138 - Working Hard or Hardly Working
Extended Holiday
Ch 138: Working Hard or Hardly Working
Act 22
Hammer Strike sighed contently as he placed the last stack of papers into the outgoing bin. After working on nothing but paperwork for the entire night, he was finally done. Now his focus could be placed towards either working on equipment in the forge, creating a new design for Trixie’s battlemage set, or even working on some of his own projects.
His plans would, of course, have to wait, however, as he soon heard the faint click of hooves moving in his direction. The weight was average in nature, but the movement was a mixture of confident stride, followed by an uncertain shuffle. The hint of a murmur clinched it for him. It was definitely Vital Spark. As for why the Unicorn was on his way to his office, he didn’t know.
“Come in, Vital.”
“Okay, one of these days, you are definitely going to have to teach me how to do that.” Vital Spark strode into the office and promptly sat down in a spare chair.
“It’s just observing patterns in the movement of individuals, followed by gauging the weight and species,” Hammer Strike somewhat explained. “Since, you know, hooves sound different from talons.” He shook his head slightly. “So, what brings you here, Vital?”
“Well, as you know, I’m kind of getting married in a few months.”
“In a way. Kinda had to listen in on some minor conversations, followed by your interactions with Trixie to fully figure it out,” Hammer Strike hummed aloud. “Now that I think about it, nobody really told me.” He gave a false stern look to Vital. “What gives? You weren’t going to tell your own friend?”
Vital Spark promptly facehoofed. “Of all the times for me to forget to do something….” he muttered to himself. “Okay, so that makes this two things I need to talk with you about, then. So, most immediate thing first, Trixie and I are engaged. It happened shortly after she cut off Chrysalis’ head using a magical scythe construct, when she quite literally swept me off my hooves and asked. Since we’re trying to keep her ascension on the downlow, and don’t really want to make a huge deal out of the wedding itself, we were hoping we might be able to have it here in New Unity. And … we were hoping you’d do us the honor of officiating.”
Hammer Strike rubbed the back of his neck. “That’s right. That is something I can technically do,” he muttered. “Uh, sure. I’ll look into everything on that.”
Vital Spark smiled. “Thanks. We really appreciate it. You kind of did play a pretty big role in both of our lives. Then again, you play a big role in practically every creature’s life in Equestria, now that I think about it.”
“Don’t remind me,” Hammer Strike rubbed at his neck again. “It’s already odd enough that Celestia and Luna are pretty much my adopted daughters. To add on the fact that I’m known around the world is … yeah.”
“Pretty heavy, yeah. I honestly can’t even begin to imagine how it must feel for you. Honestly, I’m surprised you’re able to handle yourself so well, under the circumstances. No offense meant. I just mean, well … like you said, … yeah….” he finished lamely.
“Doesn’t help I basically just came back from a normal life again,” he muttered. “I feel ... different, emotionally. Over the course of time, I slowly went from my normal life as a carpenter into the stallion I am now. But this? This was me going from what I felt was a normal life headfirst into this again.”
“And you wish you had that normal life back?”
After a moment, Hammer Strike sighed. “No. I’m alright with where I am now. I just have to readjust to things again.”
“So you’re okay, but you just sort of miss it?”
“I miss things being simple,” he explained. “Think about it from a human standpoint. I’m going on somewhere in the ninety to hundred mark. By our standards, I’m old.”
“And yet, you’re still young physically,” Vital nodded. “Yeah, I can see where you’re coming from. I’m just sorry I can’t help you there.”
“Eh, that’s life. Or rather, here, at least, it is,” Hammer Strike chuckled.
“Well, that kind of brings me to my second point for coming to see you. I know I’m helping out here around the castle, and I’m getting a stipend as Clover’s apprentice, too, but those things aren’t exactly going to last forever. And I’m going to be building up a real family of my own soon. I’m going to need to find some real work. Thing is, I don’t exactly know what kind of work would really work best. I was wondering if you might have some ideas.”
Hammer Strike hummed for a moment. “Whilst you are training as a battle mage, I leave it up to you whether you’d prefer that career choice. As for things more suited for you, there are potentially a few roles you could fill. The castle we are in has a library that isn’t being fully maintained, apart from cleaning by the servants. Then there’s the position of quartermaster for the guard. While they are keeping things in order, and requests are being placed correctly, I believe it would be best to have someone to deal with these things as a separate individual. Lastly, I have a position open under myself, as I’ve been needing an assistant to help me with minor tasks that require my attention, when I may be busy at the time.”
“Like what, exactly?”
“Basically, say I’m working on paperwork here in my office, but I need to go direct some orders or go collect something from the barracks or library. Rather than dividing my time to go do that, I would tell you to go collect said stuff, or give said orders on my behalf.”
“And I’m assuming each of these jobs would require pretty much 24/7 or on call hours?”
“Not really. All three would have a set amount of hours you work.”
“Is it okay if I take some time to think about them, maybe talk them over with Trixie, too?”
“That’s perfectly fine. I can hold the positions open for you, until you decide.”
“Thanks. I’d probably have to discuss with Clover, too, anyways. She is my master right now, after all, so she sets most of my schedule.”
“That’s fair,” Hammer Strike replied with a shrug. “Was there anything else you wished to discuss?”
“Yeah.” Vital pointed at the Unicorn and Pegasus quietly sorting the paperwork into envelopes. “Who’re they?” One wore a set of headphones around her neck, while the other wore a dress shirt that looked uncannily close to one of Hammer Strike’s own.
“Silent Collector and Oracle. They help me deal with my paperwork, so I have a little more free time than I used to.”
“Hey, weren’t you the one that saw through that Changeling infiltrator’s disguise during the raid?”
Silent Collector glanced up to Vital for a moment, before returning to his work. For some reason, no matter what action he took, his black mane always seemed to maintain the same style. “That would be correct, yes.”
Vital Spark smiled. “I never got the chance to thank you. You really helped Clover out, from what she told me.” He chuckled. “So, uh, thanks, I guess. It’s nice to meet you formally.”
“It was just some medication to restore energy. It was no problem.”
“Thank you, all the same.” Vital nodded. “That being said, I guess I should be going now. You guys still have work to do, and I still have studying to do and spells to practice.” He gave the trio a quick salute as he rose from his chair. “See you guys later.”
Silent Collector and Hammer Strike gave a faint wave in response.
“The train arrived in Ponyville just over forty five minutes ago. Forward sentries said they just entered the city’s perimeter. Now how about we greet these boys properly?” Grif chuckled as he looked down at the courtyard of New Unity, which was now the acting parade ground. All three branches of the New Unity guard stood at attention in their separate columns. Grif checked with each of the commanding officers that were present, before nodding to Vital Spark. “Mark ‘em.”
Vital Spark nodded as he levitated one of several clipboards floating in his magic closer, then used a pen to check off a series of boxes. “Who next?”
Grif approached Polished Brass. “I trust the house servants are present?”
“Present and accounted for, master Grif,” Polished Brass nodded.
This went on for the next few minutes as Grif checked over the smiths, the workers, the mercenaries, the Saddle Arabians, and even the base representatives for his own Bladefeathers. Soon it was apparent the bulk of House Strike was present and prepared to welcome the new arrivals.
Naturally, having had yet another battle, New Unity had dealt with a major population loss recently. In keeping with crown policy, Canterlot had notified them they were sending over some seasoned guards to help with refilling their losses, as well as aiding in the protection of new Unity’s borders. They were also in keeping with the arrangement Celestia had made with their human counterparts, sending a squad of washouts who the Canterlot nobility had labeled not worth the time for re-training; several new apprentice smiths to help with the fortress’ ever growing need for metalworking; and a small selection of younger Ponies who were not yet of age to join the proper guard, but had earned the right in the junior guard to work study at an operational fort.
Grif turned and Vital followed him as they approached Hammer Strike. Grif gave a small formal nod of his head. “As requested, every necessary member of the house and the militia are present to receive our new guests.” Grif seized one of the clipboards from Vital’s magic and handed it to his lord.
“Nothing like formal events that need to be done, hmm?” Hammer Strike asked as he looked over the clipboard.
“At least it’s not something we have to do every time someone comes here,” Grif chuckled as the group turned for the gate.
“I’d lose my mind, if that were the case,” he sighed. “Once in awhile is just fine.”
They saw the group in the distance as they reached the gate. Grif squinted a little as the light reflected off their armor. “Geeze! Didn’t spare any polish, did they?”
“They are coming from Canterlot,” Hammer Strike pointed out.
“Still an obvious design flaw.”
“I don’t know. Blinding your enemies is a pretty clever tactic,” Vital pointed out.
“To a degree, but it’s also a weakness in a lot of cases.”
“Like blinding yourself, too?”
“That and you broadcast your location to everyone in front of you. And if they happen to have people behind you, yeah, you’re in trouble.”
“Touché. Though I do think I may have to see about experimenting with that principal a bit. After all, ice can be a very good magnifier, if it’s crafted the right way,” Vital mused.
The group finally made their way to the gate. A larger Earth Pony stallion walked at the front of the group, flanked by two Pegasi. All three were identical shades of white, due to their enchanted armor; however, the lead stallion was easily a head taller than his Pegasus followers. On the trio’s far side was an Earth Pony mare dressed in a pink dress with a white smock over it. She had a light yellow coat with a bright pink mane and carried a modified saddlebag with several blacksmithing tools hanging off of it. The four walked up to Hammer Strike, bowing slightly just in front of him.
“Lord Hammer Strike of New Unity?” the leader asked in a deep bass.
“Correct,” Hammer Strike confirmed with a nod.
The stallion proceeded to remove his helmet, dispelling the illusion to reveal dark chocolate brown fur. A sharp black goatee jutted out from his chin, and, surprisingly enough, he didn’t appear to show any sign of a mane. His hazel eyes showed the hardness of experience as he puffed out his chest and saluted. “We’re here from Canterlot, as assigned, to assist in whatever capacity you may see fit, Sir. I am Lieutenant Mountain Agil Ale, and this is Sergeant Klein Fuse.”
Klein nodded towards Hammer Strike as he removed his helmet to reveal a flaming headband wrapped around his forehead. His eyes blazed a fiery orange as he smiled and saluted with a red wing. His orange mane jutted back somewhat messily as bits and pieces fell over the front of the headband at various angles.
“And this here is Stormwall Breaker. If you’re looking for a skilled tactician, there’s nobody better qualified.”
The second Pegasus removed its helmet to reveal a short dark brown bowl cut mane over a pale cream coat. A long black scarf wrapped around her neck and trailed behind her in the wind as she stared at Hammer Strike with hard reddish-brown eyes, not unlike clay. Her tail had been neatly braided behind her to suit the stern rigidity she exuded. She gave a curt nod, not even bothering to speak, or perhaps not daring to. It wasn’t exactly certain.
“And lastly, this is Dross Caster, a promising young smith.”
The pink-maned Pony bowed briefly, then smiled as her eyes glowed with determination. “I’m ready to get to work, Sir.”
Hammer Strike glanced over the four, before giving a nod. “Allow me to welcome you to New Unity. I will be here for some of the tour, and will see you all at the end in order to properly assign you to your new posts. I will also be there to assist with taking measurements for you and you fellow guard members to get a fitting for your new armor. To my left is Grif. His orders lie just under the captains of the guard here, in regards to priority. Tower and Blast Shield are said captains, and as I implied previously, you will be taking orders from them. Dross, we will direct you to the forge sometime during this.”
