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// 2 A Knight Approaches  
// Story: Chances and Changes:  A Vogonverse Tale 
// by Coruscating Cloak 
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	The nights after work and the days off after that fell into a routine. Between prepping one of the old offices into another bedroom and spending time in the stacks with a solar welding unit or with some of the planters and seeds for some of my students I was kept busy enough that I often could scarcely keep track of the day. Thank the gods for Corky in that regard. The routine was interrupted the night before Shining was due to arrive I was out in the stacks when I happened on Jo, one of my students. 


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I took of the welding mask as the last of the welds I was working on that day began to cool, the plate was from a Stack that had burned a few weeks prior, most of the metal had been salvageable as long as it was retempered. If you know how to look it is easy to tell when the stacks are getting ready to fail or fall and they are so seldom kept up that I can’t just do nothing. Climbing down even I could hear the footsteps running nearby. I am no hero but I know a lot of my students come from the stacks so I feel responsible for them. I went to investigate what was going on when I saw spritely little Jo backed into a corner with both fists up to protect her head. Between her and I were three individuals one, front and center to her wearing what is called a Zoot suit probably bought from a costume store given it’s light appearance. Wearing something like that now a days is meant to show class, learning, and a disregard for modern style that borders on the criminal. The whole effect ruined by him holding an old style 9mm autoloader out at full extension and sideways.

I crept closer to the trio trying not to startle the armed leader, to say I failed is an understatement. About a pace behind the two stooges the welding hood fell off my backpack, in my ears it was likely louder than it actually was. Zoot and his buddies turn to the noise and I find myself looking down the barrel of the 9mm. Now most people when they hear about these situations they think of the action movies where the hero grabs the gun and twists making the armed antagonist shoot his friends. What they don’t take into account is the sheer crap-your-pants terror that staring down any gun inspires in even the most hardened individual. I am not ashamed to admit I was scared. Zoot of course started with the grandstanding ‘you made a mistake trying to interfere with my business’ speech. I really didn’t listen it was just so cliche. Waiting until he was well into his rant I snapped my arms out while I twisted around grabbing his gun and wrenching it down and out of his hand with an audible ‘Pop’ from his shoulder. Believe me the move sounds more badass then it is. I followed insult with injury by bringing my ‘stompy boots’  heel down on the arch of his foot. Then stepping away and turning to face him and his stooges “I don’t care who you are or what your business is.” I state “I am Michael Tempyst of Tempus Fugit. Jo is my student, and in accordance with my contract with her parents, when she is out of their presence and in mine I am taking responsibility for her. If you threaten her or myself any farther I will go exactly as far as I have to for threat elimination.” I don’t have much of a name other than for being fair. Still since I spend so much time working in or with people in the stacks a few people know me or my studio. Then holding up the gun “this is being taken as payment for wasted time. Now Leave.” one thing about drug dealers, though persistent they do leave when you tell them too. Still the look I got from Zoot as he limped away that promised that our paths had not crossed for the last time.




Taking Jo’s hand I started leading her through the Stacks back to the studio. I keep a room set up so that if any of my students can’t safely get home or need to get away from a dangerous situation can stay. Calling ahead to Corky I let him know that the room needed to be opened again. “aye Mac, though bringing home strays is what ended my Marriage you know” Corky’s brogue replied “No Corky, you ignoring your wife and sleeping at the precinct is what ended your marriage” Ha!, I had watched Copper with grandfather once I was old enough that mother wouldn’t kill him for it.
“Shut yer gob”



One I got Jo to the studio I let her rush to the room, what ever the dealer had wanted obviously had left her rattled so I left her to her own devices. “Corky, when is Shining due to arrive?” I asked as I walked towards the Full Dive room. 
“Tomorrow morning 6 am, Mac, also you owe me a stout or a whiskey” Comes his reply “Boot up the full dive room, and no I don’t, However I will look for a good one for you while I am immersed.” Logging on I immediately was given the initial Alert that the account I had set up to put money aside to get cadence had finally gotten enough. So I began searching for Vogon again. The confirmation email was gone, though I had saved it. and both links I had saved were dead ends. I was unwilling to simply give up since I keep my promises. I began backtracking through my history, trying to find where or when the links disappeared. As I met more and more dead ends I began to get frustrated, then angry. something that I am normally slow to, Finally I was able to find the image of the anthropomorphic stallion that had helped me when I was looking at the assorted helpmates before and tapped his shoulder.

