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// Chapter Six: Legion's Origin 
// Story: An Elder Power 
// by Twogunkid 
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“We make camp here tonight” Mayor Bristle ordered his followers. Several wagons came to a halt, and Mayor Bristle went into his personal room. Upon entering Mayor Mulberry jumped up inside his cage, he was covered in bruises and he had used most of his clothing to form makeshift bandages, but he still had plenty of fight left in him.
“You’ll never get away with this traitor! You think you can rob a bank and kidnap me and get away with it? My boys will come down on you so hard, you’ll be sorry” He shot a defiant smile at his former mayor. Bristle chuckled and stroked his full handlebar mustache. He walked over to his cabinet and produced a pile of old maps which he began studying.
“You think it’s funny? You’ll eat those laughs!” Bristle rolled his eyes and set his maps aside.
“No I won’t Captain. You see I kidnapped you and robbed the bank at the same time giving the impression you robbed the bank and skipped town.” Bristle resumed studying the ancient writing on the maps.
“They’ll never believe it! I would never skip town! I’ve lived there my whole life and faithfully served it.” He stomped his hoof in denial and anger.
“How quickly we forget Captain. Only last week I was the greatest mayor this town ever had. No one would suspect me of leading a dragon cult and then robbing the bank followed by beating and kidnapping the chief of police. My betrayal will have shocked them enough they will have to ask how deep the corruption ran. They will turn on you in an instant.” Bristle resumed his studies and left his former right hand man to ponder what he had said. The camp was rather impressive, the twenty or so earth ponies had done an excellent job building make shift wagons and tents, and all on Bristle’s word that he knew the location of another Elder Dragon. Though he did not want to admit it, he did indeed have a map detailing two more dragon prisons, but he had no idea how to decipher the ancient language to give him the precise location and the dragons they were freeing. He sat by the fire and began stroking his mustache.  
“Out of my Way!” Mayor Bristle heard a female voice shouting on the nearby road where there camp had sprawled on to. Last he had checked there wasn’t a single mare in his group he trotted over to see, two gray earth ponies with shovel cutie marks arguing with a cyan unicorn in a flamboyant cape and hat. A wagon was parked which clearly belonged to the unicorn as it was covered with posters advertising shows from Hoofington to Canterlot.
“What seems to be the problem?” Mayor Bristle remained calm and kept his composure, he was a wanted pony, even if that was not widely known yet.
“These two brutes refuse to let The Great and Powerful Trixie, the most magical unicorn in all of Equestria-”
“Most magical unicorn in all of Equestria? We could use someone of your talents, that is if you are as good as you say you are.” Bristle had said exactly the right thing, Trixie’s grimace turned to a grin. 
“Of course I am. It was I who vanquished the Ursa Major outside Hoofington and then an Ursa Minor that attacked Ponyville” an impressive lightshow portrayed an epic battle between the lone unicorn and the mighty spectral bears.  Mayor Bristle smiled 
“I take you are well versed in ancient languages then, to know spells potent enough to battle such might foes.”
“Of course I do. Any unicorn worth their horn knows at least one ancient language. The Great and Powerful Trixie has mastered over a dozen.” The Mayor’s smile grew even broader.
“Perhaps we could make a deal that would be mutually beneficial to the both of us. Follow me” The mayor led Trixie to an empty wagon, knowing showing a beaten and bruised prisoner might hurt his chances of persuading her. He entered the room and laid his ancient map on the table. Trixie took one look at the map and let out a shocked gasp.
“This map reveals the locations of the dragon prisons! Where in Equestria did you get such a rare and exotic item? You must be quite the archeological team. That’s why those ponies had shovel cutie marks they are the excavation team. Unicorn legend tells of all sorts of powerful spells and wards on those fields, spells long since lost… The Great and Powerful Trixie apologized, she did not mean to ramble it’s just such rare finds can excite even I” Trixie breathed an unnoticed sigh of relief and readjusted her approach “I suppose you want me along to decipher any unknown writing you may find at these locations?”
