Tales of Old Equestria: 1st Saga

by Pending Storm

Chapter 8: Shifting Winds

High up in the bright blue sky, Cloudsdale was a hive of activity.

Commander Sky Fury stood, perched atop the tallest point in the city. Far below, legions of Sky Tribe soldiers labored to transform the city into a defensive bastion. She observed the quaint little homes getting pulled down for raw materials, the air thick with vapor from the demolished structures. Shops were demolished to make way for barricades and guard towers.

She glanced to the south, checking on the progress of the larger renovations. Hundreds of ropes strained in unison, dragging an entire district of the great city to a more convenient location. As she watched, the massive section of cloud was tugged into place with a tremor even Sky Fury could feel, despite the distance.

To the east, hundreds of local pegasi wandered under guard toward one of the dozens of new dungeons. Flashes of lightning from the still raging Shroud provided a backdrop to their march.

She heard somepony land behind her. “Commander.” It was the voice of Captain Inclement, her second-in-command. His arrival prompted not even the slightest movement from Sky Fury, her posture remained still as a statue. For a brief moment, he suspected that she had not heard him.

Their manes and tails shifted in the whistling wind. “Captain,” she replied, unenthused.

“We’ve made significant progress on restructuring Cloudsdale. Despite the setbacks, it is quite likely we’ll be able to complete the final step of our plan on schedule.”

“Good.”

Though she often gave the impression of being in a bad mood, it was clear to him that the commander still felt humiliated about what had happened during the assembly. The differences were subtle, a certain set to her jaw, the flare of her nostrils, but Inclement had developed a sense for such things during his time with Sky Fury.

“Commander, are you sure you’re not hurt?” he reluctantly inquired.

Silence stretched between them, only the twitch of an ear signaled she even heard him. “I’m fine,” she said, still facing away from Inclement.

“Are you absolutely certain? If you are unable to fight Celestia at peak condition, this whole plan may very well-”

Sky Fury turned her head to the side, glancing at him with one of her yellow eyes. “I said I’m fine,” she retorted harshly, then went back to looking at the city down below.

He paused, and decided it was best to drop it; he had seen what happened to ponies who made her angry. “Yes, ma’am, my apologies. I meant no offense.” Inclement wasn’t sure which was colder: the commander’s icy glare, or the chill wind that was rapidly gaining strength.

With a deep breath, she regained her composure. “The Shroud, can it be salvaged?”

The purple stallion quietly sighed in relief. He lifted his bearded chin up high as he formed his response. “Perhaps, though it’s still quite hazardous. If we wait for the storm to die down, there won’t be enough time to finish construction.”

“I see. Nevertheless, we may still have use for it.”

Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard the flap of wings behind her, followed by the sound of hooves landing on cloud. She pivoted to see Corporal Freezing Rain and Private Cyclone, the latter of which hung his head low, appearing weak. Sky Fury’s eyebrow lifted as her nostrils flared in disgust.

“Commander Sky Fury! Captain Inclement!” the corporal said with a salute, breathing heavily. “I have urgent news to report!”

“Speak.”

Freezing Rain cleared his throat. “Not long ago, one of our soldiers returned with a captured unicorn; she informed us that her squad had gotten into a skirmish with some Groundsdale escapees. When I arrived at the scene with reinforcements, we discovered the entire squad to be unconscious, save for the private here.” The corporal directed his gaze toward Private Cyclone, whom continued to avoid eye contact. “According to him, he was knocked out shortly after the rest of his squad were defeated, though I suspect there’s something he’s not telling us. With the exception of the unicorn that was brought to us, all the escapees had, uh, escaped without casualties.”

“Escaped…?” Sky Fury growled, her voice laced with quiet rage. She stomped her hoof, causing the cloud underneath them all to shake. She glared down at Cyclone, as if daring him to look up at her.

Inclement gave a disapproving frown. “And what did the rest of the squad say?”

