Ones Left Behind

by Pon13

Leaving Behind

"Humans come honor leaves, this isn't a battle as it's a game to them. Call the retreat."

- Griffon Officer, First battle of Baltimare

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The next day Jax finds himself in the same old routine, get up, wash,get dressed and get to class and watch the clock tick by through out the day then finish with 'history' lessons at the end.

With the Lecturer droning on again all Jax can think about is the new prototype gun and watch the seconds tick by on the clock. Once again time seems to crawl on.

"And as Queen Chrysalis attacks our new Emperor, he kills her with a single feather and if you done your research, you'll find Chrysalis defeating Celestia during the Changeling invasion of Canterlot It goes to show how weak Celestia actually was." The griffon marches back on forth in front of the class with reading from a book held in on talon. "Thus ended the Changeling Rebellion." He slams the book shut once he finishes.

"Sir?" A pegasus raises a hoof from the back.

"Yes Sunny Spells?"

"I'm not sure if I got this correct. Did the Changelings use the remains old Canterlot Vaults Tunnels as a forward base for the rebellion? Also, what were the Canterlot Vaults?"

The question catches Jax's attention as this came up in conversation with Hammer Fell yesterday . He notices the griffin lecturer hesitates on his answer. "If you think back about few months ago it was mentioned. The vaults were a military ammo depot for the royal guard’s artillery. You should have notes in your workbook on the story of a heroic group of griffons sneaking in and blowing the vaults up."

"Ammo depot? what kind of ammo were they storin-" Sunny Spells tries to reply before she was cut off by the bell.

"Black powder…Now class tomorrow we will wrap this all up with the crystal empires collapse and the disappearance of Luna and the elements. Jax, I noticed you were once again daydreaming. Please stay seated. "

Just like yesterday, the griffon done the routine of closing the door after the last student had left. Jax got up from his chair and followed the griffon to his desk. With the question from Sunny Spells and the reaction from the lecturer his curiosity has now peaked. The Lecturer knows something.

"Sir…"

"Yes Jax, I'm busy marking you can leave after ten minutes." The griffon flicks through a students work. Muttering about the stupid answers from ponies.

"What do you know of the Vaults really?"

"Didn't you listen? They were military-"

"Base for the development of human weapons." Jax cuts him off.

A silence descends over the two . The griffon stares at him with his beak agape. In a split seconded he grabbed Jax by the collar and pulled him halfway over the desk.

"Where in the name of the emperor did you hear that?" He whispers in a harsh tone while Jax tries and pull back before there's no letting go until he get a satisfying answer. "Well!?" His voice grew louder. "Out with it!"

"I-I read some books on it!" The satyr blurts out desperately to escape his grasp.

"What books?"

"Books from under the count in East-side Market." Jax replies quickly hoping he'll buy into the lie.
The griffon lets go and slouches back into his chair. "I've heard rumors about the selling of banned books at one of the stalls there." He stands up and looks out the window and sighs. "Fine, it's true and don't put that in your paper for Emperors sake."

"So what did happen?"

Continuing to stare out the window the lecturer recounts the memory. "The Vault did explode, but by human hands. Everything was destroyed in the vault as it went up in flames. They say it took the royal guard five days to put the fire out under Canterlot. That and the New Union Army has had that place on lock down for over twenty years. I was stationed there when I were a soldier. I saw other officials in bio-suits enter there but never come out, whatever is down there all I can say it contains something deadly"

"If it were dangerous down there then how did the changelings make a hive there?" Jax asks feeling a little braver to push for more information.

He looks back at him with a thousand-yard stare."It changed the changelings."

"How?"

"Just go."

"Sir?"

"I said go! Get out!"

Jax stumbles back and runs to the door with the Griffons outburst. Looking back he notices his lecturer has now buried his face in his talons. What happened there has scared him for life. But either way, it did shed some light on the old griffon.
Walking to Hammer Fell’s place Jax couldn’t help to wonder what his lecturer had been through. It kind of made sense that he were a soldier who fought in the war, he always had that well disciplined attitude when teaching. As Jax thought about the vaults it dawns on him that Hammer Fell seems to know a bit about them also. Maybe it's worth asking.
Snapping back to reality, Jax notices he's already at the iron doors of the factory house. Realizing that he forgot to check if he was followed he gave a quick check before knocking.

"Hammer Fell?"

"Hang on!" The metal doors flew open with a familiar loud screech with the unicorn quickly ushering Jax inside. "Follow me, she's a beauty!"

After descending to the basement, you see the new prototype gun laid out neatly on the table.

