Chapter 9
Fluttershy stood in the palace throne room, seemingly frozen in place. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity and their sisters had left a few minutes ago and Twilight and Pinkie were apparently arguing about something. Fluttershy took a deep breath and tuned back into the conversation.
"Pinkie, you heard from him first hoof, about all he went through as a child, combine that with his eight year imprisonment and it's MORE than likely he's been traumatized in some way. He NEEDS to see a therapist," said Twilight.
"Twilight, I'm pretty sure Brawly wouldn't like being forced in a room with an old smarty-pants and have them tell him how to solve all his problems," said Pinkie with an unusually serious expression on her face, "What he needs is friends who aren't scared of him and who'll accept him for who he is. That way he'll start smiling more often!" Her signature smile returned and she bounced up and down excitedly.
Fluttershy looked down.
Friends who aren't scared of him.
Fluttershy's mind went back to when Brawler had approached her. He had offered her his hoof and she had attempted to pass through the wall behind her. She remembered the defeated look in his eyes when he lowered his hoof.
She couldn't stop herself, she sobbed. Twilight and Pinkie stopped arguing and turned to her.
"What's wrong Fluttershy?" asked Twilight, trotting over next to her.
"I, I hurt him," mumbled Fluttershy, looking at the floor.
"I, I'm sorry Fluttershy I didn't quite catch that," said Twilight, leaning a bit closer.
Fluttershy sniffled then looked up.
"I hurt him," she said, still mumbling a little, "When he came close I got scared, and that hurt him."
"Fluttershy, how could something like that hurt him?" asked Twilight, "He's a scary pony, he knows that."
"That doesn't change the fact that it hurts," said Pinkie, her mane had deflated a bit, "When Rainbow Dash and I backed away from him when he said he ate meat he started crying."
Fluttershy cringed, then sobbed again. She couldn't even hear about the stallion without getting scared.
"What am I supposed to do?!" she cried, "I need to say I'm sorry, I want to tell him he's not alone anymore, but," she gulped, "He's just so scary, how am I supposed to help a pony that I'm scared of?"
The three of them stood in silence for a moment.
"What if you tried giving him a pet?" asked Twilight.
"Huh? Why?" asked Fluttershy.
"Well if you had common ground he would be easier to talk to, and therefore less scary," said Twilight.
Fluttershy's face lit up, but then fell again.
"But, most of the animals I take care of would probably be scared of him because he eats meat." she said.
"So give a carnivore, a dog or cat should do the trick," said Twilight.
"Plus, it should probably be a bit on the wild side," said Pinkie, smiling and doing jazz hooves, "He'd probably find a tame pet boring."
A carnivore who hasn't been tamed yet.
She thought for a moment, then it hit her.
"I think have just the pet."
Scar was bored.
This in itself wasn't anything new, for the past few weeks she had been forced to do nothing but sit on her ass and drink milk. She glanced back at her right hind leg, it was wrapped in bandages and had a stick along each end to keep her leg straight. Scar hissed, it was starting to itch again. But NOOO, she wasn't allowed to scratch it because that would slow her recovery by about five seconds. And that butterscotch pussy always had one of her little snitches watching her.
Angel Bunny (*snerk) turned and glared at her, seemingly reading her thoughts. Scar glared right back. That bunny liked to pretend he was the Alpha when his pussy of a master went out, but Scar knew better. An Alpha was supposed to be tough enough to handle threats to the pack, and that little bunny didn't have the balls to hop within two feet of her, let alone take her on.
That made him a failure of an Alpha, because anyone could tell that Scar was a threat to this sickeningly sheltered pack. She had already tried to snatch up a few mice that had come her way. They thought she wasn't dangerous because she was injured. HAH! Those little bastards learned their lesson when she caught one's tail with her paw. But before she could enjoy the fat little morsel he had started squeaking his damn head off. Not that this bothered Scar, but that stupid Pegasus came soaring into the room and demanded that Scar let her prey go. Scar had reluctantly complied, but only because her leg was still broken and, loathe as she was to admit it, she needed help recovering.
The yellow Pegasus (What was her name again? Oh yeah, Fluttershy.) then tried to lecture her about how that sort of behavior wasn't allowed in her house. Scar told her not to worry, the second her leg was fixed she was getting outta here. Fluttershy had then tried to convince Scar to stay and drink milk for the rest of her life. Scar laughed in her face, staying in this sheltered little community made her sick to her stomach, and drink milk for the rest of her life? That was kit food, and Scar sure as hell wasn't a kit, she was a hunter and she was damn proud of it. Fluttershy then practically begged Scar not to leave and be a hunter again because then she might eat one of Fluttershy's little friends. Scar told her that she was a predator and predators ate prey, that's how the world works, no matter how badly someone tried to believe otherwise. Fluttershy had gotten a little teary eyed after her speech and several animals started glaring at Scar, but they all backed down when Scar started hissing. Even the freaking bear backed off and his claws were longer than Scar's head!
I don't care how much she's doing for me, there's no way in hell I'll let her tame me if it means becoming that much of a coward.
Scar sighed.
But I do owe her.
A few weeks ago, Scar had gotten chased into a tree by a Timberwolf pup. She stayed high up in the tree until the pup lost interest, then she started making her way down. Around the halfway mark, her paw had slipped on some moss and she had tumbled down to the ground, breaking her right hind leg with a loud snap. She had nearly given up when she heard that sound and felt the pain. A broken leg meant she couldn't walk properly, let alone hunt, she was sure she would starve.
