The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds

by Kamahido

Chapter 6 - Unacceptable Losses

Ember lands directly in front of the Yak Commander! She throws her spear down into the dirt at her feet, point down.

“Hmph! Strange looking bird back again?! Go away! Yaks don't have any more ponies for you to eat!”

Ember frowns. “Oh, I'm not here for that.”

The commander looks to Ember, surprised! “Bird can talk?! Yakyakistan birds truly amazing!”

“I'M NOT A BIRD, STUPID!”

He frowns! “You think yak stupid?! Not-yak not even know she a bird!”

Ember looks to him, clearly irate! “I'm a dragon... D-R-A-G-O-N!”

The commander claps his hooves together, smiling! “Wow! Bird good speller!”

“I'M NOT A...”

Using all her determination, Ember calms herself. Taking a deep breath, she continues.

“You know what, it's not important. I'm here to see what it is you want from the ponies.”

“Like yak tell stupid old pony with strange heart-shaped rock earlier! Yak want EVERYTHING!!!”

Ember points a claw at the mountain behind them. “But you've lived up there peacefully for centuries! Why do you suddenly want to rule the world?!”

“Yak don't know! Prince Rutherford tell yak to march, yak march!”

“Is there anything I can do to make you stop this?”

He nods! “Ya! Tell Pony King yaks want see him! He can surrender then!”

Ember grits her teeth. “Anything else?!”

“Nah! That what Prince Rutherford want! He get Pony King before Pony King get HIM!”

“OH, COME ON! He came here to talk peace with your tribe!”

The commander points to the wall. “Yaks see warship land in city. We stop Equestrian Lord Regent before he get us!”

“But I'm telling you he doesn't WANT to fight you!”

“Then why he come here?!”

Ember finds herself exasperated yet again! “To AVOID fighting!”

“Funny looking bird not making any sense!”

Meanwhile... inside the gates, Sereb looks up at the sentries on the wall.

“Any movement?”

A Crystal Sentry shakes his head. “No sir! They're still talking!”

The gates suddenly make a sickening crack! Sereb mutters to himself.

“Hurry Ember. The gates won't hold much longer.”

Back outside the gates Ember continues to attempt to reason with the Yak Commander.

“How you know what Pony King wants anyway?!”

“I'm his bodyguard!”

He appears confused. “That like... pet?”

Ember shakes her head. “No! I keep him safe from those who would try to kill him!”

The commander snorts at this! “Real leader should be able take care of SELF! In yak culture, strongest yak leads! No have need for bodyguards!”

“But he IS the strongest! Haven't you heard about him?!”

“HA! He not stronger than Equestria's Hero of Light! Now HIM we hear of! To tell truth, yak was actually hoping to see him here! See for self if rumors true!”

“He IS here!

The Yak Commander looks around excitedly! “What? Where he?!”

Ember facepalms. “NO! Not literally! He's the Lord Regent!”

“That not true! Lord Regent's name is Lord Regent Arc! Not Hero of Light Arc!”

Ember quickly loses what little patience she has left. “Imbecile! They're the same!”

“You mean they like brothers or something?”

“ARGH! NO! Hero of Light Arc is currently Equestria's LORD REGENT!”

The Yak Commander turns away huffily. “Then he not Hero of Light no more! We not scared of puny Pony King who won't even come out to face yaks in battle!”

Ember appears on the edge of madness. “What did you say?!”

“I said Pony King COWARD!!!”

The words echo in Ember's head a few moments. Her face turns crimson red as she bares her teeth and claws! Enraged, she lunges at the Yak Commander and punches him in the face with all her might!

“YOU TAKE THAT BACK!!!”

The Yak Commander takes the hit squarely to his jaw. His head moves to the side with the blow but he is otherwise unmoved.

“Crazy bird just make big mistake!”

He utters a deep and guttural roar!

“YAKNI-KAI!!!”

The yaks stop attacking the gate and move toward Ember and the Yak Commander. Two of them use their horns to make a large ring in the dirt! Ember looks to him, confused.

“Say what now?”

He looks to her angrily. “You hit yak! Challenge yak's leadership! Now we fight to see who strongest!”

Ember looks at him, dumbfounded! “What?! You would stop a battle just to see who's strongest amongst YOURSELVES?! But I just wanted you to...”

“That right! You win, me listen! You lose, I take head for trophy! It may not be much, but is definitely unique! Look good on wall!”

A yak comes forward to give the Yak Commander his weapon. A large helmet with sharpened horns.

“You ready do this strange bird?!”

Ember picks up her spear and takes up a battle stance.

“Fine! Let's do this!”

Meanwhile, from the city Sereb looks up at the sentries again as the din from the gates subsides.

“They've stopped?”

The Crystal Sentry nods. “Sir! They're surrounding her!”

“WHAT?!”