Mayor Bristle was pleased; he did not even have to come up with a lie to tell her, she had done that on her own. “Well, see my linguistics expert recently was forced to end his sabbatical from Canterlot University, so we need someone who can read the map. You will of course be compensated” Mayor Bristle produced a sack of ill-gotten bits and tossed it across the table. Trixie caught it with her magic and her face turned to a smug grin.
“So you need to pay for the best! Say no more the Great and Powerful Trixie is part of your archeological expedition! I will have the locations in the morning, but it seems to me you are headed the wrong way. It looks like there is one in Staliongrad-”
“We already excavated it” Bristle had begun to sweat he wiped his mustache with his hoof. “Focus on the other two” Bristle quickly left and gathered his group and let them in on the lie they were to feed Trixie. He then returned to his quarters ready to relax.
“My my and here I was thinking you had some class Bristle. Go in with a mare and a sack of money leave looking all nervous and sweaty for shame.” Mulberry was still as defiant as ever. Bristle picked up a curtain rod and jabbed him to the ground.
“Do not mock me. Believe what you will, but when the dragons give me power, I’ll see to it you suffer. In fact… Why shouldn’t I kill you right now?” Bristle drew a long serrated knife from a draw and began walking menacingly towards his prisoner’s cage.
“Because that mare will see my corpse and run and get help!” Bristle stopped. He wasn’t worried about the Trixie running; he was worried about Trixie not helping. He replaced the knife and decided to gag the prisoner and go to bed.
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Murphy pounded on the farmhouse backdoor. He was about to break it down when Mrs. Pie opened it and nearly fainted. Murphy was on the verge of collapse. Legion himself wasn’t too heavy, but when combined with the heavy armor and Murphy’s heavy saddlebags it was quite a load. 
“Help!” Murphy panted “He needs immediate medical attention.” Clyde Pie was up and hobbling as fast as his old legs could carry him he motioned to the workroom outside.
“Inky! Blinky!” Clyde’s voice rang through the house and his daughters rushed to him, both cringed at the blood trail on the floor. “Never mind that! Inky I’ll need Ma’s sewing kit. Blinky up in my room in my trunk there is a box with a red cross on it. Bring it to me!” His daughters obediently went off at a full gallop. “Honey I need you to start boiling water. Lots of it. And tell the girls to bring the things to the work room.” Mrs. Pie obediently followed her husband’s command. Clyde took of his sleeves and motioned for Spike to follow him. Murphy had laid Legion on a stone table looked nervously at Clyde and Spike. Inky and Blinky entered with the supplies and set them down on the table.
“Good girls now go wait in the next room, and when the unicorn arrives send her in. I’ll need her help.” Clyde set his glasses on and began looking at the bloody wound in Legion’s side.
“Uhh…beg pardon sir, but shouldn’t we take him to a real doctor?” Murphy immediately knew he had asked the wrong question. 
“To be a REAL doctor or nurse you’d have to have a unicorn and tough luck for you mister, I’m the closest thing Rockville has to a real doctor. I was a combat medic during my time in the Royal Army, and I even applied to medical school, but I can’t get in because I’m not a unicorn! Now do as I say and be quiet!” Clyde’s cheeks had gone red and he resumed looking at the wound. “Spike get me the tweezers out of the sewing kit.” The dragon dutifully handed Mr. Pie the tweezers he took the tweezers in his mouth and very carefully inserted the tweezers into the gash and began removing pieces of lead. Blinky had returned with a pot of boiling water.
“Excellent.” Mr. Pie said “Spike begin placing all the metal tools in both the sewing kit and the medical one in the water and then remove them. Murphy go get a chair and several straws!” Murphy was about to question him, but remembering his earlier outburst decided not to question and went to fetch a chair and as many straws as he could find. Inky entered and refreshed the water pot with boiling water from a tea kettle. Spike with his heat resistant scales deftly soaked each instrument before handing it to Mr. Pie. After removing dozens of metal shards, Mr. Pie had Spike thread a needle and got to work sewing the wound up. Legion began to moan. 
“B-baaags”
Quickly sewing the wound together, Mr. Pie went over to his medical produced a bottle, opened the stopper and placed it under Legion’s nose. He returned to unconsciousness and Clyde replaced the stopper. Bluebell entered the room in a panic; Clyde placed a hoof on her shoulder and began talking.
