The Winning pony and the Templar

by Ebony Gryphon

Chapter Eight

Catheris limped down the hall of Canterlot general, giving a small nod and smile to patients and hospital staff as he went. Coming up to his patients room, he gave a tap with his cane to the door, and without waiting, walked in.

“Good morning Atticus. And how are we today?”

Slowly, the soldier rose, his upper body exposed. While the right was still the toned visage of a seasoned soldier, the lefts upper half was covered in its new prosthetic housing. Rubbing his now metal shoulder, Atticus hissed in pain.

“My left side feels like it’s about to explode…”

Nodding, Catheris said cheerfully, “Really? Good, good.”

Walking up to the bed, he laid his cane across, and leaning down, gently examined his work.

“The pain means the nerves are successfully reanimated.” Taking out a pen, Catheris prodded one of three holes set into the metal, and Atticus jumped, then glared at the doctor.

“Felt that huh?”

“Did you know I really hate doctors?”

Chuckling, the physician took a small screwdriver, and began testing the screws to see if they were properly set.

“Oh, don’t be such a grouch. Especially since I come with good news.”

“And that is…?”

“You’re stable enough to have the arm set, and we can begin rehabilitation and maintenance.”

“Today?”

“Right now, if you like.”

………………………………………………………………………………………..

A few minutes later, Catheris lined up the three prongs to their holes, and said “On three.”

Atticus nodded, and with his consent, the doctor said, “Three.”

An echoed ching went forth as the arm was firmly pushed in, and as it connected to its base, its owners eyes bulged, and he screamed.

“Oh fuck… damn it…”

Gently flexing the fingers, Catheris said pleasantly, “New pains?”

“Yeah…” Atticus gasped, and then began to clench and open his eyes. “Now my side aches, and the back of my head feels ready to burst.”

“Ah, excellent. That means the graft was successful.”

“Now, Atticus, please lift your arm for me if you would.”

With a grimace from its wielder, the metal contstruct slowly raised, and then flexed.

“It’s kind of stiff….”

Nodding, Catheris began going over the rest of the arm, removing the top covering of the upper arm, and began adjusting wires and screws.

“Try it now.”

Atticus flexed again, and clenched and extended his new fingers.

“Much better. Thanks.”

Nodding, the doctor put the covering back on.

“It will take a little while for it to loosen up. And you need to oil every couple of weeks. We’ll cover the rest of the maintenance later. But first…” pulling a egg out his pocket, he laid into the patients metal palm.

“Now, Atticus, I’d like you to squeeze, but barely stop before crushing it…” both humans jumped slightly at the soft crack, and both watched as yellow ooze leaked to drip onto the floor.(1)

“Maybe a little more adjustment required….”

Seeing the look on his patients face, Catheris sighed.

“Be of cheer, brother. You are not the first to give limb in the service of our land.”

Atticus gave a humorless chuckle.

“Thought so. Soldiers life why you limp now?”

“Nah. I bashed my knee to shit a few years back, but not badly enough to need anything besides my faithful friend. As for my service, they paid for school, I served.”

“That why you do this? Design auto mail, fix people up?”

Catheris shook his head.

“Nope, my son went in with noble ideals, came back with a purple heart and minus both legs.”

“That’s why you do this?”

“Nope. Kid thought I was wasting my time, used to tell me he put years on never wasting energy tying his shoes.”

Atticus nodded, then hissing in pain, glared at the physician.

“Hey, easy.”

Snorting, Catheris quipped, “Be glad you’re an adult. Since your proportions aren’t shifting, you really only have to get the platform checked every year or so.”

Undoing the top half of the lower part of the prosthetic, Catheris continued, “As for why I do this… well, the unicorns offered. They’d provide the funds and magic, I provide the specs and knowledge. Human medicine only can take us so far, though at least in the Territories I got proper accomadations, without some whiny twerp noble breathing down my neck.”

Unable to decide if he was disgusted or still able to hold some respect for his engineer, Atticus wisely decided to cut his losses and keep his mouth shut.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Thanks to a mix of unicorn magic and his desire to get as far away from the hospital as he could, within a few days, Atticus had gotten a good grip on his new limb, and sitting at a table in Canterlot bar, was confronting a new pain. Namely, a very disgruntled Tornadokicker.

