Chapter 23: Burnished Bronze
“What in the hell was that idiot thinking?” demanded the President, pounding the wood of the old desk with a rare fury.
“The Canadian authorities allowed Donavich and his team access to legal counsel, as per their laws,” replied an aide, trying not to sweat under the attention he was receiving by speaking. “According to his statement, he saw an opportunity to obtain three pristine Equestrian gems.”
“Three?” asked a representative of DARPA, which had become America’s de facto research center for Equestria, Equestrian magic, and its remaining gems scattered around the world.
“Three gems, from an Equestrian called… “ the aide paused as they shuffled through some papers, ''called ‘Rarity.’ Who apparently is quite highly placed in Equestrian society.”
“Do we know that name?” the President queried, his tone allowing no prevarication from any member of his assembled staff.
“Apparently she is the older sister of one of the three young Equestrians who were pulled onto our side of the portal when it collapsed,” replied the aide who seemed to be carrying all the information the President wanted, much to the aide’s regret. “And Princess Luna once mentioned her as a personal friend during the Princess’ conversations with Captain Rios.”
“Are you seriously telling me that a member of the US military assaulted the direct relative of someone who is directly connected to a foreign head of state?” Biden demanded with a snarl.
The anger of the most powerful man in the world stalked the Oval Office for several long seconds, and no one dared speak for fear that the tiger in the room would slash out with claws of authority to shred careers and positions years in the making.
“My God,” the President sighed, slumping in his chair after a few more moments. “What else could go wrong with this situation?”
A moment later, as if by some cosmic mischance, one of the secretarial staff poked her head inside to say, “Mr. President? Prime Minister Trudeau for you, on line one.”
“Thank you,” Biden replied, waiting until the secretary had closed the door again before adding, “I’m going to want to speak to Captain Rios in an hour, in the meantime everyone get out. This call is one I’d like to take in private.”
Half a minute later, after a general murmuring and shuffling of feet, the Oval Office was once again clear except for the man who was the current holder of the office of President. Taking a moment to steel himself for what was to come, he picked up the phone and greeted his caller with a genial, “Hello Justin, what can I do for you?”
“Good afternoon, Mr. President,” replied the cool voice over the phone, and Biden felt his heart sink a bit as he heard the formality in the voice of the Canadian leader. “I felt that I owed you the courtesy of letting you know that Canada intends to file a formal protest at the United Nations over the actions of American military personnel in Brightly today. We also intend to deny any requests to extradite any of the four members of the so-called Team Mercury.”
“Mr. Prime Minister,” Biden replied, taking up an equally formal tone. “As President, I would like to offer you and the Canadian people a formal apology for today’s events. It was not and is not the intention of the American government to violate the sovereignty of its friends and neighbors.”
“And yet here we are, Mr. President,” Trudeau replied, his usual easy going demeanor swallowed by a hard edge. “You assured me that the last incident was going to be the last. You assured me that you were different from your predecessor. You assured me that this sort of thing wouldn’t happen again!”
“Team Mercury far exceeded their mission parameters, which was simply to gather intelligence and try to entice some Canadian ponies to visit America with the honest offer of a goodwill gift,” Biden said, trying to placate the Canadian. “They were never supposed to do more than that, and for what it’s worth you really do have my honest apology for what they did. As Commander in Chief of the American military their actions are ultimately my responsibility and as such I unreservedly apologize.”
“Joe,” Trudeau began, softening his tone for the first time in the conversation, “Personally, I accept your apology, and from everything that’s happened between you and me, I believe you when you say you didn’t mean for any of this to happen. But how can I go to my people and say, ‘The Americans are really sorry and they promise it won’t happen a third time’? I have to demonstrate something concrete, and unfortunately putting Team Mercury up on trial is going to be it.”
“What if I was to offer something else?” the President asked, sensing an opening. “Something that would mollify the Canadian public and let you show a hard line?”
“Softwood lumber,” replied the Prime Minister, after a few seconds of thought.
“What?” the President asked, momentarily confused.
