Tales of the Oppressed

by Terran34

114. The Great and Powerful

Not long after we started moving, Spitfire sends a messenger pegasus back to Vanhoover, informing the management there of the victory at Cloudsdale. Despite Chrysalis's reassurance that Trotsdale was safe, Spitfire wanted to get back there as quickly as possible.

While the initial plan according to Iron had been to use the trains to get to Trotsdale, the attack on Cloudsdale had rendered the rails too dangerous to use. Of course, the railways were now off limited to civilians, rendering internal movement mostly static. With the news of the defeat of Shatter's forces, Spitfire hoped that she could get the trains running again. We'd be able to move much faster if our ground units could travel by train.

Thankfully, it seems everything went over without a hitch. The messenger soon returns with the news that the mayor of Vanhoover is sending a train our way. Thank god. I've been flying up in the sky at a slow pace alongside Spitfire, Rainbow, Pterax, and Chrysalis. It hasn't been fun. By that, I mean there's an awkward silence between the four of us. The resentment can clearly be felt from Chrysalis, making me wonder if recruiting her was really a good idea after all.

Because of that, the moment I hear the train's whistle blow from behind me, I immediately bank off, much to their surprise. “Where are you going, Seth?” Spitfire questions me, even as Rainbow moves to follow me.

“To the train! We have to move at the same pace as the ground forces, don't we?” I call back to her.

“Yeah, I suppose we do. So?” Spitfire returns, confused.

“So, I'm gonna hop on the train and take a nap,” I finish explaining. With the train, we'll be at Trotsdale in a few hours, which should give me about that much time to sleep. Spitfire appears to understand that, because she smiles and shakes her head.

“That sounds good to me. I'm right behind you!” Rainbow chimes in, flying close beside me as I leave that awkward situation behind. Pardon me if I don't want to be anywhere near Chrysalis if I can help it. It's a little sad that she's easier to deal with when we're fighting.

The train soon comes to a halt with a screech of brakes on metal wheels. It's just as fucking colorful as the one in Ponyville. There's just so much pink, I can't even take it. Hilariously enough, I notice even some of the Islanders eyeing the train with a little bit of disgust.

“There's just...so much pink,” one of the soldiers comments as he climbs aboard, echoing my exact thoughts. I snicker and nudge Rainbow, who rolls her eyes.

“It's not that bad,” she whispers back to me. Bullshit. It literally could not get any worse than this. After all this time spent in the company of the Equestrian military, I guess I forgot just how fucking girly this country can be.

With a grunt, I land on the grass beside Iron and Salamul and walk alongside them, heading for the nearest carriage. Salamul turns his head slightly upon my arrival, but he quickly loses interest. I notice that he and Iron are oddly quiet. You'd think that if my brother showed up out of the blue, I'd be talking to him nonstop. I mean, technically they're blood brothers, but still.

Rainbow and I step inside the carriage with them and several other soldiers, our feet and hooves thudding onto the wooden floorboards. The seats inside are arranged in sets of two, alternating which direction they face as they line the sides of the train. I hope they're as comfortable as they look, because I'm looking forward to getting some more sleep.

I sit down next to Rainbow in one row, and Iron and Salamul take the seats across from us. It isn't long before I'm settled, but the two soldiers across from me take a little longer to set their weapons and equipment down in such a way that they can sit comfortably. You know, I've never really gotten a close up look at their weapons like this. They really are unlike any weapon I've ever seen.

“You guys are awfully quiet,” I address the both of them, deciding to go ahead and act on my curiosity. Now that I have their attention, I continue. “You guys are brothers, right?”

“Stallions who truly understand one another have no need for words,” Salamul rumbles, smoothing out tangles in his mane with one hoof. Iron nods and grunts in agreement. Huh. Well, that told me practically nothing. “From what I've seen...you Equestrians seem to put your emotions on full display.”

“That was the first thing I noticed when I came to Equestria,” Iron agrees with a wry expression. He lifts a cloth out of his armor and starts to polish his trident. “It was a little disorienting.”

“Dear Celestia, we do not 'put our emotions on display!'” Rainbow protests. The train shudders and the whistle blows once more, indicating that the vehicle is fully loaded and ready to move. Sure enough, the floor starts to rumble and the train chugs to life, the doors shutting. “You guys are just like, statues. Are all Islanders like that?”

“Yup.”

“Pretty much!”

“Don't want everypony knowing my feelings.” Multiple soldiers actually respond to that, having been listening in on us shamelessly. Rainbow's response is to plant her hoof into her face.

“When you have been a warrior as long as we have, you learn that showing your emotions is a weakness your enemies can exploit,” Salamul explains, his expression unmoving. The other soldiers that are listening nod their heads in agreement. “That is how you usher in the possibility of defeat.”