“Listen to this… ungrateful foal… Telling me how awful I was for keeping Nimbus’s past from her, and then says while she gets Alula, she doesn’t know why I lied to her.”

“Ah yes… your mate Nimbus… I take it your daughter is pretty pissed at you then?”

Grimacing, the stallion looked over the letter.

“Worse. She’s… disappointed.”

At the word, both males winced. Grasping his glass with his new arm, and taking a small bit of pride is not shattering it, Atticus took a sip, then said, “If I may say so sir, you can hardly blame her for being upset.”

“I know… it just… hurts, you know? And after…” Tornado took a breath, “After Nimbus died, I just couldn’t. I could barely get myself out of bed, Cloud Kicker was just twisting herself inside with guilt, and Alula… she just shut down. “

“Is that why you sent with her godmother and her husband? Why you left the clan yourself?”

The stallion scoffed.

“Yeah, and I got all the threats and bullshit that comes with being a traitor.”

“You don’t think they’d… umm…”

“Make a move on my foals? Please. Never mind dealing with me, and several friends of mine on both sides of the law, little Alula is guarded by two of the toughest beings it’s ever been my pleasure to know.”

“And Cloud Kicker?”

“Like they’d stand a chance. Tough as nails, just like her old sire.”

………………………………………………………………………………………..

Despite his former status as a Templar, in his personal life, Garret had only a few rules. After sleeping together again, both human and pony came to mutual understanding of the three day rule, which, though neither of them knew it, both always regretted breaking at one point in their respective lives. But now, it was the weekend. Bar wasn’t going to be opened till later, and Cloud Kicker had the day off. With Blossomforth away visiting family and Dash busy with various errands, the mare found herself in Garrets company. No sex or anything intimate of that nature, just laying together on a blanket on Clouds roof, enjoying the warmth of the spring day.

Resting her head on the humans chest, a wing splayed across his stomach, Cloudkicker murred softly as she hovered between consciousness and sleep, the gently stroking fingers over her wing coaxing her towards the latter. Usually, outside of banging, the mare disliked having her wings being fiddled with, but at the moment, the motions were similar to preening, and quite relaxing. She led a crazy life, and mostly loved every bit of it. But, just for today, all Cloud Kicker wanted to do was lay next to a friend, occasionally flicking a fly from her side with her tail, and just for a little while, relax.

……………………………………………………………………………….........

A dark gray Pegasus paced the floor of his office, his tail swishing angrily behind him. Lips curling over his teeth, he glared at the parchment on his desk, the denial of his clan, his own family, written across. Fools! All the elders were fools! To think that his own clan, who he loved more then even his wife and children, could be so blind. Wrong, they said? Pah! Looking to his right, the stallion spat, the saliva whipping out to splat onto the blue carpet underhoof, where it quickly sank in. Fools and weaklings! Shadowkicker herself would be ashamed to see her own brought so low as to even consider alliances with the two legs. Appeasers and apologists like Tornado,,,

At the thought of the stallion, the pegasi paused. Looking down, the stallions ear flicked as his tail stilled. Minutes passed, and suddenly, the pony looked up. Feeling his fur beginning to stand on end, he looked to a large cabinet. Behind it door, an odd buzzing seemed to emanate. Walking to the cabinet, the pegasi nudged it open, then pressed a panel in it. Silently, the back part of the furniture slid open, revealing a milky white piece of quartz.

Number three

Though no one was there, the stallion gave a nod.

Two… We have a problem. The clan refuses any further assistance, though they say they will in no way impede our work as long as our operations…

Don’t interfere with their continued existence as a clan, I know three. You know what this means?

I’m well aware of the implications two. A shame, there are still superb soldiers there. What a waste.

It won’t happen for some time, but the clan will be punished for this dereliction.

I know…

In regards to Nimbus’s foals….

Impossible at this point. Until the monkeys are pushed out, we won’t be able to get near them, and by then it would be unnecessary to involve them at all.

Three… Number one is aware of your… affection for Tornado and his offspring. One is… unsure as to where your loyalties lie.

