The Order of No Quarter: Equestrian Frontier

by GamerDroid23

Chapter 4: Smalltalk and Royal Introductions.

As the train made it's way to Canterlot, steam bellowing from its whistle, the Order and Mane Six were getting to know each other... both verbally and mentally. "So, what is this Princess Celestia like exactly?" questioned King Knight, obviously trying to get an idea of how she was.

"She is calm and collected, extremely polite, forgiving, kind, sweet. She is also my teacher." stated Twilight.

Although Twilight couldn't notice it under King Knight's helmet, his mouth was hanging open in shock and surprise. "She was your mentor?!" yelled King Knight in a state of shock.

"Yep. She taught me the basics. In fact, if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have met any of my friends." mentioned Twilight.

"She must be very proud of you. I would be if I were her." praised King Knight. To this, Twilight just sighed. "What's wrong? Was it something I said?" questioned King Knight.

"No, it's not that, I'm just not sure." mumbled Twilight.

"Not sure about what?" asked King Knight, obviously confused.

"I'm just not sure I can step out of her shadow. I just don't know if I can." stated Twilight, sounding glum.

"Alright, I can see where this is going. Listen to me on this." said King Knight. "I've been on the same path you're going down, and it isn't a pretty one. I was tired of being in my king's shadow, so I took over and deposed him. Then, a blue-armored knight wielding a shovel opposed me, and I fought against him and lost. I will never forget what he said to me." lamented King Knight.

"What did he say to you, exactly?" questioned Twilight.

"(You're naught but a decadent dandy). It really hit home hard for me. It made me realize that I could be better than my king, it just would take patience, time, practice, motivation, and..." said King Knight, as he stopped abruptly.

"And what?" questioned Twilight, obviously curious.

"Well, that's for you to figure out. Sometimes, the answers to life's problems won't be handed out on a silver platter. Trust me, I know." stated King Knight, his words leaving an impression in Twilight's mind. "I'm going to go get some concessions from the snack car. You want anything?" questioned King Knight, trying to be courteous.

"Thank you, but no." stated Twilight with a contemplative look on her face. "Why don't you go check on the others?" stated Twilight, trying to find a reason to get King Knight to go away so she could think about the brain teaser King Knight gifted her.

"Alright, suit yourself." mumbled King Knight, as he got up from his seat and went to go talk to the others.

---

Meanwhile, in the next car over, everyone was trying to get to know each other. "So my cerulean equine with prismatic hair, you mean to tell me that you are the fastest flyer in this land." stated Propeller Knight. "Although I may find it hard to believe, I'm also in an alternate world, making the point that where I'm from, my flying skills are extraordinary completely and utterly moot." muttered Propeller Knight.

"How do you even fly to begin with? I mean I don't even see any wings on you." questioned Rainbow Dash.

"Who told you that wings were always necessary for flight to begin with?" questioned Propeller Knight.

"It's just common knowledge here that if anything can fly, it usually has wings." stated Rainbow Dash.

"Well, my avianistic equine, I do not use wings, due to the fact being I don't require them." boasted Propeller Knight.

"Then how do you fly?!" yelled Rainbow Dash, obviously bewildered with the fact that Propeller Knight could fly without a pair of wings.

"One moment." stated Propeller Knight as he tapped a waiter on the shoulder. "Is there a train car without a roof?" asked Propeller Knight, ever so casually.

"Uh, yes, three cars back." answered the Waiter.

"Thank you." replied Propeller Knight as he stood up and motioned for Rainbow Dash to follow him. When the two reached the train car, Propeller Knight stopped in the middle. "You may want to stand back a bit." warned Propeller Knight. Rainbow Dash nodded as she stepped back and watched as Propeller Knight grabbed the handles hanging off his helmet, and was shocked by what happened next. As he pulled down on the handles, the blades on the top of his helmet began to spin at high speeds, propelling him into the air. There, he stared down at her and nodded as he flew around the train car before landing in front of her. "See why said I don't require wings now?" bragged Propeller Knight.