Sereb jumps onto the wall next to the sentry!

“EMBER! GET OUT OF THERE!”

She keeps her eyes on the yak commander. “KEEP EVERYONE BACK, SEREB! I’VE GOT THIS!”

“ARE YOU SURE? FROM WHERE I STAND IT APPEARS QUITE THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE!”

“POSITIVE!”

“Enough talk! Yak show you who strongest!”

“Wait! You haven't explained the rules!”

“Only one rule... not get pushed out of circle and not die! Now you fight yak!”

Sereb watches from the wall. “Wait. Isn't that two rules?”

“No more stalling! We settle this!”

The Yak Commander plants his feet firmly!

“Come on bird! Show yaks what you have!”

Ember charges forward! “As you wish!”

She swings her spear at the yak's head like a club! It bounces off harmlessly. He yawns

“Yak ready when you done warming up.”

She looks at her spear! “What the heck?! That should have knocked him halfway back to Yakyakistan!”

Ember flies at her opponent at top speed! He takes her blow but does not even move from where he is standing! She wraps her arms around him and tries to pick him up! Failing at that, she pants and lets go.

“Well that was rather silly of me.”

The yak, with a flick of his fetlock smacks Ember to the edge of the circle! She grabs her spear to prevent herself from flying out of the ring!

“WOAH! Even stronger than they look!”

Her opponent sighs. “Getting a little bored over here, bird!”

The yak looks at Ember and narrows his eyes.

“You wouldn't like me when I'm bored!”

Ember mutters to herself as she looks her opponent over. “Think Ember... brute force isn't the answer here. What would Arc do...?”

Thinking for a moment, she suddenly gets an idea!

“Hey yak! I have a question for you! Are yaks REALLY the best at everything?”

They commander nods! “Ya! Yaks best at EVERYTHING!”

“Well, how about... dancing?”

He laughs! “HA! Yaks best dancers you ever see!”

Ember narrows her eyes and smiling slyly. “Prove it!”

“Yaks! Barynya dance!”

The soldiers look to one another. “But Commander...”

“BARYNYA DANCE, NOW!!!”

The yaks break into a very... traditional yak dance with the Yak Commander at the center!

Ember smiles to herself. “Wow... I can't believe they're actually doing it!”

Meanwhile, Sereb and the Crystal Sentries can only stare at the scene before them, wide-eyed and mouths agape! The commanders call up to them.

“What's going on up there?!”

“Are the yaks retreating?!”

The Crystal Sentry shakes his head. “Not... exactly.”

Sereb can only watch in disbelief! “They're... dancing?”

The commanders look to each other, confused. “I'm sorry, what?!”

Sereb puts a paw over his eyes and shakes his head. “This is an Arc plan if I ever saw one.”

The Crystal Sentry looks to him. “Arc plan?”

Sereb nods. “The Lord Regent has a reputation for coming up with off the wall plans that often times work!”

The sentry nods and looks back at the display before them. “So... what's...”

“I don't know. What she hopes to accomplish by doing this is beyond me.”

The yaks complete their dance! Ember claps!

“That was very impressive!”

The yaks nod! “Ya! Next we show you Yablochko!”

Sereb turns his back from the debacle before him, sighing. He turns to the Crystal Sentry. “Tell me when it's over...”

The yaks lock hooves and begin performing a very ornate synchronized line dance! This goes on for some time. Afterwards the Crystal Sentry looks to Sereb.

“They've stopped sir.”

Sereb turns back around. “Finally.”

Ember nods. “Nice! But is that REALLY the best you can do?!”

“What you mean?”

She thinks for a moment. “Let's see your best dance! The most skill intensive! The most ornate! The most... uh... elegant, I guess!”

The Yak Commander nods! “Okay then! One last dance! YAKS... CASATCHOK!!!”

They chant as they begin. “CASATCHOK! CASATCHOK! CASATCHOK!”

Sereb turns back around, covering his face with his paw and mutters to himself. “...oh for the love of Celestia...”

The Yak Commander and his soldiers spend the next twenty minutes dancing and performing extreme acts of dancing athleticism that should not be possible for creatures of their weight, size and girth! Eventually they finish. The Crystal Sentry turns back to Sereb.

“I... think their done sir.”

Sereb turns back around to look over the wall. “I hope so. Their dancing is quite literally making me ill.”

“So you see now strange bird! Yaks best at dancing!”

Ember nods! “Yeah. I guess you showed me!”

He smiles and laughs! “Come! We finish Yakni-Kai!”

Ember holds up a hand! “But Mr. Yak, the Yakni-Kai was over quite some time ago!”

The commander appears confused. “What you saying?”

She points a claw to the ground. “Look where YOU are... and look where I am.”

The Yak Commander looks around. His eyes grow wide as he notices that he is standing well outside the circle!

“WHAT?!”

