//------------------------------// // Normalcy Bias (Spike and Mal) // Story: Earning Freedom // by Daxisle //------------------------------// Normalcy Bias Spike groaned as he limped home from work after another exhausting day. It was the weekend again and with as badly as his muscles ached, he couldn't be happier about it. Cranky was starting to pull less than his usual weight again, blaming his bad knee as he often did later during the work week. It wasn't so bad when Sin was around to pick up the slack, but without him? The drake might as well have been doing the job himself. Despite that though, he was in a good mood. Twilight had helped him move in a bed into his new place, as well as a few bits of furniture that the place was in desperate need of, and had been visiting her daily for after work dinners. The arrangement was working out quite well for them, they got to spend time together every day but still managed to live seperate lives. Last week end's talk with Rarity didn't end well. The alabaster unicorn had given Twilight nothing but a mix between please for her dismissal and apologies. There were a few other things when his mother would refuse or insist a question, but nothing too revealing. Just that Rarity considered herself a terrible pony and finally looked the part. Though, a new revelation did come to light, in that the fashonista claimed she'd "only gotten her just deserts" before Twilight acquiesced the demands and left. The week passed and Twilight still wasn't sure what to do, she'd gone back a couple of times to try and visit, but each attempt resulted in the same failure, leading to more and more discouragement. Spike had an idea though, and was planning to share it tonight. He didn't mind staying a little later to speak with her, especially considering Uppity practically moved in to Sin's place. Over the past week, she'd stayed the night at least three days. Spike groaned as the thought of them sleeping together burned itself into his brain. 'Dude, I do not need that mental image.' Neither did he, but after learning about how foals were made, it was hard not to. 'Yea, anyway, don't forget, Rainbow Dash is coming back into town tomorrow.' How could he forget? Rainbow was part of his idea for Rarity. All of Twilight's friends were, and should the endevor succeed or fail, the night after would be at the farm for another game of cards and relaxation. He loved Twilight and her friends and all, but his life didn't revolve around them and their doings anymore. He was his own dragon with his own life, and come Saturday, he'd be relaxing with his own friends, playing cards, eating junk food and maybe, just maybe, having a little bit of adult beverages. He walked into the Library to a site he didn't expect. Princess Celestia, sitting on the couch, looking grim. Twilight was sitting across from her, a frown of contemplation on her face, along with Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, each keeping silently to themselves. "Spike?" Celestia said before turning her attention and smiling. The dragon waved awkwardly and wondered into the library proper. "Hello Princess, what brings you here?" The solar alicorn's smile vanished and she looked away. Something she didn't often do. The cycloptic dragon hoped that the princess was present to offer Twilight some much needed advice and comfort on her friendship troubles, but that appeared not to be the case. According to her, Celestia was here to ask for Twilight and her friends' help with an issue that he'd heard of only in books. Shining Armor and Princess Cadance were currently on a trip of great importance, the Crystal Empire had made a miraculous return after years of being gone in a strange and in-explainable disappearance. Spike stood in surprise. The Empire was lost over a thousand years ago, before Nightmare Moon, when Celestia and Luna worked together to defeat Sombra and imprison his fell shadow in the north. "With the return of the Empire, it has brought with it, the return of Sombra." Celestia declared, her tone grim and foreboding. "I have already sent Cadance and Shining Armor to the empire to defend it against him, but their power will only serve to protect the crystal ponies for so long. I've come to ask Twilight and her friends to go to the empire and find a way to stop Sombra once and for all, and liberate the ponies from his enslavement." "I would go myself, but there is still work to be done in Canterlot with the reconstruction efforts." She turned back to Twilight and her friends. "I am sorry to rush you, my faithful student, but time is of the essence. I know not how long Cadance and your brother will be able to fend him off." Spike balled his claws into fists. This couldn't be happening right now, Twilight and her friends were needed here, with Rarity! The mare was almost incapable of caring for herself, she wouldn't last without Fluttershy's playing nurse. It was then that Twilight stood from the couch and declared that she would head out on the first train to the north. "But... what about Rarity? She needs us." Fluttershy said timidly. 