Chapter 16 - Canterlot's Close
The ball of metal spun violently in the air mere inches from his chest, green alchemical smog warring with the magical, navy blue aura suspending the ball as it fought to be freed from the magic. The goldcloaks stood stock still, the small ranged squadron slowly turned their heads to look at the nervous looking new recruit with the smoking shootstick who was now shaking like a leaf.
The Equestrian shootstick was a common enough ranged weapon among the militia guards of the kingdom. It was generally used by scouts and pegasi whose speed and flight advantage put the weapon to its greatest use. It was however, an unreliable weapon in the long run, whose accuracy could not always be counted on, occasionally even exploding, so it was almost always used in order to ward off pursuers if it did not kill them before being utilised as a spear. Its alchemical charge was good for one shot and reloading the shot after discharge was always something of a hassle, explaining why the guard still primarily relied on crossbows for its ranged warfare. It was, however, moderately effective at piercing armour and thus still saw employment.
The alchemical discharge gave the shots a fiercer kick then black-powder normally would, so despite not having as great a range as other contemporary firearms, it proved more effective in terms of stopping power. Which is currently why Handy is incredibly fortunate to have worn his shield upon his back that day had he not turned around and had Luna not intervened. Despite the shield’s magical resistance, the magic was not in the shot itself but rather what propelled it, the metal ball would have pierced his shield and dug through the mail of his back, lodging in his flesh. Now, the mare in question was no more than twelve feet away when her stick discharged, at that range such a shot was likely to kill most opponents, and Handy had, at the moment of firing whirled around, presenting his front to the shot. Had he been faster he would have been able to avoid the shot entirely, as it was, he was not.
He stared directly at the trembling young mare with the smoking shootstick. Blueblood had wasted no time and scarpered, the Human whirled as he heard the movement of hooves and saw the prince run over to Luna and hid behind her. Disgraceful. The look on Luna’s face was… pensive, which Handy would have found odd had he not been staring absolute murder at the cowering lordling behind her. The entire scene had shocked all of them, an Equestrian shootstick had not been fired in anger in centuries. Well, not against visiting dignitaries anyway. Had it not been for the princess’ quick actions in pausing the deadly shot in midair, it would currently be lodged in Handy’s heart and a knight of Gethrenia would have been slain in the middle of Canterlot right before his king. Which would have led to interesting times. Granted, had Handy got his way and smeared princely pony brains across the flagstones of the street the result would have been the same, just a different kingdom that fired the first shot as it were. Once he was back in Gethrenia, Handy was going to be having words with his king about exactly why his knights and guards did not automatically react to a shot being fired, it was not going to be a fun conversation as the human was incredulous about the display in hindsight, expecting much better from the griffon military.
Of course, such high political and tactical concerns were not foremost in the mind of a one, Private Small Wind. The young earth pony mare currently holding said trembling shootstick. She had, like her comrades, recently passed muster and earned the right to don the gold. Being of a minor noble house she could not join the ranks of the royal guard by birth and being inexperienced she could not join it on merit. So to the goldcloaks she was sheparded, it was not a bad position, indeed, she was quite proud to have made the cut and earned the right to protect the capital and to supplement the garrisons and forts throughout the kingdom. She had been so excited, scoring so highly on her marksmareship she was assigned as shooter, having an innate feel for wind direction, trajectory and weight while utilising the weapon.
All the training however, did not prepare for an actual situation where she might be called upon to use the weapon. Certainly not on her first day. She had been patrolling with her partner when they heard the royal Canterlot voice and made to find the source of the commotion, anything requiring the princesses to shout without it being an official occasion was probably not good. So came they did and they stumbled across the princess of the night yelling at the human. They had all heard the stories of course, how it fought entire squadrons of Night Guard, how it killed dragons, how it was used as a puppet of a disgruntled prince to usurp a kingdom. Here it was however, in the middle of Canterlot, about to kill a pony and caring not a damn for it being surrounded by royal guards and being commanded by a princess to stop, indeed, even talking back to her!
There are only so many ways you can react to that sight, so they had levelled their weapons and took aim. It was only then did the reality of duty sink in for her. She might actually have to kill somepony! Sure, it was to save a life, and the person was not actually a pony but it still made the bile rise in her stomach and doubt crossed her mind, she did not know what she’d do if it really came down to it. When the griffons showed up and drew their weapons, her comrades changed targets, the griffon’s presented a greater threat to the Princess after all, the human was grounded and focused elsewhere.
Small Wind, however, had not shifted her aim, her training warring with her doubt and fear and she froze there, shootstick still levelled at the human. Her aim was wavering as she struggled to keep from shaking, it was when the human looked to be raising his hammer once more after briefly flashing as the princess tried to use magic on him that she squeezed. She did not mean to, but it was an unconscious reaction, she squeezed the activation rune as she had been trained and the small iron hammer rushed forth, colliding with the trigger and igniting the alchemical charge, the small infernal explosion jettisoned her shot in a furious eruption of green tinged smoke.
