The Wander Through Lands Unknown

by Tomas Lutwig

Chapter 54; The Day

The next day seemed to drag on as I awaited Celestia's arrival, drawing on any and every hobby I had to stem my waiting boredom. Said attempts quickly grew just as bland as the last before I finally gave up, flopping down in bed.

Burying my face in the pillow I pondered how I would try to bring her old student's still blatant arrogance and lust for power to light. A sigh echoed through my body as I tried to relax only to tense up again at the thought of the Solar diarch lashing out.

My face rolled on the pillow back and forth, 'I doubt that would happen' the thought flew through my mind only to recall her old student's bad habit of doing just that.

As thoughts ran through my head a still new hunger sounded from my chest. Rolling over, I looked down only to see the worn, off white undershirt staring back at me. A hand felt where the necklace had once rested before recognition of the feeling returned. 'I suppose if she started causing problems here this is always an option'

Playing with the idea, I looked up at the ceiling eyeing familiar shapes in the wood. 'I should learn more about what I can do with this magic, it's not as though I can from any of the others...' After a moment of thinking however I shook my head. 'Not as though Celestia told me I couldn't do that'

Half-baked plans ran though my head before I rolled onto my side. Looking down at the light coming in from the window I guessed it to be sometime late in the day. Shrugging a shoulder indifferently I let my eyes close shut.

Scenes played out before my eyes as they flashed into my mind, ranging from managing to stop some kind of monster and saving the town, to a perhaps more mundane scene where I was sitting in front of my forge hammering out the finishing touches on some kind of blade before walking it over to a grinder. A sigh sounded again from my mouth as I missed the simplicity of my old life.

The quite of the room was momentarily broken as I shifted, flipping over to cradle the pillow in an arm before laying my head on top. My mind started to wander to what I would have been doing, in the event my life hadn't taken this strange turn to the quadruped and furry. The thought of leaning over in an uncomfortable position, overly hot and sweaty in protective layers of leather and flame resistant cloth watching the blindingly bright light of some welding arc through a filtered lens turning the normally white-yellow arc to a bright green light, though manageable to look at and see the molten metal beneath.

Opening my eyes, I blinked away the sun spots that seemed ingrained in my mind even after all this time after being flashed once too many times. I finally felt myself start to relax as I remembered the strange happiness that I had always felt, the stink of the coating burning from the welding rods, the taste that I never could quite place even after going to school for the subject (Ozone perhaps? Impossible to find out in this place), even the normally uncomfortable heat of the welding brought back pleasant memories, if not conversing with the couple of classmates that I spoke to regularly, then in the simplicity of the act.

'Perhaps that's why I enjoy smithing as well. The simple act of making something with metal. It really is an interesting material' I thought as the familiar relaxed feeling flooded over my body as I drifted to sleep.

Breathing echoed through everything. Even as the silence permeated the room I laid in, the breaths seemed to reverberate within. A quiet intake, air slowly rushing past part lips, a heavy silence as the expected exhale seemed to wait longer and longer each time, and finally a rush of air that passed outwards a gust of wind that passed over leaves. Wind that brushed the small hairs on my arm as I looked out at the sunset. 'I wonder if that was true, about the sunsets and pollution' I thought, looking down the hill of neatly trimmed grass. A quiet though constant beat seemed to accompany the wind, the ground seemed unmoved beneath me but the world shook with each sound. Looking forward I saw a woman, her face immediately recognized as she turned and looked at me, “C'mon Bret, gotta get to school or else you'll be late!” she said, a smile crossing her face reaching even her tired eyes. Running forward on my preadolescence legs I grabbed her outstretched hand and held on even as her hand dwarfed my own. Looking over I saw my brother who swung his and our mother's arm back and forth. Past him was the preschool that I attended with the larger building behind being the kindergarten my brother was part of. A pang of envy hit me as I wanted to go into his class with him, to be one of the big kids. Feeling a tug on my mother's arm, I looked up at her only to see her looking back at the street as we started into the parking lot of the schools. Following her gaze I saw a large dog, gangly and spotted, reminding me of a dalmatian, though dirty. I wondered why my mother had a look of concern on her face only to hear screeching tires. In a blur of motion. I found myself looking at the crook of my mother's arm my ear held in one hand the other pushed up against her thigh. The muffled sound of a dog's whine echoed through the air after the sound of crash I had heard only in movies. The pressure on my ear keeping me to my mother's thigh held me there for a few moments before my squirming pulled me loose. Turning to look where the dog had been, I watched it limp away a few feet before falling over. It's dirty fur matted with something dark that stood out covering even the spots. “Mommy, is that puppy dead?” I heard my voice, innocence sounding through my words. My mother opened her mouth “I do-”

I jolted awake, some ungodly sound blaring through the barracks, rebounding off the walls. Blinking the sleep from my eyes I covered my ears with my hands looking up to see one of Sundance's guards blaring a bugle in the middle of the barracks, two bunks down. What would have been an upbeat and pleasant tune quickly had turned into one of my most hated songs.
As the stallion removed the bugle from his lips I waited a moment before taking my hands away from my ears before noticing he was speaking.