Ember folds her arms over her chest! “I played by your rules! You lost.”

“But... but... YOU CHEATED YAK!”

The Yak Commander barrels headfirst at Ember. Several yaks move to stop him but she motions for them to stay back. Ember again picks up her spear and calls forth its power.

"Okay Arc. I tried it doing this your way. Now it's time to do things, dragon style!"

Ember again picks up her spear and calls forth its power and heavy armor. Holy Dragoon Ember flies at breakneck speed toward the Yak Commander.

“No! I'm... just... SMARTER!”

She swings her spear like a club yet again at the Yak Commander! It connects with his head! The blow sends him flying over the other yaks to land quite some distance away! She lands and turns to the other yaks!

“Anyone else want some of THIS?!”

None of the yaks moves, suddenly they begin chanting...

“Birdie... birdie... BIRDIE... BIRDIE!!!”

Holy Dragoon Ember facepalms! “This isn't happening...”

The Crystal Sentry turns to Sereb. “Did... did she do it?”

Sereb nods. “I would say so, yes.”

Ember walks over to the Yak Commander who is slowly standing up.

“Go ahead... and finish job.”

“Nah... easy victories aren't my style. How about a favor though?”

“Hmmm?”

Holy Dragoon Ember points her spear toward the general direction of Yakyakistan. “You and your troops go back to Yakyakistan. Tell your leader that Lord Regent Arc will visit soon.”

“...very well. I must report my... failure to Prince Rutherford.”

“Good.”

She turns to walk away. The commander calls out after her.

“Strange bird...”

Rolling her eyes and sighing. “Yes?”

He blushes slightly. “Yak, uh... yak look forward to seeing you again... in Yakyakistan! You... very pretty bird after all!”

“Just... go. Okay?”

He turns to his soldiers. “Come! Back to Yakyakistan!”

The troops turn around and begin walking away from the city.

“Goodbye... pretty bird.”

Ember quickly flies up to the wall to land next to Sereb.

“Very praiseworthy Ember. Are... you alright? You don't look well.”

Ember allows the Power to fade from her. “I... think I'm going to be sick!”

Sereb smiles to her. “Why's that? From where I stood it looked like you were making a... special friend.”

Ember turns a bit green. “That's just... gross.”

“Is it really so different than a certain dragon being in love with a human?”

She turns to him, exasperated! “Yes! Yes, it is!”

Sereb chuckles as Ember walks forward and takes the radio out of his saddlebag.

“Ember to Arc. Come in please!”

“Arc here! I've received word that the entire city has been evacuated. How are things at the gate?!”

“Good news! The yaks have returned to Yakyakistan!

“What?! That's great! Any casualties?!”

Ember shakes her head. “None Arc! We'll stay here a bit longer just to be sure they're REALLY gone! Then we'll head back to the castle.”

Arc breathes a sigh of relief! “Good! Are Derpy and Cherry with you by any chance?! They're still missing!”

“No. We'll start a search party at once though! Don't worry! The yaks never breached the walls, so I'm sure they're fine! I'll tell you all about it when I see you.”

“Call me the moment you find them! Arc out.”

Arc puts down the radio and turns to the military advisers and messengers that surround him.

“Mission accomplished!”

The room erupts into cheers at their victory!

Arc turns to walk over to a window as everyone around him celebrates! He looks out over the city!

“Cherry... Derpy... where ARE you?!”

Meanwhile... Ember puts the radio back in Sereb's saddlebag and turns to the Crystal Sentry.

“Stay sharp! I want to be sure the yaks keep their word and leave!”

“Yes ma'am!”

There is a sudden disturbance behind the Crystal Defenders! Ember and Sereb turn to see a mare flying toward them at top speed!

Ember looks to her, confused. “Derpy?!”

Sereb frowns. “This is... not good.”

Derpy lands nearby and runs toward the troops!

“SOMEPONY HELP!!!”

Ember and Sereb quickly jump down from the wall and rush over to Derpy!

“Derpy! What's wrong?! Where's Cherry Jubilee?!”

“She... she's in trouble! I ran to get help!”

Ember takes flight! “Lead the way Derpy! Everyone follow me! Move like you got a purpose!”

She and Derpy fly away quickly with Sereb and the Crystal Defenders following as best they can! Ember mutters to herself.

“Cherry... please be okay! Arc would be heartbroken if...”

Comments

[Snow]

The Yak Commander barrels headfirst at Ember! Several yaks move to stop him but she motions for them to stay back! Ember again picks up her spear and calls forth its power. Okay Arc. I tried it doing this your way. Now it's time to do things, dragon style!

Think we're missing some quotes.

Also, given that this is third-person (apparently omniscient) you can dictate thoughts. On this site at least (and often in books) thoughts are often delineated via italics and single quotes.

[Hye]

...
Ember is best mate.
That is all.