Days Passing, part 3
Sometimes, the changes RED MOON caused drastically altered the path the future would take amongst the ponies. Other times, it seemed like there was little reason for them to even be there. Most times, they were just in the background.
They, like the rest of Equestria, were waiting for the other shoe to drop...
Fluttershy walked alongside Rainbow Dash at the Rainbow Falls Traders Exchange. She knew Rainbow was looking forward to trying to trade for a first edition of Daring Do and the Sapphire Stone in order to complete her collection. However, she also knew that the rusty old horseshoe she had brought to trade - while of great sentimental value to Rainbow - would be of no value to the one she was trading with. If this was someone who had a First Edition of a Daring Do book, they would obviously be a Daring Do enthusiast, much like Rainbow Dash.
Fluttershy had decided she would need to bring something along to help Rainbow get what she desired, in addition to what she sought to trade for herself. At first, she had thought about purchasing an early - if not First - edition of one of the books and getting it signed...but the difficulties in doing that would have taken more time than she could manage. Instead, she had enlisted two of her fathers for help with her project.
When the earth pony dressed in a Daring Do costume refused the trade for the horseshoe, Fluttershy smiled. "I think I have something you might want in trade for the book," she said softly.
"Oh?" the mare asked. "What's that?"
Smiling, Fluttershy reached into her saddlebag and plopped down what she'd acquired just for this. It was a statuette that, at first glance, looked carved from gold, but it seemed to shine with an inner light. It was carved in a shape that resembled a minotaur, except it seemed to have more hair on its upper body than on its lower body. It was carved in a flexing pose, with every definition of its rippling muscles carved in. On its chest, individual hairs had been marked, forming the shape of a continent few Equestrians had ever seen.
"W...what is it?" the Earth Pony asked.
"The Avatar of Awesome," Fluttershy replied. "An artifact from another world, said to bequeath to the bearer the power of that other world's mightiest warrior!"
The Earth Pony swallowed. "While that's...a very interesting story-"
"It's also the focus of A.K. Yearling's next book," Fluttershy added as an aside.
"Wait, really?" the Earth Pony - and Rainbow - asked in surprise.
Fluttershy nodded. "I know Miss Yearling personally," she said calmly. "Occasionally, I get these little details in advance-"
"Deal!" the Earth Pony mare said quickly, swapping the book for the statue, holding it close as she giggled wickedly.
Smiling, Fluttershy took the book and walked away from the booth. When Rainbow caught up to her, she gave her the book. "Here you go, Rainbow. A complete set. I'll trade it for your horseshoe."
Rainbow simply stared. "B-but...the Avatar of Awesome..."
"Oh, I'll make you one too, if you want," she replied easily. "After the book comes out, anyway."
Rainbow's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Wait, what?"
"I carved that statuette myself from a block of Australium Dadenji brought with him from Fort Bumfuk," Fluttershy replied. "It's made in the image of a friend and fan from that world, Saxton Hale. He is that world's mightiest warrior."
"But...what you said about the power..."
"I said it had been said," Fluttershy pointed out. "And it had. I said it."
Rainbow's eyes widened. "You lied?"
"I exaggerated," Fluttershy replied. "Besides, it's solid Australium, processed Mana Stone. In the hands of one who can tap magic, it may very well give them the physical power of Mr. Hale."
"But what about what you said about the next Daring book?" Rainbow demanded.
"Well, when I learned Daring was taking a break, I mentioned in a letter that I'd heard Ahuizotl was looking for clues regarding an artifact called the Avatar of Awesome," Fluttershy explained. "And tomorrow, Poof Daddy will see to it that Ahuizotl hears the rumors I just planted about the artifact, and that it was last seen here."
Rainbow stared at Fluttershy. "You..."
"Miss Yearling promised me a First Edition copy of the next book to gift you for your birthday as thanks for the tip," Fluttershy added mildly.
She then spent the next hour struggling to breathe around the vice grip a pair of cyan fore legs had around her throat.
Meanwhile, Soldier approached a blacksmith at the fair and dumped a whole bunch of weaponry on the counter. "Trade for that!" he said, pointing to part of the display in the back.
The smith's eyes widened, and he promptly handed over the bucket of swords.
Grinning ear to ear, Soldier dumped the swords on top of the pile, clutched the bucket to himself, and ran off, laughing maniacally.
Demoman lowered his bottle of Scrumpy, glancing around at Ponyville. It looked different than normal. More sparkly. He blamed it on the drink.