But then Fluttershy came, took her to a safe place, treated her wounds, fed her, and never asked for anything in return. Scar had to obey Fluttershy's rules while she was being taken care of, but Fluttershy never asked for anything else.
Well, I guess she still wants me to come up with a better name for myself.
Scar turned her head to her left side. Her light gray fur covered it up a bit, but a long claw mark was still visible from her left leg to her stomach. Scar had gotten it two Summers ago when a badger had jumped her. They tussled for a bit, then both limped away with new scars.
Despite the injury, Scar was immensely proud of that day. Badgers were one of the few non-magical creatures cats try to steer clear of, and she had fought one and lived to tell the tale. And since that scar represented so much to her she figured why not name herself after it?
Fluttershy didn't like the name though, something about it being too scary. She had suggested Scar call herself something like Misty, or Dusty, Scar refused. Those were pet names, Scar was not a pet.
But getting back to the point, Fluttershy had done a lot for Scar, and she wanted to repay her somehow. But she didn't know what to do. Fluttershy would probably be happy if Scar decided to stay, but Scar valued her self-reliance, and staying with Fluttershy would mean giving that up. But what else could she do? The only thing Scar was good at was hunting, and she was pretty sure Fluttershy wouldn't appreciate a dead mouse as a thank you.
What to do? What to do?
Scar's tail swished back and forth thoughtfully. After several minutes of thinking, the only thing she came up with was the fact that she was now frustrated instead of bored. She wasn't sure which she preferred.
Before she could decide she heard the door open. Animals from all over the room rushed over to greet Fluttershy. Scar just rolled her eyes, Fluttershy had only been gone for an hour and they were talking like they'd hadn't seen her in years. She heard Fluttershy greet each animal by name and give them all a nice pat on the head, fairly normal for this house, but then Fluttershy said something unexpected.
"Okay everyone, I'm, um, sorry but, I have to get through, I need to talk to Scar."
Scar blinked in surprise, along with several other animals, but they shrugged and let their caretaker through. Fluttershy trotted over beside Scar's cushion and laid down next to her.
"Hello Scar, how are you today?"
Scar cocked her head.
"<Fine I guess. Bored as hell but that's nothing new,>" she meowed.
"I'm sorry to hear that," said Fluttershy, "How's your leg doing?"
"<It itches worse than fleas>"
"Oh, um, sorry, but don't worry! You'll be healthy enough for me to take it off this evening."
"<About damn time,>"
"<HEY! Watch your mouth savage,>" yelled Angel Bunny.
"Angel! She's our guest! Don't talk to her like that, don't talk to anyone like that," scolded Fluttershy.
Angel Bunny mumbled a fake apology, then hopped over to Fluttershy, but made sure to keep out of Scar's range.
"<Don't worry about it Fluttershy, it'll take a lot more than that to piss me off. But what do you really want to talk about? You usually spent at least ten minutes with animals who actually want to be here before coming over to me,>" said Scar.
"Well, um," Fluttershy looked away and tapped her hoof, "There's a new pony in town and I think he'd like a pet."
Scar glared at her.
"<If this is going where I think it's going the answer is no. I'm nopony's pet.>"
"Scar, please hear me-"
"<NO, I am NOT a pet. I'm a predator, not some weakling who needs to be spoon fed.>"
Angel Bunny was about to retort but a glare from Scar shut him up.
"<Find someone else,>"said Scar, rolling to her other side.
"Scar, please. This pony, he, he needs friends and, well," Fluttershy started to get choked up, "He scares me."
Scar rolled back toward her.
"<What's so scary about him, and why do you want to help him?>" she asked.
"Well, he, he eats meat."
That set all the animals into a near panic, they scattered around the room and hid behind anything they could find. Except for Angel Bunny and Scar. Angel Bunny had turned toward the door and stood stock still, as if expecting this meat eating pony to come crashing in at any second.
Scar just purred in amusement.
"<He eats meat? Okay, you have my attention. But why do you want to help him>?" Scar asked again. Fluttershy's eyes started to well up with tears.
"He's just been through so much. More pain than anypony should have to go through in life. I want to help him, to be his friend, but he's scary," Fluttershy sniffled and blinked the tears back, "Somepony suggested giving him a pet and having us bond together over him or her. And another pony pointed out that he probably want a pet who's still a little wild, because, well, he's a bit wild too."
Scar nodded, then stretched out her front legs.
"<Okay then, I'll go and see him, but no promises on becoming a pet,>" she stood on her three good legs and hopped off the pillow, making sure to keep her injured leg off the ground," <Let's go.>"
"Um, are you sure you don't want me to carry you?" asked Fluttershy.
"<Never gonna happen,>" said Scar as she half walked, half hopped toward the door.
"Um okay, just let me say goodbye to everyone alright?"
Scar reached the door and sat down while Fluttershy coaxed all her little friends from their hiding spots. Scar swished her tail back and forth thoughtfully.
Well, befriending this 'wild' pony might be a good way to repay her, but I really hope he doesn't make me a pet.
Fluttershy finished her goodbyes then trotted over, opened the door, and led Scar towards the town dojo.
Brawler was trying to meditate again. He was sitting in a pose recommended by the book: eyes closed, hind legs crossed and forelegs pressing together in front of his chest. He took deep, long breaths through his nose, then let them out his mouth.
Relax.
Don't think.
Clear your mind.
...
...
...
"Hey! Sobflake! You're back in town!"
Brawler's forelegs pushed together slightly harder.
