“Brace!”
“Brace!”
The word came from all through the airship as each crewmember repeated it loudly when they heard it.
I lit my horn and wrapped myself and the five closest changelings and ponies into my shield as I held on tightly.
Shield wouldn’t do much for the impact itself, but it would help with potential flying debris.
Amber had one foreleg around me, her other three legs planted firmly on the floor as she held on tightly.
I wrapped her tightly in one wing for extra support.
The ship suddenly rocked slightly and there was the sound of impact over the howling wind outside.
“Brace!”
Something hit metal and there was a crashing and ripping sound and the ship kind of vibrated beneath our hooves, tilting slightly before it suddenly jerked with the sound of impact.
Another impact rang through the ship, something scraped across the hull in a horribly screeching sound followed by another impact and then another and then…
It was over.
I slowly raised my head without lowering the shield, “...That’s it?” I asked, “We don’t seem to be moving much.”
Another bang, but this one much softer and was more you could hear it more than feel it.
There was a whine and then a bang from the rear of the ship, the sound of the rear hatch banging open.
I dropped the shield and looked to Tempest and Amber as the three crew members quickly galloped off to where they were going before the brace order came, “Come on, let’s check it out!”
Amber looked like she wanted to protest, but still nodded and let go of me.
We headed for the hatch at a bit more sedate pace. Whatever was happening was clearly mostly over.
The exit of the ship was filled with ponies passing lines along and being lowered out by unicorn crewmembers, pegasi jumping out and flying back in to get more equipment or tools, clearly fighting against the howling wind outside.
“What’s going on?” I asked the closest unicorn.
He looked to me for a moment, “We need to tie down, My Lord, or the storm is going to crack us open against the forest.
“Anything we can do to help?”
He shook his head, “You’re not trained, sir.”
“Fair enough, we’ll stay out of your way.”
He looked to me in slight surprise as he kept preparing a set of rope with his magic before he gave me a nod and trotted over to the edge to hand it over to one of the pegasi.
I took a breath and then shook my head and looked to the other two, “Come on, let’s get going. We shouldn’t be in the way.”
Tempest shook her head, “This is something I ‘am’ trained for, Commander,” she said and crossed the chamber to the earth pony that was clearly in charge.
“Well, we useless ones should at least get out of the way,” I told Amber, “But there is something we can do.”
It was the middle of the night, it was raining hard and when it’s over, everypony was going to be freezing and starving.
I’m going to the galley.
XXXXXXXXX
It took a bit of work to figure out how to use the magic powered burner and a some more to figure out where everything was and how to lock the large pot down to it.
Then it was simply the task of locating all the ingredients and getting to work.
I’m hardly the best chef in the world, but there is only so much you could buck up making soup.
“What in Celestia's name are you doing in my galle-” an angry voice asked as I added some more pepper before it broke off as I looked over to the speaker and the earth pony cleared his throat, “I mean, may I ask what you’re doing, Lord Page?”
“The one thing I can actually do to help,” I said and turned the heat down a little, “My apologies for borrowing your equipment, Biscuit, but we’re going to have a lot of hungry ponies soon.”
He nodded, “Which is why I’m here. Now, out of my kitchen!” he said and trotted over.
I obediently got out of his way and he sniffed the soup before picking up a spoon and trying some.
Biscuit frowned and then looked to me, “Is that goulash?”
“Ish,” I said, “Goulashish. It has a lot of the same things in it, but it’s a soup not a stew. Need another hour to get ready.”
Biscuit nodded and looked at the puttering pot, “Very well,” he said and then looked at Amber and me again, “That’s going to need time to work and we’re going to need some bread and something else as well. I have dough rising for tomorrow, we can use that a bit early. I get to work with that. Changeling, how are you with a knife?”
“I can use a knife,” Amber said and eyed him warily.
“There is a barrel of carrots in the storage room, get five pounds, peel and grate. Lord Page,” he then continued and turned to me, “Same deal, twice as many potatoes.”
I saluted him.
Let’s get some ponies fed!
So touchdown and make the Prince to make food in this quick chapter.
In the chain of Command there is one Golden rule: Never mess with the Cook. They always outrank you when it comes to food.
Ah, how I love competent main characters. So refreshing.
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Except doctors orders
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Or, more accurately, main characters that understand their limitations and let the job be done by those trained for it.
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Just generalizing. Most authors seem to make their protagonists out to be fools, idiotic and without wit, losing every simple battle. Others choose to make theirs flawless and boring. The ones that are good are the flawed, but not flawless, characters, ones that aren't so unrealistically dumb or underpowered compared to what they have done in their past. Some of the best ones can also be ironic and self aware, aware of what they are doing and capitalizing on it.
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Oh yeah, I completely agree with you, it's one of the reasons I enjoy Hiver's stories so much.