“Formally accept the 2020 findings of the WTO report on softwood lumber and have your negotiators meet ours to hammer out an agreement based on those numbers in the next six months,” Trudeau said, expanding on his previous sentence. “Promise me that, right here, right now, and your Team Mercury will be in US custody by the end of the week, and Canada will accept your personal pledge that this sort of… unpleasantry, permanently ends with this incident.”
The President sat there for a few moments, stunned at the enormity of the demand. Softwood lumber, and its associated tariffs had been a long standing sore point between the two otherwise friendly neighbors for decades now. Both sides had accused the other of misrepresentation, inflating numbers and other issues. It hadn’t helped that the World Trade Organization had repeatedly come down on Canada’s side in the dispute either. Billions of dollars were at stake.
But giving in on this point would put two ponies into American hands. Not only two ponies, but two ponies who were already members of the military and thus could be ordered to stand for tests or similar that a civilian could refuse. The benefits would be incalculable and make America the second country in the world to have ponies native to its soil. There really was only one thing to say, and both men on the phone knew it.
“I accept your proposal, Mr. Prime Minister,” Biden stated. “No more missions, sanctioned or otherwise, without your knowledge and our people get together and hammer out a trade agreement inside of the next six months, based on the figures in the WTO report.”
“Thank you, Joe,” Trudeau replied, dropping the formal words and tone from his voice. “Between you and me, I don’t like having to get into the face of someone I happen to personally like and respect.”
“You’re going to like the reduction in tariffs on lumber I’ll bet, and the agreement is sure to kick you up a few points with the voters,” Briden cheerfully chided back, knowing the Canadian had used the cards that Fate and Team Mercury had given him in order to get something that his country had wanted for years.
“I barely won the last election,” admitted Trudeau. “So being able to take a perceived hard line here is definitely going to help my political future. I’m just wondering what you’re going to have to offer to Equestria.”
“Equestria? Why would Eques… “ Biden’s voice trailed off as his mind recalled that Team Mercury had drugged and ostensibly kidnapped an Equestrian. “Oh shit.”
“I believe the expression is ‘ponyfeathers.’ But I’ll leave that to you, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna,“ Trudeau replied, a hint of a chuckle in his voice. “Good luck.”
It had taken the better part of forty-eight hours, a town meeting and an argument between the civilian and military leaders in Brightly before things had finally resolved enough for Iron Heart, Foxfire, and their family to feel confident in their ability to confront the untapped potential of the five slivers of bronze awaiting their touch.
Demonstrating the singular solidarity that small towns around the world are known for, every single one of the residents of Brightly had voted to remain when those blades were taken up, despite the definite possibility of all of them being transformed once more into ponies.
“Wow, this place is just like Ponyville!” Apple Bloom had exclaimed, having fully recovered from her encounter with earthly drugs. Her perceptive outburst had led into a long and wide-ranging discussion of the similarities between the two towns where “things just happened” and how Ponyville had simply learned to expect the unexpected and just move with the changes when and as they happened.
The argument had come into being when Captain Malinski had insisted on having someone inside Iron Heart’s shop when the “attunement,” as he called it, was being made.
“I am NOT having someone in my shop that doesn’t know their way around tools, especially when magic is definitely going to be showing up,” was Iron Heart’s response, which had been firmly backed up by Foxfire, his wife in all but name, now.
“What is going to happen in there will be private, personal and magical,” Foxfire had added. “Something meant for our family, and we don’t feel comfortable sharing it.”
“With respect,” Malinski had countered, “when something magical happens in this town with your family, it tends to affect the whole town. Intended or not. There needs to be a record of what happens in that shop today, and that means an unbiased witness.”
Both sides had argued between the need and right to privacy on one side, and the need to know and understand the growing phenomenon of magic on Earth. In the end, a compromise had been struck. A single small camera would be mounted in one high corner of the shop and there would be a platoon of soldiers around Iron Heart’s house.
A platoon with strict orders not to enter, unless the occupants called for help. Their purpose was to maintain privacy and ensure no one disturbed what was about to happen.