She would later be given a verbal reprimand and would be forced to explain her actions retroactively as being taken in order to protect the prince. Now, however, she stood there, shaking, as her comrades regarded her with something between shock and awe, for it had been her in the end, who’d reacted first while everyone else choked. She had almost killed the human and whenever she got over the shock of that, it was going to earn her a lot of drinks. Not that that would do anything to make her forget the sheer loathing in the human’s eyes when he had stared at her.
“-Princess, we demand an explanation for this outrage!”
She blinked. She was so lost in her thoughts she almost didn’t notice when people started talking once more. The princess looked unsure of herself as she lowered the shot she had stopped midair to the ground, the human looked somewhat less enraged, having blinked in surprise when he realised how close the bullet had been to killing him.
“WE… WE CAME TO PREVENT THE HUMAN FROM DOING ANYTHING HARMFUL TO OUR SUBJECTS.” Her royal Canterlot voice had toned down considerably
“I would never attack your subjects.” The human retorted. “Thy nephew on the other hand came spoiling for a fight.”
“I was not! Auntie, you can’t let this barbarian near me!”
“Stop hiding behind a skirt and take responsibility for thy actions!” Handy was still enraged, but the surprise of nearly dying from a bullet of all things, only to be spared by the night princess, shook him out of the blood mist.
“Handy, what is this about?” King Johan had asked, walking several steps closer to his knight.
“This excuse for high blood had insulted thee and thy peers and went on to extol slander upon mine own mother.”
“AS BAD AS THAT MAY BE IT CANNOT POSSIBLY BE JUSTIFICATION FOR SUCH VIOLENCE!”
“So in Equestria it’s considered honourable to insult one’s mother? I suppose dead women make for easy targets…” Handy snapped at the princess, who visibly winced. “I demand satisfaction, this… Thing, hath tarnished my honour and that of my kin.” Handy began, he then thought, reason having returned to him and, for once, in agreement with his fury. He considered the griffon kings to his left and Joachim in particular, who would all very much want to defuse this situation without the resolution he desired. “He hast uttered vile slander against mine lord and his peers and offended the honour and integrity of the Kingdom of Griffonia entire!”
The High King himself had landed mere moments before and caught the human’s rant, he elected to merely sit and oversee the proceedings without speaking, his face an unreadable mask. Goldtooth and Thunderstorm glanced nervously back at the high king. “There can be no other resolution, I challenge Prince Blueblood of Equestria to a duel of honour!” Handy shouted, pointing his hammer head at the cowering equine. He then turned and glared a challenge at Johan, knowing full well the young king would try to reason a way out of this. “You will not deny me this, Joachim.”
“Johan! Control your vassal!” Goldtooth hissed at his peer. Joachim, for his part, didn’t. A curious expression crossing the aquiline’s face, he tapped the side of his beak contemplatively, a small smile tugging at his face.
“Your highness, what say you for these accusations?” Joachim said at length, catching the princess by surprise.
“WH-What?” She stuttered.
“I asked what you had to say, as the good prince’s liegelady surely it is your ultimate responsibility to account for his actions should he fail to do so himself.” He said, the other two kings looked at Joachim as if he were mad. Aleksy raised an imperious eyebrow.
“I… I will not allow him to come to harm!” She had said. Looking back at Blueblood with a stern expression. She had gritted her teeth but did not show it, if anything said prince was in a prime position to be bucked into next week but that simply would not do to occur. Not right now at the least.
“So Equestria stands by the harsh words that have fallen from his muzzle? Whats more, you have nearly killed a royal knight of Gethrenia in cold blood for merely defending his honour, do you honestly expect us to just overlook this?” Joachim challenged, a stony expression having been adopted by his features. Handy found himself looking at his king in surprise, he was taking his side in this?
’I… Honestly did not expect that… What game are you playing Joachim?’ He thought to himself. Joachim pressed on as the princess seemed to struggle to come up with the words.
“Disappointing.” Joachim said, shaking his head. “I expected better of you, Princess.”
“Wait! We do not condone the actions of our… Nephew.” She almost didn’t spit out that last word. Almost.
“Then what is to be done? A knight’s honour and that of our kingdoms has been tarnished, a challenge has been issued and the prince is too much of a coward to accept!”
“We do not know if the human’s words are true!” The princess grasped desperately at straws.
“T-that’s right! He’s lying!” Blueblood shot, hopefully. There was a mumbling from behind the two.
“Actually he kinda did…” Said the red maned goldcloak behind the princess, one of the ones that had been charged by Sparks to watch the human. The avians’ hearing picked it out loud and clear despite the distance however.
