The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds

by Kamahido

Chapter 17 - Stratego

Arc heads upstairs with Scootaloo. They find Derpy and the girls sitting around the table playing a game. Dinky looks up as they approach.

“Hey dad!”

“Hi, sweetheart. What’s up?”

Apple Bloom points to something on the table. “We’re trying to figure out how to play this game.”

Sweetie Belle sighs. “It’s not going very well though.”

Arc looks at the board. “Stratego? Now there’s a game I haven’t played in a long time.”

Scootaloo raises an eyebrow. “What’s it about?”

Derpy shrugs as she looks over the instructions. “No idea. They keep using words we don’t understand.”

Arc smiles. “Oh? Like what?”

Apple Bloom groans. “Scout, Lieutenant, Marshall…”

Sweetie Belle scratches her head. “Some kind of ranks, of course. But other than that…”

Dinky appears hopeful. “Can you show us how to play, dad?”

“Sure. But we’ll have to start over.”

Derpy puts down the instructions. “Why’s that, Arc?”

“Well, for starters, the pieces are facing the wrong way.”

Apple Bloom raises an eyebrow. “But then we couldn’t see what they had!”

Scootaloo looks at the board. “I think that’s kinda the point here.”

Sweetie Belle giggles. “I knew it!”

Arc looks to Derpy. “How about I play against Dinky in a bit of a tutorial?”

“Okay.”

She stands up and lets Arc take her place. Scooting the chair up to the table he turns the pieces closest to him around so that only he can see them.

“So here’s how it works. There’s two armies… red and blue. At the start you choose which to be.”

Dinky grins. “Can I be red?”

“Sure.”

He picks up a board piece and holds it up before continuing.

“This is the flag. Each army has one. The point of the game is to keep it safe while trying to get your opponent’s flag.”

Sweetie Belle frowns. “How?”

“By making moves into enemy territory and attacking.”

Apple Bloom gasps. “Attacking the army?”

Arc nods. “One piece at a time, yes.”

Derpy smiles. “How though?”

“Each turn you can move one piece. Then your opponent gets to do the same.”

Dinky puts a hand to her chin. “Can you attack in the same turn?”

“Yes. But only if your one move puts you inside the square they’re standing on.”

Scootaloo sighs. “Like checkers?”

“Sort of. But you don’t jump over them. You bump the piece. Like this…”

Setting two pieces directly next to each other, Arc picks up his blue piece and touches the top of the red piece.

“Attack. Colonel, three.”

Dinky scratches her head. “My piece is a four. I think that’s a Major.”

Sweetie Belle turns to Arc. “Which one is higher up?”

“The Colonel would be the higher ranked officer.”

Scootaloo rolls her eyes. “But they’re on opposite sides of the battle, so how does THAT matter?”

“During an ‘attack’ the higher ranking piece will ‘capture’ the lower. During that time we both have to announce what rank, or at least the number, our piece is. Like when I attack your piece I need to at least say ‘attack, three’. Then you say the number on your piece to determine who wins.”

Apple Bloom giggles. “So what happens to Dinky’s piece?”

Arc points to the box that holds the game pieces. “We each put our own captured pieces in these boxes, separately, so that each of us can see what’s been captured. In this case the Major is captured so Dinky will put them in her box.”

“Okay.”

Picking the piece up she places it in the ‘captured’ box as Arc continues.

“Now then, let’s say that my Colonel were to attack again. On my next turn, of course. But he went up against your General.”

Dinky holds up a piece. “This one, dad?”

“Right. Set it in front of my Colonel.”

The little girl does so as Arc picks up his piece.

“Attack. Three.”

Dinky grins. “Two.”

“A General outranks a Colonel, so my piece would be captured and set in my box.”

Derpy nods. “Whose turn is it after that?”

“Dinky’s. Win or lose the attack, the next player gets to move.”

Sweetie Belle looks at the board again. “So the rule is that the lower number wins?”

“With a few exceptions.”

Apple Bloom grins. “Like what?”

“Well… each army has six bombs. You place them around with your army like any other piece. If an enemy attacks them it blows up and that piece is ‘captured’.”