“Are we ready for this?” Iron Heart asked, looking around at his family gathered together near the small entrance to the shop. Four pairs of equine eyes looked back at him, filling his heart with joy as he took in the steady confidence and trust they had in him, filling a hole that had been in his heart since a rainy day in a Vancouver cemetery nearly a decade ago.
“Let’s do this… Dad,” Shield Maiden said, and her use of the title nearly brought tears to Iron Heart’s eyes.
Foxfire was less reserved than the big black stallion beside her however, wetness clearly visible in the eyes above her smile.
“You’ve given my daughters the one thing I never could,” Foxfire stated, tilting her head to look the stallion in the eyes. “You’ve given them a father they can trust and rely on, and you’ve given me someone that I can put my faith in. No matter what. I am proud to call you my husband. Now and forever.”
“You’ve given my son a mother again. A mentor, a counselor, a guardian and guide,” Iron Heart replied, and now the tears did come. “You’ve healed me and made me whole again. I am proud to call you my wife, now and forever.”
“We’re a family now,” Seeker supplied, drawing close.
“Yeah,” Iron Hoof added. “Now and forever.”
There are times in the universe, when things come together perfectly. When time and space, cold equations and the magic of friendship all blend into a seamless whole. When all is good and right with the world and moments of joy stretch out into eternity. This was one of those times. At least until a voice spoke up some unknown time later:
“Hello there.”
“General Kenobi,” Foxfire riposted automatically, turning her head to see where the voice had come from.
“Where?” Iron Heart asked, looking around, and not seeing anyone.
“Um, Dad… “ Iron Hoof said, pointing a hoof at the concrete floor.
Looking back up at the assembled group was the cartoony face of some sort of mishmash of a creature. its face was long, with mismatched eyes below bushy white eyebrows and a single fang poking out from under its upper lip. On top of the head were a deer antler on one side, teamed up with a goat horn on the other.
“Uh, anyone have any idea what the hell that is?” Iron Hoof asked.
“I can see thome magic there. Like a pool, but it's all weird,” Seeker said, as the group moved apart a bit.
“Permit me to introduce myself,” the face in the floor requested, causing Foxfire to frown as she recognized the voice.
“There is no way that you’re ‘Q’,” Foxfire bluntly interrupted. “No bloody way.”
“Says the woman who has seen the rise of real magic, become a talking horse, and helped stop a juggernaut of ice and hatred,” the face shot back. “But no, I’m not them or any other letter of the alphabet. I just like the voice. Now, may I continue, or should I snap my fingers?”
“No, no, it’s okay,” Foxfire apologized, backing away.
“You’re just lucky I don’t have fingers at the moment,” grumbled the creature, “Now where was I? Oh right, introductions. My name is Discord. Well, not really my name, I’m not actually the truly phenomenal and all together too much fun Lord of Chaos.”
“Uh, who are you then?” Shield Maiden asked, curious.
“I’m a message in a bottle,” replied the face, “Well, message in the floor, really. But the point is I was put here by Discord to give you a few clues as to what’s in store for you.”
“Excuse me?” Iron Heart remarked.
“Excuse yourself,” the face replied. “If it wasn’t for Discord feeding you a bit of Equestrian magic and a bit of his own good old fashioned chaos you never would have been able to make these gifts.”
“Making these things nearly killed him,” Foxfire shot back. “He’s still not fully healed.”
“And he won’t be until his gifts are matched with their intended ponies,” Discord informed them. “Which is one reason why what you call free will is anything but. I know you’ll pick up the swords. Put a shiny red button in front of you and you’ll press it, every time.”
“Your pool is getting small,” Seeker commented, looking closely at the face.
“You can see that?” asked the Discord face, to which Seeker gravely nodded. “I’d better speed this up then. The short version is that Discord saw a chance to get Moonbutt to owe him a favor and to keep a promise he made to Fluttershy. These blades will help you at five specific points in the future.”
“But what about—” Iron Hoof began, only to be cut off.
“No time,” the Discord face interrupted. “Each one will ask you a question. There are no wrong answers, but the gifts will be guided by your answers. Afterwards they will be safe to touch but no one will ever be able to take them from you. Ever.”