"Leave me alone Cloud Watch," said a white Pegasus filly as she tried to push past the gray colt.
"Aw come on Sob, I haven't seen you in a month!" said the colt, blocking her path, "Where were you?"
"Vacation, and my name is Snowflake, not Sob-" The colt pressed his hoof into her chest before she could continue.
"What was that Sobflake? You disagreeing with me?" he asked. The filly started trembling.
He'd seen enough. He got off the cloud bench, marched over to the colt, and tapped his shoulder. The colt turned.
Brawler smashed his hoof into the bucker's jaw. The colt stumbled back, then fell over.
Despite knowing what happened next, Brawler couldn't help but smirk.
He stomped over to the colt, who was now blubbering nonsense, probably begging Brawler not to hurt him. Brawler shut him up by throwing another punch and stopping just short of the colt's face.
"I ever catch you doing that shit again, I'll rearrange your ugly mug so much your own mother won't recognize you. Got it?
The colt nodded.
"Then buck off."
The colt didn't need to be told twice. He scrambled up onto his hooves then sprinted away as fast as he could. Brawler chuckled, then turned to the filly.
"You okay?" he started towards her.
The filly screamed.
Brawler's eye's snapped open and he took a few shaky breaths. Once he regained control of himself he stood up.
For buck's sake, that was nine years ago. Get over it.
That attempt had been his third today. Despite his unpleasant memories interrupting his concentration, he was getting a bit better. He could ignore his memories for a bit longer each time he tried and he was starting to feel something. He wasn't sure what it was but in the moment before his memories surfaced he would feel some kind of energy in his chest.
I'll get it eventually, I mean, I gotta run out of bad memories sooner or later right?
Before he could ponder further there was a knock at the door. Brawler sighed, then trotted out of the storage room, through the library and sparring hall then opened the door.
"Um, h-hi Brawler," said Fluttershy.
"Fluttershy? What are you doing here?" he asked.
"W-well um, two things," she mumbled. She began shifting from hoof to hoof uncomfortably, then mumbled something else out.
Brawler sighed.
"Look Fluttershy, I'm sorry but you need to speak up," he said.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"Fluttershy it's not that big a deal."
"N-not the mumbling, but I-I guess I'm sorry about that too. But what I'm really sorry about is hurting you."
Brawler blinked.
"Wha-?"
"You hate it when ponies are afraid of you right? It hurts you," said Fluttershy.
The white filly's scream echoed in Brawler's head.
"You have every right to be afraid of me," he said with a shrug, "I'm a scary guy."
"B-but you're not a bad pony! You deserve to have friends, and when you approached me I froze. I was just so scared that I didn't realize you needed help."
Brawler sighed.
"Like I said, I'm a scary guy, you don't need to apologize."
"I do though, I want to be your friend Brawler, this is what friends do," said Fluttershy.
"Shy, I can see you trembling. How can we be friends when you're scared of me? And you're afraid for good reasons."
"Well, um, that's the other thing. Would be okay if you had a pet?" asked Fluttershy.
"A pet?"
"It would be a lot easier for me to trust you if I knew you liked animals," said Fluttershy.
"Well, um, I guess I wouldn't mind having one," said Brawler, "But won't they still be scared of me because I eat meat?"
Fluttershy smiled, just a little.
"I know someone who doesn't care," she turned around, "Scar! Can you come out now?"
A gray cat with piercing blue eyes emerged from behind a rock. It didn't take long for Brawler to see how the cat got it's name.
Sheesh, how'd that happen? It get into a fight with a bear?
The cat started hobbling over to them, Brawler leaned to one side and saw the cat's right hind leg in a cast.
"What happened to... um, is it a him or a her?" asked Brawler.
"Scar's a queen, or, female cat. Anyway she broke her leg when she fell down a tree. A Timberwolf pup chased her up into one and when it lost interest Scar slipped on some moss and fell down," said Fluttershy.
Scar reached the two of them and meowed at Brawler. Brawler looked at her blankly.
"Um, Scar, I'm the only pony who understands you," she said. Scar seemed to shrug her shoulders, then she turned and meowed at Fluttershy.
"Wait, you can understand animals?" asked Brawler.
"Well taking care of them is my special talent, I guess spending so much time with them just allowed to to start understanding them," she said.
Scar meowed again.
"What's she saying?" asked Brawler.
Fluttershy bit her lip.
"She wants me to tell you that she got her scar when she fought off a badger," she said, "She also wants to say that the badger walked away with a few new scars of his own."
Brawler chuckled.
"So she's a fighter too huh?" He reached out his hoof. Rather than rub against it like Brawler expected her to, Scar examined his foreleg closely. She meowed again.
"She says you look a lot tougher than all the other ponies she's seen, but she's still not sure if she wants to be a pet," said Fluttershy.
Brawler shrugged.
"Just as well, I'm not sure I could afford to take care of a pet anyway. I've already spent all my bits on food for myself, not sure I could handle another mouth to feed."
Scar meowed somewhat irritably.
"S-she says she can h-hunt food for herself after I take off the bandages this evening. As long as you don't mind her eating in the dojo," said Fluttershy, "She can even do her business in the forest if you want."
"Sounds fine to me, but what will I be doing to take care of her?" he asked.
Scar meowed again.
"She says all she needs is a place to stay at night, or when she wants to relax. She really likes her independence so she wants to come and go as she pleases, is that alright?" asked Fluttershy.
"Fine by me," he stood to the side of the door, "You can check the place out if you want."