Scootaloo shakes her head. “Shouldn’t they be, I don’t know… dead?”

Arc shrugs. “For the sake of the game, they’re still just ‘captured’.”

Apple Bloom puts a finger on the board and traces a route. “So you just have to go around the bombs?”

Derpy looks at the board. “But couldn’t you just block the six tiles between the armies?”

Sweetie Belle shrugs. “But they could only blow up one piece, right?”

“Nope. Bombs blow up as many pieces that touch them.”

Dinky gasps. “So mom’s right then? You could just block the path forward?”

“Not exactly. Bombs have one weakness. The number eight piece… Miners.”

Apple Bloom holds up a piece. “This one?”

“Right. They can diffuse bombs.”

Sweetie Belle looks the piece over. “How?”

“By ‘attacking’ them. Like this…”

Taking the ‘bomb’ piece, Arc sets it down in front of one of his Miners. Picking up his piece he taps the bomb tile.

“Attack. Miner.”

“Bomb.”

Arc picks up the bomb tile. “Now the bomb is diffused and removed from the board.”

Derpy gasps. “What about the miner?”

“He’s fine.”

Sweetie Belle giggles. “And if the bomb piece attacks him?”

“Bombs can’t be moved. Once you place them that’s where they sit the whole game.”

Apple Bloom groans. “This game sounds really complicated.”

Scootaloo nods approvingly. “I think it’s a really cool idea. Makes you think ahead.”

Arc chuckles. “Right. You have to use a strategy from the start.”

Dinky picks up the box. “Hence the name ‘Stratego’?”

“Something like that. Generally, the gist of it is lower numbers always win out over higher numbers.”

Derpy picks up two ‘seven’ pieces. “And if they’re the same number?”

“Then they’re both removed from the board.”

Apple Bloom frowns. “So they capture… each other?”

“I guess. It’s probably a rule that was put into place to prevent someone from holding the front line endlessly or trapping pieces in corners.”

Sweetie Belle turns to Arc. “How would they do that?”

Scootaloo steps forward. “I think I get it. If you were to move pieces in front to match the ones of your enemy you could theoretically make it so that they couldn’t pass.”

Dinky looks to her father. “A stalemate?”

“Exactly.”

Derpy puts a hand to her chin thoughtfully. “Low numbers win, bombs blow up everyone other than the Miner, and you have to get the flag. Anything else?”

Arc nods. “Yes. There’s one very special piece that I haven’t talked about yet.”

Picking up at tile, he holds it out.

“The Spy.”

Sweetie Belle gasps. “Spy?”

Apple Bloom grins. “Can they see what other units are?”

Scootaloo smiles wickedly. “Or go behind enemy lines?”

Arc shakes his head. “Nah. This piece is the only soldier that can take down the ‘Marshal’.”

Dinky looks over her pieces. “Which one is that?”

“The number one tile.”

Dinky picks it up. “This one?”

“Right. There’s nothing below one in the game, so they could theoretically take out anyone on the board.”

Derpy points a finger. “What about bombs?”

“Bombs still blow up the Marshall, yes.”

Apple Bloom appears relieved. “So they’re not invincible.”

“Nope. But if that were the only way to stop them no one would ever take them on the offensive.”

Dinky giggles. “They’d be a defensive juggernaut.”

Arc grins. “That’s where your Spy comes in. When the Marshal enters combat and attacks another unit, as I said before, you have to announce their number. Then your opponent knows, assuming they can remember, which tile is your Marshal. If they can get the Spy to attack them the Marshal loses and is captured.”

Scootaloo clenches a fist. “An equalizer.”

“Right. But only if the Spy attacks first. If the Marshall attacks the Spy, the Spy loses the face off and is captured. Then only a bomb could take out the now unstoppable unit. Well, either that or you could sacrifice your own Marshall and have him attack the enemy number one.”

A slight giggle rings out from a nearby cupboard. Arc looks up and opens it with a Telekinesis Spell. Brightwing peers out at them with a smile.

“Hello, friends!”

Derpy gasps. “Brightwing?!”