Dross couldn't help but let out a small squeal of excitement. “I can’t wait to see it!”
“We’ll get everyone sorted, then. Is there anywhere specifically you want us to put them?” Agil asked.
“Within the secondary walls, just outside of the main gate, there are two large buildings to the left and right. Those are the barracks that you will be stationed at, until otherwise instructed.”
“Very well.” Agil turned to the remaining Ponies behind him and gave a sharp whistle. The majority broke away and began to walk into the fortress towards the indicated location. Grif chuckled to himself as he noticed no small amount of intimidation as they looked over the assembled guard.
“Quite the selection, it seems,” Hammer Strike commented to Grif. “I’m sure Tower and Blast will have some interesting moments with some of them.”
“Interesting fun or interesting exasperating?” Vital asked.
“I think a little of both,” Grif chuckled. “Between the veterans who are so used to the training in Canterlot and the rookies who need to learn everything as it is, this should be a real show.”
“And we all get front row seats. Should I make popcorn?” Vital winked playfully at his friend.
“Don’t forget the lawn chairs,” Grif chuckled.
“Dross, you and the others are to follow us,” Hammer Strike directed to the smiths of New Unity. “As I said, we will lead you to where you will be working, and show you where you’ll be able to find me nine out of ten times.”
Dross nodded excitedly, a grin spread wide across her face. “I’m ready whenever you are.”
Silver Spear paced nervously back and forth in the cavernous halls of the New Unity Changeling hive. With every turn, his body flared with blue fire, revealing the thick chiton, mandible, and other Changeling anatomy he’d developed or his other form, with a proper full copper coat and stormy blue eyes. His blond mane writhed with his nerves as he tossed his head back and forth.
“Relax, Silver Spear. You’re going to wear a hole in the floor at this rate.”
The stallion turned to face a familiar bulky drone and sighed. “Sorry, Mutatio. It’s just … visiting with my father again, after all this time, it’s making me nervous.”
“You’ve prepared yourself for this, Silver Spear. You can transition back and forth without difficulty, and you have one of the best poker faces this side of New Unity. Your father loves you. Let him, and then tell him what you want after. You belong to Hammer Strike’s guard now, after all. No one can send you anywhere else without his express permission.”
“That … might actually make it worse for him. Father can be exceptionally stubborn about things.”
“So I’ve gathered,” Mutatio smirked. “A trait you inherited.”
“... Touché.”
Mutatio laid a hole-riddled hoof around Silver’s neck. “It will be fine. Now get going. Me-Me doesn’t want you to be late.”
Silver spear sighed heavily as he shifted back to his Equestrian disguise again. “Wish me luck?”
“You won’t need it.”
The courtyard was surprisingly clear as Silver passed through the castle gates. A familiar figure stood waiting next to Pensword. He wore a rich green doublet with golden accents that matched his mane. Poofy white frills jutted out along the cuffs of the suit coat as he spoke anxiously with the former commander.
“Where is he? You said he would be here by now, Pensword.” Sharp Spear snorted anxiously as he scuffed at the ground with his forehoof.
“I told you he would be here in his own due time, Baron. You can’t rush these things.” Pensword smiled gently. “Though it seems there’s no more need to rush, if you’d just turn around.”
Baron Sharp Spear whipped his head around at a speed that could almost rival Grif’s as his eyes went wide and his mouth dropped open. A dry sort of wheeze escaped his throat as he looked on his son, and tears stood in his eyes.
Silver Spear took a deep breath, swallowed once, then spoke in a somewhat raspy voice, even as he averted his eyes and blushed. “H-hello, Father.”
The momentum from the noble’s sudden lunging gallop nearly bowled the guard over. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again.”
Silver Spear’s returning embrace was cautious, almost as though he expected to be burned. When his father didn’t shrug it off, however, he gradually settled into the hug, until it felt more natural. “I told you, Father. I found a cause I want to serve. This is where my cutie mark led me. I have close friends here, a sort of second family.”
“And what about us? What about your real family?” Sharp Spear backed up to stare at his son with beseeching emerald eyes. “Come home, Son, at least for a time. Your mother and sister have been worried sick.”
“Father, I don’t know if I can yet.”
“Nonsense. You’re perfectly well, and surely the generous Lord Hammer Strike can spare you for a couple of weeks’ vacation, after such heroic service.”
“It’s not that simple, Father.”
“Of course it is. You’ve been serving faithfully before New Unity was even reclaimed. Two years of faithful service, at least! I’m happy to have you show me the grounds and other parts I’m allowed clearance for, and I’ve even gone so far as to make peace with the fact that you wish to stay here, but I really must put my hoof down on this point. Stella misses you, you know. We all have.”
Silver Spear averted his gaze. “I still don’t know if I’m ready yet. The procedure that was used to help me heal had some side effects that I’m still learning to cope with.” He raised his head to look his father in the eye once more. “I would love to see you all again. I mean it. I’ve changed so much from the young colt who came here a couple of years ago. I know I’ve become somepony you can be proud of. I just … want to make sure I have the full approval of the physicians who helped me, before I go. Can I trust you to trust their judgement?”
Sharp Spear stiffened. He took a deep breath, clenched his teeth, closed his eyes, then swallowed, before releasing the tension in his body with an explosive exhalation. “It … chafes me to hear you going against my will.” He let out a rueful chuckle as he raised a hoof to brush against his son’s chin. “But I suppose you’re right. You’ve grown up. And one day, assuming this … guard position doesn’t kill you, you will take over the rule of our house in my stead. It’s funny, really. I still see the colt I sent off, looking to bring glory to our name. Now I see a stallion who holds his ground, despite the pain it may cause.” He smiled then as his hoof dropped. “You will make a great baron one day, my son. I just have one thing to ask.”
“What is it, Father?”
“That if you can’t return home to visit, you get permission for us to come visit you here. I meant what I said before. Your mother and sister miss you. Let’s see what we can do to alleviate that, for their sake, and perhaps a little for mine,” he said with a chuckle. “You know how your mother can get when she doesn’t get what she wants.”
Silver Spear laughed. “Headaches all around.”
“You should hear Stella sometime. I swear, she’ll surpass your mother soon. That mare sings like an angel, but she wails like a banshee.”
“And her smile lights up the sky,” Silver said wistfully. Then he nodded as he walked over and laid a hoof around his father’s shoulder. “Come on. Let’s see if we can’t get an audience with Hammer Strike and my physicians. I can talk about some of the more recent developments here, and introduce you to some of the other Ponies in my unit, while we wait.”
Baron Sharp Spear laid his neck gently against his son’s for a brief moment, then smiled. “I do believe I’d like that.”
Pensword wiped a tear from his eye with a deft swipe of his wing as he watched father and son leave together. “I’m not crying, Moon Burn” he muttered. “It’s just liquid pride.” He sniffled. “Just liquid pride.”
Vital Spark smiled as he knocked on Clover’s door, before quickly passing through into the main study. “Vital Spark checking back in and reporting for duty, ma’am,” he said in his usual chipper voice as he smiled and saluted playfully.
“So, how was your trip?” Clover asked. She was currently mixing chemicals at one of her work tables.
Vital raised a quizzical eyebrow as he drew near. “Do you really want me to tell you, or are you just trying to be considerate of potential exuberance on my part from the experience? Because I’m pretty sure you already knew when we were going and how the events would end.”
“Maybe, but it’s not my place to get involved,” she said as though it was the simplest thing in the world. “Besides, there are bigger matters afoot in New Unity.”
“Such as?”
“Such as,” Clover turned and walked over to him. “Such as!” She approached almost uncomfortably close. “Told ya so.”
“... Nani?”
“I predicted Trixie was close to ascending. I predicted an ascension,” Clover laughed. “Star Swirl was wrong! Such things do follow a regulated course of events.”
“A course you hope to be able to eventually track properly to assist those who are going to ascend?”
“And to understand how the process works. The Alicorns were a separate species. Why can Ponies spontaneously become them? They’re not even true Ponies. They’re more closely related to horses than to us.”
“Hmm. Perhaps a divine push? If Alicorns were on this world in the beginning, maybe they need to remain to keep a proper balance in Equis’ overall magical field. Faust wouldn’t want her creation to go to waste, right?”
“Then why does she make the population unsustainable?”
“How so?”
“Name all the Alicorns you know.”
“Celestia, Luna, Twilight, Cadence, Trixie, and Faust herself.”
“Faust takes the form of an alicorn, but a goddess isn’t bound by form, like we are,” Clover corrected. “Still, that’s five females. Even with Pony genetics being what they are, there still needs to be some trace bloodline in the family to birth a member of any tribe. Further, only one of the Alicorns is currently mated and possibly attempting to breed. I at least assume you and Trixie are planning to take things slow for the first year or so?”
“Clover, you know me. Do I strike you as the kind of stallion to take things fast?”
“So then, precisely my point. There is currently a zero point zero two percent chance of princess Cadence spawning another Alicorn.”
“And this is based on what form a data? Also, have you considered that the Alicorn trait may be a dominant allele? The possibility is there.”
“Celestia and Luna have had numerous dalliances in their lives and produced several children each. None of them were Alicorns. Based on that data, I have to assume that the Alicorn gene is recessive, possibly extremely so.”
“That does seem to make sense,” Vital agreed. “Of course, that could prove a blessing in disguise. Alicorns have a very long lifespan. To have an overly large population could pose some rather difficult problems over time.”
“Still, I feel the data puts a divine aspect off the possibilities list for now.”
“So you do still have that as a theory.” Vital smirked. “I can’t wait to see who turns out to be right. It’ll probably be you, but it’ll be fun to find out.” Then he looked over the vials. “By the way, what’re you working on over here? Still trying to nail that reverse alchemical process?”
“Trying to formulate the recipe for hayburgers’ secret sauce,” Clover shrugged.
“Balsamic vinegar, sugar, tomato paste, worcester sauce, and just a hint of paprika.”
“How did you know that?”
“Clover, if we ever get to bring you back to Earth, remind me to take you to Texas. They live for barbecue down there. And I happen to love all kinds of dipping sauces and rubs. You learn to tell the difference in ingredients, after a while.”
Clover cleared her throat. “Yes. Well, anyway, did you manage to finish your homework while in the past?”
“Does getting in touch with my darker side count?”
“Oh? Good. I was wondering when you’d get past that hurdle,” Clover nodded.
“More like a work in progress, but it’s a little better than it used to be.”
“Well, I hope you manage to make peace with it soon. That’s a lot of power to be holding back.”
“You knew?”
“Many Unicorns and/or good people start repressing their worser natures at some point in their life.”
“I’m guessing you didn’t have that luxury.”
“My parents were dark magic users. I was raised by Star Swirl the Bearded in an era of all out war. Innocence was a luxury.”
“Hence, ‘you didn’t have the luxury,’” Vital pointed out. “Still, I guess I should check if I can’t practice with you and Trixie when I try to access that part of my magic. You two are probably some of the few who can handle it, if I lose control. Well, you two and Hammer Strike.”