"I call it the ‘Hammer Field Rifle’ What you think?”

“I think you’re taking all the credit” Jax folds his arms with a frown.

"I’ve been working non-stop on this since you left yesterday. I at least deserve most of the credit.”

“Personally, I don’t want my name attached to it anyway.” Jax shrugs as he takes a moment to admire the guns beauty.

Honestly Hammer Fell went all out on this one, even though it's a prototype. By the looks of it he used the stock and a modified barrel from a musket but removed the flint lock and replaced it with the bolt action mechanism.

"The magazines on the table. Well that’s what the humans called them anyway, from what I remember.”

“This is amazing! Hammer Fell you really out done yourself.” The satyr is in awe at the unicorns work.

"Wouldn’t have done it without you boy. But in regards to the rounds, I manged to make fifty. They take much longer to make than a musket ball”

“Still I’m amazed on how you made all this so quickly.”

”That’s because it’s his special talent. Isn’t that right, Lieutenant Lock” A voice chips in as a figure descends the stairs.

Almost instinctively, Jax slip in the magazine and haphazardly bring the stock to his shoulder.

"Well I can recognize that voice from anywhere, It's been a while Major.”

"Sir!?" Jax recognizes the griffon as he steps into the light.

"Jax. Lower your weapon." The griffon said calmly.

"What’s going on? You two know each other?" Jax continue his aim at him.

"Yes we do." The griffin ex major replied. "Me and Lieutenant Lock met at the battle of Canterlot."

"Boy. Do as he says and lower your weapon." The satyr does as Hammer Fell says and aims the barrel down.

"So as we are all acquainted, I can tell you there are guards upstairs. I can safely say both of you are under arrest."
Before Jax can act Hammer Fell speaks up. "Just give him the gun."

After handing the griffon the gun, they all headed upstairs to find another griffon and two minotaur guards
"Very good Major." The other griffin dressed in a New Unions officer uniform speaks up. "Now, whom may I ask designed the gun?"

Jax opens his mouth to speak but his unicorn friend buts in.

”I did.”

"I doubt that, pony. Guards detain the Satyr for interrogation and kill the unicorn." The officer orders as the two guards make their way towards Jax and Hammer Fell.

”What!? NO! You said you wouldn't hurt him!” Major call out, as he flung himself towards the other griffon and clubbing him with the stock of the prototype gun knocking him out cold.

A beam of light crackles from Hammer Fells horn striking the minotaur guard in the chest, knocking him over. Jax looks around to see the other guard moments away from swing his giant axe at him. All he could do is shield himself with his arms and brace for a horrible end.

Crack!

A gun shot rings out through the factory. A loud ringing in everyones ears mutes the sound of the ongoing commotion. Looking up, Jax see the huge minotaur with a nasty wound in his chest stumble forward then proceeds fall on him.

Darkness. All the satyr could see is blackness. In a panic he tries and flail around frantically in the dark void. Upon realizing he didn't have a body his mind shoots into overdrive praying to any god or goddess who may be listening. A few moments passes In the distance he can see a tall dark figure emerge from the black veil. He comes to recognize the black and blue unicorn with wings. He thinks back to seeing images of her back in class.

"Is that Luna? " He mutters to himself.

The only difference is that in the images from the history books is that she lacks any scars which seemed to cover her head to hoof. Her horn starts to glow brightly as Jax is engulfed in a blinding light.

As the satyrs' senses floods back to him, he finds himself in a throne room. Looking around he notices the banners of the princess’s hanging from the ceiling. He glances around once again to find Celestia herself calling for her guards. Sounds ongoing battle echo's through the halls of the castle leading out of the throne room.

"Oh so you know what it capable of. Now imagine the Vaults gets a second blast inside the glowstone stores?"
A weird bug like unicorn creature let out a wicked laugh catching Jax's attention.
”Imagine the devastation…Celestia…Think about it”

A few black chitin guards pile through the doors at the side of the throne room followed by a few human soldiers dressed in their signature camouflage armor holding their deadly guns.

“Those must be changelings” He mutters to himself looking back at the bug type ponies.

"Chrysalis…" Celestia spoke up.

"I got a proposition to make." Chrysalis replies with an evil grin as she approaches the alicorn.

"I’m not interested." Celestia horn start to glow as she charges a powerful spell.

"I wouldn’t do that if I was you… Let just say if I die, everypony in Canterlot dies with me."

With the spell still charged, Celestia wait for Chrysalis to continue.

"Now Celestia, my proposition is this. You send the human’s home and everypony lives."

Celestia glares at the human soldiers. "Must I remind you that you all volunteered to join this war."

