Daughter of the First Reign

by LegionPothIX

Act 2 | Space Race

The sun hung high in the sky on the approach to the barracks. Now that their morning brunch was over Nurse Clarity was dismissed to report to the Queen on her progress with the child, while Sombra was mandated to turning Treeling over to aid in training the troops. The trip was filled with quiet contemplation of the audacious extremity of the filly's ambitions.

To destroy all of the most powerful forces in Equestria would leave a power vacuum that he may be able to exploit both here in the Crystal Empire and at home. Perhaps even strengthening the bond between their two nations. He had given some consideration to the question, before even meeting the filly, of how he would stay in power if the war outside drew to a close with a victor. Regardless of who won the conflict they would inevitably come to the Frozen North.

As he considered what was about to transpire he wasn't so much concerned that Treeling would be stronger than him because that notion was riddled with a fatal flaw: she couldn't be expected to understand his way of thought. Rather he was preoccupied with the idea that she was growing much faster than he was. It didn't matter how powerful he could become if she beat him to the punch and cut him down in some childish fit.

The primary purpose of her training with the guard was to give them combat experience with an external and chaotic element. To teach them to defend themselves against types of magic they had never seen before. So that they could be better prepared when confronting the legion of followers that Discord's fantastic powers had amassed. From what he knew of Discord, Sombra suspected that they didn't follow his orders per se, but rather he represented the ideals that they held in the highest esteem. As such, there wouldn't likely be any direct campaigns, but instead this was a defensive precaution until the actual conflict with Discord.

"Before I leave you in the care of Lieutenant Hurricane," he said, turning to the filly who was following in-tow, "There is something important you must learn." His tone carried a certain perilous note that he tried to mask with a smile. "So far you have only shown to be able to mirror magic, but you must learn to counter it..." he added and his voice trailed off as he inspected the filly's reaction. "I have just the spell in mind."

Sombra felt no small sense of irony in what he was purposing. It was the spell he learned because of his interactions with her, a behavioral modification spell, something to temper her wrath, and if she could break it then he could still refine it before taking it city wide. If she couldn't break it, then he knew that he would be ready when the opportunity to enhance the Crystal Empire's pliability presented itself.

It also didn't matter if the spell damaged her higher brain functions as he could work any such kinks out later. Though not the most desirable outcome it may serve to undo the damage that Nurse Clarity had done. At this point she was only useful to the Crystal Queen for her magical physiology and primal nature. Two savage traits that would be necessary to forge her into the sword he promised. Traits that would be required for her to be the great predator that even she wanted to be. Reason and rationale could only make her second guess her warrior's instincts.

The explanation continued as the military base came into view. "The magic that we form starts by harnessing energy to a purpose. Traditionally, this would be countered by an opposite purpose. For example: with my crystal magic, I could create while others could destroy, effectively countering the spell." The explanation caused both ponies to recall the crystal circle in his home. "There's an old saying among matter mages: To make something of yourself you must first master dissolution."

The explanation disappointed Treeling as both ponies knew that was not how her magic normally worked but she nodded to indicate that she would give it a try. Luckily Sombra also knew another way. "The alternative is called unweaving and until you came along it was purely theoretical."

The image conjured in the mind of the filly was appropriately a loom being worked in reverse. Sombra stopped and sat down as to put her on the same level as himself. "This basically means that you can neutralize the energy of a spell before its purpose is established. In theory this is done by infusing your own magical energy into the spell to destabilize it before the purpose can be attached. Because you can draw in an active spell and command it there is every reason to believe that you can draw out a spell before it can manifest fully. While that isn't a counter to the spell it would be an effective substitute."

Sombra placed his hoof on her chest, sliding the slate to the side, as her gaze matched his. He then drug her fur back to reveal the gold-tinted gilt at the roots of her coat so that she could associate the idea with its draw. He wasn't sure if she could find a way to do this, but if she were going to survive the training to come, she would need to learn some way to actively defend herself against magic. Rather than her traditional reactively responding to it.

He reached up and patted Treeling comfortingly on the head and in doing so her slate fell back into place. His dower speculation was intended to marry the ideas in her mind. "I can't tell you how to do this; only that I believe that you can. Try thinking of when you learned to use magic and if there is a way to undo that."

The filly spent a long uncomfortable minute thinking as Lt. Hurricane greeted the pair at the gates. "Sir," he said, while nodding to Sombra. Being a civilian dignitary, the unicorn didn't warrant a salute from the pegasus, but was entailed to the dialectical courtesies. The officer looked down to the filly, "Ma'am," he offered. Treeling didn't respond, and instead continued to form her statement before showing it to Sombra. If Hurricane was concerned about either the level of combat written on her face, or the level of combat that she would endure tomorrow, he said nothing about it when he returned his address to the other adult. "Are you transferring her into our custody early, sir?"

Sombra shook his head as Treeling drew a division on her board and started on a second image. "I'd like the opportunity to tour the facilities with her, so that she sees them with a familiar face, before she and I begin a simulation of her experience here."

"That's... a bit unorthodox," the Lt. said but didn't deny the request as this has been an unusual situation from start to finish. Taking on a civilian tactical consultant such as Sombra, was one thing... but a civilian combat consult, who was a filly no less, was beyond strange.

The filly tugged on the unicorn's coat to garner his attention that she might show the answer to what had asked. The first image was one she could practically draw in her sleep now, the mighty oaken-mother's leaves shuttering while enveloped in a magical aura, but the second one was new to him. It was of the filly. She had climbed up into her mother's branches, with her mouth full of leaves, and was trying to reattach them. As he surveyed the picture she drew her cutiemark from bottom to top to signify that she felt she had drawn her mother's magic out of her. For the first time since he had met her, her face was filled with two emotions he had not thought her capable of: shame and remorse. They accompanied the idea since her mother in turn ended up dying as a "result" of that incident.

Lieutenant Hurricane looked to the board with confusion as neither of the two trees held any symbolic significance to him. He couldn't help but ask: "Sir, is she alright?"

The corner of Sombra's mouth turned up with grim appreciation as he turned a steady gaze to Lt. Hurricane. "For the purposes of her consultation she is in excellent condition," Sombra's wry explanation came with a withered glance from Treeling.

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