“Yes, but for now, I think we need to work on improving your casting time and working on prepared spells.”
“Ooh.” Vital grinned, baring his teeth. “Let’s get started, then.”
“You’re familiar with prepared spells? From what I understand, the practice isn’t as common anymore.”
“I’m familiar with the principal. You essentially store the magic in a vessel to utilize it at a later point in time. The vessel could be the mind, a gem, a talisman, anything really, so long as it’s capable of binding and holding the spell in place, until you need to use it, right?”
Clover nodded. “Eliminating casting time and allowing for emergency use. Basic examples include shields or flashes of light, but if you get good enough, then you can even store a teleport.”
“You mean like some kind of teleport crystal?”
“Yes, though a crystal would be a waste of time and energy for little advantage. Best to use a scroll.”
“And which material are we talking when it comes to making said scrolls?”
“It’s mostly just a scroll large enough to store the spell. You transcribe the spell using mana.”
“So it’s like replicating the spell, only you use solid mana to embed it into the material without destroying or damaging it.”
Clover nodded. “Then you roll the scroll and seal it shut, and just make sure you don’t open it, until you need it.”
“Neat!”
“I think it’s best you learn as much in this field as you can. If you find yourself in a situation like you were in during the last attack, it may help you.”
“Last attack?”
“With Chrysalis?”
“Okay, just clarifying. I kinda had to deal with a lot of other attacks when we were in the past.”
“So let's start with a simple ice shard spell. You’re familiar with the theory. Do you think you can sum it up into enough words to fill this?” She placed a scroll on one of the tables
“Enough or few enough?” Vital asked.
“Few enough,” Clover clarified.
“Yeah, I can take care of that no problem.”
“Then sum it up in your head and push that through your horn into the scroll.”
Vital focused his magic into the tip of his horn and let out a concentrated burst limited to a tiny scope to form a sort of miniature laser beam. And then he proceeded to direct the beam into the scroll, going one letter at a time, until a single word spread across the scroll in English. “You can read English, right?” he asked.
“I won’t be reading it,” Clover said. “The next time you open that scroll, you’d better be pointing it at a target.”
“Spring loaded?”
“That’s a decent explanation for it.”
“Okay, then. I’ll make sure to keep that in mind.”
Grif smiled as he tickled Cú Chulainngently on the stomach. “Man he’s really becoming a little chunk, isn’t he?” he asked Cheshire. Grif had been making his rounds through the compound, when he’d encountered the mother with her cub on her back in the market.
“Just give him a year or two. That chunk is going to be a force to be reckoned with by the end,” she said with a smirk. “And maybe he’ll be able to give little Moon River a run for her money. Somebody has to keep that little rascal on her toes, and I’m too busy sometimes.”
“Has everything been okay?” Grif asked. “No one’s giving you trouble?”
“Oh, Grif,” Cheshire chuckled, “why would anyone want to risk causing trouble with a trickster like me?”
“I just wanted to make sure,” Grif chuckled as he tossed the cub into the air and caught him.
“You worry too much. Are you sure you weren’t prompted to keep me with you because you needed the crazy?”
“Hey, I worry about everyone. Kinda my job, since you all were crazy enough to follow me.”
“Didn’t you know, Grif? Crazy is my specialty.” And then Cheshire bore her teeth in that unsettling grin of hers, and Cú Chulainn giggled as he clapped his talons together with glee at the sight.
“He’s definitely your son,” Grif chuckled as he set the cub on his mother's back.
“He’ll be the best fool for miles. After all, nobody suspects the fool.” Her grin widened. “Until it’s too late.”
“Well even the fool doesn’t know what the fool can do, right?” Grif winked at her.
“Exactly.” She looked over at her cub and preened his feathers gently. “He will be everything his father ever was, and so much more.”
“I look forward to the day.”
“Are you a seer now, too, Grif? My, so many mantles to wear,” she teased.
“Maybe I just have a lot of faith?”
“Perhaps. Perhaps.” Cheshire nodded as she prepared to pass. “By the way, you should join us for dinner some time. It’s the least we can do for your taking me in. We’ll make a real party out of it.”
“That sounds fun.” Grif smiled. “I think everybody could use the chance to unwind.”
“Careful what you say, Grif. You might just give me an idea.”
“I don’t need to give them to you. You tend to take them, anyway.”
“Ah, but it’s so much better when it’s a gift, wouldn’t you say?”
“Something given is always stronger than something taken.”
“Exactly.” She raised her hand and waved her talons. “Tata, Grif. I’ve a tea party to plan. You can expect your invitations within the week.” She tapped her beak thoughtfully, then grinned wickedly. “I think I’ll see if Pinkie Pie wants to get involved, too.”
“Be safe, Chesh,” Grif chuckled, before turning back to finish his rounds.
“Now where’s the fun in that?” Cheshire asked as she slipped back into the crowd and disappeared.
“All right, ye wee lads and lasses, git yourselves organized and shut yer traps, while we get you figured out,” Steel Weaver shouted to the group of apprentices that had arrived. Storm Hammer stood beside him. The Unicorn mare looked surprisingly intimidating as she twirled her forge hammer in her magic. Wrought Iron stood not far away with an unreadable expression.
A squee of unspeakable delight escaped a certain pink-dressed mare as her hooves clomped nervously in her excitement. Dross took in the flames, the work tables, the tools, the coal, and her eyes shone with an inner fire as she struggled not to let her smile break into a freakish grin. The other apprentices were busy murmuring to themselves or wondering over the overall layout of the workshop. Some eyed sketches lustily, while others were drawn to the barrels and bins full of raw materials just waiting to be crafted into something new.
“Settle down, lass,” Steel Weaver growled. “Now, with a show of hooves, how many of you have actual experience working metal and not simply working around the forge?” he asked.
Dross’ hoof shot into the air, along with about half the other candidates.
“How many of you can make simple workers’ tools and nails?”
This time, about a third of the Ponies raised their hooves.
“How many of you have worked at repairing weapons?”
One quarter of the crowd raised their hooves, and Dross practically vibrated with her excitement.
“Shields and/or armor?”
This time, only about ten Ponies raised their hooves.
“Okay. And finally, have any of you actually been taught to make weapons, armor, or shields as of yet?”
Dross practically jerked herself into the air with the force of her hoof flying in answer. A hasty examination soon revealed she was the only one.
“You have an example of your work, lass?” Steel Weaver asked, waving her forward.
Dross beamed as she dove her head into her saddlebag and jerked back to reveal a long metal shaft connected to a large four-bladed head with a spike jutting out at the top. The edges had been cleaned and polished to a shine, and the grip of the weapon had been lovingly tied up with advanced leatherwork. Its pommel was a simple white stone that complimented the pale rose of the binding on the grip.
Steel weaver reached out and let her drop the weapon into his hoof. He examined it thoroughly, tracing a hoof across the shaft to see the texture, then laying an eye on the handle and examining the straightness. He even leaned in and tasted the metal at one point. “How old are ye, lass? You couldn’t be apprenticed more than three years yet.”
“Twenty two last Tuesday, Sir.” She saluted the steel-coated stallion with an eager smile as she waited with bated breath.
Steel weaver handed the weapon off to Storm Hammer, who took her turn examining it with cool silver eyes that seemed to glow against her black mane. She was careful to keep her face perfectly impassive as she looked the weapon over from top to bottom. Then she handed it to Wrought Iron, who took his turn looking the weapon over. When he handed it back to Steel Weaver, the stallion signaled to one of New Unity’s small supply of pre-existing apprentices. A coconut and a steel helmet were produced and set on a nearby workbench. Steel Weaver casually walked over to it, and then fell upon it with an almost visceral savagery, raining down several blows so hard that the forge rang like it was in full use. The result was two or three minor bends on the blades of the mace and a fair-sized dent in the helmet. A small trickle of coconut water could be seen trickling down the shell.
Steel Weaver handed her the mildly battered weapon. “Shaft’s a bit on the long side. Throws off the aim.”
“The blades’ shape made them somewhat hard to use to their full potential. Also, the wrapping on the handle needed to be tied tighter,” Storm Hammer added.
“The steel was poor quality, and not made for battle ready weapons,” Wrought Iron added his own two bits. The three looked at her to gauge her reaction.
“It was a custom job for myself,” she admitted as her perkiness deflated under the blunt criticism. “I didn’t have access to the best materials, so I had to make do with what my budget allowed.”
Steel Weaver nodded. “Go stand by the door, Lass,” he instructed, before turning to the others. “The apprentices are going to be going around with clipboards. You lot will each put down your current experience and where your teachers left off. You will also give the name of said teacher for us to refer to. If ye lie, yeh’ll start at the beginning again. We have lives depending on us, and we aren't going to abide any line cutting. Is that understood?” His eyes seemed almost to burn as he glared each of the Ponies down, and the extra mass served as another means of intimidation to keep the candidates honest.
Steel Weaver made his way to his two companions, and they huddled together, talking in quiet whispers. A few got mildly aggressive, but still, somehow, no words broke through as the three continued there debate. Finally, it seemed to be settled, and Steel Weaver made his way to Dross, opening the door and signaling for her to go through, before he followed her out and closed the door. “This is no place for the likes of you, Lass,” he told her as he headed down the hall.
Dross nearly collapsed then and there. As it was, Steel Weaver heard the unmistakable sound of her hooves tripping up as the mare staggered forward. “But … but I can learn! I have the experience. I wasn’t joking about that,” she protested pleadingly. “If you don’t want me in weapons, I understand, but please don’t send me away!” Tears stood in her eyes as she struggled to keep them from falling. “This … this is my dream….”
“Lass, as of now, we have over seventy five apprentices working in that forge. They give us their labour in hopes we’ll give them the knowledge and the experience to become proper blacksmiths. None of us have time to be chasing after a ‘special snowflake.’” Steel Weaver led her through several hallways and down a spiral staircase followed by a regular staircase to a large imposing door. He lifted one of his massive hooves and knocked heavily.
“Come in,” a deep voice called out from within.
Steel weaver opened the door with a surprising amount of strain for the large stallion and a blast of heat hit the both of them like a wall. Steel Weaver entered and waved for her to follow. When she walked through the door, he pulled it closed. “Take it in, Lass. Not many Ponies get to see the inside of Hammer Strike’s forge.”
Dross’ eyes widened as she gaped at the stallion. “W-what?” she stuttered, even as she began to tremble.
Steel Weaver put a hoof out for her mace once more. When her trembling hoof finally gave it to him, he grabbed the handle in his mouth and entered into the forge proper. “Sorry to bother you, Strike, but i’m having a bit of trouble with one of the apprentices. I think you should see this.”
Hammer Strike turned from his current project to take hold of the mace. After a few moments of examining it, he looked questioningly at Steel Weaver, then to Dross.
“Twenty two. Can't be farther than her third year in. That's not battle worthy steel, but by Sleipnir's tits, I’ll swear that it survived the coconut test, and I wailed on it,” Steel Weaver explained. “She’s leagues ahead of her fellows, but nowhere near ready to be on her own yet. We can’t give her the attention she’ll need, not with several dozens of others who need our help.”
Dross gaped with bloodshot eyes as her head darted between the two smiths. Was this actually happening? She bit her foreleg gently, just to make sure. When she winced at the pain, she knew she wasn’t dreaming, and promptly returned to the previous gaping.