“You’re fading,” Seeker noted, the colourful face beginning to recede to oil-stained grey.
“Yup, time to go,” replied the face, colours rapidly leeching away. “Oh, one last thing. Watch out for....”
Before the face could continue its sentence the last of the color faded away, leaving nothing but a well-used concrete floor.
“Talk about your cliches,” Foxfire muttered.
“Kidding!” called the voice, popping back into steady reality. “But seriously, watch out for—”
And again before the face could finish its words it disappeared with a pop that seemed to underscore the finality of its passing. Every pony in the room held their breath, waiting for the entity to reappear, but after a few minutes it became clear that the thing calling itself Discord was gone for good.
“Well, that was… frustrating,” commented Iron Heart.
“Rude, I’d say Dad,” added Iron Hoof.
“Infuriating,” Foxfire tossed in, looking as if she was ready to chew through a wrench.
“Well, I was gonna say ‘annoying’, but that seems kinda dumb,” Shield Maiden continued. “What about you, Seeker? ROMY!”
Romana Pedersen, aka Seeker, had quietly moved around the others while the others had been talking and now stood with her hoof bare millimeters away from one of the three golden gladii that were meant for her and her siblings. As her sister’s cry echoed off the concrete floor and into the wooden rafters a voice was heard, from the depths of the blade.
“Filly, what will you give to help your family, your friends and your town?” came the query into a moment that seemed to last forever.
“Anything,” answered the young pony. “Everything.”
“Then take me up, pony,” commanded the gladius, adding, “use me well.”
Hoof touched enchanted bronze and the living magic in the sword swelled out, covering Seeker and filling her eyes with solar fire.
“I am the Seed of Giving,” Seeker stated, in mature tones that did not belong in so young a throat. “Where I am planted, there shall be no want. But beware, for I am selfless.”
A breath after the words were said, the glow of magic faded from both blade and pony, somehow leaving them both less, and more than they had been.
“Goddess! Romana! Are you alright?” begged Foxfire, sweeping her youngest into her hooves, heedless of the weapon that seemed to have attached itself to the earth pony’s foreleg.
“I’m okay, Mama,” Seeker replied, reassuring her mother. “It was nice. Not mean at all. Like being in a hot bath.”
“My turn,” Iron Hoof declared, planting a hoof on the second gladius before anyone could think to stop him. Again, the fires that had lived in the sword from the moment of its creation flowed out, filling the young pony with its power.
“Colt, would you rather be rich, or happy?” came the question from sword, even as Iron Hoof’s hooves burst into amber flame.
“Happy,” Iron Hoof replied instantly. “I’d rather be happy.”
“Then I am yours to wield, pony,” stated the weapon.
“I am the Seed of Joy,” Iron Hoof declared, in the same preternatural voice his sister had used earlier. “Where I am planted, no sorrow will be found. But beware, for I have no reason.”
“Billy!” yelled the boy’s father, his actions matching his wife’s as he too gathered up his child in his hooves while the magical energies faded away.
“It’s okay, Dad. I’m good,” Billy Kye, aka Iron Hoof responded. “Real good.”
“Well, I guess that makes it my turn,” Shield Maiden stated, walking toward the last gladius.
“Rowan, are you sure you want to do this?” Foxfire asked, heart in her throat.
“I’m the leader of the Power Ponies, Mom,” Shield Maiden said with a smile, “Gotta be willing to do what they do right along with them.” With that, the young unicorn held out her hoof to the Romanesque weapon.
“Filly, why do you fight?” asked the blade, lambent fire pulsing in time with the words. “Why not let your mother, or your father, or someone else take the lead?”
“Because I love them,” was the simple reply. “I love them with all my heart.”
“Then I am yours to command, pony,” replied the blade. “Use me well.”
Hoof touched blade and power flowed, setting the horn of Shield Maiden alight in a blaze of energies that lit the room like a beacon, and in the same voice her siblings had used declared, “I am the Seed of Love, and where I am planted no darkness can grow. But beware, for I am blind.”