“-ita is going to be here at twelve hundred hours, the sergeant wants you all up and ready at oh-eight hundred hours! She strongly suggests getting your rumps out of your cozy little bunks and on your hooves getting ready in the next five minutes.” the stallion all but yelled through the barracks.

I blinked a few more times as I rolled off my bunk, the cold wood beneath my feet aided in waking me up as I quickly tucked the sheets and made my bed before going for my clothes, which I left folded up in my trunk.

'Might as well assume they're going to want me dressed as a guard today, so I probably should get the armor on as well' I thought popping the trunk and dressing in the leather and heavy cloth clothes I had accepted as my only set for the time being. My fingers ran over the diamond shaped patch in the coat as I picked it up out of the trunk, causing a contemplative look to form as I looked over the patch and the area around it.

“You might want to hurry and get your boots on there Wanderer. The Sergeant wants to speak with you ASAP” I heard the stallion say behind me, jolting me from my thoughts. Turning around I looked at him a bit wide eyed before nodding, “Right” I finally said. The stallion nodded to me before turning to continue observing the rest of the guards in their morning preparations.
I blew a bit of air through pursed lips up towards my face shaking my head silently as I sat down on the trunk to put my socks and boots on. I grimaced as I put my foot into one of the socks and my big toe found the hole that it always seemed, as it slowly grew larger over the days of my wearing them. Rolling my eyes at my remembering Rarity's reasons for being unable to assist with my clothing issue I shrugged off the slight discomfort the holes in my socks afforded me and threw on the coat before heading towards the door.

Sundance was sitting in her chair behind her desk, a mug of steaming liquid I could only assume to be coffee sitting on the corner away from paperwork she was looking over. After a moment she picked up a quill with her magic and wrote something on the paper before wrapping the sheet in a small scroll and giving it to a small carrier falcon with a tube on it's leg. The bird quickly took to the air, it's wings taking it away from the window. The mare however turned away from the bird as soon as it had left looking over more of the paperwork before taking a drink from her mug.

Raising a hand up I knocked on the door frame awarding me a glance up in my direction from my friend before she looked back down at the paperwork. “Glad you're up early. I was a little worried when you went to sleep so early yesterday. I know you've been worrying on this, but don't, it'll go fine.” she said quickly, still looking over the paperwork before writing on another and sending off another falcon.

I blinked at the rapid response she gave for simply knocking on the door. “Uh, yea. No offense Sun, but is that the only reason you asked for me? I could catch a couple more Z's if...” I trailed off as she gave me an annoyed look.

“I know you're not that dumb so quit with the diamond dog impression. I'm obliged to inform you not only that if you manage to get Princess Celestia to OK this, yesterday will have been your last day on leave of absence and we'll be pulling back out with only a few guards stationed here with you. On top of that, since you're the main reason that the Princess is coming we'll have to have you at the castle of friendship at eleven hundred hours at the latest. Until then, I'm asking you to either stay put where we can see you, or I'll have to have a fireteam escort you wherever you go. Standard changeling protocol” She said as I opened my mouth.

I raised a hand to scratch the back of my head. “Huh, gotta take this super serious with the Princess and all huh?”

“Yep” was all the answer she offered as she raised the mug to her lips again.

Blinking weariness and sweat from my eyes I looked out the window of the forge, my eyes catching a glimpse of the guard sitting over by the door reading a book. 'Still got some time' I thought my eyes catching the sun and making a guess at the time.

Turning back to my project I felt a pang of guilt. The pristine turned oak staff I had been given to repair my spear had been marred, if for a good reason. My admittedly small experience with woodworking had hindered as I tried to carve a taper on each end of the staff, causing pits and inconsistencies in the wood's surface. The hand drill with the small bit however had proved exceedingly useful, after I had finally found them.

'I need to get around to organizing this place into something I can remember.' Reaching for the bigger bit I went to work again, trying to ignore the ache in my arms from the constant work. 'Would probably help if I didn't try to hurry things up so much.'

The bit went through the wood easily enough, having switched between manual labor and a bit of magical aid when the burn in my arms became too great an annoyance. Within a few trade offs the hole was drilled and enlarged enough to fit the original pin I had used to secure the spear tip.

Taking said pin to the forge, I placed the thin bar into the hot coals watching it carefully. As it heated I grabbed a ball peen hammer bouncing it a few times on the anvil's face before grabbing the now glowing piece of steel from the forge. Pushing it into the hole I watched as smoke poured out from either side of the hole as the pin scorched it. After a few tense moments the now, significantly cooler, end of the pin poked through. Lowering the spear assembly to the anvil I started the slow process of riveting the spearhead onto the shaft before attaching the spiked butt of the spear.