Scootaloo raises an eyebrow. “How long have you been in there?!”

“Since friends started playing! Game looks fun!”

Apple Bloom groans. “Then why don’t you come down here and watch?”

Brightwing grins happily. “I am happy to agree!”

Blinking onto the table, she watches intently as Arc continues.

“Now then, the other super unit you have is the General. He’s a two.”

Sweetie Belle looks the piece over. “So only the Marshal can take him down?”

“Right. That or a bomb. So they’re equally powerful inasmuch that only a single piece can stop them.”

Scootaloo turns to Arc. “So you only have one of each, right?”

“Yes. Otherwise the game would be too hard.”

Brightwing licks her lips hungrily. “Or easy!”

“It’s more along the lines of how you look at it. Now there is one other rule you should know about.”

Picking up a piece, Arc sets it on the opposite side of the board in front of Dinky.

“If I manage to get one of my pieces all the way to the back of your lines I can rescue one of my captured pieces.”

Apple Bloom gasps. “Any piece?”

“Other than the bombs, yes.”

Derpy giggles. “Even the Marshal?”

“Yup. But you can only do it twice per game.”

Dinky looks over the board. “Well, I don’t see that happening.”

Sweetie Belle shrugs. “Maybe the Marshal or General could make it.”

Apple Bloom frowns. “But they’d be the ones you’d want to BE rescued. Not DO the rescuing.”

Arc chuckles. “Exactly. That’s where the Scout comes in.”

Holding up a tile with the number nine on it Arc continues.

“The Scout can move an unlimited number of tiles in a single turn.”

Derpy’s eyes grow wide. “Unlimited?!”

Brightwing steps back nervously. “WOAH! Scary!”

Arc continues. “They’re used to attack pieces to figure out what they are. But they always lose since they’re the lowest number on the board.”

Scootaloo grins. “A sacrificial pawn?”

“Yeah. The only exception is the Spy. Even the Scout can capture them.”

Dinky puts a finger to her chin thoughtfully. “So if you don’t want to risk a powerful, valuable unit you could just send them in.”

Arc nods. “Now you got it.”

Sweetie Belle turns to Arc. “Any limits to their movements?”

“They can’t jump over pieces, friend or foe. And no diagonal moves either. That goes for any unit though.”

Apple Bloom points. “What about capturing the flag?”

“If there’s an open and direct path to the flag they can use it to win the game outright.”

Derpy sighs. “It sounds really complicated, Arc.”

“I know it’s a lot to take in all at once, but it’s a lot of fun when you get the hang of it. But why don’t I suggest placement of the flag before we play?”

Scootaloo looks over the board again. “Can it be placed anywhere?”

“As long as it’s in your territory, yes. And once placed it can’t be moved.”

Sweetie Belle frowns. “But couldn’t someone just pick it up to protect it?”

Arc shakes his head. “That’s against the rules. So choose where to put it wisely.”

Picking up the flag, Arc sets it in a corner.

“I usually put it here in one of the two corners. Then you put a bomb on the top and side of it for defense.”

Dinky giggles. “Clever. Anyone whom stumbles upon it would get blown up.”

Apple Bloom nods. “Unless they’re a Miner, that is.”

Scootaloo folds her arms over her chest. “But you wouldn’t have Miners waltzing around the board like that.”

Arc smiles. “Exactly. You have to figure out where the flag is before sending in units to clear a path for the Miners. However that could also be used as a trap.”

Derpy gasps. “But how?”

“Once I tricked my dad into thinking he found my flag. He lost both his Marshal and General trying to get his last Miner back there. But when they diffused the bomb and went to capture what he thought was the flag behind it I told him that it was actually a seven.”

Scootaloo grins. “You mean…?”

Arc laughs. “Yup! I trapped a Sergeant back there!”

Sweetie Belle giggles. “Whom captured the Miner when he attacked!”

“And like I said, it was his last one too.”

Derpy looks to Arc. “So where was the flag?”

“The other corner. Protected by two bombs.”

Apple Bloom appears confused. “But how was he supposed to get to the flag with no Miners?”