Scar meowed, hobbled through the door, and began exploring.
"Are you sure you're okay with doing this?" asked Fluttershy, "I mean, I don't want to force you."
"Shy, it's fine. A little company should do me some good, so thanks," said Brawler, offering a small smile.
Fluttershy smiled back.
"Your welcome. Um," her wings twitched nervously, "I have to go and take care of the rest of my animal friends, b-but I'll be back this evening to take Scar's bandages off."
"Heh, take it easy Shy, we don't need a heart to heart within the first few moments of being acquaintances," said Brawler, "I'll see you then."
"Oh, um, okay. Goodbye Brawler," said Fluttershy, turning to leave.
"See ya Shy," said Brawler, trotting back into the dojo.
He wandered back to the storage room and saw Scar lounging on his couch.
"Hey now, that's where I sleep," said Brawler. Scar just glanced at him and yawned.
Brawler chuckled, then reached out a hoof and rubbed her head. Scar huffed a little, but didn't resist. Brawler was about to sit down beside her when there was another knock at the door.
He sighed, then trotted back toward the door.
Sheesh, who isn't visiting me today?
He opened the door and was somewhat surprised at the visitor.
"Hey Sparky, what brings you here?" he asked.
Twilight shifted uncomfortably.
"Rainbow Dash told me you agreed to train the Cutie Mark Crusaders as soon as you had Celestia's permission," she said.
Brawler nodded.
"Well, um, I wanted to let you know that I'm setting up a meeting with her and, while I have some misgivings about this, I'll get you permission as soon as I can."
Brawler nodded again.
"Alright, anything else?" he asked.
Twilight rubbed the back of her head.
"Um, can I borrow one of your books? I'm sorry it's just, all that information and history from so long ago. I, I need to read a few."
"Go ahead," said Brawler, he gestured for her to come in, "They're not even mine."
"Well maybe not officially but, pretty close," said Twilight as she trotted inside. Brawler followed her to the library and they gazed up at the wall of old books. Twilight flew up and began examining them.
"Hmm, which one should I take?" she wondered aloud.
"Just one?" asked Brawler.
"I'm currently trying to set up a meeting with the Princess of the Sun," said Twilight, she selected a book grabbed it with her telekinesis, then landed, "I don't want to get too distracted."
"Fair point. Well, enjoy the book," said Brawler.
"Thanks. Oh, how's meditation going?" asked Twilight.
"Getting better, but it'll be awhile before I'm ready," he said.
"Great, you can come to me if you have any questions."
"Thanks Sparky, see ya later."
"Sure thing, and thanks for the book." Twilight turned and trotted out of the room. Brawler walked back to the storage room. Scar was now sleeping on the couch. Brawler sat down next to her.
"You've got the right idea Scar," he said as he leaned back and closed his eyes.
Twilight trotted back to her castle with the book War on Changelings under her wing and a smile on her face. She had studied the Changeling War on a few different occasions and knew almost everything there was to know about it from an academic viewpoint. The war had broken out in the beginning of the year 537 A.N.(After Nightmare) and had lasted until mid 540 A.N.. That was a decently long war by Equestrian standards but the casualties had been surprisingly low thanks to a mare named Laughing Light. She was an unbelievably skilled defense mage who had protected both entire cities and individual troops with her incredible magic shields. She was an inspiration for many Unicorns in the Royal Guard, especially for Shining Armor. He had aspired to be like Laughing Light from the moment he had heard about her and loved it when ponies told him he was as good as she was. Twilight had tried on several occasions to find a book about the mage for her brother, but most of the facts about Laughing Light’s personality and life outside the war had become lost over the centuries.
One of the reasons Twilight was so excited to read War on Changelings was because it wasn’t a textbook, it was a memoir of one of the soldiers in the war. There was a possibility that the author had met Laughing Light and learned about her personality. It was a relatively small chance yes, but if there was any new information about Laughing Light in the book Twilight would immediately sent it to Shining Armor.
With all that in mind Twilight entered her castle and started making her way to the library to read. On her way over, she passed the kitchen. Spike was inside the room, preparing dinner.
“Hi Spike, I’m back,” said Twilight, pausing for a moment.
“Hey Twilight,” said Spike, he turned from the stove to face her, “New book?” he asked, pointing to the memoir under her wing.
“Yes indeed,” said Twilight, smiling, “From the dojo’s library too. Ooh, I can’t wait to start reading it!”
Spike rolled his eyes.
“Just remember to eat and sleep at some point,” he said, turning back to the stove.
Twilight giggled a bit sheepishly.
“Okay, okay, I will.” She started for the library again. Just as she started to turn a corner she heard Spike mutter.
“Why the hay am I cooking on a night when she’s not going to touch it?”
“You have permission to poke me to get my attention,” called Twilight.
“Okay!” answered Spike.
Twilight trotted over to the library, sat at a table, levitated the book in front of her and opened it. The first few pages were the standard publication information and author’s note; Twilight flipped past these. She wanted to read as much of the book as she could tonight and she could always check the information later. She flipped pages until she reached Chapter 1. On the right page, the story started, and on the left was a picture of a pale yellow Earth pony mare with a dark yellow mane, the mare was facing the camera so her Cutie mark wasn’t visible. The caption below the picture read: Honey Blossom, Year 535
I assume that’s the author.
Twilight turned to the other page and began reading.