"But...How?!" gasped Rainbow Dash.

"Simple, the blades on my helmet are a set of propellers, which spin when I pull on the handles, and thus produce an air current, which lifts me into the air." explained Propeller Knight. Rainbow Dash just looked on in shock. "If it makes you feel any better, I can teach you how to fence." stated Propeller Knight.

---

"So you care for animals?" questioned Treasure Knight, obviously curious.

"Oh yes. I care for all animals." commented Fluttershy as she sipped on a small glass of herbal tea.

"Do you care for any aquatic animals?" asked Treasure Knight.

"What do you mean, as in fish?" asked Fluttershy, a tad bit confused by Treasure Knight's question.

"What I guess I'm trying to ask is do you care for sea creatures?" explained Treasure Knight.

"Oh not that I can remember. I just usually care for woodland creatures and freshwater fish." mumbled Fluttershy.

"I should you teach some marine biology sometime." muttered Treasure Knight.

---

After Rainbow returned from Propeller Knight's little "Demonstration", she decided to sit down. Unbeknownst to her she sat down next to Specter Knight. "Hello there, daredevil. Nice to know you would sit next to Death on a train." moaned Specter Knight.

Rainbow gasped in surprise. "How did you get here that fast?!" screamed Rainbow Dash, in shock.

"I was always sitting here. You just sat next to me by pure chance." answered Specter Knight."Besides, the reason you didn't see me to begin with was because I can cloak my presence."

"What do you mean by cloak your presence?!" screamed Rainbow Dash, extremely flabbergasted

"Before I explain, have you ever wondered how the Reaper creeps up on his targets unnoticed?" asked Specter Knight.

"A little bit, why?" questioned Rainbow Dash

"So that no one sees us coming." stated Specter Knight "Besides, it's a great adaptation. It makes the job of soul-catching so much easier."

"But why do you go around gathering the souls of the sick and dying?" questioned Rainbow Dash

"Do you even know the REAL reason why we Reapers do that to begin with?" stated Specter Knight, to which Rainbow Dash shook her head."Contrary to popular beliefs AND the books that people write about us, we do it so that new lives can be born. Every time a new life is born, an ancient dies. Sometimes one must be sacrificed for the good of many."

"So...you're guide for the spirits, and the reason life can exist?" replied Rainbow Dash

"Yes... a guide for spirits and reason for life's existence, way to sum it up." deadpanned Specter Knight.

---

Polar Knight sat by himself near the back of the passenger car. He sighed as he leaned his head against the seat, relaxing at the fact that none of the ponies were chatting with him. It was not that he didn't like them, it was just the fact that he himself wasn't much of a conversationalist. He closed his eyes so he could sleep on the way to Canterlot. THIS idea however was quickly shot down by a rambling voice...talking to him. "Hey there sleepy, whatcha doing?" rambled Pinkie Pie.

Polar Knight sighed in disbelief, the 'pink one', as he preferred to call...it, could've talked to him anytime before now, but chose to do so when he was trying to rest. "A break cannot be caught." he told himself. "Maybe if I just act like I'm asleep, then it'll go away." he said to himself, as he began to emit a fake snore.

"Oh are you tired? Here, have some coffee, It'll make you feel better." Pinkie Pie said as she set it down a cup of coffee in front of Polar Knight. Although, as much as it smelled good to him, Polar Knight knew that if he picked up the cup the drink was in, it would defeat the purpose of him trying to get her to leave him alone, so he continued to snore. "Oh, you must be out cold. I know what might help you get up." stated Pinkie Pie as she went away... only to come back with tuba. Unbeknownst to him, a certain country pony saw this.

"Oh Celestia, this ain't gonna be fun for him at all." thought Applejack, as she got up and went over to Pinkie and tapped her on the shoulder before she could blow a single note. "What in tarnation are you doing Pinkie?" snapped Applejack.

"I'm just trying to get Mr. Polar Bear here to wake up from hibernation." replied Pinkie Pie as she tried again to put her mouth on the funnel-piece, but again, Applejack stopped her.

