna believes in him. I mean, she really thinks he’ll solve problems in a way that will make us stronger. And maybe change us all for the better.” "Did Shining tell you what he did when he visited his house? He spotted the top infiltration team like they were rank amateurs. Even that pegasus sergeant, what’s his name, Whisper Quiet?” Nightshade cocked an eyebrow. Whisper Quiet was one of the best. Stoutheart rubbed the back of his neck. “He claims he's an ordinary human, not exceptional at all. Let’s assume that’s true. What if the next human is a warrior, or a mage, or some kind of human Nightmare Moon?” He paused to let that sink in. “He’s easy to contain now, but what if the next one is not as... controllable?" Diamond Tiara turned the envelope over and over in her manicured hooves. The strange writing was so compelling, yet she couldn’t quite make herself open the envelope. She had had it for a while, and this had become a nightly ritual. Finally, her curiosity got the better of her, and she tore it open. An envelope, addressed to the Post Office Box at the Ponyville Post Office, fell to the ground. Dear friend, We wanted to let you know you don't have to put up with those weak losers. There's a better way. A life of strength and power can be yours. You can come to a place where you will be appreciated for the brilliant beauty that you are. We can offer you a place where anything can happen, especially fun things. When you decide to join us and take your time, we know you're smarter than most ponies, put a clipping of your luxurious mane in the envelope and we will get you to our special, amazing community. Friends of D~ Diamond read the letter several times, then came to her conclusion. ‘They must be my friends. D for Diamond. What else could it possibly be?’ Her eyes narrowed as a nasty smile formed on her lips. In the highest tower of Canterlot Castle, a Princess smiles. ‘Thy love is strong... and I do indeed owe you one.’  Before calling on the old magics, she hesitated. His was an alien mind in so many ways, and she feared what she would find in it. What if he is not what she hoped? What if he had been deceiving the ponies the whole time? What if… no. She sensed none of those things then and she will not now. Luna paused. She would need to be careful with his dreams. A long, hard life would have made even his peaceful dreams grim by pony standards. What would his nightmares be like? Would the terrors she witnessed in her long life steel her against it? With a deep breath, determination, and perhaps a slight thrill, she called upon the fabric of reality to carefully slip into his alien dreamscape.