Part 1: Basic
Chapter 1
If you haven’t figured it out yet my name is Honey Blossom. I was born in Fillydelphia in 511 A.N. and lived a fairly normal life as an only child then a fairly normal life as a beekeeper after I moved out of my parent’s house at age 19. It was a decent life, taking care of the bees and harvesting their honey. The only problem? You guessed it, I was bored out of my skull. Yes I loved taking care of beehives, I still do, but it’s not an all day everyday job, and I just didn’t have anything else to do.
So when a few different Changeling Queens joined together declared war on Equestria I signed up for the army on day one.
Biggest motherbucking mistake of my life.
Twilight did a double take when she read that line. She had read books with swearing before but never on that level. And signing up to protect your family, friends and country was supposed to be a good thing, how could be a mistake?
Twilight took a deep breath, and continued to read.
As expected Part 1 was all about basic training. Everything from sword maintenance to talent withdrawal endurance. Twilight took a few notes about the latter topic. She knew Brawler would always need to fight somepony again at some point but the information could give both him, and everypony else a break if they needed it.
Read about it, write about it, and do the closest thing you can to it. Not the most instructive but it’s better than nothing.
Thus far there were parts of the story that Twilight really enjoyed. Honey Blossom managed to make a few friends during basic and, while they swore a little more than necessary, reading their dialogue was usually entertaining.
What she definitely didn’t enjoy reading about were the drill exercises. Honey Blossom was very descriptive about how each of her limbs screamed in agony during the exercises, and the Drill Sergeant constantly yelling insults and brutally punishing slackers only made it worse.
“Move your ass Blossom! Watching you run is like watching my great grandma try to buck! It’s so bucking pathetic, it’s bucking PAINFUL you piece of shit!”
Twilight cringed. Shining Armor had told her that basic training was tough but he had never described anything like this. He had always said the drilling was the hardest part in the day, but Twilight was fairly certain his Sergeant had never tricked him into overeating then made him run until he threw up.
For Celestia’s sake! I’m not even at part about the war yet and some things are making me sick to my stomach.
Something sharp jabbed her shoulder.
“Ah!” Her concentration broke and the book started falling, but she managed to catch it in her magic again and keep her page.
“Spike! I said poke, not stab!” said Twilight, turning to face the little drake. Spike rolled his eyes, he was holding a platter with a plate of spaghetti with tomatoes.
“That’s what I was doing for the past minute,” he said. He stepped onto a chair and set the platter in front of Twilight.
“Oh, heh, heh, sorry Spike. This book’s just really absorbing,” said Twilight. She marked her page, set the book down, picked up a tomato slice, and tossed it into her mouth.
“Mm hmm,” said Spike, “Well, unless you need anything else I’m going to bed.”
“I’m fine Spike, you go ahead,” said Twilight.
Spike nodded, hopped of the chair and left the room. Twilight took a few bites of the spaghetti but she couldn’t resist the book for long. Soon all her attention had returned to the book and her meal sat on the table, half-eaten and forgotten.
The sun was hanging low in the sky when she finished part 1, but Twilight needed to read more. Honey Blossom had just been assigned to a squad and was being shipped to the warzone, there was no way she could stop reading now!
But she would probably need some light soon. Reluctantly, she marked her spot and set the book down. She looked up at the chandelier, focused for a moment, then lit its light crystals. With the room now properly illuminated she continued reading.
Part 2, From Private to Sergeant
Chapter 1
Ya know, they try really hard to prepare you for war in basic training. But nothing, repeat, nothing, can prepare a pony for the first time they hit a living being with a sword. There’s a meaty ‘THUNK’ and a little bit of squelching. I both love and hate the fact that I never got used to it.
Twilight covered her mouth and her stomach started tying itself in knots, but she couldn’t put the book down. The next few chapters were all about Honey Blossom’s exploits as a Private, then after six months Private First Class, then another six months later she lead a team to destroy a miniature hive and as a result was promoted to Corporal, then another year went by and she was promoted to Sergeant. Along the way, several ponies died. Both members of Honey Blossom’s squad, and some of her friends from basic. Twilight honestly wasn’t sure which one was worse to read about. When a squadmate died it was either so gory that Twilight had to put down the book to focus on forcing rising bile back down her throat, or so fast that Twilight barely caught the fact that they had died in the chaos of battle. When a friend died, well, it was a friend dying, miles away, and Honey Blossom had no way to attend her friends’ funerals. Twilight was usually crying alongside Honey Blossom each time she heard about one of her friends dying.
Yet despite all the tragedies, Twilight couldn’t pry herself away from the book for more than a minute at a time. She had to know if any of Honey Blossom’s friends made it, she had to know.
Part 3, Final Assault
Chapter 1
The end was finally in sight. After three years in hell, the end was finally in sight. We had pushed all the Changelings out of Equestria and into the Badlands. Now we were mounting one final push to make sure they never came back.
Twilight shifted uncomfortably. She'd known that Equestria had gone on the offensive in the final months of the war but it was still uncomfortable to read about. She knew it had been necessary, the Changelings were still refusing negotiations at the time and they would've mounted a counter attack if Equestria didn't continue pushing. But it was still Equestria, her home, invading another land.
With a sigh, Twilight returned to the book.
I had been briefed on the plan of attack and I had sat my squad down to tell them about it.
"Alright, great news, shitty news and good news," I said, "The great news is that, yes, the rumors are true, if we win this battle, whether or not it wins the war, we go home."
The squad started cheering but I cut them off quick.