“Dear Goddess, thank you for blessing me with such children,” fervently prayed Foxfire, using all the magic at her command to float Shield Maiden over to her as the energies from the young unicorn’s weapon faded away.
“Wow, that’s… wow,” Shield Maiden said, as she looked up into the caring and concerned eyes of her mother. “Mom, it’s like… like being magic. You gotta try it.”
“She will,” Iron Heart stated, laying his son on Foxfire’s side and accidentally on purpose pinning her in place with his son’s weight. “After me.”
“No fair!” Foxfire protested, half in earnest. “It’s supposed to be ‘Ladies First’.”
“Dear,” Iron Heart began, taking a moment to nuzzle her snowy fur with his night black muzzle, “most of the time I’m really willing to let you do the magic thing first. But you already have two kids on you. Easy just to add a third and let me go first.”
“You die and I’ll kill you,” declared Foxfire, which earned a reply of, “As you wish.”
Iron Heart put out his hoof to the bronze longsword of his own making, and as he expected something met him in those last few millimeters before hoof touched metal.
“Stallion, what is more important? Justice, or the Law?” asked the weapon, itself an ageless symbol of both.
“Justice,” Iron Heart answered, his wife’s trials and tribulations coming to mind.
“Then take me up, pony,” commanded the weapon. “Use me well.”
Iron Heart did as he was bid, the blazing magic from the weapon flowing into his body and settling into his muscular chest, making his fur glow as if lit from within by black flames. Fire flicked out of the corners of his mouth as he declared to the universe, “I am the Seed of Justice. Where I am planted evil cannot prosper. But beware, for I have no mercy.”
For a fourth time magical power faded away, leaving a pony somewhat spent and wobbly on their hooves with a now ordinary appearing blade running down the length of a foreleg. It was all that Iron Heart could do to stagger back to the pony pile.
“What a rush,” was all Iron Heart managed to gasp out as he flopped alongside the pony pile. “It was like… like being a boulder coming down a mountainside. Unstoppable.”
“Mom?” Seeker asked, after several moments. “It’s your turn.”
“I... I don’t know if I should now,” Foxfire responded, looking her stallion in the eyes. “What if the Um— that thing, comes back? Shield Maiden said that it was like being magic. Things got bad the last time I had that kind of power, and I got luckier than I had any right to be. Arn, what do I do?”
“You already know what to do,” was Iron Heart’s calm reply. “Let your family help and guide you, and don’t try to do it all yourself. You do that and you’ll do fine.”
“But what if—” Foxfire began, before being stopped by a gentle hoof on her mouth.
“Go and get your gift,” Iron Heart added, feeling something stir inside of him that added a rare eloquence to his words. “The Queen of Brightly and the Lands Beyond is gone. Take up your blade and become who you’re supposed to be, who you were destined to be. Foxfire, Witch of the Western Woods.”
“Cool name, Dad!” Iron Hoof heartily agreed, his sisters adding their own agreements.
“All right then,” Foxfire said, gently moving her three children off of her and up against her husband. “Not a queen, not an empress, or a mayor, or a politician. Just a simple woodwitch and humble servant of the moon.”
Foxfire slowly made her way over to where the falchion lay on the floor, the heavy forward section near its tip large enough to show entire flames of the power that was held within the metal. As a shaking hoof neared the hilt, the voice of fire spoke once more.
“Mare, will you serve, or will you rule?” asked the blade.
“I will serve,” Foxfire replied, without a moment's thought. “I will serve with all the fire in my heart and strength in my soul.”
“Then take me up, pony,” stated the weapon. “Use me well.”
When Shield Maiden had claimed up her gladius, the power filling her had lit the room up like a beacon. However, Shield Maiden was still young and had barely begun to taste the power which was her birthright. Her mother, though, was both a unicorn in the fullness of her power and a witch of considerable skills.