"I get that, but I don't think you should force him to wake up." replied Applejack, as she took the tuba away from Pinkie Pie. "After all, you wouldn't want him to not like you." stated Applejack.

Pinkie thought about it for a moment before seeing Applejack's point. "Oh, you're right. I'll just wait for him to wake up." stated Pinkie Pie, as she bounced away.

AppleJack sighed in relief as Pinkie Pie left. However, as Applejack started to head back to her seat, Polar Knight grabbed her shoulder. She looked up at him, expecting him to be mad, but instead saw him smiling at her. "Thank you, Applejack. I really appreciate it." mumbled Polar Knight. Applejack just looked back at him and smiled at him.

---

While Pinkie was walking back to her seat, a green puff of smoke and fumes appeared in front of her to reveal Plague Knight, holding his cane in one hand, and tossing a potion flask in the other. "BOOM! Hee-Hee-Hee!" he cackled, as he took a seat. "So, my positively pink party pony, what's on your celebratory cerebral cortex?" asked Plague Knight.

"Oh, not much, Plaguey." commented Pinkie Pie, as she sat down across from Plague Knight, to which he sighed.

"As much as I know you mean nothing by it, I still don't like the nickname you gave me." stated Plague Knight. "The least you could do as a friend is call me Plague."

"I know, but it seems to fit you." replied Pinkie Pie. "Why are you called Plague Knight anyways?"

"Well, because of two reasons. The first is my choice in attire, and the second being that my profession is in alchemy." stated Plague Knight. "Besides, I sometimes like the sound of a boom, you know?"

"Oh, if you like boom, you haven't seen the party cannon!" stated Pinkie Pie, as she pulled it out of nowhere, as it went off into Plague Knight's masked face. Afterwards, he coughed as gunpowder residue and pieces of confetti on his mask was shook off.

"That was an unexpected surprise." stated Plague Knight "How much gunpowder do you use it that thing anyway?"

" About half a gram, why do you ask?" replied Pinkie Pie, grinning from ear to ear.

"Well, I could help you improve the amount of boom you get for your buck." stated Plague Knight, chuckling to himself at the unintentional pun. "Besides, I've studied a lot of alchemy, so I know a bit more about boom than you, so I can teach you."

"Woohoo! You bet Plaguey, we can be Best Big Boom Friends Forever!" cheered Pinkie Pie as she grasped Plague Knight in a back breaking hug.

"Okay, but could you loosen up a bit? I don't know if you need air to breathe, but I most certainly do!" croaked Plague Knight

---

"So, you have seen LARGER diamonds than these?" questioned Rarity, as she dumped a small bag of diamonds on the tray table in front of Mole Knight, who used his clawed fingers to pick up a few of the diamonds and inspected them.

"Hmm...while these diamonds you have here are of the highest quality, they lack in size and are on the worthless side of the scale. But, to answer your question, yes I have seen larger, and better, as matter of fact." stated Mole Knight, ever so casually.

"THESE, are the highest quality diamonds to ever come out of the Canterlot Diamond Mines, and you're disregarding them as worthless?!" retaliated Rarity, obviously a tad bit infuriated by Mole Knight's healthy dose of obliviousness.

"I'm sorry, but It's the truth. The diamonds from where we are from are better than yours. Face the facts." stated Mole Knight

"Okay, if YOUR diamonds are so much better, let me see one." yelled Rarity.

Mole Knight then reached into his armor and, much to Rarity's chagrin, pulled out a 20 karat Pink Diamond. Underneath his helmet he smiled in content as Rarity's mouth dropped open. "I told you ours were better." bragged Mole Knight.

Rarity looked the pink diamond over a few minutes, before handing it back to Mole Knight. "There is no way in Tartarus that is real." stated Rarity.

"Why don't you check it if you don't believe me?" questioned Mole Knight, as he scooted the diamond toward Rarity.

"Okay then, let's see!" snapped Rarity, as she picked up the diamond and pulled out a jeweler's loupe. As she inspected it, Rarity started to realize that the diamond was real. "This is impossible! How is it real?!" screamed Rarity.