"Calm down, the shitty news is why. The plan of attack is mounting a big assault on the front of the hive as a distraction. This will allow a Stealth squad to infiltrate the hive unnoticed and assassinate the Queen. Hopefully, that'll send a message to the other Queens that if they don't surrender, we'll wipe 'em out."
Twilight cringed.
"Why's this shitty news? You guessed it, we're on the front lines of the distraction."
That hit them hard. I had just dashed their previous hopes. When a squad went on the front line, at least one of it's members died, that was a plain fact in this war. And we were assaulting a hive, they probably thought we were all dead.
Not true in the least.
"But getting back to the good news, we're gonna be a certain war hero's back up."
The squad's eyes widened.
"You mean THE war hero?" asked Dew Drop.
"Yep, the one who defended Fillydelphia all by herself," I said.
Twilight's eyes widened. Laughing Light, it had to be, her defense of Fillydelphia was legendary. True, other defensive mages could generate city wide shields, but Laughing Light had done it for an entire day, WHILE Chanelings constantly attacked it. For the first time since opening the book, Twilight smiled, she could finally learn more about her brother's hero.
"H-holy shit," chuckled Lucky Dice, "We're actually gonna get through this. I'm gonna be able to see my kids again, and I'll be able to tell 'em that I fought alongside the one and only Cackling Lightning."
Twilight blinked.
Cackling Lightning?
That couldn't be right. No history book had ever mentioned a pony named Cackling Lightning. And again, Laughing Light was the one who defended Fillydelphia, it was what she was most famous for.
Maybe Dice just got the name wrong.
Twilight continued reading, but nopony corrected Dice. Instead Honey Blossom told her squad to prep for the attack, which would take place in two days, then she promised them all a drink when they got back home.
The next chapter was all about preparing for the attack, near the end though, a pony approached Honey Blossom.
I felt somepony tap my shoulder. I turned and saw a light gray Unicorn mare with a bright white mane and tail. Cackling Lightning.
Twilight's eye's widened. That was the description all the history books gave for Laughing Light.
B-but how? The only way a discontinuity like that could occur is if...
Twilight froze. She remembered how Brawler believed Celestia had banned this book, and all the others in the dojo library, and how, according to him, she was trying to purge all violence from Equestria.
She wouldn't, she couldn't have rewritten history. Could she?
Twilight shook herself, then continued reading.
I snapped to attention and saluted.
"Drop the army crap Sergeant, I'm not an officer," said Cackling Lightning, she was holding a flask in her telekinesis and she took a drink, "You are Sergeant Honey Blossom right?"
"Yes Sir."
"I said drop the crap."
"It was beaten into me in training Sir, and if anypony in the army deserves respect it's you Sir."
Cackling Lightning rolled her eyes.
"Whatever, at least stop saluting."
I let my hoof drop but I stayed at attention.
"Better. Now you and your squad are my backup right?"
"Yes Sir."
"Well STAY behind me, I don't need anypony getting in my way. You're just there to pick off stragglers, clear?"
"As crystal Sir."
"Teh, after the battle you'll drop the sir, just wait." She turned, took another drink, and left before I could reply.
At the time, I wondered what she meant by that. After the battle I wished I had never found out
Chapter 3
We stood behind one of the many dust hills in the Badlands. The small mountain of a hive was just on the other side. Thirty feet tall, black, slimy, filled with holes, and literally buzzing with activity.
My squad and I were psyching ourselves up. Taking deep breaths and giving last minute adjustments to our armor. Not Cackling Lightning though, she was glancing between the hive, my squad, and her lightning bolt Cutie Mark.
Twilight's eye's narrowed, another inconsistency with history, but she kept reading.
The war hero wasn't scared, she was impatient.
Before I could ponder why, the General shot a flare into the sky, signaling for the attack.
Cackling Lightning grinned. She launched herself up to the top of the hill, then summoned a massive lightning bolt to her horn and launched it at the hive. The bolt hit the hive with an earth shaking 'BOOM' and part of the outer wall crumbled away.
Twilight's eyes had nearly bulged out of her head and she felt numb, but she kept reading.
Hundreds of Changelings started spilling out of the hole and charging our position. I am not ashamed to say I might have pissed myself a little at the sight of it. Cackling Lightning though? She just well, cackled.
She stood on her hind legs and her horn glowed white. She created two twenty foot long lightning whips, wrapped the ends around each of her forelegs and charged. My squad and I hesitated for a moment, then we followed.
I could hear the war cries from the other front-liners, but the majority of my attention was on Cackling Lightning. Every time she swung one of those whips at least ten Changelings would drop, usually more, and she was swinging at least once every two seconds! And she was STILL cackling her damn head off.
But just because we were so close to the famous killing machine didn't mean we could relax. Changelings were constantly trying to get around or over her to try and attack from behind. That's where my squad and I came in. We protected her back so she could focus on killing everything in her line of sight.
I'm told the battle lasted for two and a half hours, and I honestly wouldn't know if that's right or not. When I try to remember the battle itself it's just a blur of shouting, lightning cracks, thunks, green blood and that damn cackle.
What I do know for sure is, after a long ass time, every Changeling's eyes suddenly went wide and they scattered into the air. Buzzing away as fast as their wings could carry them. At first we were confused, then we realized that the Stealth squad must've been successful and killed the Queen. We started smiling like idiots and cheering.
We'd won! The war was over! We finally got to go home!
A crackle of lightning interrupted out cheering. Cackling Lightning had turned her whips into spears and was throwing them at the retreating Changelings. One or two went down with every throw.