“Ah, see, even your own soldiers bore witness to the scandal!” Joachim said, raising a claw for emphasis. The princess glared, not at the goldcloak who had spoken out of turn, but at Blueblood. “Its is only right and just that Sir Handy press his right to defend his honour, I’m afraid there’s simply no other way princess…” Joachim seemed to look sad, the other kings were clenching their jaws to bite back curses at their brother king. Aleksy still had not intervened and his looming presence only served to increase the tension further. Joachim, however, was oblivious to the large bird’s presence, unlike his fellow kings and pressed on.
“Wait…” Luna interjected. Obviously frustrated. She turned to regard the human, whose furious expression was at once alien and unsettlingly familiar. “We… Request only that you do not kill him.” Luna said, looking the human in the eye.
“What!?” Blueblood shot back to his feet. “Auntie you can’t possibly-” His expression was cut short by the withering glare she gave her nephew.
“Do not… Thou can’t be serious!” Handy started. Luna had recomposed herself and spoke firmly and with conviction.
“We will allow this duel of honour, but it will not be one to the death.” She said, turning to the Griffon king. “Will that suffice?”
“It’s a start.” Joachim said, smiling once more. “How will you make up the slack however? Surely you can’t expect us to merely restrain ourselves with no incentive other then you deeply care for this princeling.” He said. It was not a secret to anyone that the princesses despised the young prince, except to the good prince himself of course so Luna, predictably, reacted rather badly and one could see the fury in her face. She bit back her tongue however, it clearly was not easy, the situation had turned on her rather dramatically.
“We will pay a tribute in reparation for offense laid.” Luna said in a controlled voice. “But we will not let the duel commence just yet… The prince needs some time to… prepare.” She said at last. The prince looked up at his aunt in disbelief. Joachim smiled then turned to Goldtooth.
“Henry old boy…” Johan the king began. “Are you not hosting an open tournament two months hence?” He asked, King Goldtooth blinked at Joachim.
“I am yes, the fall festival always has a tournament.”
“I believe I shall attend, Handy here shall be with me. Princess, will that be enough time for your nephew to prepare? The tournament would be an excellent place to settle the matter of honour in the duelling rings.” He said. Handy glared disbelievingly at Joachim. The princess regarded him cooly before responding.
“This will suffice…” She said at length.
“Baron Handy…” Joachim began. The human turned to his king and prepared to say something rather regrettable before Joachim cut him off, knowing full well the proud knight would object to the circumstances. “-As Royal Swordbearer, I fully expect you to win this duel, you understand.”
’Swordbearer?’ Handy blinked. ’When the hell-’
“Will the circumstances suffice?” He asked, it took Handy a few seconds to respond. Joachim had, in the space of a few words, guaranteed Handy the fight he wanted, denied him the chance for blood, extorted a kingdom, prevented a war and bribed him with a new title and whatever that may entail. That… Took talent. Handy shook as he tried to bite back his rage, seeing the logic behind Joachim’s actions but not particularly caring for it, he really, really wanted that pony’s blood on his hands.
“…For now.” He said at length, reason finally triumphing in the end, however regrettably. Joachim beamed and clapped his claws together.
“Well! Then I suppose we can now put this rather ugly spectacle behind us all, can’t we highness?” He said, looking back at the princess who was glaring openly at Blueblood.
“… We suppose.” She said through gritted teeth.
“Excellent.” Joachim said turning around and, for the first time, noticed High King Aleksander standing there behind him, a wide smile on his face. Joachim suddenly realised just how much of a risk he had taken and wondered just how far the high king planned on letting him go. “Uhhh…” He said softly before turning back and collecting his human. “Come along Sir Handy.” He said as the human stooped to pick up his fallen book, the human regarded the griffon coldly.
“You know you owe me more then just a fancy new title, right?” He said softly, the bird nodded.
“I know, but what was I to do? Let you kill a prince here in the heart of Equestria? Come now Handy.”
“Whatever.” He said as the griffon contingent began to leave the square. Handy paused and looked up at the armed night guards, suddenly remembering why they seemed so familiar, one in particular. He glared a challenge up at them before departing. Luna waited for them to disappear down the street before dismissing the guards and the goldcloaks to their duties. She rounded, slowly on prince Blueblood. Her eyes began to glow with brilliant white energy and her voice, while barely above a whisper, thundered with ethereal force that shook the air and caused the cobblestone street to vibrate.
“Castle. Now.” She said with barely contained fury.
--=--
“A most impressive gambit, young Blackwing.” Aleksy had said over dinner with the king. “For a moment there I feared I would have to intervene, but you proved yourself quite capable of handling the situation, and at a profit too!” He said.
