Equestria Wasteland

by Atriark the Scribe

3 A Journey to Begin

Paladin Armor paced back and forth, thinking about what his sister had told him. If Scribe Sparkle was wrong, and there were times she was, then he would take the full brunt of the blame from his superiors for abandoning his post. Even if Scribe Spark was right, he could still face the same allegations.

Duty dictated that he ignore his sister, to follow through with his orders. He and his team were here for a specific purpose, and that purpose needed to be completed. On the other hoof, Scribe Sparkle was rarely wrong, and if she was right, what little of Equestria that was still around was in danger. He knew what he had to do, but that didn't make it any easier.

The alabaster unicorn prayed to whomever was listening that the Elders wouldn't be overly harsh to him for disobeying a direct order, and reluctantly left the silence of the office. With the door open, what he thought was a low grumble of discussion was revealed to be quite a loud argument. Immediately he was impressed with how soundproof the office was despite being over 200 years old, but that soon gave way to annoyance.

"Knight Sable, report!" Paladin Armor barked, putting the argument to a swift end.

The knight in question, a dark grey, almost black coated Pegasus stallion snapped to attention. Adorning his body was a skin tight body suit designed to regulate temperature as well as provide some level of protection against magical energy weapons and pockets of radiation left over by Celestia's Spell.

"Sir, what is this about abandoning our post?" the Pegasus asked, and everypony else turned to look at their leader.

"We're not abandoning our post," he explained. "One volunteer will stay behind and hold this position while the rest of us will go on an expedition into the nearby forest."

The four ponies looked amongst each other, unsure of how to react to their superior.

Finally one spoke up, a vivid yellow unicorn mare with a short-cropped pale lavender mane, "We're looking for the ruins, aren't we sir? Scribe Sparkle wasn't lying to us?"

"No Scribe Lavender, Scribe Sparkle wasn't lying. There are ruins in the Everfree Forest. Ruins that once housed Celestia and her forgotten sister. An old tale spoke of the one Celestia banished returning, and that she would take her revenge upon Equestria. Scribe Sparkle's research points to this former princess returning tomorrow," Paladin Armor explained.

"But sir, how do we know if this is even true?" Knight Sable asked.

"A fair question Knight. But ask yourself this," the Paladin countered, "should we risk it? Should we risk no doing what we can to prevent a wicked mare of darkness returning to Equestria, a broken and defeated land with little in the way of protection from somepony who defied Celestia herself? It harms little if we go for a patrol into that area, and this nightmare proves to be a fictitious entity. But if we do not go, we risk much."

Knight Sable shuffled, the rest of the equines gathered around remaining silent, either watching their leader, or the dark colored Knight. "Paladin Armor, I request to stay behind."

Armor nodded. "Very well Knight. I authorized you to use any equipment you see fit. It is up to you to make sure that this post remains held. The rest of you, get ready. We leave in twenty minutes." Leaving Knight Sable, Scribe Sparkle, and the rest of his crew, he returned back to the office.

Once the door behind him shut, Paladin Armor let out a heavy sigh, knowing Knight Sable would give him trouble in the future. After all, he trained the Knight to follow the rules. He would be disappointed if Knight Sable didn't attempt to report him for his dereliction of duty, even if it was for the greater good. However, he would also be disappointed if his Knight did, not realizing the rules the Brotherhood had didn't account for everything and shouldn't be followed blindly; but weighed and thought out depending on the situation. In a sense, no matter what happened Paladin Armor would be disappointed to some degree in any action Knight Sable took.

Paladin Armor briefly marveled at his own capacity to be so diametrically opposed at an action his former apprentice before he returned to the desk and looked over the map fragment left behind by his sister, trying to find where it would be in relation to the town they were in. A difficult task given the map had little that wasn't covered in faded green that vaguely resembled tree tops due to age. Where Scribe Sparkle had found the fragment was a mystery, but most everything was to him. She was smart and rarely wrong, but she suffered from a difficulty to simplify what she was saying, which often lead Paladin Armor to ask the other Scribes for an explanation he would understand.

A knock at the door tore Armor from his thoughts. "Come in."

A lavender and yellow head poked around her way in. "Um, sir, we're ready. Well, Scribe Sparkle is busy going through some books and hasn't gotten any of her equipment."

"Lavender, were we given a topographical map of the area?" The Paladin asked, hopeful.

Only a slight pause to think, Scribe Lavender replied, "All we were given was a map up until the base of Mount Canterlot. This area hasn't been accessed by the Brotherhood in over a dozen years. I could look through our equipment to be sure if you want me to sir."