Looking over my handiwork a relieved smile came to my lips. Putting the hammer back I held the spear up, facing an invisible enemy. A thrust for it's face, a parry of an unseen blade, a bash with the butt end before stabbing. Rolling it over my hands I let out a long breath. 'Good to have it back' I thought laying it on a work table. 'Hopefully I can keep from having it broken too' I thought brushing off the anvil and putting my tools away.

Glancing out the window again I rolled my jaw. “It's about time to head over there isn't it?” I asked the guard on the other side of the room. The stallion looked out the window before closing his book with a dull thump. “Looks like it.” he said hopping off the stool.

I nodded heading over to the water barrel. Splashing some over my face and taking a couple long gulps of the cool liquid I felt a shiver run down my body. 'Might as well get a move on' I thought wiping my face off with a less than clean towel before grabbing my coat and gloves.

“Can't say I understand why you wear all that. It's beautiful out.” the guard said as he pushed the door open revealing a couple of guards who were sitting up against the outer wall of the smithy, relaxing in the coolness that the autumn day afforded.

I shrugged as the other two guards got up. “ 'S all I got to wear. Asked Rarity, the seamstress in town, if she could make me some more clothes, but with winter coming up she's too busy.” They seemed to take my answer to be the end of the discussion as we continued on in silence. 'Eh, not like they won't be leaving soon anyways.' I thought remembering the rest of my discussion with Sundance about how her squad would have to be moving out after my recovery. 'If Celestia decides to OK my little excursion that is.'

The walk to the Castle of Friendship was an uneventful one. Ponies scurried about, going about daily errands mostly ignoring us beyond the occasional glance.

Looking over I noticed a familiar red stallion manning an apple stand giving me a less than friendly look. 'Guess that goes to say he's still not happy' I thought as we made our way through the market.
As the castle's base came into view I noticed Sundance's squad with the addition of at least one other.The Sergeant herself was talking to another stallion, both decked out in full armor. As we neared Sundance looked up at us and nodded to the stallion before walking towards us. Her horn ignited before the light of her aura fell over us, a few heartbeats later her horn flickered out and she motioned for the doors. “Alright, you head in Wanderer. We're just waiting on Princess Celestia.” she said before turning away.

I thought about feigning offense at her curtness but shook my head. 'Only make her look bad, well or piss her off.' I thought allowing myself a light chuckle.
“Alright! The last guest has arrived, now we wait for the guest of honor herself! I want nopony going in or out of this castle till she gets here.” The stallion Sundance had been talking to boomed. I could only assume that he was one of her superiors as even ponies from her squad I recognized immediately nodded or saluted.

One of the guards to either side of doors pushed it open allowing me to step inside before pulling it closed behind me. Looking around I felt another chuckle rise up from my throat, 'Duno if I'll ever really get this weird castle, but it does look nice on the inside.' I thought walking down the carpeted crystal hallway.

The silence of the castle was almost eerie if not for the bright colors around me, said silence however was broken as I neared the map room. Voices echoed off the walls finding their way to my ears.

“So what do you think that 'Wanderer' guy want's to talk to the Princess about anyways?” I heard the faint voice of a familiar young dragon.

“ I told you Spike, I don't know. All I know is that it involves one of Princess Celestia's old students. Ask the Wanderer when he gets here.” I heard the violet alicorn's reply.

'Geeze why is this hallway so long?' I thought.

An exasperated groan echoed out into the hallway as I walked through the doorway to the map room. “I don't like talking to him though. He's weird.”

'Well if I hadn't left bad impressions with half of his friends and himself, I might be hurt' I thought taking my time as I walked up to the map.

“You know what I mean? He talks about bad stuff like it's no big deal. He hit Applejack, and scared Applebloom bad enough she wouldn't come off the farm for days.” The small dragon continued, pacing back and forth behind his friend's throne even as his alicorn friend looked over at me. Twilight opened her mouth to chide him even as her eyes wordlessly apologized, but I motioned her to stop.

Now purposefully moving as silently as I could, I walked over and sat across from the purple alicorn, setting myself down in the throne decorated with Pinkie Pie's cutie mark. “He doesn't even seem to care about anything but himself.”

I pulled the book out from under my coat flipping to the message Sunset had sent me deciding to read it over, allowing Spike to have his little rant. 'Maybe I should pay closer attention to how I interact with them though. Spike was a fairly laid back guy in the show, I can only assume I rubbed him the wrong way one too many times. Maybe I coul-'

“I almost wish you left him with the Changelings” I heard the small dragon say, his voice almost a whisper.

My face twisted as my fingers dug into the book. My teeth clenched so hard I almost didn't hear Twilight. “Spike!” shock edged her voice. “How could you say that?”

“What? Life was just so much simpler when h-” the dragon stopped. I could only assume that he saw me, but I didn't care, my face was busy being buried in the magical book.

Comments

[BronyGamer]

Nice return chapter. I always appreciate an “oh shit” moment like that.