“Thank you, your majesty.” Joachim said, not entirely sure how to feel about being praised. Goldtooth and Thunderstorm had mixed opinions on the affair but did not voice dissent to their liege lord’s pleasure at the outcome.
“Anything to ruffle the feathers of those princesses is generally a good thing, I wouldn’t want to be in that stripling’s hooves and not just because he has to fight that shadow of yours!” Goldtooth added. “The princesses are bound to be tearing into him right now.”
“I still say it was rather foolish, you should have restrained your vassal and end it then and there instead of taking the risk.” Thunderstorm said, the king of the Hebridean Isles downed his goblet. “And on that matter.” He said seriously. “Is it true what they say about him?”
“What?” Joachim asked.
“What they say about him, it wasn’t appropriate to ask before.”
“Please be more specific.” Joachim said, although he had an inkling of what he might be asking about.
“You know exactly what I am referring to.” Thunderstorm said. “Is it true that he is actually female?” He asked. Joachim’s mind stopped.
“W…What?” He said before bursting into laughter. “Is that what they’re saying now?” The joviality was infectious. “Wh-where did that even come from?”
“Well…” Goldtooth piped up. “He was seen wearing pink the other night and a giant heart on his back, we know it’s a common enough among ponies to not be unusual but we had figured the human was more akin to us in temperament and attitude so…”
“And he is almost never seen without that cloak of his.” Aleksy added. Joachim just roared with laughter.
“Come off it, you’ve seen his beard, he shaves often enough for some unfathomable reason, true, but female he is not.” Joachim said, silently thankful they had not enquired as to his vampirism. The laughing griffons eventually calmed down and moved on to other topics. He had grimaced at the thought. Handy was a friend and he owed him, quite literally everything and trusted him near implicitly, but he had almost caused a war. The first true, proper war between kingdoms in All-Maker knows how long, he had never seen quite that look before on the human’s features. It was not quite mindless rage, no, it was something colder, deeper, intelligent and cruel. He dreaded ever being given that look himself and suppressed a shiver at the thought. He did not, however, know whether it was because he was a human or a vampire and was not sure if he would like the answer.
The last thing he wanted to do was to think of his friend as a monster.
--=--
Prior to the meeting with Crimson Shade later, the day had passed by largely without further incident. He spent it with his fellow Gethrenian knights, a precaution insisted by the other kings, fearing Handy would cause more trouble. Honestly, Handy felt he could do with the company although more than once he found himself having to consciously increase the amount of noise he was making, the griffons kept thinking they had lost him, having not heard any noise from him and occasionally losing sight when all he had done was stop to browse at a window.
’Have to remember that.’ He thought, the blood high kept going throughout most of the day but he could feel it ebbing and its effects lessening. He wasn’t sure if it was because of the amount he took or blood highs in general just didn’t last long, his only frame of reference being the fight on the train and when he had drained Geoffrey. The fight he had the high beaten out of him, the one he had gotten from Geoffrey had been more muted in its effects, it increased his strength tremendously but he had few opportunities to test the rest of the effects griffon blood gave him. He did notice the absence of enhanced speed, although the enhanced perception and euphoria remained.
It also made him tremendously aggressive for the rest of the two weeks the high lasted, the strength lasting a mere day or two after the drain. It was one of the reasons he largely kept to his room and socialised as little as possible. He did that normally but during that time he was especially reclusive, taking his meals in his room. Now with unicorn blood he had the opposite problem, he was having trouble being noticed at all and had to consciously make noise and otherwise not appear to be a literal spectre.
He had ate with his comrades and generally whiled away the day in Canterlot, Handy admired the airships that had passed overhead, some of which were clearly military, most of the rest appeared commercial in nature, guild house sigils evident on their sides. Godfrey remarked disparagingly that he didn’t understand why trade was not simply done with airships instead of trains, until someone pointed out the sheer tonnage alone would cause the skies to be choked with the dirigibles in order to get the same volume of trade to pass between the kingdoms, Concordia being the only kingdom that specialised in that kind of trading, which is understandable giving the sheer upkeep involved in maintaining trains and tracks in the vast, undulating dunes of the desert kingdom. The only other being Henosis far to the north beyond the Crystal Empire and even then usually only to transport trade goods too precious to risk robbery on the ground.
All of this was quite fascinating of course, didn’t stop Handy from getting bored and wandering off after some time however. He kept getting caught up with again, which he supposed only made sense considering what happened earlier. It was after dinner, which consisted of expensive salad which, while certainly delicious, was hardly what the knights were used to or even desired, that Handy got approached with an interesting offer. He had made use of the public bathroom, being disappointed to find that ponies had yet to invent urinals, which only made sense given their awkward physiology and made his way back to the front door to meet up with his fellows before being stopped by a rather proper looking white unicorn.