"That won't be necessary Scribe." Paladin Armor grabbed the map fragment with his magic and made way to the door. "I am surprised five minutes was all it took for the four of you to prepare your equipment."

"Your orders and Scribe Sparkle's explanation set it out clearly." Lavender said, falling in behind Paladin Armor. "Some food and weapons were assumed. I've gathered some medical supplies while Scribe Smiles assisted Knight Tack in preparing his Power Armor. Scribe Sparkle only picked up her field suit before she went to her books."

The Paladin stopped to look at his yellow unicorn scribe. "And why haven't you donned your Field gear?" he asked to Lavender, who was only wearing a thick, faded red shirt over her yellow coat.

Scribe Lavender paused at the abrupt halt, "I have it with the rest of my gear. I felt it was best not to burden myself with it before we left, given it is still approximately ten minutes before we depart for this Everfree Forest."

"Very well." Paladin Armor turned and opened the door to the largest room in the Police Station other than the front waiting room, where their previous discussion had taken place just over five minutes ago. The room held several lockers and the remains of a few benches. High on the far wall held a small window that was long broken out. On the floor were six bedrolls spaced evenly apart down either side, along the lockers. Here was where Paladin Armor and his team had claimed as their sleeping and equipment room, the lockers holding everything they had brought with them- save their power armor, stored in the neighboring room.

"Sir," said an electronically distorted and slightly amplified masculine voice, saluting with an armored hoof.

"Knight Tack," replied Armor, returning the salute to the fully armor clad equine.

The Paladin looked around the room and saw his sister hastily stuffing a book into her bag and draw it close with a tug of her magic. "Sorry sir, I lost track of time."

"You're bringing a lot of books with you Scribe," observed Armor.

"When doesn't she?" Knight Tack jested.

Scribe Sparkle shot the Knight a mean look. "You never know when you might need Super Natural Remedies," she countered.

"That's all well and good, so long as they don't slow you down. We have minimal time to get to this location in a primeval forest without adequate bearings as to where it is."

"Perhaps we can ask some locals?" offered a soft voiced green stallion, dressed similarly to Scribes Lavender and Sparkle.

"That's a good suggestion," began Paladin Armor.

"If we end up coming across any," finished Scribe Sparkle.

The stallion picked up his faded and worn bag with a hoof and slung it over his shoulder, "true, we have yet to come across any locals in a few days. However, statistically we should come across another individual in the next day or two who may or may not be friendly given our location. We are in a prime scavenging area after all."

"Scribe Smiles has a fair point, Paladin," replied Sparkle.

"Regardless, it won't benefit us much to delay searching for a statistical probability while we are strapped for time as we are. Did you grab spare cores Knight?"

Knight Tack nodded. "Two spares and a fresh one in the back," came his electronically amplified replied.

"Good. Scribes get on your field vests on and shoulder your gear, we're leaving. Knight Tack, pass me my rifle," Armor ordered, the recipient of the order gave a nod and reached into a locker, tossing his superior a magical energy rifle that boasted a longer barrel than most. Paladin Armor caught the rifle in his magic before levitating over the map fragment to his sister. "Keep this safe."

Scribe Sparkle stowed the map piece into one of her many vest pockets and picked up her bag, waiting for Scribes Smiles and Lavender to do the same while her brother stuffed a few extra crystalline cells into compartments in his power armor.

"Sir," came the voice of Knight Sable, sticking his head into the room. "May I have a word with you?"

"Meet me outside," he instructed the Scribes and Knight Tack, before he turned around and followed behind Sable, into the room that held their power armor when it wasn't in use; a simple room that would better be described as a former filing room.

"What is it Knight?" Armor asked.

"I just..." Knight Sable paused a moment, shifting uncomfortably in his power armor. "I just wanted to say be careful. You're trotting into an unknown area with no information on it."

"I know Sable. I've been a Paladin for a number of years and have lead many teams in many different missions. But thank you for your concern. Is that all you wanted to say?"

"N-no," he confessed. "I also wanted to inform you that I will be filing a report about this. I wanted you to know because I don't want to do this behind your back. You've taught me better."

Paladin Armor let out an audible sigh. "I expected as much. Well, thank you for being forward with me. I hope you will learn something from this." Without waiting for a response, the Paladin turned on his hind legs and trot off, leaving his former trainee standing there, unsure of what to feel as his teacher strode ever boldly onward, heedless of whatever consequences his actions may land him in.

Author's Note:

Well, there it is. In all it's unanticipated glory. Next chapter won't take as long, unless the Universe decides to throw me a few more curve balls. Which it probably will now that I've mentioned it.