Hammer Strike turned back towards the mace as he hummed aloud. “Ex Divinia etiam,” he muttered softly. “It’s been years since I’ve taken on an apprentice, Steel Weaver. By most standards, it’s been nearly a thousand years.”
“Well, with all due respect, Strike, we’ve all noted your relationship with the little crystal princess. It seems like an apprentice may be in your future anyway. It may be best to allow yourself time to re-adjust to the experience.” Steel Weaver sighed. “Either that or I’ll need your permission to send her back to Canterlot. I can’t let her talent be wasted here.”
Hammer Strike glanced towards the pink-maned mare one last time, before giving a soft sigh. “Dross Caster, do you understand this situation you have found yourself in, including what level of expectation I will have for you?”
“U-um … no, Sir, but … I-I’m a fast learner,” she promised as she stepped forward. “That is, … if you’ll have me.”
Hammer Strike chewed on the inside of his cheek for a moment, before he held up the mace once more. His other hoof burst with thaumic fire as he went across the weapon, removing all signs of damage from it, before flipping it in his grip and holding it out for the mare to take. “If you are able to handle my teachings, I will allow you to stay.”
Dross took the mace reverently, then placed it back into her saddlebags. Then she bowed deeply. “I’m at your disposal.”
“Well, if you two will forgive me, I have a few dozen new apprentices to put through their paces. It’s going to be a late night tonight. Try not to break her on the first day.” Steel Weaver gave Hammer Strike a wink, patted the mare on her head, then took his leave.
Hammer Strike sighed as he moved the blade he was working on into the furnace once more. “We’ll have plenty of time to work, once you’ve settled in to New Unity. For now, I would like you to become accustomed to my forge. You will be taught here.”
Dross’ breathing came in short bursts in her excitement as she looked over the confines of the space. “So, does that mean you’re actually going to be giving me a guided tour of your very own personal facility?”
“That is correct,” he replied as he glanced over to the mare. After a few moments of watching her hyperventilate, he rolled his eyes. “You’re free to faint.”
The mare promptly collapsed onto the floor with a heavy thump as her saddlebags struck the stone, popping open to reveal various bits of metal, a few daggers, and other minor pieces of unfinished weaponry or materials.
It was 0500, and Pensword and the other members of the Demon Slayers, including the new recruits, had taken formation at the mustering grounds in front of the barracks. Animal Control, who had been placed in charge of the morning’s training, looked at the group.
“Okay, recruits. Today, you’ll get a special treat.” The Unicorn grinned ferociously as she looked over the various Ponies that had gathered. “I won’t be giving your first PT exercises. That burden will be given to Commander Pensword of the Third Gryphon War Equestrian Forces.” Her smile faded away as her eyes hardened into a flinty gaze. “His words are law for this training. He picks the cadence, and he picks the workouts. There will be no whining, no complaining, and certainly no muttered threats.”
Several audible gulps sounded in the pre-dawn air. “Yes, Ma’am,” they said disconsolately.
Animal Control continued to stare them down. “We’ll work on your enthusiasm later. For right now, what do you say?” she asked. “And make sure it’s with feeling this time, or you’ll wind up with latrine duty for the next month.”
The cadets suddenly sprang to attention with eyes wide and hooves set to stance in a hasty salute. “Slayers of Nightmares!” they shouted hastily.
Pensword looked shrewdly over the Ponies, then snorted derisively. “Adequate, I suppose. Right. Listen up! We’re starting with a running cadence to the walls, where we will then proceed to run laps around the inner wall. I want to see how hard you recruits can run. And don’t rest on your laurels, if you think this is too easy. Next week, we’re moving to the outer wall. Let’s move it out!” he shouted, before starting a cadence from the old days as they ran in time behind him.
As soon as they reached the wall, they began to run. Pensword took flight, and was soon soaring laps around the perimeter that had become their track for the day. A certain sense of delight flooded through him as nostalgia from their first arrival at New Unity washed over him.
“You Pegasi, get up here with me!” he barked, and the Pegasi obeyed. He proceeded to put them through their paces, practicing various aerial maneuvers for them to stick to as they flew in pace with their fellow recruits below.
Pensword allowed himself a brief smile. The last week had wreaked havoc on his schedule, and he was glad to be back to the present. A light sheen of sweat shone on his coat, and his breathing came somewhat heavily. He may not have been so soft as the recruits, but he was feeling the effort far more keenly than he should have. He snorted in frustration as he felt the burning in the muscles at his back. It had been too long since he’d last been able to return to a proper physical regimen. Now that his mind was up to snuff, the body needed to follow.
“Five more laps,” he breathed as he flapped his wings once more. “Then we rejoin the herd below.” Once the exercise finished in his makeshift aerial course, he’d take to the ground to work on his legs and chest. His ears twitched as he heard the Demon Slayers hard at work. The occasional sound of a barked order or roughhousing graced his ears, and he chuckled. It seemed the other troops had their talons or hooves full respectively. New cadets were always fun to train, though the news of ten new recruits to his children’s unit had come as quite the surprise. That being said, Kahn seemed to be adapting rather well to his new role in leadership. It would make it all the better when the time came to take some of them as part of his personal guard. He hated breaking up the family, but he needed the power behind him for the ventures they had planned to succeed.
The fifth lap came, and he landed in a flying gallop, before trotting up next to Animal Control, whose horn glowed as an ethereal wolf loped alongside her. Pensword grinned at her showing off, while the familiar stuttering lope of a Pegasus taking a galloping landing struck its staccato behind him, before rejoining the herd. As part of their exercise, Animal Control had commanded the Unicorns to practice channeling their magic while they ran. As expected, the results proved rather dismal. Some of the recruits couldn’t even get their horns to produce so much as spark.
Pensword smiled over at Animal control. “Should I?” he huffed.
“Please do.”
His smile widened into a grin as he took a breath, then bellowed over his shoulder. “Since our new Unicorns here can’t seem to reach even the most basic of channelings, you all get to run five more laps!”
A painful groan rose from the new recruits as the sun shone down on their sweaty flanks. Animal Control just chuckled. Pensword either flew or ran intermittently to offer words of chastisement or encouragement as he deemed necessary. After all, the kids reminded him of the old ROTC days on Earth. Naturally, he wouldn’t necessarily show that partiality, but he’d make sure not to push them too far beyond their limits.
The time rolled on, and Pensword clopped past each of the recruits as they performed their various wing ups, push ups, and sit ups. While some few had trouble with form, overall, they had shown a surprising amount of endurance and adaptability for their stage in training. Six of Lafayette's Gryphon troops watched from the sidelines as they worked on their own exercises in silence.
Lighting Dust gave a quick salute to Pensword as he passed, and Pensword gave a curt nod of acknowledgement. Both Ponies’ ears twitched at the sound of a Unicorn colt muttering under his breath.
Lightning was in his face in an instant. “What was that, Recruit?”
“N–nothing,” the colt stammered.
“That sure didn’t sound like nothing,” she snapped. “After you’re done here, you’ll be dining with me and the rest of the Demon Slayers for Breakfast. And you’ll be sitting with the Gryphons. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Ma’am,” the Colt said in a subdued tone.
“And if I hear you mutter so much as one word of disrespect to my friends again, I’ll make sure to let them know, so they can address your insults themselves.” Her eyes narrowed as she glared the Pony down. “You’re not in Canterlot anymore, and you’re no better than anypony else here. We reward based on merit, not birth, and not species. Make sure you remember that.”
“Okay, you sorry lot!” Pensword barked. “It’s 0625. Time to switch things up. We’re going to cool down with more stretches, after which we’ll all file in to eat at the dining hall. Consider yourselves lucky. We decided to go light on you today. PT usually lasts from 0500 to 0700. You can thank Lightning Dust for that piece of charity.”
Lighting Dust grinned as Animal Control joined them. “Yes, and make sure to eat a good breakfast. We’ve got weapons training next.”
With the early morning session finished, and the final stretching complete, Pensword formed up with the other commanding officers at the front to lead the orderly march to the dining hall. The meal was a simple fare of oatmeal and a single polished apple. They ate for a half hour, then rose to wobbly hooves as their superiors called them to order again. It was going to be a very long day for the newbies. That much was certain.
Pensword nodded to his former cadets and the other troops as they filed out, then took his leave to examine the gardens. With the winter still in the air, the flora had yet to green or blossom, so the most he saw were a few trellises and the husks of hibernating bushes. The gravel was crisp and level, however, and the slush and snow had been carefully shoveled and piled in areas where it wouldn’t inhibit the walkways. A pair of hearty Earth Pony stallions were busy sprinkling pieces of salt in with the gravel to help facilitate melting, should another snowfall strike them unawares. They offered a casual salute to Pensword, and he smiled in turn as he nodded and made his way to the hidden door by a statue portraying Hammer Strike looking disapprovingly out at any who approached.
He slipped through the entrance and immediately wove through the halls towards the exit that led to the gardens. From there, it was a simple matter to reach the entrance to Me-Me’s hive, and from there to get to the training rooms, where he knew Silver Spear and the crown awaited. A part of him was looking forward to wearing the device again, while another part was more than a little worried about how he had taken such a liking to the artifact. Still, if he could impart his information and knowledge of tactics, even if it was somewhat outdated, he would gladly offer it. After all, Me-Me had reasoned they needed all the advantage they could obtain, and he couldn’t fault her logic.
A few minutes later, Pensword reached the familiar antechamber where he always meet with Me-Me, before starting the synching session. The two had agreed it would be best to keep them to a hour at most a day, since spending any longer connected to the hive outside of battle might not prove good for his mind.
Me-Me waited for him expectantly in front of the path to said chamber.
“Queen Me-Me,” Pensword greeted with a warm smile and a bow of his head. “How are you this morning? I hope the Princess no longer has nightmares for my rash actions.”
“My sister is recovering well,” Me-Me nodded. “And how is your family doing?”
“They’re doing well. Moon River seems to be making friends with your children, along with Grif’s cubs. Cristo and Inigo are both giving terror to some of the nobles who aren’t willing to learn about Thestral customs, and Day Moon is becoming, for all intents and purposes, a good monster hunter in training with Grif. Lunar Fang is keeping busy with the new recruits, and so is Fox Feather. She’s also being integrated into the local Thestral community, but I have a feeling you knew that already.”
“I may keep an eye on things,” she acknowledged.
“I thought so.” Pensword smiled. “So, what do you want me to teach today?”
“I think you should work on the fundamentals of the phalanx. History has proven it to be a most effective tactic.”
Pensword nodded. “I can do that. How many troops do you have for me today?” Happiness radiated from him at the thought of the work she’d put into studying for the session.
“Fifty, all prepped and ready to go.”
“Excellent. Lead the way, Your Highness.”
Me-me did as instructed, leading him into the chamber where Changeling soldiers stood gleaming a rusty red, waiting to learn.
Pensword looked over the fifty Changeling warriors. “Okay. Today, I’ll be talking to you about the Phalanx. Then I want you to practice the exercise, walking from one end of the cavern to the other as I broadcast the simulation through the crown. Is that understood?” he barked.