I rushed over and grabbed her foreleg.
"That's enough!" I shouted.
She pushed me off and dropped to all fours.
"Who asked you?"
"Their Queen's dead, they're retreating, it's over."
The war hero laughed.
"You don't get it do you? It'll never be over for me," she said.
"What?"
"These Changelings have killed everypony I ever cared about," she said, still grinning, "Avenging them is the only time I feel alive."
She chuckled.
"Agh, who am I kidding? Maybe at first it was like that but now? Heh, Now I'm just addicted to killing these motherbuckers. Cause as soon as I stop killing, I have to stop and see what I am."
She chuckled again.
"I guess these Changelings really have taken everything from me. My friends, my family, and my soul."
She sighed, and pulled out her flask from one of her pouches.
"When this war's over, I'm slitting my throat."
We all gasped.
"Don't act so surprised, like I said, as soon as the killing stops I have to see what a monster I am," she took a drink.
"Enjoy the victory feast, I'm gonna go get hammered." And with that she teleported away.
Needless to say, my squad and I were a bit shaken up after her speech. But after a few hours we were able to push it to the back of our minds and enjoy ourselves.
We got sent home. We were awarded medals and we lived the rest of our lives in peace.
I'm a grandma now, and I've lived a long happy life with my husband. But I will never forget that war, and I will never forget that cackle.
The End
Twilight sat staring at the page for what felt like a long time.
"Twilight?" came Spike's voice, "Were you up all night again?"
Twilight looked up and saw that it was indeed morning. She took a deep breath, and closed the book.
"Twilight? Are you okay?"
"Spike, take a letter. I need to see Princess Celestia NOW."
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Want to try and have somepony completely unexpected be his psychiatrist?
I think you should add a character who will be the antithesis to Brawler. Like a seemingly cowardly pony who takes underhanded tricks to get things done.
The plot thickens. There are some interesting consequences of the backstory here. I dig it.
So Celestia is going as far as the Unperson people. How deep does her Unpersoning go, how many are unrecognized for their sacrifices and their service?
It's scary to think that she is doing this for the Greater Good.
Am I the only one mentally putting Jeremy Iron's voice to Scar in this chapter?
Really curious as to what Twilight's letter will say. I'm really looking forward to that bit. :3 Not much else to say other than I eagerly await the next chapter.
Scar and Opal meeting? Dear god, are they going to team up? No! Please, not that! They'll shred the world 'neath their mighty kitty claws!
... What Twilight hates more than anything, is not learning a lesson.
History, can NOT be covered up, ignorance is bliss? Try ignorance is idiocy.
Religion hundreds of years ago was utilized as a way to 'keep the peace', if peasants became too knowledgeable it might result in a revolt for better conditions, so any attempts to expand knowledge and enlighten others was treated as heresy, enemies of god even. This... I am seeing a NATION with this very double standard of 'peace', following some made up idea that the world is as peaceful as they say, that their race only has the exceptional few 'problems'.
We have monsters, Stalin, Attila the Hun, Adolf Hitler, Vlad the Impaler.
We made up monsters, Frankenstein, Dracula, Voldemort, countless many...
I can stand killing, I can stand monsters, I can even understand the atrocities that others commit on the battlefield.
But I can NOT stand sweeping a mess under the carpet. We LEARN from our monsters.
But we don't HIDE our mistakes under a flase blacket of Kindness, is this Kindness? erasing all memories of ponies before?
Where is the Honesty Celestia? You can't even let a persons memory for who they are survive? You likely BURNED all those memories in a book for this, I'm not believing there was only one put to paper at the time.
What about Laughter? Do you think any of the 'violent' ponies in jail are laughing? Being imprisoned simply because of a mark? Not judging the pony they are? I seriously DOUBT that Brawler is the only one!
Loyalty goes both ways! How many people have you betrayed to ensure this stupid 'peaceful' outlook! How many ponies thought you were their benevolent Princess, while you were wiping their existence and efforts for the future!
Generosity? That's a real crock of shit, ADMIT when your spreading yourself thin by not being as kind as you can for every one of your ponies, don't act like everything is normal while you deal with the 'trouble cases'.
Well... you certainly have the Magic of Friendship I suppose, after all, it's not like you have to be friends with everyone.
Just the ones that matter to your puny idiot view of the world you wish, free of any, and ALL, problems...
Just a perfect world right?
... Brawler, I seriously hope you amount of more than just someone who 'stays on the sidelines'.
I doubt you would, you deal with problems in front of you... I wonder if you'll ever deal with the ones that are coming towards you however.
... I'm done, next chapter.
Wow, that history book about Cackling Lightning was dark and intense. Hope to see what Twilight would tell to Celestial about her decision to rewrite history.
6441351 The psychiatrist thing probably isn't going to happen. As for Brawler's antithesis, I have a certain pony in mind, but he won't appear until the climax.
6441495 Pretty much agreed.
I can not see the following conversation between Celestia and Twilight going well. This pretty much proves Brawler's claims of Celestia rewriting history and burning books. This is Twilight we're talking about here. The idea of anypony actually burning books... Can you say fiery rage kiddies?
I hope Celly gets the hammer.
6441556 By antithesis, I mean somepony who he disagrees with, but will be friends with.
6441473 I honestly have no idea how you made that connection until I looked him up and saw that he was Scar in the Lion King. Wasn't my intention to link those two but I'll admit it's pretty funny.