“Seth, don't listen to him!” Rainbow says to me frantically. I shrug. I mean, I can see his point, but I could never do it. If I was capable of hiding my emotions that well, I'd never have let Rainbow or anypony in back when I first got here. Sometimes being soft isn't really a bad thing. Rainbow jabs her hoof at Salamul. “That's like, the opposite of what we believe here.”

“So I have observed,” Salamul acknowledges. He stares her her, his dark eyes as stoic and unreadable as ever. “I have already gathered enough knowledge to deal significant damage, if I so chose.”

“What are you talking about?” I demand sharply, not liking the way he's looking at Rainbow. Salamul then lifts a large hoof to indicate Rainbow.

“If I wished to defeat you, I would target this one first. You would be much easier to deal with if you were worried about another in the heat of battle,” Salamul reveals. Wait, what the hell!? Rainbow scowls and my hands clench into fists, unnerved at those threatening words.

“Are you threatening me?” Rainbow snaps back, her muscles tensing. Iron sighs and looks over at his brother.

“Brother...” Iron begins, his voice chastising.

“Of course not,” Salamul answers in spite of Iron's warning, as if the very idea were preposterous. “If I truly wished to defeat you, I would not need to rely upon such tactics. I would simply crush you.”

“That doesn't make me feel much better,” Rainbow comments. I, on the other hand, relax when I realize what Salamul is trying to say.

“I am simply proving a point. Your beliefs, while they are a nice ideal, are but a hindrance on our island,” Salamul finishes. Rainbow relaxes as well once she realizes that the large unicorn isn't actually threatening her.

“That reminds me,” I say, wanting to change the subject. One thing I'm sure of: I'm never going to Bleak Island. Ever. “Iron, how come you never mentioned that you're a warlord?”

“Wait what!?” Rainbow looks between Iron and I in surprise at the revelation. Yeah, after my first initial confusion, I quickly put two and two together. I mean, it only makes sense. The soldiers at the camp got insulted at Iron's lower rank (a rank that in Equestria is one of the highest), Salamul respects him so much that he defers control of himself and his entire army to him, and the other soldiers follow his every command without question.

Iron's eyes widen a little, and then his face falls. He sighs, and turns back to polishing his weapon, remaining silent for a few seconds. Next to him, Salamul remains stoic. I guess he knows enough about Iron to know not to speak for him. “It was never my intention to hide it,” Iron eventually answers. “It was just never important enough to mention.”

“How do you figure? You're one of the leaders of a literal country. Wouldn't you coming to Equestria be a bit of a big deal?” I press further. I know next to nothing about Iron, even though we've fought together plenty of times. To say that I'm curious would be an understatement.

“Why would it be? I gave up my title when I left,” Iron replies coolly. Salamul gives him a sharp look at that statement. “I hadn't been a warlord long enough to garner notice from Equestria. As such, I was just another pony when I got here.”

“You're wrong about that, brother,” Salamul interrupts, earning our attention. “Even when your path strayed from that of your homeland, you were always a warlord. It is a title gained through merit and prowess, not through physical location.”

Iron sighed and looked as if he wanted to protest, but decided better of it. “Thank you. However, I am content where I am. I have no intention of returning to rule Bleak Island,” he states firmly. Salamul looks rather perturbed by that. “There are too many memories there.”

“Very well. That is your choice,” Salamul states, and the conversation comes to an abrupt halt. It becomes quiet, the only sound being the chugging of the train beneath my feet. Well, this is a little awkward.

Looks to me like some serious shit went down during this civil war. I'm extremely curious, but I doubt Iron would appreciate it very much if I pried too much. I look over at Rainbow, who meets my gaze, looking about as confused and curious as I am.

Whatever. I have other, more important things to do at the moment. By that, I mean getting some more sleep before we get right back into the thick of it again. Leaning my head back against the seat, I close my eyes and attempt to get some sleep.

---

There's a slight pressure on my cheek. I ignore it and attempt to turn over, but then it happens again, and this time I'm aware enough to identify it as a hoof pressing into my face. I huff and open my eyes reluctantly to see nothing but cyan, which tells me everything I need to know.

“Leave me alone, Rainbow, I'm tired,” I groan, closing my eyes again. Rainbow huffs and shoves me right off of the seat and onto the floor of the train, waking me up fully despite how tired I still am. “What the....do you mind?”

“Yes, sleepyhead! Get up, we're almost to Trotsdale!” Rainbow answers impatiently. I pick myself off of the floor and slap my face a few times, attempting to dispel how sleepy I still feel. I guess relaxation time is over. Looking at Rainbow, I notice how smug she looks. “And that's how it feels to get woken up that way. Bet it doesn't feel so great, does it?”

