The Third Diary

by Nameless Narrator

Sometimes Hope Comes To You

Neither of us knows how to break the silence.

My eyes slide over the official Black Ops jacket, tight fitting with golden embroidery, over the intricate mechanical arm taking place of his right one, and over the clawed 'weapon' on his back.

Him having that thing is what pushes me over the edge.

"Cro..."

"I can't believe this is real. Please let it be real," he mumbles again.

It's been months since my death in the mirror world and he still has my old arm prosthesis strapped on his back like last time I saw him. The question of how he's got one instead of his arm will have to wait for later.

"I wish you didn't have to meet the mummified chicken version of me," I look at him apologetically.

"You've never looked better," his smile grows wider with every step towards me.

"Cro..."

"Blaze..."

Both of us stand there in the dumbest fashion possible, stomping the floor nervously.

"How did you recognize me anyway? I mean aside from few strands of fur there's not much left," I try something innocent.

"I see you every time I close my eyes," he says simply, "Plus, the wings betrayed you."

"Wings?" I turn my head to see...

...NOT the bandaged featherless wingbones hanging limply by my sides.

They are still there, covered in short bronze fur. What is a throwback though are the see-through fiery plumes completing my wings like in the good old days.

"I wasn't sure you would even want to see me," Cromach looks at the floor, "but then your wings started burning and from what I remember fire means good, ice means bad."

The shock washes away. The idiot thinks I'm mad at him for what he did but I know now that the problem has been me all along. One of the problems.

I smile, worried but hopeful.

Uh oh.

Sometimes it's important to get things out of the way first... even if it might mean losing him again.

"Are you free for a while so we can sit down and talk?"

"Well, I'm here to investigate somepony smuggling mirror world blueprints into ours again. After what Icy Gaze did both sides want to keep an eye out and poke an eye out if necessary. I've got nothing to go on yet though-"

"Would a swirly magical portal in one of the top floor storage rooms help you?"

"Aaaaand now I have all the time in the world to talk to you, buddy. Investigation over."

"Don't get too carried away. I have no idea where it leads."

"I don't care. You've just told me more than all Black Ops information sources I went through combined. I'd love to spend some time with you... if you can... forgive me."

He closes his eyes and lowers his head when I reach out with my arm and slide my talons over his face. Being this meek is so unlike him and just that is enough for me to know he wants to make things return to the way they were. That, unfortunately, is impossible. There is somepony he needs to meet.

That doesn't mean I don't have several things I need to get off my chest as well.

"You did nothing wrong."

His eyes shoot open.

"I-"

"You. Did. Nothing. Wrong," I place a talon to his beak, "I didn't call on you for help. I USED Heavy Hoof because I knew he would feel guilty for what happened in Manehattan and do what I wanted. I tried to do everything on my own without telling anypony and it came to bite me in the plot. I did everything to cause the ending I wanted... and, unfortunately, I got it. Thankfully, I had the amount of control over my fate I usually have so I received another chance to return."

"You're not mad at me, at all?"

"Just a little," I smile smugly, "for not coming with me yet."

He wordlessly follows me as I walk through the Ironclaw hallways back to Rock Candy's room to see... Mistake. The final hurdle is upon me.

Mistake's form is what Cro loved, not mine. When Nightmare transformed me back into mine he almost went berserk. Granted, it was influencing him as well but Nightmare can't assume control of somepony outright. It used his memory of fighting insane Blazing Light in Manehattan against him. I wish I knew then what I know now. So much could have been prevented, so many lives saved, and most of it was simply my fault.

BUT, one big but, if seeing Mistake doesn't make Cro throw me away then all I need to do is wait for the supply caravan and then come home with him. If he does choose Mistake then...

...it's also good. I can pour my divine power into him, give him more life, more realness. After all, he's the better part of me, the smarter one, the one not so mentally and emotionally unstable. They would be so much more happy than... us. On the other hoof, maybe I'm just a selfish bastard but I want something for myself. I'm not going to give up before I see the result even if the other option is much better for all parties involved.

As I open the door to reveal Mistake sleeping by himself on the bed, Rock Candy pokes her head from the little storage closet on the side. Her eyes go wide and she snaps to attention, standing straight up and saluting.

"At ease, soldier," Cromach nods and Rocky's eyes dart from me to him.

"Wake up, Mistake," I say calmly, knowing my call will move the black unicorn.

He immediately perks his ears and jumps from the bed even before noticing anything around. As he looks at Cromach I feel a hint of pain in my head.

I know what you're trying to do.

