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// Dashing through the snow, killing the dead minions! 
// Story: The Future is....Ponies? 
// by TheDawsonator1 
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It is Christmas time, a time for family…oh who am I kidding? We all know why you’re here on Christmas…the presents, DUH!

But when you are alone with a teenage filly you hardly know, you start to appreciate the true meaning of Christmas, well not the “Christ is born” bullcrap we got fed. The family one is much better.

But I think it’s weird how the whole nation believes a lie about their country’s founding and celebrates pretty much the same thing as Christmas.

But it is indeed 25th of December 5015, snow was everywhere we went, we were currently still in the Frozen north, just north of the Crystal Empire. As much as I consider Princess Cadence an ally, my appearance would cause nothing but trouble.

The Princesses must be having a pain, I don’t think the Necro-Minions celebrate this holiday at all and the Princesses will be ever watchful. My thoughts went to Celestia, that mare was like the early Santa Claus to me when I had to leave, she gave so much for me, and I gave a bit back to help her country. I didn’t feel like it was paying back a debt but like doing a favor for the country, they may not appreciate it, but every Necro-Minion slain was another life saved.

Icy Breeze was actually decent company, sure she had teenage problems at all that, but that’s teenagers! It didn’t feel so long ago since I was one. Turns out she learned a few moves from her parents who were fighting instructors in the guard. I think the death of her parents really hardened her out and gave her taste for revenge as she snapped that minon’s neck, I could feel the fury there.

“Hey Joel, in your time, what did you humans do for Christmas?” Breeze asks
“Well, we uh, did the same thing you ponies did. Got presents, ate some food and sang a few carols, sat next to a fire and a Christmas tree while it was snowing outside. The religious people believed this bull story of Jesus Christ being born on that day” I explained
“Who’s Jesus?” Breeze asked
“Aren’t you full of questions? Jesus was supposedly our lord and savior who died for our sins to be forgiven and then rose from the grave three days later” I say the story in a nutshell
“That doesn’t seem very believable” Icy comments
“Yeah, I think that whole thing is bullshit, in fact, wars have started over relgion itself if you’ll believe that. Humans are so uptight about this things it was probably for the best that we died out” I reflected on that fact
“How can you say that about your own race?!” Breeze asks me with a shocked look
“You haven’t seen our race Breezy, besides from those Necro-minions. Our race was shaming ourselves to death. We were glued to our technology, we were stupid idiots on that said technology and there was so much poverty and extremists and everything that sooner or later, whether it be 20 years or another 100 years, we were gonna destroy ourselves had that meteorite not come. We were literally a time bomb waiting to go off and most of us were ashamed of our generation too.” I explain
“But you still wouldn’t give up hope” She says
“I wish I would, but if you come to a point where boring celebrity lives are more important than the real important things, you’re fucked” I say
“Urgh, whatever. I wish you’d be a bit more positive” Breeze gets a little annoyed
“I’m sorry Breezy, it’s just that it’s hard when a month ago, I was back in my time living happily and safely and then I came here and now almost everyone thinks I’m some Necromancer and now I’m on the damn run, it’s hard to stay positive sometimes, Breezy” I apologize
“I know, my family is gone to those monsters, I just want to end them so badly it feels unponylike” Icy says to me
“I say it’s natural, if it were those monsters that took my family away, I’d go on a rampage so brutal that the Necromancer would need censors when he sees that” I say

I guess both she and I have lost a fair few things and now we’re on the run from the stupid Immortals and the Necro-Minions, it may have been a month but I think this is just going to be an eternal nightmare.

However, this did not have time to run through me as Breezy spotted something green heading our way.

“What is that?” She asks
“I don’t know, but I’d be defensive just in case” I say as I got a machete out

It got closer and closer until it got in the cave and it was a green flame of which objects popped out of existence. I have seen this once before, when Celestia sent Spike a letter, only he burped it. Maybe this is how the letter reaches Celestia.

“Hey, is that dragonfire mail?” Breezy asks
“I think so, I’ve seen this from Spike back in Ponyville.
“Well there’s a letter” Breezy points out

I grab the letter to read it’s contents:

Dear Joel, and Icy Breeze,

Happy Hearth’s Warming! If you’re wondering how I sent this letter, I arranged for Spike to send you this letter with a combination on my magic to guide it to you via dragonfire. Natural Dragonfire must have a link between a Dragon and another creature to be sent to. Artifical Dragonfire requires a special gem which you will find several just in case. Simply think of who you want to send it to and say their name as the gem is in the palm of your hand and it will send the object.

I do hope you are being careful Joel, especially around Icy Breeze, whose parents I knew from years back, some of the finest fighting ponies I’ve seen in centuries, I may have had a hoof in their union. It was more of nudging her father out the front door, it’s funny though, I distinctly remember giving that talk to Shining Armor when I found out he loved my niece.