"That you did. But lets just say we are getting homesick." A human soldier retorts back.

"I don’t think so. I don’t know how you got past the guards or even get into Canterlot, this war is won Chrysalis. The our armies are pushing in to griffon territories as we speak. I suggest you surrender.”

"I don’t think you get it do you…Canterlot Vaults…Does that ring any bells? We changelings have acquired certain human explosives…"

"You wouldn’t…"

”This city is sitting on a ticking time bomb. Your choice.”

Celestia locks stares with Chrysalis as she runs over different outcomes in her head. With a sigh she charges a spell to send the humans in her throne room home.

"No no no, that wont do at all! that spell is too weak here take this!" Chrysalis charges her horn and fires at Celestia causing a magical outburst sending shock wave that blinds Jax who is still watching on causing him to jolt awake can look around in a daze.

Jax feels that he is being pulled along in a wooden cart or something. Every now and again the cart will hit a bump causing him to smack his head on the hard wood. He hears his lecturer and Hammer Fell talk among themselves. He opens one of his eyes to find the old unicorn pulling the cart. Looking around to find that he is being pulled along a dark tunnel, that being dimly lit by Hammer Fells horn.

Jax hears the old unicorn speak up with disbelief in his voice.

"So lets get this straight, you followed Jax to my factory, then called the guards once you saw him enter.”

"Correct.” The ex major replies.

"And when you found out we developed human weaponry, you wanted Jax to admit he did it so the NU will take him away so he can help advance theirs?"

"I was hoping they would give him a well-paid job and a nice life."

"Okay so at the expense of my life? They would’ve killed me Major!"

Jax never really realize how much lecturer cared for him, then again, he was willing to kill your only friend. He glare at Major not sure what to think of him anymore.

"I wanted you dead anyway. You killed many good soldiers of mine, Lock" Majors voice dropped into a snarl.
Hammer Fell snaps back "And you killed all of mine…"

The satyr could feel the tension between the two ex-soldiers. 'This probably be a good time to wake up' he thought to himself. He gave a stretch out and fake a loud yawn only to yelp in pain as he clutches his ribs.
Hammer Fell looks back at the cart and spoke in a chirpy voice as if the argument never happened.

”Ah, boy. I was getting worried. Try and not move around too much. I got a feeling you have one or two broken ribs.”
Jax speaks up with a dry throat. "Where are we?"

"Manehatten Tunnels my boy, also take a swig of water from the canteen, It should be somewhere in the cart."

“Tunnels? Does every city have them or something?” Jax replies as he fumbles around in the dark looking for the water. He finally finds it then took a few big swigs of the fresh cool liquid.

"No, no. It’s an old supply tunnel made before the war. As Manehatten grew in size the supplies used to be shipped to the old factory through here.”

"Where does it lead?"

"To the old northern docks. I got a contact there to get us out of this city."

"What are we going to do now? Killing guards and an officer, I bet the whole city is after us by now. We’re going to end up being caught!" Jax starts to panic as he recalls whats happened.

"Not to worry, we got at least a day before they find their bodies and worked out what happened." The griffin finally speaks up. "And on top of that it’ll take more time to identify the officer after being in a furnace for a long while."

"Like what he said boy, nothing to worry about. I’m taking you to somewhere safe, you’ll should be alright there but I’m not sure what bird brain is doing once we’re out of these tunnels"

"I’m coming with you. How much I hate to do it. I have no other option; I have more chance of surviving with you two."
"What so you can kill me in my sleep and offer Jax as a token for your life?"

"I would never do that. I have honor. Only killing you in a fair duel would satisfy my hate for you."

"Same here, Major. Same here."

Hammer Fell sighs after a moment of silence.

"Anyway I guess having somepony with wings would be useful for our journey. But after we make it to the mountains, I want you gone."

A good while later the group finally make it to the end of the tunnel. Jax had to walk the rest of the way as Major deemed him fit to walk. Even though a sharp pain shot through his chest every time you took a step.

Hammer Fell agreed with him saying it’s ‘good character building’. The pain got worse as Hammer Fell dumps an ammo bag on your back and made you carry the prototype rifle. The other two carried their own share of supplies in saddle bags as well as a NU musket slung over their backs.

The satyr, unicorn and the griffon step out into the old docks through a rusted iron door and look up to see an orange sky. The sunset bathes the docks in an orange glow adding to the sight of decay. The docks are completely empty and void of life. Nothing more than a few abandoned cargo crates and decaying boats.

Jax clutches his side to ease the pain on his ribs as he took a deep breath as he's glad to be out of those tunnels.