I glare at her, almost wanting to wipe that smug grin off her face the only way I know how, but Iron and Salamul are still sitting across from us stoically, meditating or whatever warriors do in the long waits between battles. “Yeah, yeah, whatever. Laugh it up, I guess,” I grumble. I then notice that Rainbow isn't in her seat, but instead walking around in the aisle. “Uh, going somewhere? The train is still moving.”

“Yeah, so? I wanna go flying to the city. I only got on the train because you wanted to sleep, and now you're up. Let's go join the Pegasus Corps!” Rainbow urges me, pushing me towards the door of the train despite my reluctance. “Quit dragging you're feet!”

“I'm going, sheesh! Pushy pony...” I can't help but notice the Islanders watching us and rolling their eyes at how carefree we're seemingly acting. Right, I doubt they like us any better since the last time I checked. Anyway, Rainbow slides open the door to the train, causing wind to whip through the carriage. “And why can't we just stay in the train again?”

“Because I want to see the airships! Come on!” Rainbow answers incredulously, as if it should have been obvious to me.

“Airships? What...wait, Rainbow!” Before I can get any more information, Rainbow throws herself off of the train and spreads her wings, flying up into the sky. Blasted pony and her impatience...fine. I jump out of the train after her, powering up my magic just in time to keep myself from getting dashed across the ground like an insect. My heart still jumps through, even as I fly up and away to safety. This is my first time jumping off of a speeding train. I quickly catch up to Rainbow as she flies up to the rest of the pegasi and changelings. “Would you wait up? God, you're like a filly on a sugar rush at times. What airships?”

“Those airships!” Following Rainbow's outstretched hoof, I see Trotsdale, the city still smoking from the siege. But it's what's hovering above that city that really gets my attention.

There's an entire fleet of airships hanging above the city, counting a score of them in total from what I can see from here. They're clearly not Equestrian in design, in that they're all bulkier and much more heavily armored than anything I've seen before. And wait...protruding from gun ports in the sides of the ships...are those fucking cannons? Since when did this world have cannons? I mean...besides Pinkie's bullshit.

“That's so cool!” Rainbow squeals, flying a little faster, such that I have to match her speed in order to keep up. I have to agree. Those things look powerful as hell. I'm not sure how well they'd stand up to a magical assault, but I doubt any ballista could penetrate that armor. How the hell does a balloon...even one that size...keep those monsters in the air?

As for the city and the surrounding landscape, there's nothing but devastation. Some of the streets are collapsed, buildings are demolished, and fires still burn in the streets, if the plumes of thick black smoke are anything to go by. The fortifications around Trotsdale are completely destroyed, bowled over by the horde of undead that had once been here.

Speaking of the horde, it's just gone. There's nothing left of it. The battlefield is littered with the motionless corpses of the undead army, as well as their destroyed siege weapons. Craters pockmark the field, no doubt from where the griffon airships bombarded them with their deadly cannons. It's a bittersweet sight. On one hand, I'm glad to see the enemy destroyed, but on the other, it'll be a long time before the once beautiful landscape recovers from all of the destruction that occurred here.

Moving on, the city is filled with activity. Pegasi fly through the air above, moving from place to place to make necessary repairs and put out the fires before they can spread. I also get my first look at a griffon, because there's a few of them flying with the pegasi, assisting in the efforts. Scores more are present on top of the decks of the airships. I can't see them very well from this distance, but I notice that they're slightly larger than a typical pony.

Holy hell. We have a massive army on our side. With our somewhat weakened forces combined with the changelings, Islanders, and now the griffons with heavy firepower to boot, I think we have a very good chance of punching through the Crystal Empire's defense. If everything goes well, all we have to worry about is dealing with Hawke... and eventually Sombra himself. If we don't beat Sombra, all of this will have been for nothing.

Spitfire acknowledges our arrival by her side with a terse nod. She too is looking down at the city with a mixed expression that I can't quite interpret. Chrysalis, however, is looking at the griffons' airships with interest. “Good, you're here. I was just about to send for you,” Spitfire greets us. She indicates a dark blue pony flying towards from the city. “It appears Princess Luna is coming to meet us; likely with more orders.”

Sure enough, Luna flies just in front of the four of us, causing Spitfire and Chrysalis to signal their respective forces to halt. “Thou hast returned. We heard from Seth that thou hast been successful in the defense of Cloudsdale?” Luna addresses us, her tone official and clipped. Once thing I notice about her is that she's tired as hell. She's not showing it all that much, but I can tell by the lethargic way her wings are flapping, and the slight bags under her eyes. I doubt she's slept since the war began.

“No thanks to your incompetent Pegasus Corps,” Chrysalis answers instead, cutting across Spitfire before the captain can make her report. Spitfire shoots the queen a sharp glare. “I have to ask, what was your fool of a sister thinking, sending such a paltry force into what was clearly a trap? You would have lost if I hadn't come to save the day.”