The corporal shrugged. “We’ve been unable to wake them. Can’t say for certain when they’ll regain consciousness. Could be days, sir.”

Commander Sky Fury took another deep breath, her anger seemingly pacified. She nonchalantly walked toward Cyclone before stopping directly in front of him. She towered over the green stallion, staring at him with unsettling intensity. “Tell me, how many did you let escape? How did a couple of villagers manage to defeat you?”

Cyclone gulped nervously. “F-four... only four of them... Commander, please, i-it wasn’t our fault! One of them was a ninja, and another was a highly skilled soldier, and the others-”

Sky Fury turned to Inclement with bemusement creeping across her face.

“Ah, yes, there were several reports of a unicorn in strange garb attacking our troops during the invasion of Groundsdale,” Inclement informed her. “Apparently, the locals call her ‘The Shadow Ninja’.”

“There’s s-something else,” Cyclone said uneasily. “The other two ponies that escaped…” he hesitated, shifting his weight slightly, subconsciously bracing himself for the worst. “One of them was Roswell Rivet, the earth pony in the flying stall you brought down during the assembly... and the other one… was Pending Storm.”

The Commander’s eyes widened. “Her?” She frowned at him as she clenched her teeth. “You must be mistaken, Private... I killed her. I killed both of those ponies.”

He shuffled nervously. “W-with all due respect, Commander, I-I’d recognize those ponies anywhere! I assure you, they are alive and on the loose!”

Cyclone noticed one of her eyes twitch, and the next thing he knew, she had grabbed him by the collar of his armor with her right hoof, lifting him in the air. Even Captain Inclement and Corporal Freezing Rain were startled by the sheer speed of the action.

“Do you even realize how much your incompetence has jeopardized our plan? Can you even comprehend the magnitude of your failure?” she snarled. The breeze picked up to a bursting gale, almost as if to punctuate her words. “If they manage to get word out about our invasion of Cloudsdale before tomorrow, we are finished!” Sky Fury swung her other hoof out, unsheathing the blade in her bracer. “Do you know where they’re heading?!”

Inclement and Freezing Rain raised their forelegs to shield their eyes from the blasting wind, as well as to conceal their visible alarm. Their hearts sounded in their chests as they watched the scene as if from a hundred miles away.

Private Cyclone had broke into a sweat, trembling in the commander’s grasp, her mane whipping his face. He knew he couldn’t tell her about his interrogation at the hooves of the Shadow Ninja, and how he had revealed most of their invasion plans to her. At the same time, he also knew that withholding the truth of what had happened could result in the downfall of the Sky Tribe.

“B-before I was knocked unconscious... I saw where they were heading! They... I-I think they went northeast, toward Canterlot!”

“You think?!” Sky Fury roared, inching the blade closer to his throat..

“I-I know they went northeast!”

The Commander was silent for a few moments, her blade still aimed at the private.

Inclement realized that she had nearly finished contemplating the young stallion's fate. "Commander..." Inclement began, his voice drowned out by the wind. He took a step forward, raising his voice to compete with the roaring winds. "Commander, with all due respect, I would advise against executing Private Cyclone. While we're on an active campaign, and especially considering those who were wounded in today's invasions, we cannot afford to lose any more warriors, especially so close to our invasion of Canterlot..."

Sky Fury paused, her piercing gaze drilling into the private. A bead of sweat drifted down the side of his face in the eternity before she spoke. “You’ve always been far too forgiving, Captain.” There was silence as Sky Fury held Cyclone up in the air, his face frozen in fear. After a few more seconds of consideration, she tossed him aside, and turned away. “This time, however, you make a fair point.”

The private landed with a grunt, letting out the breath he had unknowingly been holding. He took a deep breath, letting it out with relief. “Thank you... You will not regret this, Commander. I promise, I won’t fail again.”

“Be gone,” she said irritably.

Corporal Freezing Rain and Private Cyclone departed quickly in case she decided to change her mind, flying off in the opposite direction before making their descent.