“Your friend has lost a lot of blood, if he’s going to make it; I’m going to need your help. Now begin fusing those straws into one long tube.” Mr. Pie went into his medical kit and produced two needles. “Now very carefully attack these to both ends of the straws.” Bluebell was still in a state of near panic but did as she was told. “Good, good now Murphy sit in the chair.” The police pony did as he was told; Clyde stuck one needle in Legion’s leg on the wounded side. He then rushed over and stuck the other needle in Murphy’s leg.
“Ow! What in the hay was that for?” Clyde ignored him
“Bluebell pump Murphy’s blood through the straws!”
“What!?”
“WHAT?” 
“Just do it I’ll explain as we go” 
“No! I want to know what you’re doing with my blood!”
“And why do I have to pump his blood into Legion?”
Clyde stomped his hoof. “Because he’s lost a lot of blood and this is the only way I can think of to save him! Now do as I say!” Bluebell cowed for a second and began pumping the blood. Slowly the red liquid flowed the distance and began entering Legion. Murphy’s lip continued to tremble.
“Buck up! You scaredy pony!” Clyde barked at Murphy. Murphy always one to prove his critics wrong put on a brave face. They sat there for close to an hour. The time crawled along. “Enough” Clyde ordered. He removed the straw first from Legion and placed a bandage where the needle had been, he then did the same for Murphy. “Well only time will tell if my old medical hypothesis was correct.”
“H-hypothesis? You mean this has never been tested?” Murphy was outraged and prepared to charge over at Clyde only to find himself weak and barely able to stand. He would have fallen over if Spike hadn’t helped him back up.
“Nope. It was my grand gambit to get into medical school. They said it was preposterous, but we’ve restored Legion’s blood to far more normal levels.” Bluebell, Murphy, and Spike’s faces were all somewhat shocked. “Inky! Blinky! Show them to the guest rooms, they will be staying a few days.” Blinky dutifully bowed her head and led Bluebell and Spike up the stairs.
Inky walked alongside Murphy helping him keep his balance, she helped him sit down on the couch. She wandered over to another chair and took a seat.
“Did you mean what you said earlier? You know about my cutie mark and me?”  Inky looked away her cheeks a little flushed. Murphy’s head was spinning, he would have had a big enough head ache without having to be charming. He managed to put on a grin before responding.
“Of course I did” Murphy took of his cap and wiped his face. Inky began to blush; she had never really received compliments from outside the family before. Rockville was a small town a population of only a dozen or so, and there were hardly any colts, and certainly not any close to her age, and she was unlikely to receive flattery from the stallions she ordered about to remove rocks and minerals. 
“I think it was very brave of you to help your friend like that” Inky’s voice wavered a little, a slight stutter creeping into her normal speech. Murphy began thinking to himself in a momentary panic
“Friend? What friend? Oh Legion, I don’t know if I’d call him a friend though-”
“Uh---” Murphy was snapped out of thought by Inky coughing, he realized he had drifted off and lost track of the conversation. His mind reeled for an excuse.
“Inky! Help me bring Legion up to the guest room” Murphy breathed an inaudible sigh of relief, as Inky went to help her father carry the gray Pegasus up the stairs. Without his armor Legion seemed far less intimidating, he was big for a Pegasus with a pair of crossed swords adorning his flank. He would be normal except that he had bat wings and his body was covered with about a half dozen scars. Murphy continued thinking about Legion as the other ponies ascended the stairs. “I guess we’re sort of blood brothers now.” Murphy looked at his sore arm “He’s not so bad. A little grim and cryptic, but he’s proven to be pretty good in a jam, but what does it mean that Legion was killed by that dragon twice before? I suppose I’ll get my answers when he comes to. Murphy followed Inky and Mr. Pie up the stairs and into the room prepared for Legion and him. He lay down in the bed and almost immediately went to sleep.