Luna finally gives Chrysalis her attention, and boy, she does not look happy to see her. That's not surprising. If it weren't for Luna and I nearly dying, we'd have never beaten Chrysalis in the first place. Equestria would be under her rule at this point, and the rest of us would likely be enslaved or dead. “Chrysalis...” Luna growls. Her clear displeasure causes a smug grin to cross Chrysalis's face.

“Chrysalis, can you stop your shit? Seriously,” I finally step in, quickly becoming the center of attention. I glare at the changeling queen. “We get it. You don't like us, and we don't like you. I am so sick and tired of this antagonistic bullshit you keep trying to pull!”

“Why, Seth, I'm merely pointing out the flaws in your tactics. What kind of ally would I be if I didn't do everything I could to help your plans succeed?” Instead of acting defensive, Chrysalis smoothly redirects my irritated demand with her sharp wit, making it seem like I'm the one causing trouble. It takes everything I have not to snap at her. Instead, I just groan in utter frustration, much to her amusement.

Luna glares at the queen, not taking her bullshit for even a second. However, she chooses to do the mature thing and not cause trouble. “We thank thee for thy...timely assistance,” Luna grits out through clenched teeth. Chrysalis' grin only widens at her words. Luna sighs and returns to the situation at hand. “With the rescue of Cloudsdale, the Equestrian front is secure. We are currently in the midst of planning our counterattack.”

“Understood. What are your orders, princess?” Spitfire responds smartly.

“Captain. Reorganize the Pegasus Corps and coordinate with Captain Shining Armor. Prepare thy troops for movement and report to the town hall in two hours for a strategy meeting. Inform the Bleak Island warlord of the meeting as well,” Luna orders without even needing to take a moment to think about it. She then turns to Chrysalis. “We request thy presence at the meeting as well, once thy changelings are prepared for movement.”

“But of course. Winning this war is impossible without a brilliant mind such as mine,” Chrysalis responds. Without waiting to be dismissed, she takes off as well.The rest of the changelings follow her like a black speckled wave across the sky. The only exception is Pterax, who remains with Rainbow and I as he was ordered.

“I hate her so much. I can't wait until this is all over and she gets the hell out of this country,” I grumble once I make sure she's out of earshot. Luna and Spitfire agree with that sentiment, nodding their heads and grimacing. “What do I do, Luna?”

“We have specific orders for you, Seth,” Luna begins. “You're to meet with Commander Rose in the appropriated barracks. She has gathered the recruits thou requested, and they are waiting there to meet with thee.”

“Huh. Okay. I guess I should get going then,” I respond. I'm a little surprised I wasn't told to go directly to Celestia, like I usually do whenever I get out of battle. “Am I going to be around for the meeting?”

“Of course. Thou hast two hours before the meeting. Use this time to integrate thy new recruits into thy team, and get thyself some refreshment,” Luna informs me. She then winces. “T'is nothing but travel rations from here on.”

“Right. I'll get going then,” I reply with a nod. I don't know where the appropriated barracks is, but it shouldn't be too hard for me to find it. I beckon to Rainbow and Pterax, and then start to fly down towards the city. “Come on, you two. You're part of the team too, whether you like it or not.”

“Don't be dumb. I like it,” Rainbow tells me, looking affronted that I would even imply that she wouldn't like it. “I mean, we're your friends. We like working under you.”

“I don't...” Pterax points out.

“Shove it, bug face!” Rainbow immediately shouts back, causing me to roll my eyes and press forward.

---

Finding the place was easy, as all it took was asking any soldier. The “appropriated barracks,” as the ponies are calling it now, is actually just a collection of buildings surrounding the town hall. They consist of re-purposed restaurants and several residential buildings. The furniture inside has been hauled away and replaced with cots and racks for armor and weapons.

There aren't too many soldiers inside the restaurant that's serving as the central barracks. Most of them are leaving the central area and moving towards the plains, no doubt getting ready for the march to come. That fact reminds me that I'm literally about to participate in what's basically a full scale invasion of another country. I guess it's easy to forget how crazy this whole situation is when I'm just focusing on how I'm going to get myself and the ones I care about through this in one piece.

“There y'all are!” Applejack rushes out of the adjoining dining hall, looking no worse for wear despite the siege that she just had to last through. She gallops towards us with a relieved smile.

“Applejack!” Rainbow exclaims, equally happy to see her. She runs to meet her friend halfway, stopping just short of her...only to nearly get knocked off of her hooves when Applejack hugs her fiercely. “Waah! It's good to see you too...heh.”

It's true. Seeing Applejack again causes a sense of relief to well up within me. Even though we saved Cloudsdale, I felt really guilty about leaving her behind to fend for herself along with the others. I know I had to, but that wouldn't have made me feel any better if one of them had ended up dead. However, there's one thing I have to find out first.