*Blank Page looks over at Amber and notices she's crying*
Page: Oh Amber...come here Cuddle Bug! *tucks Amber under his wing*
Amber: S-s-sir!?
Page: Don't talk. I completely understand Amber. The adrenaline is all gone now and you're now feeling all the emotions all at onc--
Amber: But Sir I--
Page: *nuzzles Amber* However I want you to be brave for a little bit longer. Once the situation settles, I will give you all the time to proce--
Amber: SIR!!!
Page: Yes?
Amber: I wasn't crying...I was just cutting onions alongside the potatoes and carrots...
Page: Oh...*shifts to let Amber go*
Amber: NO! WAIT! I didn't say you can stop!
*five minutes later*
“Changeling? How are you coming wi—OH, DEAR CELESTIA!!” the cook exclaimed.
Looking up from the potato I was working on, I had to blink at what I saw.
“WHAT DID YOU DO!?” He screamed. “I SAID PEEL AND GRA—!” he got that far before he turned and threw up at the sight of Amber’s work.
And it was very impressive work, too. All five pounds of carrots were pealed. Literally. Their skins were all hanging nearby on tiny little fishhooks. It was quite the macabre sight for me to take in; it induced the urge for my stomach to empty itself. And the blood...!
Or it might have been just carrot juice. My vision was starting to shut down by then....
How did she even do that!? I wondered. I mean, they’re carrots, for Pete’s sake! They don’t have organs like tha— And that was as far as my thoughts got before I had to hurl, too.
“Amber? H-how-how were you able to do that!?”
I looked at the cook so that I had something else to focus on besides Amber and her—accomplishment. The poor pony was backed up into a corner of the galley, staring in horror at the Changeling; his pupils and irises shrunk down to barely perceptible dots. Yeah, he’s brain broken.
“I know how to use a knife, sir,” she replied.
“Amber, you were supposed to be peeling and grating the carrots,” I told her.
“I used the grater,” she responded.
“Indeed you did,” I had to concede. I refused to look again, but there had been a skinned carrot tied down to the grater as if it were being used as a torture rack, its organs hanging out, like all the others. And I can swear its tiny little heart was still beating when I last saw it.
Luna, I’m going to need to have a long talk with you tonight!
“When you said you knew how to use a knife,” I began, “let me guess, you were trained to be an assassin?”
“No, sir,” Amber immediately replied. “Interrogation. I said I know how to use a knife. Assassins are amateurs. The Queen would have never trusted your safety to the hooves of a mere assassin.”
“Got it!” I acknowledged, nodding my head.
A very, very long talk, tonight!
“By the way, you’ll be pleased to know, I uncovered a plan that the vegetables made to kill the cook. ”
“Oh, dear Luna!! ”
You’ve got to be careful with loading those Chekhov’s guns. Sometimes, they’ll go off on their own.
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Yet not too competent. Keeping those flaws is important for characterization.
things are pulling together but i am wondering the reason this all happened? i storm like this should never have touched a ship from the storm king.
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...This is a work of art.
I like it. Page knows his limits, and knows what he's good at. He's a believable character, simple.
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I...wow. This screams bloopers.
And yes, I also agreed, it's a work of art,katarjin.
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Doesn't hurt that this one happens to be an Admiral...
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MEANWHILE...AT THE HIVE...
Skitter: Mother? What's happening? *tears welling up in her eyes*
Chrysalis: *hiccup* I feel it too...this overwhelming sense of pride...IT'S BEAUTIFUL!!
*Both changelings cry in joy*
“Well let’s see the damage...what the hell?”
The open hatch reveals a colorful land of magic and wonder. Much like everywhere else considering this is a land of magic and wonder.
Just then a magic pink bubble appears.
“Are you a good Witch or a bad...Page?”
“Cadence? What are you doing here, and what’s with that gown?”
“I part time as the Good witch of the North.”
“Wait if your here, then who...Chrysalis?!”
Take my shoes and I will claw your eyes out!”
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Funny.
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ABSOLUTLY PRICELESS ♡
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I see that joke coming from the first line i read. The end was a cute twist
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That why no one likes Marry Sue and Gary Stu.
Got to love a well balanced MC ♡
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I dont get... What the reference?
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Wizard of Oz
One of the most valued members in any crew: The Chef
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"An army marches on its stomach" indeed. Have fun trying to get your forces to do anything without food. :D
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You cant.
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You can but that's borrowed time and highly situational. Simply put a last resort
He once again shows proper behavior in an emergency scenario…
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Not only is Biscuit an Admiral, he's also a very prolific FimFiction writer.
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Yes, that was the joke.
Literally in tears of laughter after reading the comment section.
Kevin Lee is the winner this chapter!