Cyclone adjusted his collar. “Mares just can’t keep their hooves off me today,” he muttered. “...Never would’ve thought that would be a bad thing.”

Inclement watched as the two departed, then shifted his attention to Sky Fury. Lowering his hoof as the wind subsided, he was reminded of how often she would stare off into the horizon. Many in the tribe found the behavior strange, but he understood why.

She can be tyrannical, even cruel. It's disheartening at times, and yet, she has my undying loyalty, as well as... my admiration, he mused, the thought causing his features to relax. Strength. Speed. Courage. Intellect. Beauty. If only you still had a heart, I might consider...

His thoughts were interrupted as she began to speak. “So, they’re heading for Canterlot...to warn their princess, no doubt. And it would seem they’re capable fighters, at least for ground-dwellers.” Her piercing gaze settled on him, as cold as the scowl on her face. “The situation is quickly deteriorating. We cannot take any more chances; send in the Night Terrors,” she instructed.

“The Night Terrors?” His face crinkled with distaste. “Commander, with all due respect, there is no need to resort to them, especially at this time of the day. Allow me to send a detachment of soldiers I know will get the job done. They will not fail us.”

There was a brief pause. “Very well, Captain. I trust you are right about that. Oh, and Inclement…”

He blinked, surprised by her sudden informality. “Yes, ma’am?”

“I’m moving our timetable forward. Finish the preparations on the city as soon as possible; no more delays. Also,” she added. “...as soon as you’re finished, interrogate Pending Storm’s father. I want to know the source of her abilities.”

“Of course, Commander,” he said with a nod. “I’ll oversee both tasks personally.”

Sky Fury turned away once more. “Dismissed.”

---

The air was filled with the sounds of chirping birds as the four ponies trotted through the woods. After their last discussion from a few hours prior, they had spent much of their journey galloping at top speed; their stamina fortified by their determination to save their loved ones. Even Pending Storm had managed to keep up with the others, much to everyone’s surprise.

Eventually, vigor turned to fatigue, forcing the group to slow to a trot, but even that had become draining.

Pending Storm was lagging behind Roswell for awhile before stumbling upon a rock and falling chin-first to the ground. The rest of the group stopped in their tracks and ran over to her aid.

“You okay, Pendo?” Roswell asked, looking down at the collapsed pegasus.

She looked up at them from the ground, exhausted. “Would now... be a good time... for a break?” she inquired between breaths.

Roswell reached down and helped her off the ground, grunting slightly from exertion.

“Thanks, Roz,” Pending muttered gratefully.

He nodded wearily, the fatigue sapping his will to speak.
Sheila Shadowmane, formerly known as The Shadow Ninja, closed her eyes and sighed; she too had grown weary from their travels. “Yes... perhaps that would be for the best.”

“We must keep moving,” Hard Counter asserted, doing his best to hide his exhaustion. “For now, let us walk.”

As they began to saunter, Pending noticed Roswell was sweating more than anyone else. “Are you okay?”

“Who, me? I’m fiiiiine… it’s just this heat, it’s killing me!” he said before pulling out a odd-looking doodad. Storm could only describe it as a miniature brass windmill. A small crank sat in its side among various glittering bits and pieces.

“Wearing a coat full of steam certainly isn’t helping,” Hard Counter remarked dryly.

Sheila tugged lightly on Roswell’s coat. “You might want to consider taking this off for now. We wouldn’t want you passing out on us.”

The orange stallion stared at her in bewilderment. “Take it off? My beloved coat?” Roswell turned forward, focusing ahead. “Perish the thought.” He sat down for a moment, fiddling with the crank. A sharp metallic clicking echoed from deep inside the device. As the clicking ground to a halt, he released his grip, and the tiny 'windmill' sprang to life, a light breeze wafting from its twirling blades. Roswell resumed walking with the rest of the group, holding the gadget with one of his forelegs. “Besides, I invented this gadget especially for just such an occasion. I call it the Gust Grinder.”