The Changelings barked out something in their native tongue and Pensword nodded his approval. “Very well. Let’s begin.” A chalkboard was wheeled in, and Pensword picked up a piece of chalk in his wing to start drawing. “The technique itself can be performed by any number of troops, but loses its effectiveness when dropped lower than twenty five in number. In a sense, it’s very similar to your swarm tactics, but more organized. Ponies march side by side, as closely together as possible. That closeness is then bolstered by creating a series of layers, lining the units up one after the other. Most of these lines generally go about five Ponies wide and five Ponies deep, so I suppose you could say that this counts as a double phalanx exercise. However, that could prove more of a boon than a burden, depending on the size of the enemy’s forces. The larger the force, the larger the phalanx may need to be, in order to break through.
“Now, back on Earth, the Phalanx comes from ancient times. Back then, the units would join their shields in a way that allowed them to overlap, creating a protective barrier against arrows and spears, while they used their own spears to crash against the enemy forces like a battering ram. If executed correctly, this particular strategy allows for a variety of strategic opportunities. It can be used to punch a hole for an escape route or to divide up an approaching force, so that they can be flanked. If the troops are able to recover and form up quickly enough, they can even turn around for multiple charges. If we have time, I may run you through a few of these scenarios, but for now, we’ll focus on the basic execution itself.” He lowered the chalk and dusted off his wings. “Let’s get started.”
The small talking took five minutes at most. The rest of the meeting was spent refining the technique and teaching the troops to form up correctly of their own accord. The formation itself was simple enough. As Pensword had said, the action proved quite similar to their old swarm tactics, and the hive connection allowed each of them to connect in close proximity without the usual qualms that separated other cadets in training. The real problem manifested itself when they actually tried to execute the maneuver. The cave proved too small to try a proper full turn. At most, all they could do was lunge in a straight line to thrust at an imaginary enemy. Me-Me promised to fix the problem by next week. That being said, Pensword was pleased at how well the Changelings had managed to adapt to the strategy.
“I think they have the jist of it now. Keep up the practice in a wider area, and they should be ready to utilize it in combat in no time.”
“I’ll make sure they set aside the time. Thank you, Pensword.”
Pensword nodded. “I’ll be back to help transfer scenarios to your captains to broadcast over the troops when I’m not able to visit. As for right now, if you’ll excuse me, Me-Me, I have to get back to New Unity. There are certain … matters that I’ve been putting off for too long. They need to be addressed.”
“Of course.”
Pensword offered a respectful bow, then took his leave. Once he’d gotten a safe distance from the hive’s entrance, he took to the air again. His wings almost seemed to groan in protest as he worked against the cold air to gain altitude. He continued to strain, allowing himself intermittent gliding periods to give his muscles a rest, before flapping again. Eventually, he reached the castle walls and the inner courtyard, where he then took advantage of the familiar vent above Hammer Strike’s forge, riding the thermals high enough to glide to his family’s living quarters. He easily alighted on the balcony, and let out a sigh of relief when his wings were able to rest against his sides again. His breathing came heavily, and he grit his teeth in frustration, but that was the extent of his outer expression. Once he regained his composure, and his wings had stopped trembling, he trotted in to check on Moon River and the colts. Unfortunately, both wives were out, so only the children were present, alongside Fizzpot, who continued to go about his business tidying the rooms and preparing treats for later in the day. After taking some time to play a game with the foals, he walked briskly through the halls to the one thing he dreaded, perhaps even more than he had his return to Mountainside Falls.
A veritable mountain of paperwork had practically buried his desk to the point of almost complete immersion. Permits, work orders, invoices, registrations, requisitions, and so much more seemed almost to growl threateningly. “At this point, I’d rather face Haymin again,” he groaned, then strode out to the main reception room. “Preston, if anyone asks to see me, tell them I’m busy.”
“Is there a problem, Sir?”
“Paperwork, Preston.” Pensword shook his head ruefully. “Lots and lots of paperwork.”
A wry smile crossed the Changeling’s lips. “Understood, Sir. Best of luck.”
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
“Just a little, Sir.” He shuffled through some papers on his desk and withdrew some envelopes. “By the way, these arrived for you from Canterlot today.”
Pensword sighed. “Thanks, Preston.” He picked up the envelopes and tucked them under a wing as he clopped slowly back to his office. Preston gave one final salute of farewell as the door closed shut behind the commander.
“Poor soul,” he sighed, then returned to his work.
Pensword flopped down on his chair as he took in the mountain of papers once again. “Note to self. See about getting someone to help develop a filing system for records storage,” he muttered. Then he began the laborious process of clearing the documents one page at a time. By the time he’d managed to clear off the surface of his desk, a full five hours had passed. He groaned, smacking his forelegs on the wooden surface, while he rubbed a hoof against the bridge of his nose. He needed a break.
The tired Pegasus’ eyes fell on the parcels he’d set aside to focus on clearing his desk. He noticed the seal of the Solar Court only too well. But there was at least a fifty-fifty chance that it could be from Celestia. On the plus side, it appeared Luna had also seen fit to write to him. Receiving a communication from her always put a smile on his face. Anxious for some good news and a little proper correspondence to break up the monotony, he reached for his recently excavated letter opener, easily slicing under the wax seal to pop the envelope open.
Unfortunately, the contents of the letter were fairly cut and dry, though it did prove somewhat helpful. As the High Duke of Filly De Ys, he was entitled to a monthly stipend. True, the majority of the income would have to be reinvested in maintaining the grounds there and in Mountainside Falls, but at least it gave him a small amount to budget with for some personal expenses.
Two more envelopes remained. Both bore the solar seal, so Pensword shuffled them, then chose at random, praying he didn’t pick one that would be from the nobles. Fortunately for him, he chose correctly. Celestia’s florid script greeted his gaze, and he smiled as he allowed himself a brief moment to admire the golden sheen on the ink.
Dear Commander Pensword,
My apologies for not getting around to this sooner. As I’m sure you know, there’s no rest for an Alicorn princess hard at work. Anyways, I’m writing this to you, because of a recent discovery in our accounting records. Apparently, you never got to receive your final pay, before your supposed death. As such, it seems only right to include this final portion in thanks to you for your dedicated service and continued diligence, even after being retired from the post. You’ll find the deposit has been made into your bank account.
Unfortunately, this letter has a second purpose. The nobles are growing restless again, and it’s likely they’ll seek to provoke you. I pray this letter finds you first, so I can assure you the crown doesn’t agree with or support whatever negative things they might say.
Wishing you all the best.
Signed,
Princess Celestia, a friend.
Pensword smiled sadly. It was only natural the nobles would mount an attempt soon. They were nothing, if not consistent in their constant obstruction. He sighed as he picked up the last letter and pulled it out. As Celestia had warned, it was obvious the Solar Nobles had penned it from the very beginning. Not only was it in Baron Blueblood’s scrawl, but the tone of address and the emphasis on his noble title only acted as further proof. He could practically smell the malice in the ink, before he’d even begun to read the letter’s contents.
To the High Duke of Ys, Baron of Dream City and Mountainside Falls Memorial Lands, Ruler over the Western Passes and Gryphon Graves Pass, Last born of Baron Hooves’ lands, Pensword, Retired Commander of Equestrian Forces,
We of the Solar Court write this letter under the assumption that you have already read Celestia’s letter about your final payment. Naturally, it is only fair to give you what you deserve, and to thank you for the grand service you performed for our nation in times past. However, it has come to our attention lately that you are seeking to take a hoof in things that, to be perfectly blunt, shouldn’t concern you anymore.
Let us be frank. You are retired. This means that while you may be able to offer advice, and to serve in some small capacity to assist the next generation of royal guards, you are not in command of anything, not anymore.
As such, we advise you to hang up your sword, raise your family, and rule your lands. Equestria has no need of you now, and even if we do need a commander, we would like to point out that you are technically far beyond the set age for retirement. The Solar Court is open to revisiting your retirement status; however, such a venture would prove … costly. Considering your current situation for your little business ventures, it would be inadvisable to seek an arbitration in this matter. Should you try to utilize your connections to Princess Sparkle or any of the other ruling mares, it will be deemed an act of espionage, at which point, we shall be forced to lay the full arm of the law upon you, placing liens against your estate, accounts, possessions, etc.
Please know that we have no desire to do so, but the law binds us all, and we must abide by it. However, since your family line is technically over a thousand years old, in accordance with the law, and in the same spirit and debt of gratitude mentioned at the start of this letter, we grant your bloodline the honor of being designated one of the elder families of the kingdom, granting you the same rights, honors, and privileges associated with such a unique distinction.
May you find peace as you struggle to bridge the old with the new.
Sincerely,
A majority of solar court’s members had signed beneath, with some few exceptions, such as the Sparkles, Fancy Pants, Baron Chivalry, and certain other families that had left their children in the care of the Thestrals at New Unity. Pensword sighed as he let the letter drop to the table. Of course the nobles would try to use his honor against him. At that moment, he heard the most devastating of sounds as a stray draft from his twitching wings blew over a whole pile of completed documents, strewing them all over the floor.
“Damn it,” he swore as his frustration mounted. It would take him at least another hour to get those papers properly organized again. “Where’s a stapler when you need one?” he muttered, even as he slipped off his chair to scrabble for the papers. And then the full impact of those words struck him like a mighty blow as the papers dropped to the floor again. “A stapler. Of course!” He smacked a wing against his forehead. “Why didn’t I think of this before?” He raced over to his desk and quickly drew up a spare paper and a brand new inkwell, before scratching frantically over the parchment with a quill. A few minutes later, he had a rough sketch of a stapler with a broad circular pressure point for hooves. A familiar curved wire bent in a pattern next to it to slip over a rough image of a stack of papers.
Pensword grinned exultantly. True, it might take some time to make a proper profit at first, but these two products alone would make a veritable gold mine in time. And the best part was the items wouldn’t even be too far of a leap in technology for Equestria to handle. It would be a simple matter to set up a production facility. He just had to get enough money together to purchase the patents for them. He wouldn’t even have to rely on Hammer Strike, at least not necessarily. He probably would still float the option by him, just for the sake of receiving his input, and possibly to aid in ensuring he had the mechanics of the device down properly.
“This has to be one of the best ideas I’ve ever had.” He giggled gleefully as he rose from his chair, parchment in hoof, and strode to the office door. His stomach rumbled its desire. First, he would satisfy the hunger. Then he’d seek out the smith. He could hardly wait to see the Pony lord’s reaction.
Vital Spark yawned heavily as he plodded through the hallway levitating a steaming stein of hot cocoa. He’d sip from it occasionally as he tried to blink the dark bags away from his eyes. Unfortunately for him, it wasn’t really working. He narrowly evaded various Ponies rushing back and forth along the halls as they scrambled to find anything remotely familiar in the large castle halls. Normally, Vital Spark would have been glad to help, but at this point, he was too tired to care, and feeling more than a bit surly over the whole thing. Finally, he arrived at the massive double doors that were the entrance to Hammer Strike’s personal forge. He didn’t bother to knock, since the smith hated formality, and besides that, forges were loud. A blast of heat buffeted his mane, causing it to land messily in front of his face and along the sides.
“So, it's gonna be one of those mornings, is it?” Vital muttered wryly, before downing the rest of the stein and looking at the world through temporarily blurred vision. He reached up and rubbed his eyes heavily with his hooves, then blinked a few more times to dispel what little of the fog remained.