Spotting a swirl of green energy coming towards him, he ignored it. When it turned his clothes into a blood red tuxedo, he had no qualms, since it was red, and he hadn't brought any weapons with him anyway. When it made his eyepatch into a ruby circle, he had no problems.
When it approached his bottle, he gave it the evil eye, and it went elsewhere. "Fuckin' dark pony magic," he grumbled, taking another swig and otherwise ignoring the events going on around him.
The entire team attended the Equestria Games, for one reason or the other. For most of them, they were there to cheer on Fluttershy in the relay race. Engineer and Medic, however, were there to see how well their project worked out with a certain other pegasus on the relay team. As per their patient's request, they were sitting on either side of her daughter - an adorable unicorn filly - in the stands. As they watched the events progress, various discussions took place amongst the group.
"Scout, there is something different about you," Spy commented. "Did you get a hair cut?" he asked sarcastically.
"Uh, no, no haircut," Scout replied, shuffling nervously.
"Scout...are you a pegasus?"
"Uhh...maybe?" Scout offered.
"How are you a pegasus?" Spy demanded.
"Twilight, Medic, and Engineer made me a watch for it like they did Maud," he replied.
"Is that a book about rocks you are reading?"
Scout was silent for a time. "...no?"
Spy stared at him hard. "...why?" he asked finally, gesturing to his wings and the book.
Scout sighed. "It...it didn't feel right to have Maud always turning into a human for my sake...so I asked for a watch that would do the same for me but in reverse. And I was right about her being as hot as a pony to ponies as she is as a human to humans. And as long as anything we do together is human and human - or pony and pony - it doesn't feel weird to either of us."
Spy nodded. "And the book?"
Scout squirmed. "Well...she's taken a lot of interest in the things I do, even though she doesn't get half of what I talk about...I wanted to...return the favor, ya know?"
Spy stared at his younger colleague for a time. "Scout," Spy said at long last, "when Maud asked me for advice regarding how best to approach you, I told her that you were a simple man with simple tastes, and unplumbed depths." Scout looked away. Spy then reached out a hand and rested his hand on his shoulder. "Thank you for proving me right."
Scout smiled up at him nervously.
Lower down in the stands, Sniper approached where Medic and Engineer sat on either side of young Dinky. "She's Derpy's little lady?" he asked curiously.
"Yup," Engineer replied. "We're keeping an eye on her while Derpy competes."
"We look forward to seeing how well Derpy's new corrective sensory equipment functions, now that it is in the final stages," he said, looking up as the teams prepared for the aerial relay race.
"Just wonderin, but...what led ya to do the project?" Sniper asked curiously.
"It was the little filly's flag carrying show," Medic explained.
"Eh?" Sniper asked.
"Ze basis of zere act...zey said Ponyville was the one place in all of Equestria where different kinds of ponies live together and are friends," Medic elaborated. "And Derpy...you cannot get much different than her whilst still being ze pony. In an odd sort of way, her living in Ponyville and being accepted despite her disability...it was proof positive zat ze Ponyville philosophy was no mere lip service. None tried to change her, to make her somezing she wasn't...so it seemed only right to help her."
Engineer looked up at the race. While Fluttershy and Derpy had both fallen behind their Wonderbolt opponents, they were still close. "And now we'll see how well they do," he mumbled. "Derpy didn't have any trouble handing off the horseshoe-"
As Fluttershy made the pass to Rainbow, she blurred up, cutting the finish line millimeters ahead of Spitfire. The crowd roared at the unexpected upset.
As the awards were presented, Derpy clambered onto Rainbow and Fluttershy's backs as she waved at the crowd. "Look, Dinky!" she called out, tears pouring from behind the crystalline lenses that covered her eyes, matching the crystalline covers on her ears. "Do you see, little muffin? Mommy got gold! Mommy got gold!"
Dinky stomped her hooves eagerly in applause, joyful tears pouring from her own eyes as she smiled wide enough to impress Pinkie. All of Ponyville cheered for Derpy.
As Sniper added his own applause, he turned to Medic. "Speaking of the fillies, though...there was somthin' I was wondering if you could take a look at..."
Later in the competition, Pyro was prevented from helping Spike save the day, as the anti-magic field had wrapped around his hands.
Scootaloo looked around at the walls of the Med lab deep in Fort Pony. While the promise she had been given a promise that was truly tempting to come here, the various skeletons hanging from the ceiling, gruesome images on the walls, and various frightening tools scattered about left her seriously creeped out. Besides that, Medic had come in for a time, examined her with a few things, then told her to wait until he returned. She was beginning to get really scared.
Eventually, Medic returned, accompanied by Engineer. "Young lady, I have good news and bad news," he replied.