Of course you do. You are me, only better.

I AM NOT. I have no experience with this-

You have all my knowledge. You have better access to the knowledge of all three gods than I do.

I have NO REAL EXPERIENCE! I chose not to share the feeling when I touched the minotaur for real because I thought you would stop trusting me. I EXPERIENCED NOTHING, I LIVED THROUGH NOTHING. I just KNOW things. That's different.

Courage, that's what we lack the most, Mistake. Both of us. Both one of us. Language doesn't really cover our situaton well.

Alright, but let me be me, not you.

Mistake bows to Cromach who is just staring, paralyzed.

"My name is Mistake."

"I know," Cromach nods his head so fast his feathers rustle, "I've known you-"

"No," Mistake's pink eyes lock with Cromach's emeralds, "You have met me only once and that was under less than good circumstances right before Holy Light almost successfully killed us."

"What are you saying? We met in Canterlot when I thought you were a pickpocket-"

"No. The two of you met," Mistake nods towards me, "I might LOOK like the pony you fell in love with but he's standing over there, thinking I'm something I'm not, and trying not to come between us, ignoring the fact that there is no US. There is only YOU. No matter how our appearances change I'm just a small part of the pony you know. The one you know is him."

"You thought I'd go for him instead of you," Cromach turns his head to me, shock and a hint of starting fury in his voice.

I raise my hoof.

"In my defense, you almost did."

That is enough to make him freeze.

"Yes," he grits his beak and comes so close to my face that I can feel his ragged breathing, "I almost did. I am a selfish and shallow griffon and yet you still tried to indulge that side of me despite even your body portraying how you felt about meeting me again. With that in mind..."

He sits down and grabs my disfigured arm with talons of both his own, both the real one and the artificial one. His voice turns firmer than tempered steel.

"I am yours. Your life is my life and your end is my end. I promise I will stand by your side in anything you choose to do. You are more important to me than the princesses, the Empire, or my own goals. I will protect you from all harm in any way I can and I will fulfill your every wish. No god, no mortal ruler, and no danger will stop me. This is a promise I make right here and now never to be broken. Will you give my life meaning and accept?"

"You... do realize you might not be the only one I want to spend my life with?"

"Yes."

"No objections?"

"No."

"Saddle and reigns."

"I will wear them proudly in front of Luna if you want."

"I might be going mad with power now."

"I'm glad I could be of assistance, master."

"I accept, Cro, under one condition."

"Anything."

"You will hold me on a tight leash. If I threaten to slip back to the way I was, to hurt those around me with my infinite stupidity then you are to do ANYTHING, even if I'm against it, even if it hurts me temporarily to make me see again."

"I will."

I put my hoof over his arms holding mine.

"I didn't understand it for a long time but I'm the luckiest pony in the world."

Both of us turn to a barely contained sqeak coming from Rocky fidgeting like a caged rabbit.

"THAT WAS AWESOME!"

"Rocky, as you might have, ehm, noticed we've known each other for a while, can you grab us something from the cantine?"

"I'll give you privacy, don't worry," she grins so wide her white teeth cast rays of light at us.

As she leaves Mistake shuffles over to Crom.

"I hope you don't forget me completely, sir."

"Wow," Crom's eyes glint sadistically, "he acts like a shyer version of you."

"A good way to think about him is like a different, although quite similar, guy who knows everything I do."

"Sooo... how about a creepy unicorn-griffon-alicorn threesome selfcest?" Mistake sticks his tongue out.

"I LIKE HIM!" exclaims Crom.

"I thought you would," I grin and nod towards the bed, "but first I'd like to know how you got here in the first place. They told me the only way in and out of here is the monthly GFL supply caravan."

"I got here on rocket thrusters. Unfortunately, this fortress doesn't own a supply of fuel so I can't go back until the caravan arrives. I sort of wasn't expecting to get a clue to resolving the smuggling problem this soon."

"And what about that thing?" I tap on his mechanical arm.

"Well, that's another reason I'm here. I lost mine in a fight and since I carried yours with me all the time I lent it to princess Twilight and some unicorns to examine and craft a similar one. That's about the only mirror world design we're legally allowed to copy."

"Who was good enough to beat you, some evil unicorn mage?"

"A griffon. Let me start from the theft three weeks ago."

---

---

I was tasked by princess Luna to rebuild the Guard after the war with Holy Light. Well, Darky was but I was stupid enough to agree to help. After princess Celestia incinerated the rest of the army who insisted on fighting after Holy Light died our forces returned to their respective bases but there was one big problem - most of those who returned resigned immediately. It appears Equestrian police and guard forces never actually witnessed combat before.