“Well, if you insist…” Sheila replied before shifting her attention forward.

Pending Storm began trotting until she had caught up with the ninja. “Dang, I still can’t believe you’re actually Sheila,” she said.

Sheila gave a perplexed look. “This again? I thought we had moved on from that.”

“I know, I know, but it's not everyday you learn that the Shadow Ninja is the same pony who casts cloudwalking spells on your pet!” Pending exclaimed in astonishment. “Now that I think of it, though, you do look kinda like her, except now your hair is red and black, and it's styled differently.”

“What’s this about a cloudwalking spell?” Hardy asked.

“I have a pet, he’s a sloth named Slowpoke. Normally, he wouldn’t be able to live with me in Cloudsdale, but thanks to Sheila’s spells, he’s able to walk on clouds like a pegasus would. Too bad she doesn’t cast them for free, though...”

“What in Equestria is a sloth?”

Pending smiled. “Oh, you’ll see. I’ll have to introduce you two-” her face darkened. “I mean, assuming we ever get the chance...”

“Of course we will,” Sheila said matter of factly. “This ordeal will not be the end of us. I promise you.” From the corner of her eye, she noticed Hard Counter turn his head to her with a wary stare.

I know, I know, Shadowmane thought. I shouldn’t make promises I can’t keep...

“You hear that, Pending? This whole situation will be over in no time,” Roswell assured, putting on another smile for her. “We’ll make it to Canterlot, warn Princess Celestia of the Sky Tribe, and before you know it, we’ll be back in Groundsdale, celebrating our victory against those ruffians! Slowpoke will be there, Crash Landing will be there, and Roswell Rations- oh... “ His smile vanished, replaced with a look of concern.

Placing the Gust Grinder in one of his pockets, he moved to walk alongside Hard Counter. “Excuse me, Hard Counter-”

“It’s fine if you call me Hardy,” he responded, his eyes fixed on the path ahead.

“Oh, alright, Hardy, I believe you mentioned something about my air shop earlier? The one that fell from the sky?”

“Yeah, I saw it.”

“Ah, excellent,” said Roswell with a hopeful smile. “I hesitate to ask, but what sort of condition was it in?”

There was a pause before his response. “...Condition?”

“Yeah, you know, what kind of shape was it in? I’m trying to get an idea of how long it will take to restore to its former glory.” Roswell gazed upwards, visualizing the air shop in the sky. “It’s my greatest invention, and I can imagine it was a little roughed up when you saw it.”

Hard Counter briefly glanced at him. “Uh, yeah, you could say that…”

Roswell’s face twisted with concern. “P-pardon?”

“Let’s just say I never would’ve guessed it was an air shop.”

The inventor made an audible gulp. “...where did it crash?”

“A house. It was reduced to little more than debris.”

“The house or the shop?!” the inventor asked, worry creeping into his voice.

“Yes...”

There was a brief silence. “Oh… I see.” Roswell Rivet sulked, his eyes downcast. “I guess I can just rebuild it, but... it’ll never be the same.”

The swordspony patted him on the back. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure your next shop will be even better, improved,” he said with a subdued smile. “Maybe next time, the shop will have its own parachute.”

The melancholy faded from the orange stallion’s expression, exchanged for a smirk. “Yah know, that’s not such a bad idea. Thanks, Hardy.”

“Really?” Hardy asked in bemusement. “I was just joking about that last part, but hey, glad to be of service.”

Roswell chuckled. “Heh, if this were onstage, this would be the part where the protagonists, most of whom began their journey together as strangers, bond with one another during their journey, becoming more comfortable as they get to know each other. These bonds develop into lasting friendships, and together, they can overcome any obstacle that stands in their way.” A nervous twitch crept into his smile. “I mean, assuming we aren’t in a tragedy, that is.”

“I take it you’re a fan of the theater?” Sheila asked, grateful for an opportune change of subject.

