Fred Walsh: Diverted

by Baguettedood

Chapter 20 – Final Prep

Chapter 20 – Final Prep
"Okay then, it's settled: We're going to fight DemonTrixie. We have a plan ready and we're all rather pissed off in various fashions, thanks to these attacks. I'm unsure if that's a good combination, but we're going to try anyway. You know, I'm surprised that, in the last two fights we've had with DemonTrixie, I haven't seen his head spin around yet. I really did expect to see that happen at least once.

"I'm a bit relieved that Cadance doesn't seem to hold any kind of grudge against me after I threatened to destroy her sanity. I mean, yes, it was extremely rude to make the threat, but this was something I should've known earlier. Also, didn't I just apologise the night before about getting mad at her? I think I miss the internet, it used to help me keep my harboured aggressions in check."

---

A few hours after the next sunrise, everypony mentally prepared themselves for the upcoming battle against DemonTrixie in the Everfree Forest. As much as Equestria prefers to encourage friendship in opposition to violence, occasionally some things have to be done to keep the peace in the country.

Twilight Sparkle opened the door to the blue guest room, where Fred Walsh was failing at practising the magic he discovered the day before. He had his back turned to the entrance door, as he made an effort to 'flick,' to some respect, the glow away from him as some sort of effort to produce an offensive attack, but to no avail.

“Are you ready to go?” the mare made herself noticed with a question. The human, not paying attention to the door, jumped slightly, and some of the energy escaped his fingers, swirled around a bit and left a black mark on the carpet, all in the space of a few milliseconds.

“Whoops. Well, there we go.” 'I pity the room's cleaner.' He turned around. “Just about. I do have a quick question, though.” He re-energised his right hand again. “I don't know, do you think yellow and blue go well together?” he asked, comparing his magic to the sleeve of his T-shirt.

“You'd have to ask Rarity,” she replied. “She'd know.”

Fred cancelled his magic before returning to his typical stance. “Fair enough.” 'I was probably channelling her personalty to think about that and ask that question anyway.' The two exited the door to be joined by the unicorn's brother waiting for them, already in his lavender-crested armour. The three made their way to the castle's briefing room.

“I'm a bit tense about this,” she started a conversation en route.

“Don't be, Twily,” the guard responded reassuringly to her worry.

“I would be, we're about to go up against a demon-possessed pony which we've barely prevented from kicking our asses twice.” The biped, on the other hand, broke the attempt at calming her down as he did a few days ago.

“That doesn't really help, Fred,” Shining lightly scolded him.

“I'm simply saying that I believe she's justified,” he defended himself. “I had this friend back home. Nice guy, and funny, but he always seemed depressed. I had this constant worry about him every time we conversed,” he confessed.

“Do you encourage being worrisome? You've done this before.” Twilight looked upon the time they conversed at breakfast some days previous.

“It builds character, like in a drama play or something,” he shrugged. “It can also be a healthy thing in some situations.”

“Let's just get down there,” the captain sighed as they moved on through the castle corridors.

---

When Fred, Twilight and Shining reached the briefing room, Princesses Celestia and Cadance were already waiting for them through the open door. The three new arrivals quickly walked inside the narrow doorway and sat down around the central table for a last check-over of the plan they were to enact later that day.

“Let us go through this one last time before you leave for the mission,” the sun princess stated at the head of the table. “You are to carefully head into the Everfree Forest, find the demon possessing my subjects, and bring it here, using whatever means you deem necessary.”

On the table lay the available equipment they could use for the approaching task. In Equestria's typical fashion, little of it could even be used in direct combat, as the country prefers diplomacy over conflict, yet it was still useful in their special ways. To share between the team, they had two amethyst horn rings to prevent magical attack, the harmonic sapphire, also attached to jewellery, capable of blocking magic, and an enchanted map of the forest they were about to journey into, with DemonTrixie's position highlighted in red, enchanted to track its position thanks to the tracking spell placed during the last attack.

“Unfortunately, I am unable to join you,” she said with some regret that she couldn't assist in protecting her subjects directly. “I need to continue here.”

Fred tossed an amethyst to Twilight, and the other to Cadance. He took the sapphire and Shining Armor took the map. 'I really hope that two magic shields can be enough,' the human thought about the number of amethysts.

“We can do it,” Princess Cadance supportively agreed. “Don't worry.”

“There is a chariot waiting for you to take you to the forest,” Celestia finished. The others nodded in agreement and respect before leaving the conference room.

They walked together down a few sets of stairs to the chariot bay residing inside the barracks. Hooked up to a golden-white flying carriage were two guards, ready for them to get on, and looking more trained for agility and speed over combat. Although not official, Cadance, Twilight, Shining and Fred partially considered themselves a brand new team of the Solar Task Force. The unofficial STF jumped onto the waiting vehicle. Shortly afterward, the two pilots spread their wings and took off, flying ever closer South to the forest untouchable by magic ever since a dark incident many years ago.

Princess Celestia observed their departure from Canterlot, praying strongly in her mind that they would all be able to enjoy a safe return back.