'Thank you!' Twilight nodded in agreement, her face devoid of any emotion. "She'll be coming with us," she growled with absolution before making way for the door, "I've had enough of her over emotional bull crap, I'll drag her to the train kicking and screaming if I have to." The mare's departure left the room in complete silence, never once had Spike heard her curse. There was no rage nor emotion to her words at all, just a simple fact of the matter. As much as he wanted to speak out against the decision, he knew Twilight had her limits. Rarity may have been an emotional wreck, but a full two weeks was more than enough time to sulk. If she needed a good kick in the rump to get her back to where she used to be, than so be it. "C'mon, y'all. Best make sure those two don't kill eachother." Applejack said, leading the group of mares out the door. Celestia turned to Spike and sighed. "Spike, I know that you are not living with Twilight any longer. That you've started your own life and are your own dragon now. But I ask that you accompany them. The dangers will be great and I know that they would appriciate your courage and ability." He didn't answer immediatly, taking a moment to think it over. However, there wasn't anything to think about. As much as he wanted to live his own life and do for himself, he also loved his mother and all of her friends. If they needed his help, he wasn't about to deny them. His weekend with Mac could wait. Malich smirked as he read over the numerous reports that had come to his desk. Dozens upon dozens of Zeborican Tribes had denounced the Tal'derime and banned any and all necromancy within their respected circles. Some of the Zebra had actually migrated back to the Orvalian coast to return to Zeborica. While the test of the new weapon wasn't as he'd planned, it's capabilities became nationally renowned over night. Thanatos' pay load had done it's job quite well. The explosion was magnificent and destructive, obliterating the tree and anything living that was unfortunate enough to be caught in the one quarter mile explosion radius. Nothing was left of the plane, nothing but a smoldering, chard crater that went almost ten feet deep. It was a feat only the most powerful of magics ever dared hope to challenge, and he did it with a simple and cheap mix of gun powder and TNT. The show of force had the desired effect, all reports of undead activity had ceased two days after the test, with many zebras coming out and publicly condemning necromancy, saying it had no place in their "new land" and would be swiftly punished if observed. The "bomb" as Malich heard it called, was a remarkable success, and would serve to be the cornerstone in new Triple M. weaponry. Magic of that kind of destructive power was expensive and time consuming. It would take a battalion of unicorns a minute to do what a bomb could do in mere seconds. And bombs didn't need to be fed or to rest after wards. Sure, they were a one and done thing, but they were cheap, cheap and effective in practical combat as well as psychological warfare. Sure he had to deal with a few visits from the Federal bored of ethics and explain to them why he'd created a weapon capable of such terrible power, justifying it's existence as a means to preserve life by deterring any acts against the Federation and it's interests, but that was fine. What was the government going to do? Stop giving him funding? They'd played their part as his puppets well enough, and keeping in the Senate's good graces was becoming more and more inconsequential by the day. Soon enough, they'd just be a stain on the pages of history. Stains that would be remembered for the disgusting and corrupt filth that they were. The ashen pony smirked as he placed yet another report of Zebra's publicly outing Necromancy. His smirk slowly turned into a thoughtful frown as he gazed up at the lights above him. With the threat subdued, he'd placed all of his research teams back onto their respective projects. Luckily, the changling Queen, now named "Imperatrix" was faring quite well in her new environment. A few of the Zeborican changelings had spawned from their sedated hosts while the scientists and biologists were busy trying to develop a cure for the undead. The report he read for that kept him up until the wee hours of the morning. Unlike the changelings before them, who wandered feral around their cells, occasionally halting to regard their own reflections in the one way mirror window. The new batch stood stock still, making no motions or moves save in sync to any stimuli the scientists created for them. What showed even more promise was that the drones would react any time Imperatrix was interacted with in any way shape or form. She was connected to them, they may have been spawned from a different queen, but Imperitrix was their queen and they were the beginnings of her brood. Tests were already being preformed to observe what ever wave lengths they were using to communicate, as well as test to see if those wave lengths could be disrupted. Every communications expert -that could be trusted, of course- had been called in to see what their opinion was and if they could assist in assessing the Changeling's method of communication. The only down side to all of this was the budget expenditures, but the results would be worth it in the end. It was too bad that Imperitrix would also need to be killed at some point, but it was necessary for his plans. The queen would serve her purpose and then be put down like the rabid dog she was. And offered up to Elsa as promised compensation, of course. Malich was a pony of his word, after all. Though, speaking of reports, there was a small problem to consider ever since a rather unique message arrived a few days ago... He shifted through the papers until he reached a blank yellow folder, an attention grabbing color, the tab at the top containing the name "Mr. Black". Usually Malich took more joy than irritation when reading a message from Mr. Black, but this record of accounts left the executive slightly confounded. If his inside source was true, than the Tapio Bearking himself was dispatching Liberty Syndicate agents around the world to seek assistance for North New