To my surprise, Applejack hugs me next, equally as fiercely, reminding me just how strong she actually is. I chuckle nervously and awkwardly hug her back. “Y'all alright? Ah heard y'all had to skedaddle pretty fast to save Cloudsdale,” Applejack asks once she releases me. Behind us, Pterax sits down and waits impatiently, bored at the sudden affection.

“Yeah. It was rough, but the changelings came through and got to us just in time,” I answer truthfully. Applejack looks at me in surprise.

“Was it that bad? Ah didn't think there'd be any Oppressed up there,” Applejack questions. I shook my head.

“There wasn't, but their general was a real bitch. But enough about me. We're fine. What about the others? Twilight, Pinkie, what?” I demand, quickly changing the subject to what's been bothering me this whole time. “Is anypony hurt?”

“Nuthin' serious. Ah took a few hard knocks out there mahself, but nuthin' Fluttershy couldn't take care of,” Applejack responds, much to my relief. “Twilight's training her heart out, bless her. As fer Rarity, you can hear her yells over the waterfall. She scuffed her hooves when them baddies got close to the town hall.”

“Oh Jesus Christ, how will she ever survive such a horrific injury?” I scoff, earning chuckles from Rainbow and Applejack. Seriously though, I'm relieved as fuck. Somehow, we all made it through Sombra's onslaught. “That's a relief. How did the battle go after we left?”

“Ain't gonna lie, it wasn't pretty. They pushed us back all the way to the town hall, so the princesses had ta come help themselves,” Applejack began, emphasizing her tale with her hooves. “They were gonna beat us, but then the griffons showed up in those airships, and then their general came out too. She was beaten pretty quick, though.”

“Did we capture her?” I ask earnestly. It would be really satisfying to see that bitch in jail after all that difficulty she gave us during the battle. Even if she is some former slave like Shatter mentioned. Though why a former slave would serve her evident captor so loyally is beyond me.

Applejack shook her head, disappointing me. “Nah, she used some weird mojo to zap herself away,” she explained.

“Wait, isn't that what the guy back at Cloudsdale did too?” Rainbow realizes aloud just as I make the connection in my head. Both generals that we've defeated used the same method in order to retreat. That can't be a coincidence. Sombra, or whoever the hell is controlling the war effort, must not be willing to risk losing his generals. “That's really frustrating...but it also means I can get a shot at them later.”

A burst of inspiration strikes me. “You know, it's probably because the whole 'cutting off the head of the snake' metaphor has a whole new meaning for these guys,” I deduce aloud. Rainbow and Applejack both look at me blankly. “Celestia told me that the undead need to be sustained by something, otherwise they'll just fall apart. I guessing that's what the generals do. If you take down a general, I think the entire army they control is defeated too.”

“That does make sense. Yeah, ah see why she ran away so fast then,” Applejack admits. Rainbow just seems to get more frustrated.

“You mean if we'd beaten any of them, it'd be a huge loss for them?” Rainbow asks in dismay. When I nod, she groans. “Ugh, and we let them get away!”

“Gettin' frustrated ain't gonna help nopony. We'll just gotta hit 'em hard next time,” Applejack admonishes Rainbow lightly. Yeah, as much of a smack in the face figuring this out all now is, Applejack is making sense. Trust her to keep a level head during all of this. “Anyway, ah'm guessing you came to meet our new teammates?”

“Yeah, that's right. Luna ordered me to meet Rose here. Do you know where she is?” I return, getting back to business. I'm eager to meet this Trixie myself and determine whether or not she'll be an asset or a detriment to this team. I already know Swift Lance will be.

Applejack suddenly puts on a strange expression that's a cross between a grimace and a chuckle. “She went upstairs ta clear her head. Apparently she an' one of the new ponies don't get along so well. Couldn't possibly imagine which one that could be.” Is it just me, or did that last bit sound a little sarcastic? “Ya picked a doozy of a pony there. Can't imagine what went through yer head.”

“What are you talking about? Which pony?” I ask suspiciously. Why the hell is Applejack acting so shifty about it?

“Ah'll let ya figure that out. Just head into the back room. They're back there,” Applejack responds with a smirk. She turns to Rainbow next, who looks just as confused as I do. “C'mon Dash. Let's go get Rose an' let Seth talk to the new ponies.”

“What? But I want to see too!” Rainbow protests, but Applejack is now behind her, pushing her towards the back stairs in a comical fashion. Soon I'm pretty much alone in the room apart from Pterax, wondering what in the hell is going on. Applejack usually doesn't act weird without a reason.

I shrug, guessing that I'll figure it out for myself in a little bit. I pick my way through the cots towards the back of the room, where it looks like the kitchens used to be. There's a set of double doors back there, and I can hear a heated, uppity female voice coming from within. As I get closer, I can make out what she's saying.