He had noticed the unicorn, in the company of a grand looking mare with pink hair, eyeing his table throughout the dinner but had paid no mind. Everyone else in the restaurant had done much the same. “Excuse me, good sir.” He said. Handy’s eye twitched and his hand reached for his hammer under his cloak, if this was going to be yet another pompous unicorn taking liberties… “Perchance, would you be going to the griffon kingdom any time soon?” The magnificently moustachioed pony asked, fixing the monocle he wore.
“Aye.” Handy said cautiously. ’Do you see any OTHER humans traveling with a group of griffon knights?’ He knew the unicorn was merely being polite, but seriously, ask a stupid question…
“Ah excellent, allow me to introduce myself, I am Fancy Pants.”
’Oh God are you serious with that name?’ Handy fought VERY hard not to break out in a smile. “A pleasure to make thy acquaintance.” Handy said as he smiled, ’There, covered.’
“Oh I assure you the pleasure is all mine, Sir…”
“Handy.” He completed, enjoying a pleasant conversation for once.
“Sir Handy, of course. My apologies for stopping you but I didn’t feel it appropriate to interrupt your meal, but if you would ever be so kind, I have a proposition I would ask of you.” He said, Handy decided he liked the pony but was wary of what the proposition would be. He clearly seemed to be either nobility or very well connected by his bearing. His cutie mark was a trio of crowns, a common enough symbol back on Earth with old kingdoms, he didn’t understand the marks fully but he figured it meant he had something to do with the Royalty and as such was on his guard.
“I am not entirely sure I can guarantee I will be able to fulfil it, but I shalt indulge thee. What would thou request of me?” He said, Fancy smiled.
“I couldn’t help but overhear the commotion earlier. Nasty business, of course. Scandalous even, why I don’t think any sensible pony of good standing would have reacted any differently then you did, if only our dear princess was not put on the spot so, but alas, what can one do? Family and all you understand.”
’Someone’s clearly trying to get in my good books.’ Handy thought, suspicion growing. “A ghastly affair.” Handy agreed.
“But it was not that I wished to speak to you about, rather, it was the mention that you will be going to King Goldtooth’s tournament in the fall, am I correct?”
“Thou Art.”
“Ah, well, then I can explain my situation if you would be kind to hear me out. You see, I was fulfilling a commission for the son of an old friend, a personal matter you understand. However matters closer to home have compelled me to stay where I am, I would not be able to deliver the item to my friend.” He turned and smiled at the pink maned mare. “It needs to arrive before winter and I am afraid I won’t be able to be there in person to deliver it, and… It can’t really be left in the hooves of just anypony…”
Handy raised an eyebrow. Well now, what’s this then? “Thou had my attention but now thou hath my interest. What exactly art thou proposing good sir Fancy Pants?”
“I propose you take the item with you when you travel to the Kingdom of Firthingart. It needs to be delivered into the hooves of a Sir Whirl Wind, you’ll know him when you get there, he wouldn’t miss the tournament for the world. In return I will pay you handsomely for your… discretion.”
“What makes thee think thou can trust my discretion?” Handy asked, shady or not, there had to be other options then the incredibly obvious human to transport what was sounding very much like a very confidential transfer. Handy carefully checked over his shoulder, the guys were chatting at the door, there was a rather rough looking stallion in one corner, reading a pamphlet while smoking a pipe, the cook worked away, well within listening range. Whatever Fancy Pants was, he clearly owned this place. “Not that I do not appreciate it, but I hardly blend in.”
“Exactly.” Fancy Pants said. “A person of your… Stature, has to keep himself reserved, its expected. One would not think twice if they saw you being… evasive.” He said,
’Oh… Now see that just makes me wonder what’s actually in this package I’ll be delivering.’ “I believe I understand what thou art proposing, but it only makes me question the nature of the object thou wish for me to carry.”
“As expected.” Fancy said, his horn lit up and a small silver jewellery box was lifted out of the carrier bag the pink maned unicorn wore. The lid opened to reveal… A bejewled mess of light, thin silver chains that honestly looked like a bundle of metal. Pretty, probably, but he couldn’t imagine anyone wearing it, it just looked like a really nice gift one would buy their wife for their thirty year anniversary or something. Handy raised an eyebrow yet again. “It does not look like much, I understand. However its value is more than its material worth, I assure, I went through great difficulty in making this presentable. I can trust you, honourable knight, to do this?” He asked, his smile faltered and a sad look crossed his features. “Or am I mistaken?”
Handy was not sure what to think, on the one hand, it was a convenient request to fulfil, he was going to Firthingart anyway and this Whirl Wind character was supposed to be there. On the other hand, this pony’s insistence on him of all people to transport it only made him more suspicious, the complete innocuousness of the ‘package’ only made it seem moreso. This was a land of myth and magic, he knew rightly that the necklace… thing could be anything. Did he really want to take that risk? He rubbed his chin before looking back at the stallion.