"Well, I told you it was real. You should have just believed me there." stated Mole Knight.

---

Tinker Knight was just walking up the aisle next to Twilight Sparkle, when she motioned for him to sit down next to her. Tinker Knight nodded as he walked over and sat across from her. "What is it that you need?" asked Tinker Knight.

"I'm just trying to figure out what King Knight's words meant." replied Twilight. "I just wanted to know if you could help me."

"Okay, I don't know if I'll be much help to you, but I'll try." stated Tinker Knight.

"Oh, thank you Tinker Knight. It means a lot to me." replied Twilight, as she repeated what King Knight had told her to him.

"Hmm...I think I may know the answer you seek, but if King Knight asks if you got help on it, I didn't help you, got it?" stated Tinker Knight.

"Okay, now what is the answer?" asked Twilight.

"Friends. Friends who will guide you on the right path, and NEVER lead you astray." stated Tinker Knight.

Twilight looked at Tinker Knight for a few moments, before facehoofing. "I should have seen that. I'm the Princess of Friendship, and I missed that." stated Twilight. "How could I be that stupid?" she said as she started to cry.

"HEY! Pull yourself together!" yelled Tinker Knight. "Just because you couldn't figure out a simple question is no reason to give in and cry! If I gave in every time I screwed up on my profession, nothing would ever get done!"

Somehow, this got Twilight to stop crying for the moment. "How can you be so calm when you screw up?" asked Twilight, genuinely curious.

"The reason I don't give in is because I have a job to do. If I let my emotions get to me there, it could jeopardize my project. I'm not saying you need to hold in your emotions, I'm saying you need to know when and how to let them out." explained Tinker Knight.

Twilight looked at Tinker Knight, and hugged him. "Thank you." replied Twilight.

Just then King Knight walked in. "Hey, the train's about to arrive at the platform."

---

"Okay everyone, we have arrived at Canterlot. Now, assuming that Princess Celestia is here, she is either going to be waiting at the platform or in her throne room. We need to be professional and polite." explained King Knight to the other Order of No Quarter. "So with that in mind, we need to show respect. Does everyone understand?" asked King Knight, to which everyone nodded. "Okay. Let's do this." King Knight stated as they began to get off of the train.

As soon as they got off the the train, a group of armored unicorns began to encircle them. "Whoa guys, personal space, please." commented Polar Knight. As the guards got closer, they began to pull out their swords and shields.

At this moment, the Order of No Quarter began to realize that they were being considered a threat, and in self-defense, drew their weapons. However, before either side could land a single blow, TWO regal voices rang through the air. "Guards, standeth down. We request that thou sheath your weapons. We don't want to provoke our mystery guests." shouted a night blue alicorn with jet black regalia, with a mane and wings that seemed to be made from the stars in the night sky. On her flank was the image of a crescent moon.

"But we must protect Princess Celestia at all times, no matter the cost." shouted a random guard.

"Guards, I order you to stand down!" spoke a white alicorn, adorned with golden regalia, with a mane that appeared to composed of water, with pinks, greens, and light blue hues. The image of a sun appeared on her hindquarters.

With this the royal guards began to back off, to reveal The Order of No Quarter, all in a kneeling position. Upon seeing this, the two alicorns walked toward their mysterious guests. The white one spoke first. "Whom might you be?" she asked. "At ease."

They then stood up. "Greetings, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, we are the Order of No Quarter. I am King Knight, and this is Specter Knight, Plague Knight, Treasure Knight, Mole Knight, Propeller Knight, Tinker Knight, and Polar Knight. I hope we are not intruding, your greatness." stated King Knight.

"Thou are not intruding, however we must ask, why are thou here?" questioned Luna.

"Uh...Princesses, I hate to be rude, but perhaps we can talk about this in the castle?" questioned Specter Knight.

"Of course. Follow me." stated Celestia, as she began to lead them and the Mane Six to the throne room.