Scootaloo smirks. “That’s the brilliance of the maneuver. He couldn’t.”

Arc nods. “Yup. With no Miners left he admitted that there was no way for him to get to the flag, and gave up.”

Dinky laughs. “So you beat him?!”

“That I did.”

Brightwing does a flying backflip. “Hooray!”

Scootaloo turns to Arc. “But I imagine he was wise to that plan the next time though.”

“Right. We had a similar incident a few months later. And by ‘similar’ I actually mean exactly the same.”

Derpy smiles. “One Miner and he found the flag?”

“Exactly. But this time, after diffusing the bomb, he pulled back the Miner and sent in a Scout instead.”

Apple Bloom gasps. “And what was there?”

“A Sergeant. He lost the Scout, of course. But he also learned that the flag wasn’t there in addition to keeping his last Miner on the board.”

Brightwing grins. “Clever!”

Sweetie Belle points. “Then he hit the other corner?”

“Right. Same scenario too. Sent in the Miner to take out the bomb before advancing to take the flag. But again it wasn’t the case.”

Sweetie Belle raises an eyebrow. “What was there?”

“Just a Scout. But he was so sure he’d win that I was able to make a move to take out his last Miner.”

Derpy giggles. “So he lost again?!”

“Yup.”

Brightwing appears confused. Where flag then?

“In the middle protected by bombs. I had to use three to cover all sides of it, of course. But it was worth it.”

Dinky chuckles. “So he wasn’t very good at this game?”

“Quite the opposite. I can’t count the number of times he beat me at it.”

Apple Bloom grins. “But you learned his tactics and how to counter them.”

Arc nods. “That’s what happens when you play the same game against someone enough times. They become predictable.”

Scootaloo puts a hand to her chin thoughtfully. “Predictable, huh?”

Derpy turns to her. “Scootaloo?”

“Sorry. I was just thinking.”

Arc raises an eyebrow. “About what?”

“Your meeting with Hammer’s sister.”

“What about it?”

“Well… like you sort of just said, if you work with someone long enough they can become predictable.”

Dinky frowns. “Are you saying that he should or shouldn’t believe…?”

Scootaloo interrupts. “Neither. Big Brother should listen to Hammer on this one.”

Arc sighs. “She originally didn’t want to listen to what her sister wrote though. But I was able to convince her to at least read the letter sent to her.”

Derpy smiles. “And then she asked you to help Mio?”

“Right.”

Dinky sighs. “Are you sure you couldn’t just take Mio to see Hammer, dad?”

“It was Mio’s idea to find her own way to Equestria. Hammer and I are just following her wishes in that regard.”

Sweetie Belle groans. “I suppose Hammer would know her own sister best.”

Apple Bloom grins. “Yeah. Like if Arc wanted to know what to buy Applejack for a present I’d probably be the one to ask.”

Dinky turns to the little girl. “That does make sense. But what brought this on, Scootaloo?”

“Just the current conversation. After all, day to day life is kinda like a game of sorts. And like Apple Bloom just said, those closest to us are the ones whom would do best in gauging our intentions.”

Brightwing makes a series of happy sounds. “Nice lady in forest is working hard to make her dream a reality!”’

Arc shrugs. “I’m sure she is. The only real problem is that Hammer already checked with Sunburst. He told her that Mio’s machine is way off the mark.”

Derpy appears confused. “So it won’t work?”

“Not according to the readings he’s getting from it, no.”

Sweetie Belle smiles. “Maybe you could help her out, Arc.”

Dinky shrugs. “Or at least tell her she’s not going in the right direction.”

“I thought about that already. But Mio was very insistent that she wanted to do this herself.”

“Then that’s the end of the matter, right Big Brother?”

“As far as helping her reach Equestria, yes.”

Derpy sighs. “Where do we go from here then?”

“Observe and wait.”

He gestures to the game board before continuing.

“And start a real game here.”

Dinky grins. “Me versus you, dad?”

“Sure.”

Scootaloo pulls up a chair. “This I’ve got to see.”

They spend the remainder of the day playing various board games. As Arc and company sit down to supper Dinky turns to her father.

