The Last Cutie Mark Crusader

by Jatheus

21 - Discovery, Part 6 of 7

Duster coughed. His muscles burned all over, his legs felt like jelly, and his head was pounding. His company was doing crossbow training. He had thought that it might be fun; as it turned out, they weren't actually firing them. They were learning to completely tear them apart and put them back together. As much of a disappointment as it was, he was grateful that they were permitted to do this sitting down. He wasn't sure if he could have made it standing the rest of the day. Doff had actually fainted during their previous exercises, twice. They brought a medic each time, and sent him to the infirmary after the second. Locknload seemed incredibly capable with the disassembly of the weapon. He'd have the entire thing stripped apart and then put back together in a matter of minutes. Moonsliver was equally adept at the mechanical workings of the device. Duster had trouble figuring it out.

"Hey guys," Gunnysack whispered. "I heard that new armor is being forged back home in the Crystal Empire. My sources tell me it can withstand magical attacks."

"Don't believe everything you hear," Locknload said, not taking his eyes off of his third disassembly. "There's no such thing."

"I just hope the armor doesn't cause too much drag and slow down my flight speed," Rolling Thunder said. "I'd rather be faster and take my chances."

Locknload just shook his head. Duster listened quietly and then made another attempt to get his crossbow together. They had walked him through it one time already, but he seemed to have a spare clamp. He just couldn't figure out where it was supposed to go. He caught his sergeant looking at him.

"That one goes in like this," Sergeant Scootaloo said. "See? Once it is in place, it can slide over, allowing the bow to fold." She collapsed her bow, and then opened it up again, sliding the clamp into place with a click. "See here? Now it's locked. It won't collapse unless you press the release here." Another click and the bow spring folded in two. Pushing the release again now that it was folded, Scootaloo was able to remove the clamp.

It was just beginning to make sense. Duster tried to execute the instruction and did manage to get it together, but the clamp popped off when he tried to lock it open. Jewel laughed at him as he got down on the floor and searched for it. They were supposed to be able to go from the folded position into ready to fire within ten seconds, but at this rate it would take Duster closer to a minute. This teardown and rebuild business was another matter entirely. He coughed again as he continued his attempt to assemble the crossbow.

Comments

[OmalleyCaboose5]

"Hey guys," Gunnysack whispered. "I heard that new armor is being forged back home in the Crystal Empire. My sources tell me it can withstand magical attacks."

The other drunkie sitting next to you in the bar does not count as a source

[Jatheus]

8740973
Maybe he got a letter from his mother? Even horrible side characters have mothers.