A mare and her dog

by cammera

Noon 46, fragment three: Steel and clay

"You aren't trained for armor, so I can't give you anything fully enchanted," Spike selected several pieces of armor from shelves "These days those ones can make a salute into a beheading" he breathed flame into it, several enchantments breaking away with it "Ready, this has no active enhancements, only reactive, like air cooling"

With Spike's help, she wore the three layers of armor-- a first of mail, a second of harnesses and pads, and a third of light plates over her vital organs.

"What's fully enchanted armor like?" she asked, flexing her legs to test it.

"Like this" he took a random plate helmet and put it over her head-

Activating awareness enchancers...

Sight enchancement... OK

A myriad of markers appeared over her vision, not unlike those that appeared when Twilight proxied her magic through her.

Hearing enchancement... OK

The volume of everything increased to such a level that it was almost, but not quite, unbearable. She took the helmet in a rush.

"And this is rookie armor. Takes time to get used" Spike gave her the disenchanted helmet, then gave a few taps to his own "This one would literally give you a three weeks long headache"

"Huh" She shook her legs and made a experimental hop "I expected it to be heavier"

"That's the passive magic, it'll also keep broken bones in place, accelerate coagulation, you name it. Now try to run"

She gave him a dubious look but walked to the small training area in the center of the room and ran a few circles, almost collapsing to the floor in the try.

"The armor is less effective when you move quickly, there's a small delay in it compensating its own weight in different positions" explained Spike.

"So only trotting?" Applejack tested different speeds.

Spike nodded, "It'll also fall to pieces with damage. Plate is incredibly obtrusive if it isn't perfectly adjusted, believe me" he tapped his armored chest "You ready?"

She nodded, and he turned to the door.

"Wait" she called "A sword? What for?"

"Claws intimidate civilians, magic swords intimidate soldiers" he shrugged "Also, these babies" he lifted his ungloved claws for a moment "can only do so much to steel, and I can't go biting everything. It's bad form"

She walked after him, feeling the uncomfortable weight of heaved boots but growing used to it quickly. When they were near the door of the palace, Twilight passed them running, then ran backwards.

"The Church may be a warzone by the time you get there, so try not to hurt yourself, alright?" she ran forward again.

Spike winced, but they walked on. Outside, several regiments formed around them like a shell.

-º-

Mirria was thrown to a golem, but rotated in the air and jumped on its back with enough force for her heavy boots to crack it, landed on another kicking all four hooves into its head, took the now dismembered head in her forehooves, and threw it against the remaining golem, rotating with her wings as the axis for an instant afterwards.

The fight over, she and Hlaoo kept advancing. He held a map that someone had dropped carelessly over the floor, going to a room that according to the map had grown to be far larger than even the Big Church.