I contacted my student and her friends who wish you a happy Hearth’s Warming or as you remember it: Christmas. Pinkie Pie sent some cupcakes and hopes she’ll be able to have a welcome back party.

But I think you will like the present I bestow upon you and Icy Breeze (See note on the presents)

Princess Luna wishes to express condolences to Icy Breeze’s parents, she had met them once and said that such ponies with such skill earned her respect.

Please, be careful and stay out of trouble!

Princess Celestia

I found Pinkie’s famous Sugercube Corner cupcakes and some chocolate fudge too in a packet, Applejack had sent Apple Pie over, Fluttershy had send medical supplies (Believe it or not, in Flight School, Fluttershy was a really good medic, who knew?), Twilight had sent an Atlas of the world in form of a book (Of course she did!). Rarity had sent some new clothes over and even a pair of winter clothes, Rainbow Dash had sent a book on Pegasi battle tactics.

I should explain, according to Pegasus tradition, Flight school not only teaches you how to fly but as Pegasus are a warrior race, tradition teaches Pegasi battle techniques in case a war were to ever happen, down to medics, soldiers, evasive maneuvers and the like.

Luna had sent a telescope for looking at the stars or for spying on enemies with it at the flick of a knob.

Celestia had sent me a Excalibur sized sword and Icy Breeze some wingblades. (Wingblades are blades designed to fit the Pegasus wings at can attack with them. They are very light weight but very sharp and durable thanks to enchantments so there is very little cost to the Pegasus’ flying performance). This sword looked…AWESOME! At the pommel, Celestia’s mark was in gemstone, and the blade was so shiny I am almost afraid to kill someone with it so it dirtied it. The grip felt like it attached to me, like it had a link with me.

The Wingblades were obviously for Icy Breeze, they were silvery and fitted into her wings, the drawback was that they made a bit more sound with the blades on than without, so being stealthy is gonna be a bit hard flying.

“These gifts are amazing! I never thought the Princess would be so kind and generous” Icy said in awe
“Yeah, she’s quite a woman alright. I feel guilty that we had nothing to give” I say in admiration for the Princess.

Celestia has a generous soul after my heart, she helps me escape and now she sends all of this, one might think I have some royal stalker from afar.

“Shh! You hear that?” Breezy says suddenly

I close my mouth and open my ears and through the rushing winds I start to hear voices, and they aren’t the merry voices of Christmas.

“I hear them, stay down but be ready” I mutter to Breezy.

She nods as she lies down in a pony fashion that’s staying down but ready to spring up if need be, I drew my bow and arrows in case they came in here.

“I hate this cold! Couldn’t the boss of sent us to that Appleloosa place where it’s warm?” a voice complained
“Be quiet, grunt! I’d rather not hear those pesky guards here us because of your incessant complaining!” A superior said to the grunt
“Or worse that Joel creature the bossman warned us about” Another voice close-by muttered
“Word is he’s got some Pegasus teenager with him now, probably raising it to fight us too” the first grunt says
“All the more reason for you to shut it!” The Superior officer snaps at the two
“Hey, what about that cave? It’d be a perfect spot to camp out away from this snow” a fourth says

Son of a bitch! They’re coming this way! They are going to find us. I motioned to Breezy that there is four enemies at least and to wait until they pop up.

“Then you two! Check that cave, and then you and I will check around, move!” the superior says
“Yes, Sir!” the other three say

Now one advantage this cave had was that is was cornered and had cover around a corner. I motioned Breezy to quickly hover up and hang on the ceiling and then I’ll slice one.

I got out my knife that I got from the dead marine, and waited. Their smell was just awful!

“You first” One says
“Do I have to?” the other asks
“Yes! Now do it!” the first one says

The first one comes around as I force him to me and covered his beak and slit his throat and gently lowered him. The next one came around and briefly saw me but it was too late as Breezy attacked from above and got him right in chest.

“Pretty good, Breezy! He never saw that one coming” I whispered to Breezy
“Thanks” She whispered

The next two were just pathetically easy to kill, especially the superior who squealed like a pig once he felt my hand on his shoulder turning him around to stab him in the throat. You know what they say, the weakest dogs bark the loudest. Or in this guy’s case, squealing.

“I think we might want to get out of here” Breezy says
“That is true, once someone discovers these guys are missing they’ll trace it here by which time we should be long gone” I say
“Yeah” she agrees
“It seems like you’ve got talent and determination” I say to her
“Thanks but not sure about the determined part” She shuffles her hooves
“Hey! You are determined, I can see it in your eyes are you try to survive, it’s in my eyes too. Nothing beats a smart and determined mind, just look at Twilight Sparkle” I say
“You’re right I suppose, let’s get out of here” she says

We proceed to leave the area with all our gear, including the new gear as we head out into the snowy fields of the frozen north and hopefully somewhere near civilization…