“Hammer Strike, I-yee-yee-yeee!” The shriek of surprise echoed in the rafters, followed by the distinctly harsh clatter of metal on stone as a heavy metal platter and the tools that had been resting on it were strewn across the floor.
Vital Spark blinked, took another long slurp of his coco, looked down at the tools, then up at a yellow mare in a fluffy pink dress with an even fluffier mane. “You’re not Hammer Strike.”
“Neither are you,” the mare countered as she whipped out a mace from a saddlebag at her side. “Now who are you, and what are you doing in Hammer Strike’s forge?”
Vital Spark let out a heavy sigh. “Look, can we just skip the drama and pick it up tomorrow? I’ve had a rough night, and I’m really not up for hysterics right now.” He levitated the tray and tools from the ground and returned them to the surface, before shoving them at the mare’s chest, causing her to drop her mace. “There. Now then, since there’s no alarm going off, and no troops racing after me, that implies I have business here, and that I’m authorized to enter.” He looked mournfully at the bottom of the mug. “Why is the coco always gone when you need it?” he sighed.
“Wh-what do you want?” the mare demanded.
Vital Spark rubbed at the base of his horn and let out a longsuffering sigh. “So this is how Clover felt when I first joined,” he muttered. “Look, I want to see Hammer Strike. Pretty sure I already said that. You just go back to whatever it is he has you doing here, and we can pretend like this whole freakout thing never happened in the first place, capisce?”
“Come now, Vital,” Hammer Strike commented as he entered the forge. “Are you not a morning pony?” he finished with a faint chuckle.
“Not when I’ve had a bad night,” Vital replied, even as his head drooped. A shudder passed through the Unicorn’s frame, and suddenly he was standing bolt upright again with wide eyes. “Sorry,” he finished as he levitated the stein over to an empty space on one of the worktables. “So who’s this?” he asked, jerking his head towards the mare.
“Dross Caster, my new apprentice,” he replied as he navigated over to his worktable.
Vital nodded and extended a hoof. “Vital Spark. Pleasure to meet you, Dross. Sorry for the gruff. It’s just one of those days.”
The mare extended a hoof and shook, though her appearance was still wary. “Charmed, I’m sure.”
Vital Spark let it go at that, then lurched his way over to face the smith lord himself. “So, I’ve been thinking about those offers you mentioned.”
“And which of the three have you decided upon?”
“The one that lets me keep up my studies and away from the killing, well, barring extenuating circumstances. Say, you wouldn’t happen to have some coco on hand, would you?”
“Sorry, Vital, I don’t carry drinks, materials for drinks, or food in my forge.” Hammer Strike shook his head. “So, between the quartermaster position or under my employ as an assistant, which have you decided?”
“The latter.”
“That’ll certainly give me a little more free time to teach.” He gave a faint laugh. “All right, when is the soonest you can start?”
“Think we can make it tomorrow? I don’t think I’ll be much use to anyone today.”
“That’ll work. Just show up at my office sometime around eight to collect a few items and you’ll be on the clock.”
“Great. Not to be rude or anything, but I’m gonna skulk back to my bed, assuming I don’t collapse somewhere first.” He levitated the stein over and nodded to the smiths. “Hammer Strike, Dross Caster.” And then he plodded out the same way he came, leaving the door to boom shut behind him.
“Is he … always like that?” Dross asked hesitantly.
“Mostly. But he has some good days. Now, if I recall correctly, we left off on heat treatment.”
Grif stood on the wall overlooking the archery range as the recruits were being tested for their ability with a bow. He yawned idly as he watched. More often than not, there was no spectacular shot. A few recruits would manage to hit near the center of the closer range targets, but miss the second target entirely. For this test, the range had been set with targets in tiers of five. The first target sat squarely at two hundred yards, the second at two fifty, the third at three hundred, the fourth at four hundred meters, and the fifth at a fantastical five hundred twenty meters away. Even for most Gryphons, that would be impossible with a Pony bow. Grif was pretty sure even he’d have a hard time making that shot with one.
Still, he watched as he had for the last hour as teams of recruits were set up with a bow and a quiver of brightly fletched arrows in a specific color for there specific range. None of the Ponies ever reached higher than the third target. He was almost nodding off when a few cheers took him by surprise. Looking down to the range, he was taken aback as a Gryphoness in a set of custom recruit armor stood at the start of the farthest range from the wall. She had a bright green coat of fur and feathers, with a white band of plumage around her neck to contrast. A blue short crest stood atop her head with two long feathers hanging down the side of her face. A brown band of leather was wrapped around her left one. She was small, but held the bird traits of an eagle, he supposed her feline traits must be some kind of housecat.
What was causing the stir was the fact that she had currently scored a bullseye on her first three tiered targets. He gave an impressed whistle as he watched her nock a fourth arrow and sight along it, moving the almost comically small Pony bow in her talons as she lined her target along the shaft, then adjusted the bow’s position for wind speed and atmospheric conditions. After what seemed like a considerable amount of time, she released the arrow and scored a fourth bullseye. Grif watched as she nocked her fifth arrow, and shook his head. She’d done well. She’d be more than qualified as a sharpshooter in whichever branch she’d be moved to, but there was no way she’d make the shot with a bow like–.
Thunk!
The courtyard was so quiet that the sound of the arrow hitting the center of its target practically echoed. The silence remained unbroken for a full minute after the arrow stopped vibrating from the impact, before somepony stomped his hoof. Then another joined in, and yet another. Soon the courtyard echoed with the applause of stomping hooves.
Grif took a minute to pick his jaw off the floor, before calling over one of the soldier aids on the wall and instructing him to bring the Gryphoness to him. Then he waited patiently for her to arrive.
After some time, the Gryphoness closed in on Grif’s position, a hint of hesitation in her approach. “You requested my presence, uh, Sir?”
“Grif, please,” Grif said as he waved away any pretense of rank. “You’re a very impressive shot, Miss…?”
“Sinon Palewing. Thank you.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, how does a Gryphoness find herself in the guard?”
Sinon rubbed her left arm with her right. “I was raised here in Equestria.”
“Nothing to be ashamed of. The area I was raised in is considered part of Equestria these days as well. You know, I don’t mean to brag, but I’m considered a competent archer myself, and I don’t think I could have pulled that shot off with a Pony bow.”
“I’ve had plenty of time to practice with them,” she said modestly. “To be honest, I actually tried saving up for a Gryphon bow, but could never get enough for a good one.”
“Well, I think I could get one in your hands. I’d like to see how far you believe your limit to be.” Grif laughed. “Unity could use a shot like yours.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I’ve heard that I should be able to hit nearly double my range with a Gryphon bow.”
“Yes,” Grif agreed. “it has more draw weight, but the bows are made to take advantage of our species’ natural strengths.” He tapped just beside his eyes. “Here.” Then he tapped the top of his skull. “And here. We have a natural sense of wind speed and conditions. Sinon, I’m not sure if you’re aware, but our guard has three different branches in New Unity. I’d like to offer you a place in mine. It’s a lot of work. I expect my people to be in their best physical shape. But I promise you’ll have a lot of room to use your talents, and the exposure to learn some new ones. I realize, with your upbringing, that you may not feel especially connected to our culture, so I can limit your exposure to my clan, if necessary.”
The rubbing intensified. “I can’t make that decision right now…. I’ve only arrived recently.”
“Smart choice,” Grif nodded approvingly. “You didn’t take the first bone offered to you. Caution and perception are important, Sinon. Always remember that. I will see the bow finds you, when it’s ready.”
“Thank you.” She gave a low nod. “I really appreciate this.”
“A bit of advice from an old hunter. An old Gryphon proverb, you could say. ‘The strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.’ Our lives rely on each other here. So, if you need anything, don’t be afraid to ask.”
Vital Spark knocked on the door to Trixie’s room respectfully, even as he sighed. Now that he’d had the time to discuss certain things with Clover, it was time to let his lover know what had actually happened. It still felt so strange to think of Trixie in those terms, and yet, it was the truth. He chuckled to himself. “Strange, indeed….”
“Come in,” Trixie’s voice called a few moments later.
As usual, the unique comforting sensation of the wagon-like decorating left Vital Spark feeling calm and safe as the cool blue curtains billowed over the walls. He smiled as he approached his love, who was currently busy examining a perfectly clear spherical crystal with an ornate polished redwood pedestal lined by gold filigree to hold the crystal in place.
“Testing your divination skills again?” Vital asked as he approached.
“I will get mastery of it,” she declared.
“Well, you did a pretty good job at that fair back then. And this place certainly does remind me of the tent,” he said as he scooted closer, then proceeded to kiss her on the cheek. “Should we take another go?” he asked mischievously.
“I suppose so,” Trixie nodded.
Vital hopped up onto the cushions of the bed and grabbed her hooves. “I see a romantic gesture in your future.” He smiled impishly, then snuck a surprise kiss on her lips.
“And I see great happiness in yours.” She returned the kiss.
“Would that be before or after confession?”
“Confession?” Trixie asked with a raised eyebrow.
“You know how Hammer Strike, Pensword, and Grif tend to have their various side adventures out of nowhere?”
“Yes,” Trixie nodded.
“Well, there was a complication that arose during the battle that led to Hammer Strike being taken away from us briefly, and Pensword, Grif, and I had to go get him with Princess Luna. I wanted to tell you, but Clover pretty much threatened to skin me alive, if I didn’t hold my peace until after the fact.” He bowed his head. “I just want to say I’m sorry and I hope things like this won’t happen again, but I honestly have no clue whether they will or won’t.” He sighed. “It’s complicated.”
Trixie laid a wing across his back. “I forgive you,” she said.
“Good. I’m glad you didn’t get upset with me. I don’t ever want to make you angry.”
“Well, I can’t promise that won’t happen, but I think we can work on it.”
“Mind if I, um … show you something else?”
“Do I need to lock the door?” she teased.
“Yes. And maybe raise a barrier.”
Trixie’s eyes widened. “I didn’t think you were the type,” she said as the door closed and locked. A few seconds later, she cast a soundproofing barrier.
“I meant a shield barrier, Trixie.” Vital rolled his eyes. “That can be saved for after the wedding.”
“Oh, of course. I knew that.” She blushed, casting the shield spell.
“Not that I don’t feel … inclined,” Vital noted as his cheeks flushed. “But I figured you might want to see a recent … development from that adventure I mentioned.” His horn ignited into its usual blue. He held that light there, keeping his eyes closed as he concentrated. Then, gradually, the calm aura began to bubble, then to roil, and finally to darken as a deeper aura manifested beneath the blue, curving around his horn. He fired a shot at the floor and an ice chunk the size of two couches erupted out of the floor, followed by a series of jagged blackened barbs.
“Where did you learn such a spell?” Trixie asked.
“In part, from a shadow version of myself that I had to fight. And, well, in part, from the piece of me up here that’s a bit less saintlike,” he said as he pointed to his head. “As far as I can tell, it’s a form of dark magic, but not the kind that corrupts, like with Sombra or the shadow Ponies of old.”
“It seems then the two of us make a fitting pair,” she smiled at him.
“I’m just hoping that I can learn how to make better use of these new abilities over time. I thought, perhaps, you might be able to help me there on the side as we work on our assignments for Clover.”