Unfortunately, Darky's idea of a good way to recruit more ponies was to make training simpler, like, WAY much simpler so anypony could join.

"Running activates your leg muscles, allowing you to cover more distance quickly," I scribble.

And I was tasked to write the basic field manual. At first I tried to summarize what I went through during Griffon Imperial Legion training but when Darky scrapped my first draft, saying it would make the still serving guards run away, I decided to blindly follow the order to make it... more accessible.

"Jumping costs you more stamina but allows you to reach high places without needing a boost."

*SLAM*

Twitching, I give the incoming annoyance a murderous glare.

"How's it going?" asks the red-maned, black-coated, and soon-to-be-dead batpony.

"I feel my brain melting just from trying to think the way you wanted."

She sticks her tongue out and trots over to the table in a small office in Canterlot castle I got as a part of my service to both the Empire and Equestria. Her hoof shuffles few of the papers on the desk where I scribbled notes related to certain situations. Before she came I was working on the 'physical training' ones.

"Wings are a great way to get over height differences. If you are not endowed with them, please refer to our description of 'jumping'," she reads out loud and slams her hooves together, "GENIUS, now anypony will be able to join!"

I facepalm, wishing I had hooves just so it would knock me out.

"I'm not sure I want to be in that kind of Guard."

"We need everypony we can get, Crom. I have my hooves full with keeping the patrol schedule going without having our guys collapse in the streets. We need ponies, at least temporarily, and as long as we can send them out at night from time to time I'm fine with them being a little less..."

"Intelligent? Self-sufficient? Capable of getting into the uniform in the morning?"

"CROM! We talked about this. I know how you feel about this. I'm not happy about it either BUT we have no choice. NOPONY wants to join. We are lucky that some of the minotaurs actually volunteered to help us in exchange for schooling."

My fist hits the table.

"Yes, and even they would consider this stupid!"

"Crom!"

"We have the best weapon trainers in Equestria. I can train our guards well enough just from memory so that in a month or two they'll be able to climb mountains with no gear-"

"And they'll leave to serve as private guards for some noble," she interrupts, "The few who are left are content with earning less money than bodyguards or caravan escorts thanks to having a little prestige and the good feeling of serving their country as long as we don't work them to the bone."

"How about a help from the Griffon Empire and princess Cadance?"

"You tell me. Didn't Vargaz say that him lending us most of Black Ops combat division during the attack shook your noble families to their paws? And yes, prince Shining Armor is sending us about a hundred crystal ponies."

"Well, doesn't that solve all our problems?"

"A hundred crystal ponies who are grossly undertrained and not too keen on working with the minotaurs who are helping us as well. Some faked invasion, rings a bell?"

"Crap," I slump into my chair and put my head on the table.

Darky ruffles my feathers.

"The sisters rely on us to put things back together. I wouldn't say it in front of princess Cadance but the Royal Guard was in terrible shape after Shining Armor left. There was almost no habit of documenting stuff and most knowledge went from older guards to the new ones. The Nightguard under Sharp Biscuit operated flawlessly and even with him being apparently a disguised alicorn of paperwork I had very little idea what to do when I took over. What I'm trying to say is that with how improvised things are we have to start small."

"THIS small?" I point at one of my weapon training scribbles saying 'Swords are not usable as cutlery no matter how subtle your telekinesis is.'

"This small," she nods.

"Uggggh!"

"Well, we CAN switch and you'll get the pleasure of telling both Royal Guards and Nightguards why they have to do three night shifts in a row without having time off."

"No, thanks."

"Good. Speaking of night shifts, you're guarding the museum of antiquities tonight."

"REALLY? I mean really really? Noone EVER goes there even during the day. There is nothing there, mostly because noone has any idea what the things that are there are good for."

"Congratulations on an easy shift?"

"I can't do the evening training, go for a night shift, and then go back to the morning training and keep going."

"The few recruits we have will have to do without physical training for once and I'll just assign them to Rising Thunder. I can cash in favors from him forever."

"The hanging thing?"

"No, he ate my lunch yesterday," she rolls her red eyes, "Of course it's 'the hanging thing'."

Sighing, I stand up and push the desk away to clear some space.

"What are you doing?" asks the crackwhorse lookalike and Nightguard boss pretender.

"If I'm to do the night shift while still being marginally useful tomorrow I need a rest."

"Oh? You don't have to sleep here on the carpet. Come to my office, I have a comfy couch."

