Death Be Not Proud

by ShinigamiDad

Teambuilding

Shatter blew the steam off her cup of tea as she watched Zecora and Solar Gleam walk into Celestia’s solarium and join her at the table.

She tossed a manila folder onto the sun-dappled glass table top: “So, there’s my contribution. Did everypony else bring their party favors?”

Solar pulled back his cloak wearily as he sat, exposing a shoulder bag which he placed in the empty chair next to him: “I was up half the night reading reports of Twilight’s recent encounters with various animated creatures... Corpses? Creations? I don’t even know how to properly categorize them! But I at least have a better sense as to their behavior now.”

He pulled out a matching manila folder which he levitated alongside Shatter’s reports.

“I must say, having Death’s powers certainly seems to come in handy when it comes to battling eldritch forces, though I’m not sure they’re worth the price…”

Shatter grimaced: “All that “Harbinger” stuff and the stories around it give me the heebie jeebies! Give me a strong lance and a clear path and I’ll take on anything!”

She sipped her tea and turned to Zecora: “Speaking of ‘clear path’...”

Zecora nodded as she took a scone from a nearby tray: “The Chief of Royal potion arts / believes she has sufficient parts / to craft enough of my blue mix / to last five days or maybe six.”

Shatter raised an eyebrow: “Six days? By Celestia’s holy teats I hope this mission doesn’t last that long!”

“By my what, now?”

The three ponies quickly rose to their hooves as Celestia entered suddenly from a side entrance directly adjacent to the table.

Shatter blushed: “Sorry, Princess, it’s just an old saying! Nopony means any disrespect--”

Celestia smiled wryly as she sat down beside Zecora: “Take a seat, please! It’s fine, Captain--that’s hardly the first time I’ve ever heard that expression!”

Shatter brushed away some crumbs that had fallen in her haste, and sat back down: “Just chalk it up to us foul-mouthed military-types!”

Celestia filled her teacup with a chuckle: “I would, if you were the only ones using the expression!”

Zecora and Solar Gleam reseated themselves as Celestia flipped through the two folders in the center of the table. She read in silence for a few minutes, then set the folders back on the table.

“Alright, Solar, your notes seem to align with Twilight’s and with my own experiences of the last two days. Do you genuinely believe this thing can be contained?”

The old unicorn sighed heavily: “If everyponys’ observations are correct, yes. The Void already exists in a state of containment--the ‘container’ is simply weakened. Based on Twilight’s understanding of the Harbinger’s powers, I believe Zecora and I should be able to patch together a sort of binding or blocking spell to seal the breach. At least for a time.”

“How long do you estimate this might hold?”

Solar chewed his lip and glanced at Zecora.

The zebra shrugged: “There are forces here beyond our ken / brewed for centuries in some dark den / The best we hope for, to tell it true / is a month-long seal, or maybe two.”

Celestia’s eyes went wide: “A month?!”

Solar rubbed his temples: “Two at most. We examined the animated corpse Zecora brought back from Baltimare, and went over Twilight’s detailed calculations. I doubt anything Zecora and I can conjure will last even eight weeks…”

“Would more power help? Additional unicorns?”

“Unlikely. The Void was sealed off with a power nopony here possesses. Anything we do is going to be a stopgap at best.”

Shatter swallowed noisily: “Twilight has that power. Why doesn’t she just do the voodoo or whatever that sealed this thing up in the first place?”

Celestia shook her head: “No, Captain--it doesn’t work like that. Reaper had to pour an enormous amount of his own native power into binding the Void, and he did it from the inside.”

“He was inside that thing?”

Solar nodded: “As Princess Twilight tells it, Reaper plunged into the heart of the Void as it sucked in its creator. He then slew Grey Thorn as they crossed the barrier.”

Shatter’s eyebrows jumped: “Hardcore!”

Celestia smiled wanly: “So you can see why that’s not really an option for us.”

Shatter stood: “I guess not. OK, tough shit, then--we have our orders! Let’s go batten this thing down and hold on tight.”