“And what exactly doth thou propose to pay me for this? I suspect thou wish to avoid scrutiny, so I imagine my payment won’t be forthcoming immediately before my departure in the morrow.” Handy said.
“Perceptive, yes I won’t pay you right now. But you will receive the payment long before the fall. I will have the payment delivered to you in Skymount a week’s hence, I believe it might be to your liking.”
“I have a lot of properties in Skymount, I have a preference for which the payment is to be delivered to.” Handy checked around once more, the guys were occasionally looking in, wandering what was keeping him, the rest of the restaurant was empty besides the pony’s obvious employees. Once he was satisfied there were no government spies about to jump out at him he turned back to the stallion and narrowed his eyes. “I have farmland, Haywatch estates, there’s a certain barn that would make a good delivery.”
Fancy Pants seemed to smile and roll his eyes, at some unknown joke. “If you insist, I shall make the arrangements. I take it you will accept the proposition.”
“I see no harm in it.” He lied, he fully intended to have the jewellery checked out when he got back to Skymount, another thing his new pet mage could do for him. He accepted the jewellery box from Fancy Pants, putting it in his own pack on his side.
“A pleasure doing business with you, Sir Handy.” Fancy Pants extended a hoof, Handy had to bend slightly to shake it.
“Likewise, I am sure.”
--=--
There was a knock at the door, she shifted and pulled herself out from under the covers with a groan, she felt very weak. She opened the door to reveal the human standing there.
“Feeling better?” He asked. She looked up at him, unsure how to feel. She shrank back into the room, backing up against the bedframe, her horn lit up defensively. The human raised an eyebrow. “Really? You know I did say I’d never harm you.” He said, he looked over at the untouched water and bread. “Have you not eaten yet?”
She shook her head slowly, not entirely sure what to feel, the human terrified her before and truth be told she was still afraid of him, even though he promised to keep her safe from her mistress. It was an alien thought to her, to disobey and run away from her mistress’ service, but what choice did she have? She knew what would happen if she returned…
“You really, really should drink the water at the least.” He admonished. “You need the fluid, I didn’t take much but it’s better to be safe.”
“W-what do you want?” She asked, he looked at her quizzically.
“I did say I’d be back to check up on you, did you not read the note?” He said, she looked at the dresser, seeing the note lying there, embarrassed she shook her head again.
“I didn’t just wake you did I?” She nodded, he sighed. “Well, my bad I guess. Look, just eat the food and drink as much as you can, then get back to sleep. We’ll be leaving Equestria in the morning.”
“Where are we going?”
“Gethrenia, we’ll be traveling on the king’s chariot.”
“The king? W-won’t he ask-”
“The king owes me a favour, he won’t object.”
“What will I do when I get there?”
“Work, obviously. I did promise to keep you safe, but don’t expect to not earn your keep.” She seemed to relax slightly, as if he had just confirmed she would not meet some other horrible fate she was expecting.
“What work?”
“Research, largely, you’re good at that right? I have something someone of your talents would be useful for. Also I need a new overseer at one of my businesses.” He added.
“Business?”
“An investment actually, and because of the nature of the work, I need to ask you something.”
“I… Go ahead.”
“How do you feel about alchemy?”
--=--
“Stellar, come on!” Shimmer whined. The Shady Trough was dead that night, they were literally the only ponies there at the too big table. It had been a long day and they were all tired. Stellar Eclipse had just won another hoof and admonished Shimmer for giving out about it. Its her own fault for getting tipsy this early in the night anyway, well, late considering they’ve been up all day.
“So I take it we’re just going to forget about what happened to Bluey?” Onyx piped up, Glitter Oak chuckled.
“And I thought we got it bad, the look on Celestia’s face…” The sergeant said before taking another drink and frowning at his hoof of cards
“I was honestly surprised he didn’t catch fire.” Eclipse said. “I Call.”
“Kinda wished he actually did brain the ponce…” Shimmer mumbled, head on the table, staring absently into the distance. The others nodded. “Would give me an excuse to… Nibble.”
“Ah-ah!” Eclipse said, flicking Shimmer’s ear with her hoof. “Enough of that, it’s what got us into this mess in the first place, you want to be discharged!?”
“Oh come on! You’re all thinking it! He was in the castle all week!” Shimmer protested, rubbing her sore ear. “Sides you already got a good bite out of it.”
“Oh like you can talk.” Glitter Oak said. “You all at least got the kick, I got bit. Call.”
“Well how were we supposed to know we’d turn him?” Eclipse said.
“You mean you turned him.” Onyx said, having been silent most of the game. “You could’ve at least knocked him out or something but noooo.”