“Quite so!” he replied enthusiastically, taking his mind off his uneasiness. “I’ve long been a devotee to such productions since I was but a small colt. Ever since my parents brought me to my first play, my dream has been to become a playwright; to create stories and characters that will be remembered for centuries to come. I want ponies of all ages to see my productions, and hopefully even inspire a few to craft their own stories. Truly, if this dream were to become a reality, I…” His eyes gleamed with wonder. “I would be truly fulfilled.”

“So, what’s stopping you?” asked Hard Counter as he stepped over a large tree root.

“Well, I’ve been sending copies of my scripts to theaters across Equestria, but I haven’t had much luck so far. It’s always something! They’ll complain that some themes were too subtle for general audiences, or the stories were too unusual and unpredictable... can you believe that?! Ponies like that are the reason theatrical productions have become so stale! I try to introduce some fresh ideas, and they tell me it's too risky. At least they admitted my writing was top-notch.”

Pending Storm burst forward to trot alongside Roswell. “I told you, Roswell, they’d accept your scripts every time if you just used MY ideas.”

He sighed. “For the last time, Pending, I’m not going to write a story called ‘The Epic Adventures of Princess Storm’! How would we even depict her dragon-sized pet, Titanisloth, on stage?”

“Don’t ask me, you’re the inventor,” Storm replied. “Ooh, ooh, wait, Sheila? Do you think you could cast a spell on Slowpoke to make him really big?” The ninja stopped in her tracks, looking fixedly in another direction, prompting the rest of the group to halt as well. She remained perfectly still, the only exception being the occasional twitch from her perked ears. “Uh, Sheila?” The unicorn shushed Pending in response.

Storm frowned at this. “Rude! I hate it when ponies-!” Sheila raised a hoof and shushed her again. Pending’s frown transitioned to a pout. “Knock it off, Sheila!”

Hardy placed a hoof on Pending’s shoulder to placate her. “Is there something wrong?” he asked quietly.

Sheila Shadowmane turned her head slightly. “Listen... do you hear that? Do you hear it, too?” she inquired in a low tone of voice.

The other three tried listening for any unusual sounds, but heard nothing. Only after concentrating on filtering out the sounds of nature could they hear it; a metallic clang that repeated every other second. There was a subtle rhythm to the sound as every third beat had a slight delay and was louder.

“I hear it,” Hard Counter replied.

“Same here,” added Roswell.

“Me too!” Pending rejoined.

Sheila relaxed, rotating herself to face the others. “I’m not sure what could be making that sound, especially way out here in the woods.”

“I’m not sure either, but it kinda reminds me of a hammer, as though striking steel over a forge,” stated Hard Counter. “I often heard it during my days as a knight.”

“B-but what if it’s the Sky Tribe?” Pending Storm questioned timidly.

Roswell stepped forward. “We won’t know till we investigate. Come on, gang, once more unto the breach!”

To be continued...

Author's Note:

Credit to Yoichi Hayabusa for the cover art. Check out his page on DeviantArt.
Credit to Drazex, M1 A4 Abrams, and Shadowpaw1007 for editing and revisions.
Credit to Yoichi Hayabusa for creating the following OCs: Sheila Shadowmane, Hard Counter, Crash Landing, and Pending Storm.
Credit to Tesseradical17 for his OC, Roswell Rivet.

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

If the main OCs in this story were voiced, what would they sound like?

[Pending Storm]

8724134 While not exact, here's a basic idea of how I imagine their voices:
Pending Storm: a mix of Derpy and Rainbow Dash
Roswell Rivet: similar to the voice of the narrator from Battleblock Theater.
Hard Counter: maybe an older-sounding Shining Armor, but without the "dude" accent.
Sheila Shadowmane: slightly deeper than the average mare and a consistently calm tone.
Sky Fury: similar to Tempest Shadow, with a touch of Nightmare Moon.

Hope that answers your question.