Celestia motioned for Shatter to sit: “While I appreciate your zeal, you don’t need to go right this second. I know there’s been a small mapping team surveying the upper reaches of the chasm, and we’ll need their final report.”

Solar nodded: “And Zecora and I have to finish stocking our supplies. We’ll likely not be ready until the morning at least.”

Zecora set her cup down: “The compounds needed to form my dust / require great patience lest they combust!”

Shatter nodded and poured a goblet of cider: “So the better part of another day, huh? Alright, I guess I can use the time to debrief with the mapping crew. I haven’t gotten to hang with Blackout in months, so that’ll be nice.”

Solar looked up from the partial map sitting atop Shatter’s folder: “Blackout?”

The pegasus swallowed and ran the back of a hoof across her mouth: “Freak of nature. Born blind. She has an almost sixth-sense feeling for spaces.”

Solar cocked an eyebrow skeptically: “Like some sort of bat?”

Shatter chuckled: “No, though that’s the running joke. She just has a perfect sense for space. I mean, it doesn’t really work outside, but get her in a building or gym or cave, and she flies with precision and seems to know where all the boundaries are.”

“Which would make her the perfect tool / One whom darkness could not fool.”

“Exactly. I’ll go chew the hay with her and get the latest intel.”

Celestia nodded: “Very well. I believe I will round up a member of my guard and one of Luna’s as well to accompany you as arms-bearers and rearguard, should you encounter trouble.”

Solar furrowed his brow: “I trust we’re not expecting any sort of combat situations?”

Shatter grinned: “Hey, better safe than sorry, old-timer!”

Celestia smiled: “Not quite how I’d have put it, but that’s essentially correct. It would be best to plan for any contingency, including the need to beat a hasty retreat.”

She stood and magically pushed the various folders toward their owners: “I’m heading back to my chambers now, but please don’t hesitate to stop in if there’s anything you need.”

Her three guests stood as Celestia left the table, heading again for the small side door. Zecora chewed her lip for a moment: “I must see if the Chemist’s around / to give an update on my compound.”

Solar bowed slightly to the two mares: “It appears we all have a few loose ends to tie-up. I wish you ladies a good day until we meet again later.”

Shatter stood next to the table, finishing her goblet of cider, watching the unicorn and zebra cross the room toward the exit: “‘Loose ends.’ This whole fucking mission is a loose end…”

---

Shatter walked out of the empty solarium the next morning, leaving hoofprints in the deep, dewy turf of the small, adjacent garden. Her companions were already there, standing around a low table, eating a light breakfast, while nearby a charcoal pegasus in black-and-purple livery chatted with a pale gray unicorn dressed in white and gold.

Shatter picked up a muffin and strode over to the two guard ponies: “Good morning, Smudge! I wondered who drew the short straw for this assignment!”

The pegasus grinned and saluted: “Captain.”

The unicorn turned and saluted Shatter as well: “Good morning! Lieutenant Noble Steel reporting for duty per Her Highness' instructions.”

Shatter regarded Steel coolly: “OK, another unicorn. So what’s your specialty?”

“Offensive operations, tactics and close combat. During the attack of the changelings two years ago I--”

Shatter waved her hoof dismissively: “Yeah, we all got medals and stories to go with ‘em, Sparky. What’s your role here as you understand it?”

“Rearguard, though given my training and expertise, I believe I would--”

“Be better off not finishing that sentence. You were brought in to fill a tactical role, not work up strategy. I’m sure the Princess would have saddled me with a “red tab” if that was the case.”

Noble Steel furrowed his brow: “I am under consideration for the next rotation of the General Staff!”

“Well, just your shitty luck to have drawn the short straw for this field trip moments before being whisked away to HQ’s loving embrace. You don’t have tabs, so don’t act like you do.”

Shatter turned to the black-clad pegasus: “And I assume you lost a bet or something, which is why you got attached to this detail…”

Smudge grinned: “Nah, I was up next to be one of Celestia’s “Honored Consorts,” but I turned it down!”