“The absolute nerve of that mare!” the voice is screeching angrily. I'm guessing that's Trixie, because that's certainly not Swift's voice. “How dare she!?”

“Calm down, she didn't mean it like...” Swift is trying to calm her down, but to no avail.

“Trixie is every bit as strong as that Twilight Sparkle! How dare she say Trixie has no place on a battlefield!?” Trixie shrieks. God, her voice is loud and annoying as fuck. Did I really pick this mare? Though I guess I can see why she's upset. That does seem like something Rose would say. “And to call my masterful illusions 'parlor tricks?!' Trixie feels she should...”

Okay, I’m tired of her yelling now. Motioning for Pterax to remain behind, I push open the doors and step inside, gaining their attention...for better or worse. The mare next to the armored Swift Lance turns to look at me...and promptly screams, causing Swift to cover her ears.

“What in Equestria is that!?” Trixie screams, pointing a hoof at me in shock. My shoulders slump and I look at her with a deadpan stare. Wow, it has been a long time since somepony has had such a pronounced reaction to my appearance. I can say right now that I didn't miss it very much.

Now that I've got a closer look at her, I take a note of her appearance and come to one conclusion. Everything about this unicorn is fucking blue. From her sky blue coat to the wand on her ass to her mane, which is a soft pale blue that curls in front of her face and down her side.

Next to her, Swift Lance groans and facehooves. She gives me an apologetic glance and then stares at Trixie. “That...is our commanding officer, Commander Seth,” Swift deadpans. Trixie promptly closes her mouth indelicately and gives me another look, noticing just how unhappy I look at her reaction. “If you want to be treated as if you belong, perhaps you should show a little respect.”

Trixie gulps, realizing that she hadn't exactly made the best first impression. She clears her throat at first and tries again. “Trixie is sorry. She...uh...didn't know that you would be an...um...type of ape,” she addresses me at last. I give a snort.

“Not an ape,” I tell her, flustering her even further. Swift sighs in exasperation next to her.

“Uh...albino minotaur?” Trixie guesses.

“Nope, strike two. Try again.” Now I'm just fucking with her. It's been too long since the last time I just messed with somepony over my species.

“Alien from outer space?”

“Sure, let me just go grab my flying saucer.” It's easy to tell that I'm being sarcastic there, and Trixie picks up on that with a huff of frustration. I almost want to make an ass probing joke, but I don't know if that trope is still a thing in this time period.

“But...you...” Trixie finally lowers her gaze, sighing in defeat. “Trixie gives up. What exactly are you?”

“I'm human, your predecessor race, zapped here from three thousand years in the past,” I reveal to her, telling her my story in a nutshell. Trixie's jaw drops again, speechless. “You didn't know about me? Where have you been over the past few months?”

“Trixie...hasn't exactly been kept up to date on the news,” Trixie admits. Okay, seriously, it's pretty consistent. What the hell is up with the third person? “She's been...keeping to herself and living on the road.”

“Right, your file said you'd been training,” I recall, nodding. I'm actually interested to see how strong she is. “So why did you volunteer for the war effort?”

“Because Trixie will no longer languish on the sidelines. She is ready to prove that she is just as much of an asset to Equestria as that Twilight Sparkle!” Trixie declares proudly, stamping at the ground. Okay, that's the second time she's referred to Twilight as “That Twilight Sparkle.” I get the feeling she has something against Twilight. “And it seems Trixie has been recognized for her true prowess, considering she is here with a team of the best!”

Okay, something is starting to tell me I made a bad decision. I want to see if she can really put as out much power as Twilight, and there's no way I'm going to wait until we're in the thick of battle. I have to trust this mare to have my back if necessary.

“Uh-huh. Let me tell you something, Trixie. You're here because I chose you,” I tell her flatly. That seems to deflate her a bit as if she had thought she was chosen by the princesses or something. She technically was, but it was my decision in the end. “And honestly, I don't see much in front of me except for a mare who looks like she has something to prove. So until I see this 'prowess' you've mentioned, Twilight would be more useful on this team than you.”

“You...what!?” That seemed to hit a nerve. Trixie's eyes narrow to near slits and I can practically hear her teeth grinding. I guess I was right in bringing up Twilight's name. She really does have something against Twilight. Holy shit, she really does, because now I can sense magic. “No! I did not come this far to be told I don't belong!”

Trixie starts to glow with a blue light, causing Swift to step back in alarm. “Who do you think you are!? You and that other mare keep talking down to me like I'm some kind of filly barely out of diapers! You keep telling me to go home, and I'm telling you that I won't have it!” Trixie shouts. I can't help but notice that she dropped the third person mannerisms. “What does that Twilight Sparkle have that I don't!? I have just as much of a right to be here as she does!”