One shouldn’t get his tail in a knot. I’d rather not see them hurt of course, but… this is bigger then them.

Noted.
………………………………………………………………
The next day, Ponyville

Swiftblade sat silently watching over her charges, ice cold gaze offering no indication of the warm fuzzies she felt watching Alula laugh and play with the other young ones. Feeling no need to intervene over a disagreement between the zebra and whatever the name of the orange Pegasus was, the mare yawned widely.

“Long night?”

Ears flicking towards the voice, Swiftblade closed her mouth again, and closing her eyes, took a breath.

“Hello Cloud Kicker.”

Smiling softly, the blonde maned pony jumped up onto the bench, and nuzzled her companion. Feeling her stiffen under her affection, Cloud Kicker pulled away.

“Whats wrong?”

“I’m…. I’m sorry. Personal space.”

Ears flattening slightly to her skull, the lavender merely nodded, the looked at the minor kerfuffle being played out in the grass. Chuckling at the verbal fencing, Cloud Kicker asked, “Shouldn’t you stop them?”

Feature still stoic, Swiftblade gave a noncommittal shrug.

“Only if it degrades into kicking and mane pulling.”

After a few moments, and with apologies and hoofbumps a-plenty, the foals returned to their game. Nodding sagely, Swiftblade said ,”See?”

Cloud Kicker smiled fondly as she watched her sister bound across the grass, her numerous friend running hell bent for leather behind her.

“She looks good.”

Swiftblade nodded silently, not taking her gaze away from her assignment.

“She getting enough to eat? Sleeping enough?”

At this, the grey mare lips quirk up for a moment in what may have very well have been a smile, and in a slightly less chilled tone, she replied, “When she’s not sneaking out to try to break into the library, or hiding in the closet so I won’t disturb her studies.”

“Studies huh?”

“She wants to help ponies, maybe be ambassador, or a doctor.”

At the words, the lavender mare right brow quirked slightly.

“Quite a far cry from her families calling.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Cloud Kicker saw Swiftblade turn to her. Looking at her fully, and seeing the soft sad smile on the mares muzzle, she said, “What?”

“Is that such a bad thing?”

Looking forward again, Cloud Kicker gave a slight shrug of her wings.

“I…. I don’t know. You really want her to play politician in some boardroom? Her smarts, she could easily make officer status by the time she’s twenty one or so. Hay, she might even make elder by thirty.”

Looking forward again, Swiftblade said “You’re much too young to be sounding like Nimbus Cloud.”

The lavender mare winced as though she was slapped.

“Low blow Swifty.”

For a moment, the two sat in silence, then looking to the side again, Cloudkicker mused, “So… you and mom huh?”

Swiftblades muzzle slid into the standard guard face, and in a polite tone she said “Yes?”

“She… I mean…” puckering her muzzle as though she’d bitten into rotten fruit, she shook her head.

“I just can’t see her like that.”

Swiftblade’s eyes shifted downwards a moment, and she replied in a dead tone, “She wasn’t… not really.”

“What?”

Speaking in the same monotone, the mare elaborated, “She enjoyed herself, but… she didn’t feel the same way I did. She loved the sex, but… at the end of the day, it was just an angle she was playing.”

Cloud Kicker tilted her head.

“Huh?”

“The sex, dinners, sparring, spending time with me, making me her wing mare…. Right from the word go, she made it clear that most of that was for moral. She didn’t love me, and never would. But… at night, when she held me to her, nuzzling my neck…”

Seeing the uncomfortable look on the opposite mares face, Swiftblade cleared her throat.

“Well, in any case… though she certainly have too, she warmed my bed many a cold night, and I’ll be grateful for that.”

“She used you.”

“No, she didn’t. I was always aware of her intentions, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that beautiful mare.”

“But… if you loved her so much, why didn’t you…?”

“Go through with the raid?” Swiftblade looked down. “As I watched her… it was enchanting. Watching as she ordered our comrades, her steel gaze monitoring the operation. And in that instant, I know I could never be her. My heart was too soft.”