"Thanks."

"Anytime. Just be sure to dream about some more lines for the newbie guide."

---

The museum of antiquities probably has got some official name but I doubt anyone besides the curator knows it. It's situated in a small two-story building with its back to the Canterlot mountain itself which, quite obviously, means it's in one of the shadiest parts of the city. Granted, from what I've heard even the darkest and the most evil places in Canterlot are hubs of peace and quiet compared to big cities like Manehattan or, Emperor forbid, Stalliongrad but I don't think I've ever read a report about the museum being broken into. Guarding this place must be sort of a relaxing shift just like patrolling the castle library.

The curator is an elderly earthpony who shows me around the place and tells me where the keys are before making me envious and going home. Eventually, sitting in the ticket booth at the entrance becomes boring and to avoid nodding off I stand up and go stretch my legs.

As I walk through the halls filled with curiosities, exhibits, and some unbelievably minor magical artefacts I read some of the descriptions. I've never been here before-

"An authenic piece of Starswirl the Bearded's beard trapped in stasis," it says on a lit pillar hosting a piece of grey fuzz which might or might not be a piece of a carpet.

-and I doubt I missed anything.

The inscription on a pillar on which a black and red necklace depicting an alicorn head and spread wings says:

"The scale model of the alicorn amulet which is being stored safely in Canterlot castle. It's JUST a replica which, under no circumstances, will not grant you infinite power."

"Guess what Darky wants from me isn't a total nonsense," I mumble, walking through the exhibit halls.

The feeling in one of them makes both my feathers and my fur stand on edge. It's strange, cold... but comfortable and familiar. I can't quite describe it as whenever I think too hard about it it hides away, like a particular memory you desperately need to recall but can't.

I do something smarter and try to find whatever is causing it.

Looking through mostly worthless memorabilia and historical curiosities I stop in front of an exhibit hosting a glowing blue ball marked 'A frozen phoenix egg'.

"Phoenixes are beings of pure life energy," I read, "and as such they can never truly die. This egg was recovered from a cult of Nightmare in the ancient city of Ghou'Lash in Zebrican rainforests. These voodoo shamans attempted to corrupt a phoenix by infusing the power of the god of death directly into a living one. Research showed that as a reaction the phoenix, instead of turning into ash, reverted into the form of an egg. Nopony knows what the zebra shamans meant to do after they performed the ritual but to this day the egg remains inert and no attempts at the phoenix's reawakening have ever succeeded."

*Scratch scratch*

Hiding into the nearest shadow, I slow my breathing down as much as I can. My pure white coat isn't the best for concealment but whoever or whatever made the scratching noise must have their night vision ruined enough by the spotlights illuminating the exhibits not to see me in the patches of darkness.

Considering how tight the Guard schedules are there should not be another one here tonight. Perhaps the curator returned to see if I wasn't doing a bang-up job? No, not this late.

Blocking the nearest spotlight with one arm from blinding me, I scan the shadows for any sign of movement. Minutes drag on and gradually I wonder more and more whether it wasn't just me being overworked and hearing things. On the other hoof, it's not as if I have somewhere to be. Some ten minutes into the standoff the scratching returns and I grin. I might not be on a timetable but whoever is walking in the next room definitely is.

A four-legged silhouette watching every shadow enters the room and the turning of its head stops when it looks at the egg. It walks closer and stops by the exhibit, slowly moving its front legs all around it doubtlessly to uncover any thin strings which might lead to triggering an alarm. The thief pulls something out of a pocket and the light around the egg reveals it to be a spray can. What is more interesting though is the fact that he's able to hold it in one arm.

It's a griffon. Here, in this ridiculously useless building, is a griffon who is pretty good at sneaking and working around mechanical alarms.

Spraying the area around the pedestal, I can almost hear his annoyed grunt as he shakes his head and simply pockets the egg. Now it's my time to move. Following the figure, I sneak to the upper floor and finally to the stairs leading on the roof. The door closes shut just as I reach the bottom and now I simply run up, kick open the door, and...

...sparks light the area for a second as I jump forward, purely on reflex, narrowly dodging a blade that scratches the wall after failing to stab me in the neck.

I don't even think before grabbing the pistol holstered on my waist and shoot in the air. A red and blue flare lights the sky above Canterlot, a special one meaning 'A guard needs help'.

Every guard now carries a way to use a flare like this. It was my idea when I saw how understaffed both branches of the Guard were after last attack. I expected the unruly elements of the city to become more aggressive but, fortunately, I haven't had to use the flare yet.