"W-what's the bad news?" Scootaloo asked nervously.
Walking up to a panel, he turned on a light and showed her several pictures. "On this side are various scans of healthy pegasus wings your age and size," he explained. "On the other side are yours."
At first, Scootaloo couldn't spot any difference in the scans, until she got to the last two. There, several colored pathways were visible from the main body flowing into the wing on the healthy scan. On her scan, however, the pathways stopped before entering the wing. "What are those?" she asked.
"Those are natural magic channels," Medic explained. "How pegasus flight works, magic flows from the core of the pegasus' being into the wing, amplifying the lift generated to allow flight in conjunction with the magic in the core reducing the body's specific density so that less lift is required overall to gain flight. Your pathways do not enter your wings, however. As not even I possess the capacity to redirect those pathways, I am afraid you shall never fly unaided."
Scootaloo hung her head, tears in her eyes. "I...I was afraid of that..." she whimpered, sniffling away the tears.
"Why are you crying, kleine?" Medic demanded. "I still have good news!"
"What good news?" Scootaloo asked. "You just said I would never fly-"
"Unaided," Medic insisted. "Zat is the key word."
Scootaloo tilted her head. "I...don't understand."
"Show her, my hard hatted friend!" Medic instructed eagerly.
Grinning ear to ear, Engineer lifted his gloved hand and removed the glove.
Scootaloo stared in awe as she watched each individual joint and digit show full articulation. "Redirecting existing magic pathways is beyond me," Medic explained. "But creating artificial ones for existing ones to connect to...between the two of us, zat is child's play! Now, while my hard hatted friend's example is a full replacement, I think the goal for you should be a triggered augmentation. Zat way it will not interfere with your Scooter riding. What say you?"
The naked longing in the filly's eyes was almost painful to see. She nodded desperately.
Medic grinned, hefting a tool. "In zat case, let's practice medicine!" As he and Engineer closed around the filly, he whispered, "This may sting."
--------
Scootaloo winced a bit as she walked, the cybernetically enhanced harness around her body still itching. Making the attachments had been...unpleasant, to say the least. 'Sting' had been a massive understatement. However, if this really did what Medic and Engineer said it would, it would be totally worth it.
As she rested, Rainbow Dash winged down to her side. "Hey Squirt!" Rainbow said happily. "I hear you got yourself an upgrade?"
"Yup!" Scootaloo replied. "Medic said this'll let me fly!"
Rainbow grinned. She had heard the whole story from Fluttershy earlier, while Scootaloo was resting up after the procedure. "Care to test it out?" she asked, spreading her wings.
Grinning widely, Scootaloo lowered herself into a flight stance, spreading her wings and - as Medic had instructed - visualized them spreading wider.
The harness opened up. Seemingly liquid metal unfolded, metallic sounds filling the air as they wrapped around her small wings, anchoring themselves to the magical pathways as they took on the shape of large, metallic wings, each individual feather shaped and moving independently. She could feel them responding to her inner magic, ready for flight.
Rainbow grinned widely. "That looks so awesome!" she praised. "Let's see how they work."
The two pegasi leapt into the sky together.
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You are of missing an end quotation mark there.
Also it should be work. Since this is dialogue.
BUCKET!!!
Scooty booty can fly, huh?
Neato. Let's see how things turn out later.
HHHHHHHHNNNNNNNGGGGG!!!!!!HHHHHHHHNNNNNNNGGGGG!!!!!!HHHHHHHHNNNNNNNGGGGG!!!!!!
HHHHHHHHNNNNNNNGGGGG!!!!!!HHHHHHHHNNNNNNNGGGGG!!!!!!HHHHHHHHNNNNNNNGGGGG!!!!!!
You sir have made my day by making Derpy, Dinky, and Scootaloo so very happy. Well done!
I whole-heartedly approve of this.
Awwwwww so much happinesssss~<3 Good job Red Moon really good job!
5926741
I think the Soldier traded that stuff just so he could get the bucket.
Good for Derpy and Scootaloo, they deserve their chance to be happy. Will the RED Team play a role in helping the CMC get their Cutie Marks later on?
Why do I feel like the harness makes me think of Transformers?
Darn Bay movies and their mechanical sounds. And older transformers too. Beast Wars was awesome.
Attention please!
That is all.
It's really fluid how the team is adjusting to this new world.
Looks like science, australium science can solve everyponies problem!
Definitely love the part with Scootaloo. The best part was that she totally asked for this
Loved that bit with Demo-man myself. Short but sweet.
Fuckin' ponies, man.