Wow, that's some power I can feel. Now, I want to try one more thing, and then I'll be satisfied. “Oh yeah? You think you're as strong as Twilight?” I taunt her, intentionally trying to egg her on. “Prove it, then.”

“If you insist!” Trixie yells, and then she lowers her horn, all of her magical power collecting there. The pressure in the air intensifies, and my eyes widen. Oh shit. I manage to flare my own magical aura just as Trixie fires a thick beam of aqua blue magic from her horn directly towards me.

I lift my arm and catch the beam on my forearm. Even with my preparation, it pushes me back a bit, nearly knocking me over due to how slick this floor is. Her attack starts to burn through my protection towards my skin, so I have to focus a significant amount of power there to keep from being hurt.

Trixie eventually lets up when Swift Lance furiously threatens her with her lance. “Stand down, Trixie! You're assaulting our commanding officer!” she demands. Trixie is shocked enough to realize that she just attacked someone, so she powers herself down and looks horrified at herself.

“Huh. I stand corrected. You are actually pretty tough,” I admit, lowering my arm, rubbing the stinging portion. Perhaps that wasn't my best idea, but now I feel assured that I made the right choice. She's about as strong as I was when I went up against Chrysalis, and that's pretty impressive. She really has been working her tail off, I guess. “Don't worry, Swift. I actually wanted her to attack me.”

“You did?” Swift asks incredulously, lowering her lance obediently. Even Trixie is looking at me in confusion.

“There's no better way to get a gauge on somepony's strength than to feel it yourself,” I explain. Swift looks troubled, but backs down, seeing the sense in that. I turn back to Trixie. “I've got to trust you at my back. I need to know you're capable of doing the job.”

“Hmph. Trixie is more than capable of holding her own,” Trixie retorts, lifting her nose. She looks proud at the praise I just gave her. “But she meant everything she said. Trixie is not going home. This is her home as well.”

“I can respect that. You're right. You're staying right here, especially with that kind of p...” I start to say, but then the door to the kitchens slams open, and Rainbow comes charging in.

“Seth! Where's the enemy!? I'll beat the hay out of...” Rainbow begins, no doubt drawn here by the the small clash between Trixie and I. She cuts off the moment she sees the unicorn in question. “Wait...Trixie!?”

Applejack gives me a wink and a grin as she walks in right behind the shocked Rainbow. “Told ya so.”

Author's Note:

Okay, sorry that this one came out so late, but I recently found out that I'm going to get screwed by my college as far as living conditions, so I've been dealing with that rather than writing. That's the only legitimate excuse I have though. The other has to do with the fact that after last chapter (when I went through the entire Fire Emblem Awakening soundtrack to find good ones) I picked up the game again because I hadn't beaten it on Lunatic+ difficulty yet. That was a terrible decision. I've already spent 50 hours on it.

Anyway, enough about me. This chapter has me delving a little into Iron's past a bit, but not too much. If I'm going to write a fic about him at some point, I can't spoil everything too soon. Suffice to say though, I do enjoy writing the interactions between him and Salamul.

Lastly, we has Trixie! Finally, I have a chance to write her for myself. She's difficult to write, to say the least. I keep wanting to write her as a less filtered version of Rainbow with a pole up her ass, but that's not exactly right. Hence why I rewrote that portion several times until it felt like her. Keep in mind, the whole alicorn amulet thing never happened in this story, so the mane 6 aren't gonna flip that much of a shit at her presence.

Anyway, strategy is next, and then on to finish the story...over the course of who knows how many chapters. My editor couldn't be around for this one due to the fact that he lost his internet, so there might be a few errors in there that I didn't catch when I reread it.

Make sure to leave your comments and tell me what you think! The Great and Powerful Trixie demands it! ...also it's my birthday in two days. Make meh happeh.

Comments

[Celestial Petrichor]

I think you got Trixie's attitude down, IMO.

Loving these chapters. I remember finding this story first on fanfiction.net back at like chapter 27 or something :3

[GoldenCyclone4]

Ah, Lunatic+. Better known as Fredrick Emblem... Have fun with that suicidal task...

[Brave-Hooves]

“And honestly, I don't see much in front of me except for a mare who looks like she has something to prove. So until I see this 'prowess' you've mentioned, Twilight would be more useful on this team than you.”

i.imgur.com/4BlGZ.png

anyway, good solid chapter, got us back to trotsdale and a direction for what is to come.

[Brave-Hooves]

6086019 Praise be the frederick, for he shall be thy savior i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/550/471/9ed.jpg

[Nitrous Rainbows]

“When you have been a warrior as long as we have, you learn that showing your emotions is a weakness your enemies can exploit,” Salamul explains, his expression unmoving. The other soldiers that are listening nod their heads in agreement. “That is how you usher in the possibility of defeat.”

Last time Seth tried that he threw himself off a cliff.

Also, humans are apes.