So when the blazing magics poured out of the falchion and into the vessel that was Foxfire, power met both power and the potential for power, and the resulting light that erupted outward from Foxfire’s horn was that of a small star come to Earth. The mare’s mane and tail both erupted into sheets of quivering, living magic while light made flesh turned toward her awestruck family and spoke:
“I am the Seed of Fire and where I am planted nothing is impossible. But beware, for what warms can also burn.”
Stats
Page generated in 0.078 seconds
Total duration
992 users online
2,259,409 hits today, 2,561,572 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
well nice past couple of chapters and glad to hear your grandpa is still doing well at 100.
Foxfire...
11053186
Yeah, was really good to see him.
While I was there I even got to see a photograph of his great grandfather, who served in the Peninsular War against Napoleon.
Better be careful with that, Iron Heart. Law without exception will lead down dark roads.
11053305
Didn't he choose Justice over Law?
Yes!
I apologize for this unwarranted burst of nationalism.
Oh dear, the Pony Avengers got Powerups.
Awesome and fun chapter as always! Loved your little "Hello there"
11053413
Yes, but the two are closely intertwined. Justice as a concept can't exist without someone believing that a rule has been broken and that the transgression must be rectified. Law without exception is bad, and justice without mercy is equally bad; in many ways, the two are one and the same.
How bad a recipe that makes depends on your laws and definition of justice. Some would say justice is that a thief be put in jail (confinement), some would say it's that a thief have a hand cut off (punishment), and some would say that the thief should give back to the person or community from which they stole (service rendered). I think the last one is the best in the long term, as it would give the person the opportunity to know the group whom their actions would affect, and potentially give them the chance to be forgiven by the affected party. Equestria tends to reform its villains, which falls into the latter category.
Whatever silly magic entity gives voice to these ultimatums when the Brightly ponies take up their swords may not have the same definition of justice or law as one of the three scenarios above. There's a reason you don't make deals with mysterious, shapeless entities.
11053576
Or mysterious women handing out swords from ponds...
Wasn’t there a fantasy book from back in the 80s that had a series of magical swords with interesting prose describing the spirit of the weapons? I forget the title of the book, but these swords remind me of that book I read so long ago.
11054036
You're thinking of the "Book of Swords" Anthology by Fred Saberhagen. I remember Townsaver, Farslayer and Coinspinner from that series especially.
Oooh, beware the virtues, for they are a bane as much as they are a boon.
A selfless person will help others, but without guidance can easily do so at the cost of themselves.
To spread joy is a gift, but to allways see the happy things can make one blind to the hurts, whether their own or others.
Love is a powerful force, capable of letting us move mountains for those we love. But love can also blind us to their flaws, or darkness.
Justice punishes those who did wrong, but justice is subjective and easily fueled by emotion.
Fire is warm, it lights our paths, keeps us safe in the cold and cooks our meals. Fire is hot, it can destroy body, house and even a nation if left unchecked.
11053413
Justice without mercy is the Devil if you're looking for a persona, punishing those guilty of sin. (Yeah, been watching too much Lucifer on Netflix lately)
11054570
You know, this sounds a lot like a certain bunch of other ponies we know about somewhere else. Hmm, I can't quite think of the place, but it's so familiar...
(Give 'em a few seasons to mellow out their various aspects)
11053305
I don't think that we define "justice" the same. If there is no mercy, is it truly justice?
Further, I think that we're drifting further and further from the presented dichotomy. If the two choices are "justice" or "law", it's at least implicit that justice, used here, refers to something other than the unfeeling calculus of "which laws are broken" and "what is the prescribed punishment".
11061913
11061858
Wikipedia on Justice
11061967
Question then becomes, who is the judge? The pony? Human morals? Canadian law? The offender's guilt? That last one might be tricky if the offender is a psychopath who doesn't know what they do is "wrong".
11061913
That was my point. Justice is a murky concept, and whether it is good or bad or even warranted at all can vary wildly from one situation to another.
Purportedly, a wise man, whose depicted likeness in a rather famous strategy game became omnicidal as a result of a calculation error, once said, "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."
11062182
Loved that game. And stepping outside my role here, my personal thought is that justice is in the eye of the beholder.
11062182
just don't give him the nukes!