“Just a regular pair of dark magicians, aren't we?”
“Hmm … how about we just say we like to dance along the edge, hmm?” He smirked. “And speaking of dancing….” He grinned impishly as he pulled her off the bed, leaving the crystal ball to drop onto the padded surface, while he proceeded to spin the new Alicorn around the icy structure in a pantomime of a waltz.
Hammer Strike hummed to himself as he studied the entrance to Me-Me’s hive. Progress had definitely happened since he’d last visited the place. He was told to stand by, while something was dealt with, before he could enter the hive.
A large red Changeling standing almost taller than Hammer Strike himself approached. His body was clad in the rusty red chitinous armor that was becoming the trademark of the Changelings of New Unity. It had been streamlined into smooth articulated plates that hindered little movement as the Changeling walked. His face was covered by a second extra thick crest, which started between the eyes and expanded upwards and outwards to cover the entire back of the skull. His mouth was flanked by a set of fearsome looking pincers that clacked a few times on their own.
“Lord Hammer Strike?” the voice came out in a surprisingly deep, rumbling tone. “I am Argus. The Queen has sent me to escort you.”
Hammer Strike nodded. “Lead the way.”
Argus nodded and turned to the tunnel. “As you can see, the Queen has been working on modifications to the army, in order to provide better support on the battlefield. I am a recently matured heavy infantry drone.”
“She’s been doing well to study the intricacies of armor,” Hammer Strike noted. “I’d like to look at the other units some time later, if possible.”
“The queen was intending to ask you to inspect the recent broods for your approval, actually. She has been working very hard to imbue us with all the instincts we could need on the battlefield.”
“With your own free will, there will be some interesting situations on a battlefield. To give individuality is to give a sense of randomness to it,” Hammer Strike replied as he continued to study his surroundings.
The tunnels were wider now, still supported by strange secretions of goop on the walls, and every now and then what seemed like large tentacle-like structures that wrapped around the semispherical roof in a double arch. Drones of various sizes and shapes went about their business as though Hammer Strike wasn’t there. Argus lead him down several winding tunnels, and the Pony lord was allowed to observe Changelings pouring over textbooks on infrastructure, economics, medicine, microbiology, magical theory, and even an old textbook on physics.
He was shown several chambers where Changelings experimented with cooking, carpentry, metallurgy, and even jeweling. He was sure he saw at least one chamber with a list of targets that had several pictures crossed off. Finally, they found Me-Me down one of the deeper chambers. She stood at the end of the tunnel, looking at the object they had excavated.
The large chamber was mostly a solid black cube. Small markings of a red cross and something in an unknown language were faded out, scratched away, or completely gone, leaving behind a mostly blank, glossy black cube room.
“We finished it last week, but due to situations that I feel are obvious, we decided to hold back on telling you until later,” Me-Me said without turning. “Thank you, Argus. You may return to your post.”
“Yes, my Queen.” Argus bowed and left the two of them alone.
“I take it the walls are too reinforced to be carved through?” Hammer Strike asked.
“I’ve tried several mixes for cutting fluid, as well as a diamond tipped drill,” Me-Me nodded.
Hammer Strike hummed as he moved towards the cube. “If we’re unable to open it in a safe manner, I suppose I could try brute force. If I can break it open, it might damage some things, but we’d be able to examine what lays inside. What do you think?”
“Perhaps, but maybe thats a task for later? With greater preparation?”
“Definitely. I doubt we’d get too much progress with just my hooves alone,” he nodded, before giving a soft sigh. “I’d like to apologize about my lack of visits. You’re under my protection both politically and in a physical sense as well, but I haven’t found the time to check up on things.”
“And allow me to apologize as well. I was not informed the chain of command had been modified. I hope that you do not consider any of the information I have released previously to be too sensitive?”
“Not to my knowledge, but I haven’t even heard of some of the visits that have been going on.” He rubbed at his chin in thought. “When was the last visit, and by who?”
“Pensword was by yesterday. He gave a lesson on the phalanx to some of our troops. He is, however, unaware of the scope to which I have been increasing population.”
“And how much of an increase are we talking about?”
“Mother isn’t going to cut down her numbers. If anything, she’ll be looking for ways to increase. I can't match her production, unless I wish to be spending the next year attached to an egg sac, but I have my ways.” She started heading back down the tunnel. “There is something you should see”
Hammer Strike followed behind. “Speaking of that, I need to plan for new types of complications….”
“So, keep in mind that at least a third of these drones were still incubating during the last battle. I wasn’t holding them back from New Unity’s defenses. They simply weren’t ready for battle yet,” Me-Me explained as she led him a surprisingly short distance up the tunnel and stopped at a large door to an antechamber. “Some of them are a little nervous, so please try not to do your creepy smile.”
“I don’t know how much offense I should take to that, but all right.”
The door opened, revealing a massive chamber that currently held no lighting in it. Me-Me stepped into the doorway and beckoned him to follow. When he did, the door closed behind them, swallowing them in darkness.
“Unless you expect a fire, I don’t have night vision.”
Me-Me’s horn sparked, and then, a long way above them, crystal formations lit up with incandescent light, revealing them to be standing on a raised balcony over a massive chamber that opened up a good hundred feet beneath them. As more and more formations lit up, Hammer Strike found himself staring down at several large rusty red squares. It took him a moment to realize the squares where formations of Changelings, standing twenty drones wide and twenty drones deep. Each stood ramrod straight, their horns raised in a salute.
“May I present the first legion, nearly five thousand battle ready drones, ready to fight and die for the hive and for New Unity.” Me-Me seemed to swell with pride as she looked down at her children.
“Wow,” Hammer Strike commented as he looked over the edge. “That’s way more than I was anticipating.”
“Many Ponies and Gryphons have fought and died for us. It is high time we start returning the favor,” Me-Me said. “Unfortunately, there is something we need from you to make them combat ready.”
“Name it, and I’ll see to it.”
“Our attempts to create our own weapons have proven … substandard. They will need weapons, and knowledge for how to use them practically. The latter can be obtained by a single drone in New Unity, but the former.…”
Hammer Strike hummed to himself. “Five thousand weapons, and with free will on the table, you have more than just a longsword for each unit.”
“They will be able to determine where their preferences lie during the training process,” Me-Me assured Hammer Strike. “And I will see to it that you are compensated in every way we can bring to bear.”
“If it weren’t for the fact I trained with almost every weapon I have ever made, this would take a lot more time to find someone for each set. If you just need one trained for weapons, I can teach them at New Unity. Away from prying eyes, of course.”
“I’ll have a drone sent to you,” Me-Me nodded. “This will be a battle of quality over quantity, next time mother attacks. I want to be ready to do our part.”
“To quickly note, send three unit types: heavy, medium, and light.”
“I’ll make the arrangements,” Me-Me said. Her eyes went cloudy for a brief moment. “It’s done. You’ll have them in the castle when you get back.” The two left the chamber behind them and moved back to the tunnel. “As you may have noticed on your way in, Grif has been very kind in getting us textbooks on a variety of subjects. I hope to add much more to my children. There is so much we could accomplish without the stigma of constant hunger.”
“The things you have already in play are certainly unique. Hopefully things will continue this way for you.”
“Without your protection, I feel another hive would have tried to invade us already. The other Changelings are less–.” Further comment was cut off as a copper-colored blur seemed to instantly appear, only to hide behind Me-Me’s legs. Me-Me looked at her sister with an exasperated sigh. “Pupa, I told you not to change your coloring.”
“I didn’t want to stand out,” Pupa quavered. A blush rose in her cheeks. “And besides. I … kind of like it.”
Me-me sighed again. “Hammer Strike, I don’t believe you’ve met my sister.” Me-Me did her best to move the young Changeling into view. “This is Pupa, Mother’s true royal daughter. Pupa, this is Lord Hammer Strike.”
Pupa promptly let out an undignified, “Eep!” before whirring her wings as fast as they could go. She nearly succeeded in getting off the ground, until a green aura wrapped around her body, anchoring her to the spot, no matter how hard she tried to fly.
“Calm down. He’s not the monster you’ve heard of.” Me-Me looked at Hammer Strike apologetically. “The only things she’s heard have been what Mother told her.”
Hammer Strike nodded, before lowering himself to Pupa’s height. “You have nothing to fear, little one,” he spoke calmly. “You are different from your mother. I can tell as much by your eyes. With what kindness is there, I offer to you the same protection I have given Me-Me.”
Pupa continued to huddle close to her sister, despite the lord’s assurances. Her body shook, and her carapice rattled as her chiton knocked against itself.
“Why don’t you go check on the hatchlings?” Me-Me suggested as she nudged the young filly gently. “They always cheer you up.” She nuzzled her once, then gave her a light push and a reassuring smile. “Go on. I’ll come find you when we’re done here.”
Pupa nodded, looking nervously back at Hammer Strike, then to Me-Me. She started off at a slow trot, but despite her best efforts, the loud sound of a frightened gallop echoed back through the corridors, once she was out of sight.
Hammer Strike sighed as he straightened himself up. “For a child to be exposed to war stories in a minor dose can instill some sense of pride. Unfortunately, a large dose with vivid detail instills fear and horror over the subject.”
“It will take some time for her to understand,” Me-Me nodded. “She doesn’t hate you; nor do I think she blames you. She just needs to adjust.”
“It’s all right. I’m used to it, for the most part,” Hammer Strike sighed.
“So, what else should I show you?” Me-Me asked.
“That should be it, unless you have anything else to update me on?”
“Nothing that seems prudent at the moment.” The queen shook her head.
“Alright then. I’ll look into setting up a proper system out here to get information back and forth between us, so you can keep me up to date on what’s been going on, like visitors and all that stuff. With that promise given, I’ll get out of your mane.”
“Should I call Argus to escort you out?”
“Thankfully, I remember the way out, so there’s no need to worry. Have a good day, Me-Me,” Hammer Strike said by way of farewell as he clopped off into the maze that was the hive.
“Pensword!” Grif’s voice echoed through the Thestral camp as he looked for his friend. He found Pensword taking care of weapons and teaching his three sons, Night Terror, and other foals on the different cuts of a wild deer, and how to skin and curing its hide. Moon River was hiding in a tree branch off to the side, watching her father as he taught.
“Pensword!” Grif called again. “We have a pest that needs dealing with.”
Pensword’s ear twitched. “Now….” He turned to the eldest of his sons, “Day Moon, watch these young ones, and keep Night Terror from throwing another fit. Your teacher is demanding my time, so it’s only fair that you teach the end of the class.” Pensword gently hoofed over the gear and tools he’d been using, and Day Moon nodded his silent assent.
It didn’t take long for Pensword to hover in front of his friend with his forelegs folded. “What is it, Grif? You do know I’m teaching the young how to clean a carcass and cure its hide, right? It’s very important for me to make sure they get it right, as the clan leader, you know.”
Grif handed pensword a parchment. “Read it,” he ordered.
Pensword quirked an eyebrow, but raised no argument as he looked over the parchment. He paused for a time, then and handed it back to the Gryphon. He took a deep breath, then proceeded to swear at some length in Japanese, Chinese, and German. He also bucked the nearest tree at the same time as his eyes lit with outrage. “When do we move?”