[AdmiralPopeyesBeard]

Mmm, good chapter. And now Trixie!

[Pontiac56]

I liked this chapter

So starting off, Seth and Rainbow decide to skip air travel and get some sleep on the troop train. Being that prior to this they were fighting non stop for 2 days and they only got a few hours sleep, I can totally get why they would do that (mind you they're both lazy enough they'd have probably done it anyway). Once on board we get some good dialogue between Iron and Salamul. Rainbow once again is shown that her Equestrian beliefs aren't shared by these warriors, and while Seth doesn't follow the same emotionless trait, he understands it well enough. Truth be told, for a race of warriors, it makes a lot of sense, though the overly strong respect for their chief's is kind a hypocritical notion. Seth also brings up Iron's status as a warlord. There is probably some more that story though, as Iron still has very little interest in leading his people and intends to return to Equestria as a Commander. This upsets Salamul a bit, even if he tries to hide it. While he was respectful of Iron's wishes here, I can see the two later getting into an argument about it, or Salamul perhaps trying to get Seth or other characters to persuade Iron to return to his people. Either way, this is some cool interaction between the group.

After falling asleep, and then having Rainbow get even for constantly waking her up (though I suspect this has just pushed him to try and find the ultimate wake up method in retribution), the two fly out to catch up with Spitfire as they all reach Trotsdale. We didn't meet any Griffons this chapter directly, but Seth got to see one for the first time (well not counting all the undead ones he crushed). Shortly after arriving, Luna catches up to them, only for her and Chrysalis to get into a bitch fight. Chrysalis is really pushing her luck here. She knows she has the superior position in negotiations, but if she keeps this crap up while the Griffons are the Islanders are here, she is likely going to get punched by someone. Honestly, I am really looking forward to the karmic justice of having Sombra bitch slap her at some point. I suspect that while she certainly feels smug after having really gained a the upper hand in negotiations with Celestia, the biggest reason she is being such a bitch is because of her crush on Seth. She's half trying to annoy him like a dumped ex, and half genuinely pissed off that he picked Rainbow over her despite his objections before Rainbow even moved from best friend status. While I still think she'll remain a bitch for the foreseeable future, I suspect at some point she's going to end up having another tantrum and trying to get Seth to ditch Rainbow for her (and completely fail).

After this, the two new team members get brought in. We already know about Swift Lance. She has a good cross between super serious and smartass, so shell fit in well. She'll be the one whose a stickler for the rules with a stick up her ass, but she'll joke and quip with the team as well. She'll be fun. As for your Trixie, I think you got her perfect. She's smug and arrogant, but it's to hide her insecurity and to try and convince herself that she is in fact great and powerful with her own hype. However her training has also made her a badass. While her illusion magic is something very useful for a covert team, having another magic powerhouse on them works brilliantly too. If Twilight wasn't also training to fight, she might have actually been able to surpass her, or at least beat her in a magic fight. Now though, she's going to remain jealous and angry and raring to prove herself superior, despite the fact that nopony really cares, and that it's more her attitude then her powers being less then Twilight, that turns everypony away. While Trixie has a history with AJ and Rainbow, and has already made a bad impression on Swift Lance, Seth is also a bit of a smug jerk type of guy, and now that Trixie can in fact claim to be great and powerful (if she really is as strong as Seth was during the changling attack, then she could beat that Ursa Minor) she and Seth may actually be able to get along somewhat.. Provided she doesn't pick a fight with Rainbow (well a fight is inevitable, but so long as she doesn't hit below the belt so to speak and pray on any of Rainbow's own insecurities). She does that and she will have made Seth's shit list.

Next chapter is going to be interesting. Rainbow and Trixie will have a reunion, and Seth will be back at the Commanders table with the Griffon leaders also present. Things are going to get awesome.

[The ScapeGoat]

6091493
Thank you.

[Kichi]

Strange that you choose to put Tolbi when Trixie appear, I think she is more like Kefka, as a clown. But you have good music.

[hs0003]

6107708 Sombra: How could you possibly harm my elite troops with magic?!
Seth: PHYSICS, BITCH! *Fires lasers around*

[Atomic Titan]

6108846 I take not many people understood that at this point? Well, at least not many commenters.

I can see why they'd get the wrong impression though. My friends and I shared a very similar outlook on life with Seth until we met each other, and it took forever for us to trust one another enough to actually say we're friends. Ever since then we've helped each other mature out of that "Fuck the world, all people suck!" attitude. (That being said I still dislike most people.)

I expect going ahead with this story that Seth'll follow a similar development. Course I've got a good 98 chapters to go... This is going to take a while.

[The ScapeGoat]

I WAS JUST ABOUT TO SAY IRON WAS A WARLORD LAST CHAPTER WHYYYYYYYY GAWD.

[QCosmic Derp]

Ahaha, Trixie is great.