Immediately I was brought back to the room with the curtain and the Stallion was waiting there ‘Ah you have returned have you?’ he asked slightly bemused as he reached over to pull the rope and lift the curtain. My own hands resting on my knees as I get over my VR sickness induced vertigo. “Here to make good on your promise?” I level him a flat look.
“Yes I am. it took longer than I expected, Is she still here?” I replied. The stallion nods and brings me along the path. I paused a moment noticing Chrysalis was missing from the lineup now. Shaking my head I turn my attention to Cadence. Even as I watched her shift to her anthropomorphic form. Reaching out I placed my hand on her shoulder. immediately she faded from view and the clothing choices were presented to me. I ended up selecting a simple Ivory button down Blouse and long pale, blue skirt, with since it looked semi-formal, well sort of, at least. Shut up I am bad with womens fashions.  

“Again, any fan content Mr Tempyst?” the stallion anthromorph asked, seeming a little irritated that I didn’t let him go through all of his script again. I shook my head, 
“I am glad I was able to scrape the money together for her before someone else separated them.” I say calmly closing my eyes as the environment changed again. Opening them the Discord was sitting behind his cash register. “I everything is all set,  22,000 Credits and about a two month wait. It should give you and Shining plenty of time to get everything set up.” the anthropomorphic Draconequus smirks with is off set fang. “Thank You Scoddri” I reply with a half smile. “I am sure Shining and Cadence will be happy to be reunited.” I take the digital receipt and go to log out, “whatever you are doing with this, feels like a good thing.” With those parting words the Full dive powers down.

The next day I found myself doing busy work. checking pipes for an irrigation system, cleaning the Dojo part of my home for class, assorted things like that. The events of the previous night were weighing on my mind. Now don’t get me wrong, I did not regret my actions helping Jo out at all. I was also aware that i may have brought trouble onto myself with the way I handled it. I was lost enough in thought that Corky repeatedly try to get my attention to tell me a delivery truck was out front. Wiping off my hands I went out to see. I opened the door in time to see the security guards carefully watching a slightly dazed Shining stepped out of the back double doors onto the pavement. Walking over one of the guards let me know that he needed contact to wake up and gave me a brief rundown of what to expect. the bonding thing sounded a little off but I just learned to roll with a lot of things I don’t understand until I can look into them. Reaching out I clapped a hand on Shining shoulder “Good to see you man, Glad you made it safe.” I actually watched as he came to wakefulness. 
“Mac!, thanks for putting us me up for a while” He said in his usual almost chipper big brotherly tone.
“Room is set up, thanks for being willing to help with the classes.” I replied with a smile, “Come on in, we can get you settled. I will give you the grand tour after morning class.”  Walking in I took stock of my new room mate, you could tell that the military service had been included, each step was measured and precise in a way that only those used to marching in formation can do. as we walked up to the doors you could see his eyes shift from one place to another doing threat assessment. Once I heard an small ‘eep’ and feet running across the dojo to the ‘crash room’ as I sometimes call it. 

It didn’t take long for him to get settled in, nor did it take long for the kids in the morning class to warm up to him when he came out and I introduced him. Suffice the class was distracted that day and I couldn’t have been happier. Some of the kids it was the first time I had seen them smile. Still all of them tried their hearts out. An hour later when i called class to an end there were disappointed groans from a few of them and more than normal stayed behind to help in the garden. 

“What do the kids mean they are going to help in the garden” Shining asked as the kids filed into the changing rooms to get ready either for pickup or to help.
“In the main part of the building I made a hydroponic garden, the kids whose families are hard up stay after and help to pay for classes if they want to.” By the time we get into the garden some of the kids are already working, their jaws held suspiciously tight. I could see Armor getting ready to start scolding the children for stealing and placed a hand on the stallions shoulder. “it is an unspoken agreement that as long as most of the food makes it to storage they can eat, some of these kids don’t get real food otherwise. Let them be.” I missed the look that shining gave me over that. At some point while we were working I lost sight of Jo and made the assumption she had headed home. 


 You know what they say about assumptions.