//------------------------------// // Break // Story: Chaos Incorporated // by DontTreadOnMe777777 //------------------------------// Ricky stayed away from the command center, giving it a lot of space. ‘Best let them cool off before I go see them again,’ he decided as he sat on the side of the dock. Kerle’s body wasn’t lying on the slipway anymore. ‘Good. That man deserved a full burial.’ He gave a low sigh, flopping back down on the wood. The bright sun warmed the planks to a pleasant degree, and Ricky was contented with heating his back slowly. As he stared up into the blue sky, Ricky pondered his next move. ‘Maybe they were right.’ As soon as he thought it, he banished any such notions. ‘No. I mustn't have any doubts.’ Steeling his belief in himself, he breathed deep and closed his eyes, enjoying the peace. ‘Having faith in yourself is always the most important part. That, and sufficient skills to back up that conviction.’ Slowly, Ricky heard a clip-clop on stone. It grew close, and then it switched to the dull thud of hooves on wood. Through his closed eyes, Ricky saw a shadow looming over him. Slowly, he opened his right eye. The shadow revealed itself to be Chrysalis. Donning his give-no-fucks personality again, Ricky smirked. “Can I help you?” Chrysalis sat down. “Just wanted to let you know that your high command is currently at each other’s throats, and the only thing they can all agree on right now is that you're a little kid who’s stupidly wrong.” Ricky kept the smirk. On the inside, he was growing angry. “And what do they suggest we do, hmm?” He managed to keep his tone neutral. “They want to attack as soon as possible. They say the longer we wait, the more chance they have of being reinforced.” Ricky’s smirk finally gave way, as did his attitude. He sat up, head in his hands, anger gone. “I can see what they mean, Chrysalis. They're right. But… I can't send the guys to go and die again. Not after getting to know them like I have.” Faces popped up in Ricky’s thoughts by the dozens: Jeremiah, Flaminitus and Aeneus, Guderian, Herkel. Kerle stood out above them all. Chrysalis went to lay a hoof on his shoulder, but hesitated. Eventually, she set it back down again. “Ricky,” she gently reprimanded him, “pon-er, people will die. It's just the nature of war. No matter what you do, men will die. Even by sitting on your ass doing nothing, you're condemning soldiers to their deaths.” “Then what do I do!?” Ricky wailed. “I can't… I can't look into their faces again, knowing that I'm killing them. I’m killing them.” He broke down. ‘Curse my volatile emotions,’ he thought as he quietly cried for the second time in three days. “Think like the master strategist I know you are, Ricky. What does he say you do?” “Attack now.” Ricky chuckled weakly. “Chrysalis, the baddest bitch around, giving me moral support and encouragement?” The changeling scooted away fast as a bullet. “Only because you’re acting like a little kid! Don’t get any wrong ideas from this,” she stated in a defensive tone. Ricky stood up. ‘Not that I’ll tell her, but I needed this.’ He turned around to address Chrysalis again. “Well, I better go tell them to prep an attack now.” Chrysalis also stood up. Noticing Ricky looking at her, she waved a hoof. “Of course I’m coming, you idiot. You brought me along for the purpose of advising. So I’m going to.” Ricky nodded. “Well, let’s go.” ‘Christ, he’s intimidating,’ Ricky thought as he looked up at Decius. The legionnaire was currently quite angry. “Well, Ricky? Back to enact your glorious mass suicide?” Ricky flinched, but held his ground. “No. You’re right.” Seeing both Decius and Karl suddenly shift attitudes, he continued. “I’ve realized that you’re right. And that I was wrong. I want you to help me organize an attack as soon as humanly possible.” Silence. ‘Uh oh. What if he doesn’t-’ His speculations were cut off by a sigh from Decius. “Goddamnit, Ricky. Even though you might have the brain of a Gaul sometimes, you’ve the charisma of a Caesar.” Decius cracked a grin. “Let’s get the orders out.” Ricky smiled broadly as he put a hand on Decius’ shoulder. “Thanks.” Looking past the Roman, he drew himself up, confident rogue persona firing on all cylinders. “Alright! Let’s get to it, everybody!” “Sister, I have been waiting to speak with you for a while now,” Luna stated, slightly annoyed at her older sister. Celestia smiled. “Well, you were so enthralled in your dreamwalking, so I decided to go to Day Court without talking to you first. But, what is so important?” “I've been talking to Richard,” Luna started, but Celestia’s smile quickly became a frown. “Why?” “I… wanted to see what he thought, about this whole thing,” Luna explained, choosing her words carefully. “Well, now you can ask him what he thinks in person,” Celestia turned away. Luna’s expression became one of confusion. “What do you mean, sister?” “An army of humans had appeared about three days ago, at Arbor Hollow. They massacred the Southern Army, and now a ramshackle force has managed to lay siege lines around them in Las Pegasus.” She took a breath. “I would expect Ricky to be found there.” Stunned, Luna asked, “How bad is it?” Celestia looked to her sister grimly. “One pegasus made it here from the Southern Army.” Her expression darkened. “Nopony’s made it back from Las Pegasus.” The lunar diarch sat down. “That's… that’s…” Sadness threatened to overwhelm her, before a more potent emotion took its place: anger. Without another word, Luna stood, grievance in her heart and blood on her mind. She walked away. “Give us luck,” Celestia whispered, before she walked off to her next duty.