“Oh buck off, you know how that blood smelt.”
“I don’t think we should be discussing this so openly…” Shimmer said, suddenly looking around nervously. The barkeep could be trusted to keep his tongue to himself, but that was about the height of it. “You’ve heard ponies talking right? That we’re… out of control?”
“Hush, none of that.” Glitter said. “We get enough flak already.”
“But we turned the human! It’s supposed to be impossible!” She suddenly looked down. “And I’ve been getting looks…” Shimmer sniffled. “Fleet Hoof is starting to avoid me…” Eclipse put a hoof around her shoulder, trying to console her.
“There, there, come on it’ll be alright…” She looked pleadingly at the two stallions for support. Onyx cleared his throat.
“If you want I can have a word with him.”
“No don’t!” Shimmer pleaded. “He… Doesn’t know.”
“You sure?” Glitter asked. “You’re kind of obvious.” Shimmer blinked.
“I am?”
“I dunno.” Eclipse said. “He IS kind of oblivious a lot of the time.” She said as she smiled at her flustered friend.
“Its probably about time you actually talked to the bloody colt already.” Onyx admonished, “Before he gets the wrong idea. It’d probably mean more if you explained away the misconceptions yourself, probably would make a good way to sidle into the actual reason you wanted to talk to him.”
“B-but…” Shimmer stuttered. The group laughed good-naturedly.
“Hey don’t you have leave coming up?” Glitter asked, tapping his chin with a hoof. “I heard Fleet Hoof is going to be in Bridle Bay then, would be good for you two to get in the sun.”
“Oh ha ha.” Shimmer said, her expression turning sour. Eclipse turned back to her cards, contemplating. She had a week’s leave starting the very next day and had original planned to just lounge about home. However, she had a question on her mind, one that she didn’t have the opportunity to have answered. She grimaced, she should’ve died but he had thrown her back into the car rather than let her fall to the tracks, she wanted to know why.
She placed her hoof down at game’s end, to her misfortune Shimmer gleefully won the pot. She had decided then as the conversation turned to happier topics that she’d find out the answer, one way or another.
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Nice chapter. I am not too happy with the introduction of multi shot guns taught. It will make all the battle and assassination scenes pretty dumb.
4071265 Hmm, you know your right, I'll go ahead and change the specs of the shootstick
Plot twist: Blueblood wins.
Reading this story is like having eye sex. I just had to say it.
Again apologies for the extra short chapter, its actually half of the original chapter I had planned but the entire thing was taking too long so I split it in half. The next one should be up by tonight or tomorrow.
Also again about the guns, you needn'tworry, they won't be changing the fight scenes too radically, think about early firearms in europe, medieval society had guns for centuries before they had any lasting revolutionary effect on warfare. Shootsticks are just as shit if not moreso then harquebuses and normally have to be fired en masse to make a difference in battle. Small Wind's shot was only exceptional because fine control is her talent.
Damn I hated this arc.
Well, I'm disappointed that Blueblood wasn't turned into a bloody pulp, but this will suffice.
After all, Luna requested that Blueblood not be killed. I'm sure Handy can come up with many ways to beat him within an inch of his life. 
Having said that, this chapter was gold.
Also:
Yeah, it's about time Handy put aside the 'humbleness' and pretty words of being in service to 'his king' and lay into Johan for all the crap he's gotten him into or failed to intervene satisfactorily.
4071405
because handy forfeits by killing him out right.
4072344
Actually, I was thinking maybe Geof is not the only one who can get himself a professional fearsome warrior to duel in his name. Blueblood may be an idiot, but he surely has money to spare.
4072363 That probably wouldn't work because Handy would most likely demand the prince's head again. After all, fighting a substitute would only serve to raise Handy's ire at the Equestrians once again being yellow bellied bastards. Plus they would be on Griffon soil, so the ponies would lose the home field advantage of being surrounding by their own kind. Also, Luna's only condition was for him to not kill Blueballs - meaning that the griffons could set the rules for this particular duel.
Aside from all that conjecture, I'm also curious as to what the reparations Luna mentioned will be. I also wonder who he dislikes more: Luna or Celestia. Previously, I would say Celstia, but I think Luna has shot past her sister into the lead.
This is an excellent story.
4072363 I hope not
Can`t wait for the next chapter.
I'll be honest, I really, really , REALLY, want to see blueballs get a long scolding from him aunts. I mean be honest, who wants to laugh at his misery? I know I do.
4074751 Actually I listen to Sabaton regularly when writing chapters.
4081179 Regardless I should have handled it better, the chapter is now mothballed until I rewrite it or scrap it, I'll find a gentler way to ease this particular revelation into the worldbuilding. Discord's little spiel was too much of a blunt instrument.
