Battle Ready

by D101 Reviews

Chapter Two: Train Talk

Chapter Two: Train-talk

Battle wasn't sure what to expect about Ponyville. He knew by the name that it wouldn't be anywhere near as glamorous as Canterlot. But if the young princess still called it her home, then it couldn't be all bad. He tried to keep the subject on Ponyville for the majority of the train-ride away from Canterlot, yet somehow the six mares somehow managed to turn the questions back onto him. Dissuading them to talk about him was not working out so well and he was running out of ways to avoid the subject of his own past.

What would they think of him if they found out?

Battle knew he was already at risk just being by Twilight Sparkle. She hadn't recognised him as of yet but that could soon change in an instant. After all no two ponies shared the same Cutie Mark. His hand went to his own on his left cheek and traced over one of the eye sockets in the skull. He could feel the small line of scar tissue beneath the fur. An old wound that ran from his jaw to just below his eye. A stabbing flash of memory rushed to the surface of his mind.

Flashback

Lightning cracked, thunder boomed and everywhere he turned he could see ponies locked in combat and hear their battle cries of blood-lust and warfare. He stood for a moment, catching his breath, in a small clearing of warriors. He lifted the visor of his helmet and wiped away the rainwater from his eyes on the back of his iron clad fist.

An arrow flew straight at him from somewhere in the middle of the mass of bodies. It whistled past him, or near enough, slashing his cheek. He let out a small cry of pain before lowering his visor once more and charging back into combat.

Battle flinched at the memory, his hand covering the hidden scar in an effort to stem the non-existent bleeding. Twilight noticed the action.

“Is everything okay?” she asked, leaning forward a look of concern on his face.

“Fine,” Battle said quickly. “Just... a memory.”

Twilight didn't look at all convinced, or maybe that was frustration? She thought him familiar. That wasn't good. If she already believed they had met it wouldn't be long until she remembered where it was. Rainbow Dash provided some distraction however.

“What're going to do in Equestria then?” Dash asked, leaning back in her seat and looking lazily out the window. Battle looked up sharply.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“I mean, you're not going to stay in Twilight's spare room all the time you're here are you?” Dash said. “What're going to do for bits?”

“Bits?” Battle repeated, scrunching his face up in confusion.

Rainbow stuffed her hand into her jeans pocket and drew out a handful of small golden coins, stamped with Princess Celestia's head on one side, and Princess Luna's Cutie Mark on the other.

“Bits,” Rainbow elaborated. “You know? Money?”

“If you didn't have bits where you came from,” Applejack said, leaning forward, “What'd ya'll use for money?”

Battle deliberated for a moment. He finally decided that it wouldn't be harmful if he showed them his local currency. It wasn't like they could find any reference to home from it. Battle reached into his own pocket and reclaimed a small brown pouch. He tipped the contents into his open palm and held it out for the group to see.

A collective gasp could be heard from his fellow traveller’s. Rarity's eyes in particular grew to the size of dinner plates.

Battle wasn't sure of the purity of the gold in the bits, or if there was any real gold in them at all. The few dozen coins he held in his hand however he knew to be twenty-four carat. They were about an inch in diameter and half a centimetre thick. On one side they all shared the same image; a crest, a horse's head emblazoned on a shield with a spiral of stars. On the other side, some of the coins were different. Some had crossed swords, others arrows. All of them weapons. On the shield sides, they all bore the same words.

'Victoriam, Omnibus Modis.'

“They're ~beauuuuuuuuuuuuutiful~,” Rarity exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with delight.

“Pretty!” Pinkie squealed.

“They're so... nice,” Fluttershy whispered.

“What are they?” Applejack asked, equally memorised.

“Drachmas,” Battle replied. “Standard currency from where I come from.”

“What does the inscription say?” Twilight asked.

“Victory at all costs,” Battle replied solemnly. He placed the drachmas back into their pouch and slipped it back into his pocket, noticing as he did the disappointed pout Rarity wore.

“So yeah,” Dash forced herself to say. Even she had been taken aback by the exotic beauty of the coins Battle had produced. “What're going to do for bits here in Equestria?”

“I thought I might put some of my skills to good use,” Battle said, leaning back, allowing his arms to stretch out over the back's of the seat.

“Like what?” Applejack asked.

“I was thinking medicine,” Battle said absent-mindedly. “I know my way around the doctor's surgery and I've done my fair share of medical practice.”

“You're a doctor?” Twilight asked.

“Of a sort,” Battle replied cryptically. “I was never technically named a doctor but I have enough medical knowledge to see me through I feel.”

Twilight opened her mouth to say something else, but she was cut off by the squealing of the train's brakes heralding their arrival back in Ponyville. She looked out of the window before getting to her feet.

“This is our stop.”

Comments

[Kingmoonwar19]

This is so ASSOME