Unfortunately for the griffon, only the first cartridge in my gun is the flare, the rest are standard lead bullets so I aim at the griffon's legs.

Two shots and a scream of pain echo through the nearby streets and I lower the gun to look at the griffon falling over-

-standing in front of me ready to stab.

"Ooof," a quick jump and a roll to the side prevent my immediate deadification at the price of losing the gun. I've seen enough magic users not to question this and when he blinks in front of me, blade at the ready, again all he receives is the handle of my two-handed battleaxe into his stomach.

Falling on all fours again, he lets go of his weapon and I kick it away while swinging the axe, uncaring about the possibility of questioning him. It hits, shattering spine and-

-I miss as the griffon rolls away without even looking at what I'm doing.

As he reaches for his belt again I take the heaviest thing I have with me aside from the axe. Blaze's mechanical arm I've been carrying with me ever since he died fighting Holy Light smacks the griffon in the face, giving me enough time to jump at him and swing the battleaxe.

The only way to fight magic users is to never give them a second to recuperate. My muscles burn from the bursty movements but, at least from the weapon choice, I'm way stronger than the other griffon so I have to press the advantage. He screams for no apparent reason and blurs, ignoring me and moving at barely visible speed. He pulls something out of an almost invisible pocket of his black clothes and stands up, arms holding two steel sticks.

Is he giving up?

I release my battleaxe mid-jump with one of my arms and get ready to defend against anything. My other arm still holding the weapon follows the swing and flies, flies, flies, down from the roof along with my axe.

A thin strand of steel razor wire glints in the moonlight as the blood from my severed limb splatters all around. Groaning, I want to get up while I still have the strength but the griffon kicks me and spins the wire around my neck.

He coughs blood, mixing his with mine rapidly escaping from my arm cleanly severed from my body, and a bolt of light pierces his chest-

-hits the roof as the griffon drops his razor wire and takes flight.

Darkness induced by bloodloss is only pierced by hoofsteps for a moment as all strength leaves me.

---

---

Cromach waves his mechanical arm.

"And that's basically it. I woke up at the castle, princess Twilight and her engineers made this based on the one you got in the mirror world, and I've spent almost a month recuperating and learning what it can do. One day a message from Vargaz came, saying somepony in this fortress managed to get their talons on some mirror world designs and so I went immediately."

"Well, I suppose that's where the portal could lead then. Do we go check it out?"

"We?" Crom grins playfully, "You mean a Black Ops member slash Royal Guard and a janitor recovering from a second degree burns?"

"Well, I can help."

"I know, buddy, but let me deal with this for now. Get a plenty of rest, I'll arrange the security patrols, and when I think things are good enough on this side we'll go through the portal. As much as I trust Vargaz with his intentions towards Equestria I doubt the new Emperor has enough foresight and strength to defy the noble families asking for technology rivalling pony magic."

"Politics," I roll my eyes.

"Trust me, I hate it too. On the other armored and taloned arm, without it I wouldn't be here."

"Thank heavens for politics then," I grin and nuzzle Cro's neck.

"Exactly."

Rock Candy, having returned with our food in the middle of Cromach's tale, jumps from the floor and salutes again.

"I'll help in any way I can, sir... sirs!"

Cromach looks at me, eyebrows raised. I nod.

"Alright," he gets down from the bed, "I'll arrange your duties for next the few days. Whenever I'm not guarding the storage room, you will."

"Why don't we just move the mirror?" I wave my hooves.

"We have no idea whether the smuggler is on our side or the other. If we move the mirror we'll give away we know, IF we actually know, the access route. Let's just be sneaky about this."

"Okay, sir!" says Candy officially.

"Tell me if you need anything, Cro," I can't help feeling a bit useless.

"Oh, I will. Rocky, you will be patrolling the floor tonight. I have something... more important to see to."

She grins.

"I understand."

"See you later, Blaze, Mistake," Crom opens the door and shakes his head, "I... I still hope this isn't just a dream."

Comments

[Anonymous Critic]

the ancient city of Ghou'Lash

...I'm hungry now.

[Two_Madmans]

He closes his eyes and lowers his head when I reach out with my arm and slide my talons over his face.

Why do he have talons?! I'm pretty sure in previous chapters was said he reborn as normal alicorn with normal hooves. Well, ok, not so normal, one of it was black, but I'm pretty sure there wasn't arms. Should i reread this now, cuz i getting something wrong?

[Two_Madmans]

Well, Darky was but I was stupid enough to agree to help.

Choking. Choking never changes.