“That was a nice day, dad.”

Apple Bloom nods. “Right! We had a blast!”

Sweetie Belle grins. “My favorite was that one game with the plastic pegs on the board.”

Scootaloo frowns. “What was it called again?”

Derpy smiles. “‘Battleship’, I believe.”

“Yup.”

“Brightwing still impressed at friend’s skill!”

Arc shrugs. “It’s not so much ‘skill’ as much as knowing the best way to play the game.”

Dinky sighs. “Right. But not every game has that element.”

Apple Bloom giggles. “Like that candy game.”

Arc frowns. “Candyland?”

“Right!”

Sweetie Bloom groans. “That one’s all luck.”

Scootaloo scoffs. “The winner’s determined as soon as the deck is shuffled and the starting player decided.”

“True. But it was a very popular game when I was a kid. Not sure why though.”

Derpy smiles. “My favorite was ‘Solitaire’.”

“Why’s that, mom?”

“The mystery of every card as I turned it over made it rather exciting for me.”

Arc chuckles. “Not sure I’ve ever heard someone describe Solitaire with that word before, but if it makes you happy…”

Sweetie Belle interrupts him. “How about that ‘Clue’ game though?”

Brightwing gasps. “That one scary!”

Apple Bloom rolls her eyes. “No one was ACTUALLY murdered though, Brightwing.”

Dinky nods. “Right. It’s just a game.”

Scootaloo shakes her head. “It wasn’t really a detective game though. After all, the process of elimination is much more intense than just going from room to room.”

Arc grins. “I suppose it is, yes. But a game can never hold a candle to the real thing.”

Derpy turns to the little girls. “Like when you three were searching for Arc with Sereb?”

Sweetie Belle sighs. “That wasn’t a game though.”

Apple Bloom shudders. “Yeah. We just wanted to help Dinky learn the truth.”

Dinky grins. “And I’m glad you two came with me on that.”

“Big Brother and I did a few similar things when I was wandering the land as the Scarlet Filly.”

Arc puts a hand on his chin thoughtfully. “The mystery in Vanhoover was rather interesting. Looking back at it, I mean.”

“Exciting even.”

Derpy giggles. “You two sure had some interesting times.”

Arc sighs. “I suppose. But in the back of my mind I knew something was missing.”

Brightwing gasps. “What that, friend?!”

“The truth.”

Apple Bloom appears confused. “Huh?”

“I knew that there had to be more to me than just being a forager.”

Scootaloo grins. “So did I. After all, you were too strong, smart, and combat-savvy for that, Big Brother.”

“It’s what drove me to continue searching for the truth. Admittedly, Scootaloo and I could have done very well for ourselves by continuing with our work as Bounty Hunters.”

“I tried to convince you of that a time or two if you recall.”

“Part of me did want to do that. But in the end my desire to find out what I left behind won out.”

Apple Bloom giggles. “We’re glad it did, Arc.”

Sweetie Belle nods. “Yeah. Rarity wasn’t herself after your funeral.”

Dinky bows her head. “Neither was mom.”

Derpy sighs. “It was… hard. Knowing that my first ever friend was gone.”

“Well, I’m back, and will do my best to stay that way.”

Brightwing cries out happily. “Hooray!”

As they finish their meal and move to clear the table Arc glances at the clock over the sink.

“I think I’ll take a portal over to the hospital and check on Shelly. Make sure she’s okay.”

Derpy nods. “Alright, Arc.”

Apple Bloom stands. “We’ll get started on the dishes while you do that.”

Sweetie Belle grimaces. “Right. But, um…”

Arc appears confused. “Something else?”

“Kinda, dad.”

Derpy turns to her. “Dinky?”

“We… that is, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and I were kinda hoping you would do something for us.”

“Sure. What is it?”

Apple Bloom grins. “The three of us had a bit of an idea.”

Sweetie Belle nods. “All of us agree that you should spend more time with your sick friend.”

Dinky looks to her father. “Yeah. But that’s only part of it.”

Scootaloo raises an eyebrow. “What else could…?”

Apple Bloom interrupts her. “No spoilers!”