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“Spike take a letter” Bluebell trotted around the room nervous of how to convey the news about Legion’s injury. The dragon faithfully produced a quill and paper and sat ready to write. Philomena perched herself on the small writing desk. Bluebell looked at one of Philomena’s bright crimson feathers that had fallen to the ground, and her face lit up with a realization. “The letter can wait Spike. Now where is it?” Bluebell began tossing myriad books out of her saddlebag.  Spike smiled this situation was all too familiar to him. 
“Uh- Where’s what?”
“My copy of Supernaturals. It contains a potent healing potion recipe that uses Phoenix feathers.”
Spike picked up one of the books on the floor and put it up in front of Bluebell’s face. Levitating the book away so quickly it knocked Spike over, she began furiously turning pages. There was a long list of exotic ingredients. Looking through her bag she did not have all of them, she rushed down the hall to Murphy and Legion’s room. She began rummaging through Murphy’s saddlebags.
“Uh Bluebell, what are you doing?”
“Good Murphy. You’re awake.”
“I wasn’t”
“Do you have any of these ingredients?” She levitated the book inches in front of Murphy’s face “I need them to make this potion” She turned the page to show a picture of a red potion.
“Wait a second I’ve seen that potion before. Legion’s bags are full of them.” Bluebell opened Legion’s saddlebag and sure enough there was vial after vial of potion.  Bluebell levitated a vial took out the stopper and carefully poured it down Legion’s throat. Legion’s stiches faded into a long scar. 
“Woah! And he drinks that stuff like water!” Murphy was astonished at the speed at which the potion worked. Bluebell began looking at Legion’s bags again. 
“Hey those are mine!” Murphy was about to remark that Legion hadn’t used the plural, but he turned to see an entirely different pony. Where Legion had been there was now a yellow one-winged Pegasus with a willow branch and scroll as a cutie mark. 
“What have you done with Legion?” Murphy accused. Bluebell was now staring awkwardly back and forth between the yellow Pegasus and Murphy. 
“I am Legion observe.” The yellow Pegasus stuck his head into Legion’s steel helmet.  A bright magical flash filled the room and there was the familiar bat winged guard. Legion removed the helmet and remained the same for a few moments, before returning to the yellow one-winged Pegasus. 
“Uh… I’m confused.” Murphy scratched his head and wondered how two ponies were in the same body.
“I think I understand. I’ve read about things like this. The helmet is a conduit allowing a pony who passed away long ago to possess a living pony.” Bluebell explained.
“Not quite Ms. Bluebell. Well, what you said is true, there are two special conduits, one created by Princess Luna, and the other by Princess Celestia. I obviously possess the one made by Princess Luna; my counterpart Phalanx has the other. The Legion helmet takes the greatest strengths of all the past bearers and forms them into one, that is the body that forms is that of Legion, all our minds have formed a collective conscious which controls the body, though because I am the host I can control the entire collective for short periods of time. The Phalanx helmet is the opposite instead of all the minds forming a collective conscious they all think on separate paths at once. When we wear the helmet our host bodies do not age, and only very rarely do we guard captains retire.  Death is the most common discharge of our service as long as the helmet remains intact Legion lives on.”
“Okay so who are you then? Outside of Legion I mean, and why do you have so many potions?” Bluebell was intrigued by all this advanced magic and wanted to know more Murphy was working hard just to understand.
“Colonel Autumn Willow at your service. I’m afraid I have all the healing potions, because I’m the weakest host body Legion has ever had. I lost my wing at the battle of 3rd Pines, and the potion combined with the armor’s magic allows me to grow the wings back, but instead of another feathery wing, my good wing becomes a batwing and I grow another.”
“So how old are you?” Murphy piped in
“Two-hundred thirty seven in four months, but I don’t feel a day over twenty five”  
“So… is my blood in you or Legion or both?”
“Both, remember I am merely transformed by the helmet. It’s still my body. So Bluebell where to next? We should be ready to go by morning.”
“I’ll go let the Princesses know. You two sleep though.” Bluebell turned to leave the room “Oh, and good job out there.” With the first sincerely nice thing she had said to either of them she left the room, and Willow and Murphy smiled and began going back to sleep.

Author's Note: Yup I made an attempt at medical drama and romantic dialouge. Never tried doing either of those things before. Constructive Criticism Welcome.