Shatter laughed: “Fuck you!”

“That was the general idea, yes!”

Shatter rolled her eyes: “OK, you win this one! Why are you really here?”

Smudge’s eyes hardened: “I was supposed to be Top Cover’s wingpony the day he and Green Streak were killed in Appleloosa, but I was on medical leave. I owe Top for not being there, and I owe Streak for dying in my place.”

The two pegasi looked into each other's’ eyes for a moment. Shatter nodded: “Good enough for me.”

Smudge smiled sadly: “It’s the least I can do.”

“I’m assuming your assignment’s essentially the same as the Lieutenant’s, here?”

Smudge nodded: “Basically, though I can fly cover or recon as needed, too.”

“Nah, I think we’re gonna be mostly grounded on this one. How are you in a melee?”

“As long as I have my lance, pretty good.”

“I’m hoping it won’t come to that. Lots of crazy-weird dark magic shit involved. I’d rather not have to tussle with that kind of thing.”

Steel raised an eyebrow: “So we’re to avoid combat?”

Shatter nodded and gestured toward Solar and Zecora: “That’s the gist of it. The old unicorn wizard there, and the zebra, they’re the ones tasked with any actual enemy engagement.”

“That seems like rather a waste, given the outstanding combat professionals they’ve assembled. Why not take the fight to the--”

Shatter glared and put a hoof up to her lips: “Shhh! Shh-shh! Remember, Red Tab: tactics, not strategy is the name of your game today. Your task is to make sure we don’t get shivved from behind going down some damn tunnel.”

She turned and walked to the table, joining Zecora and Solar Gleam just as Celestia entered the garden from the solarium.

Shatter glanced over her shoulder: “Thanks for the cover ponies, Princess, though a couple of stout earth ponies might have served just as well.”

Celestia lifted a goblet of cider and nodded: “Perhaps, but the Lieutenants have specialized combat and magic skills that may prove more valuable than even the sturdiest ponies-at-arms.”

Shatter shrugged: “You’re the boss. Speaking of…”

She poured a cup of cider as well: “What’s the chain of command to be on this mission? I mean, three of us are officially military, so I don’t have any confusion there, but how do our two civvies fit in?”

“Solar Gleam will act as an authority in all things dark or arcane, but he has no field experience, in either exploration or combat.”

The stallion dipped his head toward Celestia: “As Her Highness implied, I’m strictly along for the ride--a sort of walking library, as it were.”

“OK, so how about Zecora?”

Celestia took a long drink: “She has experience tracking and hunting, can handle herself in a fight, and has real-world experience dealing with the Void’s effects. She will be in overall charge of this mission.”

Shatter raised an eyebrow and locked eyes with Zecora for several tense moments as Celestia watched over the rim of her cup. Then the pegasus ran her tongue over her front teeth, took a half step back and nodded.

“So you’re the Mare-in-Charge--got it. What are our marching orders?”

Zecora smiled and extended a hoof: “I have no desire to usurp your role! / I’ll need your wisdom on this patrol! / I trust you’ll share your best insight / should this crew be called to fight!”

Shatter returned the smile: “Damn straight! I’m just glad I’m not in operational command--means I don’t have to write the damn after-action report!”

Celestia sighed with relief and placed her goblet on the table: “Well, now that that’s all sorted-out, I think it’s time to get you ponies down below. I’ll accompany you as far as the bone pit, and I know the mapping team has some final notes as well. They’ll meet you at the entrance to the chasm."

She stepped back from the table and turned to face the zebra: “Zecora, assemble your team; I believe the time has come to find this accursed thing and seal it off from the good citizens of Equestria!”

Zecora nodded, squared her shoulders and cleared her throat: “Gather to me, my ponies brave! / Let us strike out for that gloomy cave / seek out the evil in its fearsome lair / and cordon it off with a renewed snare!”

Shatter stepped beside Zecora: “You heard the Boss--fall in!”

The five ponies formed up with Zecora in the lead, as Celestia rose into the air and led them from the garden toward the base of the Old Tower.