Dinky nods. “Right.”

Arc grins. “And what should I do?”

Sweetie Belle appears hopeful. “After breakfast tomorrow could you open a portal back to Equestria for all of us?”

“You want to go home?”

Apple Bloom shrugs. “Just for the day. We need a bit of help with our plan from my big sister and her friends.”

Dinky nods. “While we’re doing that you could spend the day at the hospital with Shelly and Lily, dad. I know you’ve been worried about not spending enough time here with us. But they need you too.”

Sweetie Belle sighs. “Especially right now.”

Derpy looks around the Kitchen. “That would give me some time to do a bit of cleaning around here too.

Dinky smiles. “Actually we need you back in Equestria, mom.”

“I have a place in your plan too, sweetie?”

“Yeah, mom.”

“Then I’ll do what I can. Assuming this is okay with your father, that is.”

Arc nods. “Sure.”

Dinky grins. “Great!”

“Anything else you want me to do?”

“Actually, yeah.”

Apple Bloom points up. “Can you put a sigil in your parent’s room?”

“I guess so. But why?”

Sweetie Belle grins. “It’s part of our plan. Tomorrow you need to come back to that sigil at exactly nine o’clock in the evening.”

Apple Bloom nods. “We’ll leave instructions on what you need to do via a note on the bed.”

“Just follow them and we’ll take care of the rest, dad.”

“Brightwing thinks this all very mysterious!”

Arc smirks. “So do I.”

Derpy puts a hand on his arm. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, Arc.”

“No, no. It’s fine. After all, I trust our daughter and her friends.”

Sweetie Belle appears relieved. “Thanks!”

Apple Bloom points to the stairs. “Come on! We have a bunch of stuff to figure out before tomorrow!”

Scootaloo rolls her eyes as the trio run for the stairs. Turning to Arc she shakes her head.

“They didn’t even stay to help with the dishes.”

Derpy heads for the sink. “That’s fine. I can take care of them.”

Arc chuckles. “Why don’t you hold off on that, Derpy. I’ll give you a hand when I get back from the hospital.”

“I’ll do that for you, Big Brother.”

Derpy nods. “Yes, we’ll take care of it.”

“Um… okay. See you two in a bit then.”

Calling forth his gauntlet, Arc opens a portal and steps through. Derpy looks to the sink and turns on the water.

“Thank you for offering to help.”

“I… kinda owed Big Brother.”

“Oh?”

Scootaloo sighs. “Yeah. I did something I shouldn’t have and now he’s not exactly happy with me.”

“I’m sure he’ll forgive you if you ask him too.”

“Well, I already talked it out with him. He knows what I did was what I thought was best.”

“Then Arc understands your motives.”

“It still feels like he’s mad at me though.”

“That isn’t what I picked up from his demeanor though. Remember, Arc’s very forgiving.”

Scootaloo groans as she walks over to the sink. “Well, this was a big one.”

Derpy smiles at the little girl as she turns off the water and picks up a rag. “So is Arc’s ability to forgive those whom do him wrong.”

“Are you sure?”

“Very. If you’re that upset you should talk to him about it yourself.”

“Maybe another time. He’s… kinda busy with more important matters at the moment.”

Derpy begins washing a dish as she speaks. “While that’s technically true, you need to remember that Arc always has time for those he cares about.”

Comments

[Booster Spice]

Intresting range of games there.

Hope they dont get as far as Brodricks Bane.

Would You Like to Play A Game?

[Kamahido]

11408277
Wargames: DEFCON 1 reference?

https://youtu.be/nLdxPPKQ5nU?t=71

[Ghost Alvasa]

11408707
you need to slow your roll. I have a really good friend who has Aspergers and he is active duty law enforcement. I know what tv makes shit like autism out to be. I'm no walk in the park myself as I have severe ADHD on top of being a type 1 Diabetic. I was even a counselor for a time and helped many kids work through their issues. Like everyone else in the world, it's different from person to person so they're affected differently. I was making an educated guess based on my foreknowledge and personal experiences. You need to stop and think before you lash out at someone. If it really bothered you that much then you shouldn't have commented at all.