Oh Come On! When are you going to show the crispy fried swiss cheese holed centaur? I really want to see Tirek get his
ss kicked.
You know what we should do. LETS GO FIND TIREK AND SHOOT HIM!
Timeline diversion from first chapter:
No return of Elements
Coco Pommel is with Rarity (like how Batmare-Rarity got Coco from the fiction... am I wrong?)
Maud and Scout sitting in a tree~
Anyways.
The loved Derpy is in the Games, and apparently won.
Scoots can fly.
Well, Demoman, sure you do have a random moment. Wait a second, Inspiration Manifestation spell it seems!?
-Ex
5927880 It's more complicated than tha-
Gat: "No I said 'In the face'"
WTF WHERE YOU COME FROM!?
5928130 I think I know how Gat got h-
Face McShooty: Bullets in the face! Want them! Need them!
... They were not talking about you... now go back pandora.
5928200 Does this happen every time someone quotes Jerry Peet?
With your skill in writing about video games and stuff, is it out of the question to see an Uncharted or The Last of Us crossover? Or will you do some other thing in the near future?
5930153
Haven't played either, and neither of them are my types of game or story.
5928291 maybe... but I really do not want it to happen again
5930315 Lets test my hypothesis! GIANT ASS DEMON RIGHT OVER THERE! GET TO HIM AND SHOOT HIM IN THE FACE! SHOOT HIM IN THE FACE!
5930334 Face Mcshooty: No shoot me! Right in the face! At the sound of the bell Shoot me! Boong!
. . . Will you leave already...
Face Mcshorty: Not until I get shot in the face.
5930354 My pleasure! *BANG*
5930368 Face McShooty: Thank you! *dies*
Mission complete!
Rewards:
$1 -5000 exp
Fluttershy, you were so close to unleashing a Saxxy Award amongst the masses.
teamfortress.com/images/posts/spy_saxxy.png
I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
5930505 Well the annoying scout voice is gone. so we can quote Jerry all we want.
Heh heh, Evil eye eh? Does that mean that he simply lifted his eyepatch and let the spirit of the eye lander have a go at it?
5930167
Ah, well alright then.
5931752 That's an idea.
Yay derpy you got gold
and scootalo cam now fly yay
Still waiting to see Fluttershy go on an actual merc mission. I mean, they were hired, right? What's the point of having training if you don't use it? Plant life and non-sapient animals don't really count, because you don't deal with an opponent that can think about what's happening. A dark-ops mission would be great; send RED team to go neutralize some bad ponies, or something. Sure, the original side of Fluttershy would be opposed, but she must also realize that bad ponies will harm many more innocent things. They're all trained killers, including Fluttershy. Might as well use 'em.
Also, it'd be pretty great to see what happens if Fluttershy and everyone else regained their memories of what happened, namely Rainbow's trauma. Is that a bad thing to think?
Gonna take an inference here, but I'm assuming Flutters still has the red streak and the tattoos, right? Anyways, this is awesomely written. Keep going!
Oh Soldier, you and your bucket.
5935033
Yes, she still has the red streak and tattoos.
However, this story is specifically how RED TEAM's presence effects the events of Season 4. For what you're asking for, wait for Fortresshy 2.
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaw~ Good stuff all around! That soldier/bucket bit though, priceless.
I want to see some art of scoot's new wings.
This was just an amazing chapter.
Pyro was refered to as "his"
5945092
Where?
5945416
"Later in the competition, Pyro was prevented from helping Spike save the day, as the anti-magic field had wrapped around his hands"
The thing is I actually know of a tumblr blog that is about a scootaloo that has wings like that.
5996075 link plz
I... Don't get the joke with Soldier and the bucket. Can anyone explain this to me?...
...
...
...
It's a hat, isn't it?
6013334
Watch some of the animations on YouTube. It's an excerpt from one by Valve.
...
You'll understand when you see it.
THEY HELPED BEST PONY BECOME CAPABLE OF FLIGHT! YES!
Awesome!
OH yeah.
Yep.
In a hug, right?
Oh dear.
Fair enough.
Aw, he does have a hear.t.
HNNG!
Ah, right.
I see.
Ever heard of anaesthetic?
Brave kid.
*citizen kane clap gif* All the yes.
(I have read the entire Nine Fathers and gotten this far on this series. I have seen many things that have made me smile, and many things that have made me chuckle, and many things that have filled me with the warm fuzzies. But despite many emotional moments where I felt sympathy and sadness for the characters, or was moved at their achievements, I did not tear up or release any liquid pride.
... This did it... ... I would just like you to know that. And that I am very impressed with what you've done over the course of these two stories.)