//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Doctor My Eyes // Story: The Pony Who Embraced The Darkness // by Zurvan //------------------------------// Chapter 7: Doctor My Eyes Rainbow Dash flies into Twilight’s castle. “I hear you are looking for me.” “Yes, I have a mission for you, though I’m not sure you’ll like it.” “I’m listening.” “I need you to escort The legendary Doctor Vier Augen.” Twilight says as she indicated a pony wearing lederhosen sitting nearby. “To Griffonholm so that he can work on Bastion.” “By myself?” Rainbow asks. “No, you will have 8 guards under you, and once you get there you will assume command of the ponies that are there. You’ll be sending the current leader home, to guard Doctor Augen once he’s done, the leader’s wife just had their first foal.” Twilight answers. Rainbow nods. “So I’ll stay there and do what?” “You’re mission is to protect Bastion.” “Is it going that bad over there?” “The reports from the guards over there indicate that fewer and fewer griffons seem to be on Bastion’s side everyday. An extraction may become necessary.” “Did you recharge the teleportation charm on my armor?” “You’ll be wearing your actual combat armor for this.” “So no teleportation charm?” “Not one that you can activate yourself.” Rainbow nods. “The standard teleport to hospital if you’re in critical condition spell, that uses next to no power.” “That’s correct.” Twilight says. “But that doesn’t mean that I couldn’t upgrade your armor as much as I was able.” “What kind of upgrades?” “I’m glad you asked.” Twilight answers. She walks over to a chest on the other side of the room and opens it with her magic then pulls out a suit of platinum armor with her cutie mark emblazoned on the chest. “When did you get so vain?” “I’ll have you know Rarity designed this especially for my guards. It’s almost impossible to tell that all the stars have gemstones in their centers.” “What?” Rainbow looks closer and sees that there are gemstones that could be pressed easily with a hoof. “Wow, that’s rather impressive.” “Each gem has a different function. The one in the center of the largest star is a shield charm. then going clockwise from the top of the star we have: speed burst; lightning attack; stamina charm; invisibility charm; armor repair charm.” “It sounds like you think you’re sending me into a war zone.” “Ever since Bastion publicly denounced Bluttrinker tensions have been high, so I could see it quickly becoming a war zone if things go badly.” “Then why send ponies in to protect him at all?” “It’s part of our agreement, we agree to protect Griffonholm, more particularly the King in exchange he would disband the majority of his forces.” “Disbanding his forces put a lot of griffons out of work, didn’t it?” “I don’t know, but given the force that came at Ponyville that day I’d wonder what was left back home.” Twilight answers. “Could be just as many griffons are angry at the defeat of their army, and the loss of lives, as there are at the loss of jobs.” “But it was his father King Appolyinia that actually attacked us, why should they be angry at Bastion?” “They view the royalty as a whole at fault since they failed, if they’d been successful then they’d be exalted, no matter many lives were lost.” “That has gotten to be the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.” “Different cultures, what are you going to do?” “I see what you mean. Alright, let’s get going, help me put this armor on.” Twilight grabs the armor in her magic and helps Rainbow into it. “So am I coming back for you to go to the Peace Summit?” “No, I plan on taking Lieutenant Greaves instead.” “Applejack’s husband?” Twilight nods. “I can’t take Trixie because she’s technically my student. He’s the next highest guard I have available.” “I don’t like it.” “It’s a Peace Summit. Bringing a guard is just a formality. I’m sure I’ll be fine.” “I guess you’re right. I’m probably just overreacting.” =====Griffonholm===== A portal opens up in Bastion’s palace. Rainbow; dressed in her armor; steps through the portal followed by the guards ponies surrounding Doctor Vier Augen. “Ah, the rainbow pony.” Bastion says. “So you’re princess sent you here huh?” “It’s Rainbow Dash..” “Yeah, sure. So why are you here?” “Princess Twilight sent me with our leading eye surgeon to see if he could do anything for your eye, unless you’d like to remain half-blind.” Bastion growls at her. “You go too far!” “Really? I go too far?” Rainbow asks. “Have you looked around you? You only have a handful of griffons on your side now. One of them is MY friend Gilda. You’ve managed to alienate yourself from your own kind, and I go too far?” “You may have a point there.” Bastion concedes. “Let’s see what your surgeon can do for me then.” “I vill see vhat I can do.” Doctor Veir says as he walks up to Bastion with his horn lit up. “Well Doctor?” Bastion asks. Doctor Veir nods and grabs something out of his saddlebags. “I can help, it vill hurt.” Bastion grimaces. “Do it I can take it.” “I doubt that.” Veir says as he brings the instrument up and Bastion screams. ========== “Vell, I have done vhat I could.” Doctor Veir says. “Don’t let him take the eye patch off for a couple days.” “No problem, Doctor Veir.” Rainbow Dash says. “Thank you very much.” “Now I’ll be taking you home.” An earth pony guard says. “No teleportation rift this time unfortunately, but we do have a chariot pulled by two pegasi on the roof.” “That sounds like fun.” “Then let’s head on.” The two of them head to the roof. Get in the chariot and leave. “Alright everypony.” Rainbow says. “Let’s get back to work.”