4081253 Honestly it's was quite confusing when I first read it.
4081253 I'm happy to hear that you're going back over that chapter. There is very little more frustrating than a smug character strutting in like 'I have all the answers but I'm gonna change nothin.' It kills the importance and entertainment of discovery and takes away the weight of Handy being a literal alien creature to their world.
Also, Discord? If you're trying to fit close to canon characters then sure he has a lot of raw power in abilities but a deus ex know-it-all he ain't.
Aside from that hiccup I've really been enjoying where the story is going and how it's written.
4083437 I suppose that's understandable. It was poorly written and I was hiring alot of information all at once.
4085778 I've opted to merely scrap the chapter altogether. I'll find another way to introduce DIscord's hand in the game, as well as find other ways to introduce the concepts given.
4086051 Yeah, but the way Discord did give out information seems, cryptic. And only one being that always does that card is Celestia, granted Discord is a trickster and does chaos, but being cryptic and confusing?
4086177 I kind of justified it based on Discord's first appearence, granted he was speaking in rhyme when he told the mane 6 where he hid the elements but yes, overall he was being cryptic. The confusion is probably just bad writing on my part, hardly Discord's fault.
4086192 True he is cryptic and it is a part of him when he play the bad guy, so that's understandable.
So I got to ask, would you really blame me if I ask that there's going to be a scene where Blueballs get chewed out by his aunts?
4086210 Considering I am currently writing such a scene I can tell you that you'll get what you're hoping for.
4086215 *squee*
Yay!
Please let there be a scene where Handy confronts the guards
What misconceptions? The flak she's getting is rightly deserved. She bit someone, drank his blood, and turned him into a creature like her from the bite, because she wanted to. There are no misconceptions here. She drank blood directly from another intelligent person because she wanted his blood.
Lowercase
What's
It's and remove 'is' or 'it is' and remove the s
Kind enough to
It's
Wondering
It's
It's
Originally
I still really, really want to punch Luna..
Also guns are a thing in equestria... I don't know how to feel about that...
5908365 That moment when your favourite pony is acting like a jackass.
i.imgur.com/52VfuIu.jpg
His hissy fits and demanding bloody murder at first excuse are getting really old. I understand if he tried to attack him with his fists in rage or something, but almost causing international war by killing petty Prince, even audaciously demanding his head? That's just beyond infantile. How could Handy even handle internet in his world without smashing his monitor out or something?
6823454 I have to agree with you there. While I have been enjoying this fic relatively speaking, I'm finding Hand to be less and less likeable with each passing chapter. Granted, it's nowhere near the point where I'd stop reading and it'll probably turn around after a while, but it is very noticeable, especially when compared to his character at the beginning.
6823454 you have to remember that handy is on his aggressive blood high, and he fucking loves his (dead) mother. She's the reason he respects women and all that shit. He also had to sit and listen to the mother fucker complain and completely disrespect the people he works for. I completely 100% understand why he acted how he did and honestly if it was me I wouldn't have restrained and smashes his head open with a brick.
Wait, shimmer? Sunset Shimmer?
Or am I getting the wrong...
SHIMMER..
.. of an idea?
Lowercase
Than
It's
Bejeweled
It's
Originally
F$&@ thestrals and their dirty, unrepentant, narcissistic, jack ass attitudes about drinking my god dang blood!!! F$&@ ‘em.
saw the prince run over to Luna and hide behind her.
and had originally planned
That entire encounter with blueblood had me thouroughly entertained. Twas brilliant. Truly brilliant.
8780944
Actually, hit would be appropriate there since the statement was in past tense.
6490873
Here, have a Snickers, you aren't you when you're hungry.
10106658
That did it for me - you've gone and caused me to create an account on fimfiction just to reply to a comment posted two and a half years ago in reply to one that was nearly two years old at the time…
First of all, of course, I am thoroughly enjoying reading this fic!
I'm not a native English speaker, but…
"hit" would not be appropriate there (and as Handy would say especially not hit Luna, who is female). Now as to what's actually at issue here:
Both "run" and "hide" are the object of "saw" and should be infinitives without "to":
saw the prince run over to Luna and hide behind her.
Alternatively, other sentence structures could be used:
saw the prince running over to Luna and hiding behind her.
saw [that] the prince ran over to Luna and hid behind her.
(each slightly different in emphasis)
saw [that] the prince had run over to Luna and hid behind her.
(semantically different: [at least] the running part is over by the time the seeing occurs)
edit - missed this one:
saw the prince run over by Luna and hid[den] behind her.
8705898
AND THEIR GODDAMN PRINCESS! COCKY ASS BITCH! DAMN HER TO HELL! Oh and her pimp tuck miss perfect too goody four WHORSESHOES!
5908365
But primitive. Imagine Handy gives them a history lesson from his world... THEY'D BE PUT TO SHAME! 🤣