“The first thing we need to do is get Twilight on stopping them from taking the money. I can’t afford another donation that large, and I know you can’t either.”
“Right,” Pensword agreed. “Golden Oaks, then?”
“As soon as possible,” Grif agreed.
Pensword looked back to where he had left the foals and sighed. “We’d better go get Twilight now, then. That way we’ll have enough time for her to finish her freakout and get down to business. Worst case scenario, we could probably put Cheerilee’s school under New Unity’s jurisdiction.”
Grif shook his head. “Won’t matter if we do. Apparently, this EEA works independently of the crown. They have total control over the accreditation of all schools within Equestria’s borders. Even if Cheerilee moved the school to Unity, they’d still have the power to do this.”
Pensword paused, wings twitching in annoyance as he worked over the information. “Your saying that this EEA is independent of the crown, that they have no oversight at all, meaning they could, and most likely have, put their own spin on things?” He sputtered for a few moments, at a loss for words. “How can we have something not overseen by the crown?” he finally cried.
Grif nodded. “Lets take to wing,” he said as he headed up. Pensword returned, offering quick instructions to Day Moon, before following after Grif as quickly as his aching wings would allow. His eye twitched against his will as his anger continued to mount. Ten minutes later, they landed outside Golden Oaks. Grif wasted no time, hammering on the door with a heavy hand.
The door creaked open to reveal a familiar smiling Dragon. His arms had begun to take on a little more definition, and his tail appeared to have grown a little longer from the last time they had seen him. “Hey, guys. What’s up?” Spike greeted.
Pensword nodded gravely to Spike. “Nothing good. We need to speak to Twilight as soon as possible, not as soon as she can. Understood?”
“Did something happen at the castle?”
“The future of education in Ponyville may very well depend on this, Spike,” Pensword answered gravely.
“Hoboy,” Spike puffed. “Give me a minute. Twilight’s gonna want to see you guys right away.” He motioned towards the great round table and the carved wooden Pony head. “Have a seat. I’ll go get her.”
“Thanks, Spike.” Grif nodded, taking his seat. Pensword soon followed suit, tapping his wings impatiently on the table.
It didn’t take long for a nigh-panic-stricken Twilight to poof into the room with a bright purple flash. “Okay, what’s the emergency? Is it a monster, some sort of spell gone awry, a revolt? What’s going on?”
Grif gestured to Pensword to show her the message. By the time Twilight had finished reading through it, her teeth were grinding against each other, and a throbbing red blood vessel pulsed on the side of her head. “This is outrageous!” She slammed her hooves angrily on the table, sending out a minor shockwave. Then she gasped and quickly put a hoof to her mouth as she blushed. “Oops.”
“And I thought that only happened in anime,” Pensword whispered.
“First thing we need is for you to put a royal freeze on the money, until this gets worked out. That’s a lot of bits, and we can’t exactly duplicate numbers that big,” Grif explained.
“Not to mention the donation was made explicitly to that school itself, with an express purpose behind it. By all rights, if this EEA is really going to object to letting us teach the next generation of citizens in Equestria, then they have no right to the funds that were dedicated to that purpose,” Pensword added.
“According to Cherrilee, they’re fine with it, as long as the next generation is all Ponies. This Chancellor Neighsay’s objections seemed entirely based towards the additions for multiracial students.”
“And just what does he expect to happen when more than a third of Equestria’s current population aren’t Ponies? Does he intend to leave them utterly ignorant? That … that … jackass!” She winced slightly. “No offense.”
Nopony was there to respond.
“Twilight, my people have been the equivalent of migrants in Equestria for around seven hundred years. I thought it was mistrust on their part, or possibly no one having the guts to step up. It seems that now I have the real answer as to why. Naturally, you see why we can’t let this slide?” Grif asked.
“Perfectly, Grif. Knowledge is something that should be shared freely, not hoarded. The question now is what, exactly, we’re going to do about it. If we’re going to beat them at their own game, then it’ll take more than halting the seizure of funds. I’m going to need some time to research the law, not to mention their own bylaws. And since this is a matter that involves all non-Ponies, and potentially Thestrals, I want to coordinate this with the both of you and any other leaders you think could be useful.”
“Well, I’m not sure we can do anything directly to them. At most, you might be able to audit them, since they pull funding from the educational services of the government. Whatever we do needs to be clever.”
Pensword nodded his agreement. “We should look into letting Princess Luna know as well. After all, she did bring up the old law that certified Thestrals as equal citizens. If this Neighsay even thinks of using such outdated thinking, it would open an opportunity for Luna to look into their entire organization as a whole.” Then he smirked. “After all, that kind of thinking shows tribalism, a practice that even Celestia herself looks down on.”
“Pensword, Celestia must have signed their charter, or else they wouldn’t be able to exist. If she actively works against them, it will only come back on her.” Grif shook his head. “We need to find a way around them. I don’t suppose Equestria has some other type of accreditation board?” Grif asked.
“Several, but none that I’m aware of that could apply in this situation. Then again, I haven’t made an in-depth study of law and organizations around the educational system before, either.”
“Maybe start with how a board like this is created,” Grif suggested.
“I’ll make a trip into Canterlot immediately. The royal archives should have all the resources I need. I’ll see if I can bring the matter up with Princess Celestia in private, too. She’ll likely be able to direct me to the best resources.”
“Do the research first,” Grif said firmly. “Make sure you understand everything, before you go to her.”
“I assume to avoid raising too much suspicion?”
“And to avoid news getting back to the EEA. If they realize this is happening, they could move faster than we anticipate, and then we’ll be left playing a defensive war on our hind legs.”
“And the nobility. The last thing we want is Baron Blueblood getting ahold of this information and using it,” Pensword added.
“Good point. He’s already enough trouble without weighing down the capital by trying to form committees,” Twilight agreed. “I’ll make sure to keep my studies discreet. And I have just the spells to keep anypony else from suspecting me.” She blushed. “Let’s just say I’ve had an instance where they were needed before.”
“That sounds good.” Pensword nodded.
“Contact us, if you need us. Any time at all,” Grif stressed.
“I will,” Twilight agreed as her face hardened into a grim expression. “I’ll Pinkie swear on it.”
Stats
Page generated in 0.032 seconds
Total duration
1,044 users online
1,680,266 hits today, 2,561,572 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
A scene I forsee:
Celestia: The current EEA is hereby abolished. The New EEA will be formed from those who should have been running it this whole time, the actual educators of ALL who recide within our lands. Oh, and one further detail. Neighsay, you are banished from Canterlot for one year. Take that time to travel and educate yourself about those who you tried to steal an education from.
Multiple new groups arriving at New Unity. Are these the ones that have been processed by the forces themselvs, or how many are injections by various Noble houses?
Just how many members have to be processed to find the one of each type that are the best alltogether not just in the current generation?
When Hammerstrike, Pensword and Grif actually meet Neighsay, will they be forced by The Magic Of Song to have to sing Pinkie And The Brain?
Me-Me hive is coming along Clone wars style, but is it too early for her to start breeding up combat bugs on the lines of Starship Troopers?
All sorts of fun things can be left underground to be rediscovered at later times, unless when theyre discovered its so they can be reverse engineered and recreated then sent back in time to be buried so they can be discovered again at a later date. Especially if such objects are super materials, where the outer surface doesnt just depend on the outer surface of the material but fields and energies formed by complex passive and semi active interactions throughout the bulk of the material. Or it might just be something that looks like a material because thats how light interacts with the hypergeometrical fields due to the interaction of the n dimentional pocket universes intersection with local spacetime. Of course, such a portal can be moved, just as easily as moving any other pure deformation in spacetime, as can be demonstrated by the LIGO research.
Someone truely evil is that who has so much fluid worth, that any attempt to punitively fine them would collapse your economy through dumping so much of a resource in to make it worthless?
Thats the neat trick with processing a bog standard boring asteroid or mountain. Once you have ten times the amount of gold the richest coountry has, you also have ten times every other base mineral and resource as well. And the capability to keep spewing out that material excess. Just need to sort out food production and you can make Star Trek look as resource available as a Minecraft newbie.
And now, to sleep, before I get even worse. Sorry bout that.
Sharp Spear... a noble I can respect, because instead of trying to use his power to force his son home, he recognizes what his son has become, and what he will further become in the future.
Vital needs to really rub it in when
Baby C'ThulhuFlurry Heart is born.I like Dross
Pensword may be a commander... but right here, he proves himself a LEADER. He is the type of soldier that other soldiers would follow through the Gates of Tartarus, and do so happily, knowing that they are in the best of company.
Baron Blueballs...
cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/156225392200515584/443212594367692810/cb7.png
Seriously, Baron Blueblood has no clue just how badly he has screwed himself here. He is trying to use legal maneuvering as a means of screwing over the plans of Princess Luna, just so that he may make a grab for the reins of power. In doing this, there will be no way that, if such sanctions went through, it would have a strong detrimental impact on the Thestral tribes... something which not only would Pensword be enraged by, but Luna as well. Baron Ball-less also threatens Pensword with being charged with espionage should he talk with ANYONE in authority about this, or seek any sort of legal aide. Basically, they are saying that their word supercedes ANY word from either princess in Canterlot even. The Princesses have literally RAPED AND PILAGED the nobels of Canterlot for less. And in this case, not only would Blueballs have to deal with Princesses Celestia and Luna, but also Princess Twilight, Lord Hammer Strike, the remaining Element bearers, and even a sizable chunk (as in the biggest majority of) the Royal Guard. And some of the players involved have no issues with doin a bit of wetwork black ops. Hell, Hammer Strike completely and totally erased one noble house from history.
Blueblood... you have been duly warned.
cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/156225392200515584/443223435636768778/1525739685-picsay.jpg
derpicdn.net/img/view/2013/12/7/491935.gif
derpicdn.net/img/view/2016/3/27/1118179.gif
Vital... you had ONE JOB!
My thoughts on the EEA:
Burn them with fire... or, just that one asshat that looks like Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange, but sounds like a nasally pompous fool.
Seriously, ain't there laws in Equestria against such tribalist actions?
DIsband them, set up a new accreditation organization. Twilight Sparkle would be a prime candidate to head it, and have it staffed by educators.
Lastly, I leave y'all with this...
scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/31902142_1480807058695737_3358841734606880768_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&_nc_eui2=v1%3AAeEzlXq4oKupzmSkR2t6BOkt20XpHUDVYNUHygsgKJtBNcTnGJlzg5o_XpYZofUMgQUeKIEzWFQYs90CtPBzXdFzX22n8-KUtV8nDHJUH6tLSQ&oh=4d33dc4699ffc7e4e503c7e87640afd4&oe=5B54C05A
At least Twilight won't have to deal with the EEA when she starts her own school.
How do you plan to address what happens to Chrysalis's hive in the show?
8914017
That would be telling.
Rest assured, we have a plan. I just think it would be best not to reveal such things for now. It spoils the surprise.
Ah! BallsDeep69! We meet again!
Oh wait! The others are here too! The smith, the bartender, and, uhh, is it the sniper? No, couldn't be. Who's the other one?
I'm looking forward to a tiffany joke ahead.
Ah! There she is!
I'm looking forward to seeing how they kick Neighsay's ass.
8911106
Agreed