Equine's coming down fall. It was no secret that the other states of the Federation, more aptly named a confederation in reality, would happily abandon North Equine if it served their better interests. The problem was that Malich only had so many favors to call in to ensure that the international cry for help would go without consequence. Yaks of Yakyakistan and the ponies of Saddel Arabia were both no threat, the Griffin empire was a sad joke with it's current economic drought, and the Zeboricans were too busy with their Changeling problem to cause him any grief. That did leave quite a few nations who held slight favor to altruism, though. He'd already expended his favor with the Diamond Dog kingdom, the Laberinthian minotaur would likely see a new servant class in refugees, and most threatening of all, Equestria. Where he knew Mandylion himself was sent. Malich knew about the Equestrian Empire's military capability, as well as their dedication to promoting altruism and "friendship". Many thought the idea of friendship was a weakness, but he knew better. He'd seen the sacrifices individuals would make in the name of protecting their loved ones, and would never underestimate it's power. To the contrary, he was actually exploiting it. Thanks to Mr. Black. Still, despite the botched protection of Canterlot during their wedding ceremony of Princess Mi Amora Cadenza, a single pony had held off an entire swarm of Equestrian changelings while the city rallied it's defenses. A single pony... turned the tide of an invasion. It was like something out of a cheesy war book. Never the less, it was a fact. Triple M. had documents on all the greater nations military's, and Equestria's booming economy and incredible governance had lead to it being one of, if not the, super power countries in the entire world. The ship yards that lined the western sea board harbored a compliment of combat ready fleet of no less than one thousand war friggets, plus hundreds of Sigma class destroyers and uncountable transport ships. The sky cities like Cloudsdale and Wonder were also determined to carry at least two hundred air ships, with at least ten percent of them being armed with Arcano-tech lightning weapons capable of charging up the power of a storm and obliterating anything unfortunate enough to be in it's path. The entirety of Triple M.'s sea fleets combined consisted of roughly nine hundred ships with weapons that came now where close to such feats. The destroyers of his vessels might stand a chance, but the altitude and range is where a potential sea battle would leave his forces at the Equestrian's mercy. He had his own fleets of air ships, but in no where near the necessary numbers or defenses to match an Equestrian air assault. Even with project Thanatos at his disposal, as well as a few more side projects, a war with Equestria would not end in his favor, victory or defeat. He hoped that between Luna's influence and the obvious casualty count, Celestia would reject the proposal for assistance. She could accept all the refugees she wanted, but that didn't mean a damned thing if the refugees couldn't leave the state, or what was left of it. Though, that left another problem... Northwood. If Tapio was really going to allow refugees to enter the sacred centaur homeland, than that would require his military attention be placed upon the border to both keep the ponies in and the centaur out. The very thought sent a shiver down Malich's spine. Fighting the Centaurian legions would be one of the most difficult things he'd ever had to do. To call them capable was an insult if stories were to be believed. Unlike the other races, the centaur didn't rely on any form of advanced technology like electricity. Their reconcile with nature and ability to manipulate it to their will was their greatest strength. What few agents that managed to sneak into the Northwood were in constant awe of what they saw. Giant trees bending and uprooting, moving around like a land bound octopus, feral birds of prey bowing to their commands, canyons hundreds of yards deep closing and valleys opening with a simple stomp of the hoof. There were even reports of massive Rock Immortals being marched about like pets on display their simple word. And those were only some of their magical capabilities. The physical combat prowess of the half ponies was only spoken of in legend, not since the Running of the Centaur had one been seen fight. If history were to be believed, one centaur was worth a hundred minotaur in combat and more. These weren't simple civilian minotaur either, but hardened warriors with fresh blood on their hands on a daily basis. What was worse was that the Northwoodlanders didn't age, and the longer they lived, the more powerful they became. Malich couldn't afford to have his attention divided. If his plan was to succeed, he'd need all available mercenaries at the Northwood border to hold off the legion. The sacrifice would be great, thousands of his own assets would likely be obliterated within a week, but the ends would justify the means. The Better World would soon be upon them, and not even Tapio Bearking himself would stop him from getting it. "Mr. Malich!" Cried his elder assistant bursting through the door. "Sir, Milikki Bluecloak is down stairs. She says she wants to have an audience with you and your father!" "Wait what?!" Malich asked, Radclif repeated himself and any doubt the pony had to what he'd heard was gone. Milikki Bluecloak, wife of Tapio Bearking, was in Unitas? And wanted to speak with he and his father? A creeping feeling of dread slowly crawled through the executive's body. This did not bode well for him.