6441596 Ah, then yes, he'll be showing up fairly soon. (He's already been mentioned in the story, but I won't say where)
Not surprised Celestia erased and rewrote history to get rid of all violence. The US government is whitewashing all of our history to erase all evidence of slavery and that it ever existed to be more politically correct. It's been slowly happening for decades cause when i was in school, in history class slavery just appeared out of thin air right before the Civil War.
Celestia is a believer in New History? How am I not surprised?
That ending that war "HERO"
sharegif.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/tumblr_mmwvz6yFqZ1rvs9wso1_.gif
I love it.
6441610 Who is he?
6441664
Slavery was bad but don't forget that usually our treatment of the Native Peoples of North America aren't discussed much better...or the Chinese...or the Irish...or the Japanese...God, how the hell was this country built on immigration when we always treat immigrants horribly?
The thing that disturbs me about changing a war story like that is it seems to hide the true horror that is war. There's a reason Robert E. Lee's quote is considered a good one: "It is well that war is so terrible -- lest we should grow too fond of it."
Also, I think Cackling Lightning's story is both good and highly depressing. The change to it hides what true sacrifice she made. She literally sacrificed herself, whether that's right or wrong depends on your view but it is a sacrifice worth remembering anyway.
Celestia manipulating history to suit her own needs? I'm not suprised.
Now that is a plot twist.
6441886
EXACTLY, listen to what this guy is saying!
I live in the UK, remembrance day is a BIG thing here for all lives lost in WW1, to put it in perspective, it's like saying 'Hey, how about we cover up EVERYTHING that happened, we didn't waste years inside the trenches, and those men didn't die, let's just cover up all the losses and heroes of that war and sweep it under the rug!'
I would personally punch every last tooth out of whoever said that, in fact, I'd GLADLY wait in line to have my turn!
Immortality has managed to make Celestia an experienced ruler... but she is TRULY a horrible thing she is doing.
It's desecrating all the sacrifices and personality of not only the soldiers that died, but even Cackiling Lightning, the drunk , near insane and war weary mare she was, was replaced with a glowing happy mask, created by Celestia in arts and crafts class!
It's... disrespectful, IN EVERY WAY.
6441803 Garry the traveling sales griffon
6441841 By trying to erase as much evidence of it as possible. Eventually the Civil War will never have happened and the slaves will have come over to America of their own free will.
Wow. To think That Shining Armor's Idol and inspiration to join the Royal Guard was all a lie made by Celestia. Lets hope he never finds this Book. It would destroy him. Also I bet when Celestia gets the Letter She goes and torches the Dojo to the Ground.
6442005 He should be more of a mentor figure. How about Blueblood? They butt heads whenever they meet, but Blueblood actually has low self eesteem? At this point, you should probably PM me.
6441472 (All around the table) The Greater Good.
6442052
Eh, tbh it depends on who you have as your history teacher. My high school AP teacher and the book didn't sugar coat things and tended to simplify the civil war a bit but it's too important to be marginalized that much. You tend to get simplifications over time but there's too many people who insist on realizing the truth. At least, that's true for me over here in untouched by the civil war (if I remember right) California.
6441495 I agree with you, this is a disgraceful way of how a ruler should be acting.
Opal: "Fuck you i own this place"
Scar: *cuts her ribbon of in one go*
ahhh yes celestia done alot of censorship.. seems like she missed a spot though
6441495 You really went all out on this one, huh?
6443139
Pretty much.
This is an unforgivable crime to me.
That line. I need a drink after that line.
Did you intentionly wrote it like this, or did you mean "kid"?
You are missing a "the" between these two.
These two words have to change places.
I´m not sure, but I think it´s "must've".
6444400 Thanks again, and yes I meant kit, as in kitten
I'm surprised that Celestia actually sent Twilight off to save the Crystal Empire.
All those thousand-year-old books, all speaking of war and war and more war
6454617
Sombra could have been censoring just as much as Celestia. He wouldn't want his slaves finding books that gave them idea to resist him and revolt. Probably the only reason there was stuff on the Crystal Fair in the Library was because the knowledge wouldn't do them any good anyway with what he had done to them as well as having possession of the Crystal Heart.
Just read through all of this, and quite honestly, Celestia is a fucking idiot. with what Brawler was able to do to Tirek, if he had been free or if there were more ponies with talents like this that weren't being suppressed they could have ANNIHILATED Tirek before he gained full power.. About the only reason Tirek wasn't made into a fine Paste by Brawler is because he was basically a god at the time he attacked him.
Also, is there going to be anything done about those 20 guards or at least that first one for filing a false report on what happened, or the Shop Keepers in the area for giving false testimonies? Or his father for attempted murder?
6521901 First guard, maybe (If I can work it in), rest of them no, they were just doing their jobs. Shopkeepers, probably not, hard to find them all after almost a decade, Brawler's Dad, no but only because Brawler thinks it's not worth it and just never wants to see his Dad again.
Is there gonna be an update soon, I need more of this and I only got done reading last night.
6524374 I update once a month, more if I have the time but I usually don't. All my chapters are at least 5,000 words long and right now I'm about 2,000 words into the next chapter.
Too dark my shiny surface!
I can't imagine Scar's meeting Opal will lead to anything but glory. Glory!
In all honesty there will be much blood on that day. So, so, so much blood.
Hmmm... That's sadly an accurate description of a frontline war heroes' psyche. Nice job.
6441495
What this guy said, every word.
Holy shit Celestia, that is a massive no! That's so dumb... wow... just... speechless...
Good chapter though into the past, I liked it...
Onward.