For a moment, Swiftblades jaw worked, then she said, “She dismissed me that night. The next evening, the nightmares started, and I shut down. I remember you visiting.” Shaking her head, the gray mare made a snort of anger.

“I was pathetic.”

Swiftblade stiffened at the sudden pressure on her neck, her wings flexing against her side at Cloud Lickers sudden nuzzling of her neck. Turning her head, teeth bared, the mare hissed, “Hey I thought I…” her words stilled and her glare softened at the look on Cloud Kickers face.

“Swifty… you could never be pathetic to me.”

For a moment, the scarred pony only gazed at one of her last true friends in all the world, and with a smile, returned the nuzzle.

“Thank you Cloud.”

Turning back to their post, both mares gaped. The sun had begun to sink, and Alula was waving bye to her friends. Turning around, she began cantering back to the adults. Still smiling, Swiftblade nudged her friend in the side with a wing.

“Go. Take Alula out for ice cream. Be with your sister.”

As Cloud Kicker hopped off the bench, she turned her head back to give a smile.

“Hey Swifty… mom did love you. Maybe not as much as you did her, but I promise you… her actions towards you were because she wanted too.”

And with that last thought, the lavender mare cantered up to her blood, and nuzzled the foals head.

“Hey Lu.”

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Cloud kicker glanced down at the filly next to her. Despite her offering of anything her sister could want, the foal merely asked for a small vanilla. For the next half hour, the elder talked and joked, only getting halfhearted smiles, if any reaction at all. Outside, Cloud Kicker deemed it a lovely night for maybe a play, or bowling. Alula merely shook her head.

Cloud Kicker gently nuzzled her sister at the front lawn of her aunt and uncles, and gave a smile.

“We’re here.”

Alula nodded, and began walking down the path. Grimacing, the mare reached out, and stopped the walk with a hoof.

“What’s wrong Lu?”

Slowly, she turned back to her sister, and said softly, “I know.”

“About?”

The little fillies eyes flashed as she whispered, “About mom and her friends and that village.”

Cloudkicker felt a sick sense of dread settle in her stomach, and gave a slight grin, reaching out again to pat her sister on the head.

“What are you talking about, you sil…” Cloudkicker winced in shock as her hoof was pushed away, and Alula looked up at her sister, breathing hard.

“Don’t patronize me damn it! I know about it all! Mommy went to that village…. And …. And she hurt people!”

Cloud Kicker held the slapped hoof against her chest, as though ready to bolt, but could only manage a slight whimper.

“Lu… I… come on…”

Stamping her hoof, Alula shook her head.

“No! Don’t you dare try to defend that sow Cloud!”

Cloud Kicker’s jaw dropped, then in a flash, snapped back into place. Stamping her hoof, she shouted “Now, see here little lady…!”

Tears streaming down her cheeks, Alula’s wings flared out in emotion as she cried, “Admit it! She was no better then that thing that got her!”

Cloud Kickers hoof blurred to back slap her distraught sister, sending the foal slamming down into the ground. Eyes glittering dangerously in the light, wings flared out to their fullest, the mare snarled, “That’s enough, you ungrateful little….” Suddenly, something clicked. Cloud Kicker gasped, covering her muzzle with the offending hoof, then walked forward to her now whimpering sister.

“Oh no… Lu… here, let me…” Cloud Kicker jumped slightly as the filly screeched, “N o!”

“Lu! Stop this, I have too…”

Wriggling from the mares grip, Alula belted down the dirt path, screaming, “Shut up! I hate you Cloud! All you do is hurt me, or dad, or your friends! I don’t want you as my sister no more!”

Tears streaked out as daggers of her sisters venom pierced her heart and twisted.

“Alula, wait, I….” the lavender mare winced as the door slammed. Cloudkicker shook her head.

“Goddess… Alula… what have I done?”

Turning sharply, the mare galloped off into the night to her home.

Author's Note:

1) This might take a little explanation... auto mail, while doesn't have the same sense of touch a limb of flesh does, is still able to gauge tension and grip through the original and synthetic nerves, though it takes its owner a little while to adjust to new feelings and successfully use them. Thus, the egg test. Basically, you squeeze to the point of breaking, but stop yourself just before it breaks.