Havoc

by Slick Dash

Dragon bronze

"Riiiiise and shine sleeping beauty!" Rookie grumbled, turning in his hammock trying to stay in the realm of dreams. He had been running through the halls of some great fortress or castle, following an almost disembodied voice through the twisting maze of stone, calling to him, without use of a name. He had been turning a corner, and his eyes had been blinded by some new light. Before they could adjust, Pip's voice had rang out and pulled him viciously from the dream. "Hey! Rookie, up! Your expected to be at the northern barricade in five minutes!" Rookie's eyes flew open, not again! He couldn't be late again or Moonshine was going to string him up for sure.

In an instant Rookie had jumped from his hanging bed and was rushing through the door. Pip threw a large chunk of toast towards the door, and Rookie caught it as he lunged through the flap of material. The pirate pony laughed, this was getting to be a regular thing! He couldn't help think that the two of them were getting to be almost synchronised after such a short time.

---

Rookie burst from the tent and rushed north, chomping down the breakfast as he went. The usual ponies who worked around the main quad of the settlement all smirked at his approach. Rookie, running late as always! Rookie passed a blue coated mare, her silvery mane in a single ponytail. She smiled as always and rolled a small bottle across the floor, like nearly every day, Rookie snatched up what he knew would be water with his hoof. As he scooped it up he yelled a happy, "Thanks Scribes!" The blue mare waved him off, her glowing smile following her friend.
"No worries Rookie."

Rookie rushed like the wind, determined not to give Moonshine another reason to give him the hard labour tasks again! Sure he was good at them, better than anyone, but even the best get bored.

It had been almost two months since his arrival in Newponyville, and in that time he had adjusted fast. Not that there was really any 'adjusting' he had no idea to do anything else, so the rebels were pretty much given a clean slate of a stallion to work with. Since the attack on the garrison, and his proof of his ability, Rookie had been sent by personal request of Rainbow Dash to train for the infantry. His trainer, no one other than his best friend Pip! He'd already passed the entrance exam with flying colours, almost as well as Scootaloo, so Rookie could ask for a better tutor. But those sessions were only permitted after Rookie's shift at the northern garrison. There wasn't much to do there, other than fix damage done by wild creatures, help the engineers expand the garrison's walls, and the 'grunt work:' Lugging the salvage team's haul to the blacksmith's. Of course, that is what Rookie had been saddled with several times due to his lateness, and he was determined not to let it happen again!

Scootaloo was walking with Applebloom, the two barely had time to talk these days. With Scootaloo's duties and Applebloom teaching the younger ponies, they had no time spare to catch up.
"So, my leave's coming up soon..." Scootaloo smiled, raising her eyebrows to her friend.
"Yeah?" The red bow wearing pony perked up slightly. "What were yah thinking Scoots?"
"I was thinking, you get Fluttershy to cover you for a day or two... and me and you go visit Sweetie belle. What'yah think?" The yellow country mare smiled gladly.
"I'd like that Scoots, I'd like that a whole lot!"
"Then it's a deal!" Scootaloo cheered, jumping ahead of her friend slightly.

"Watch out!" Scootaloo looked in the direction of the cry, she only had a second to recognise those big blue eyes before-
SLAM!
Rookie groaned slightly, looking down at the mare beneath him. The two had collided, and skidded several feet away from a laughing Apple Bloom.
"Hey, Scoots..." He managed as he pulled his stomach away from the knee that was embedded in it.
"Rookie." She grunted with a faint smile. The stallion stood, then helped the orange mare to her hooves. "Late again by any chance?" She asked with an arched eyebrow.
"Naaaahhhhhh!" The stallion waved a hoof, casting the accusation aside. "Just doing some exercise is all!" He placed his hoof on his throat, feigning taking his pulse. The two heard hoofsteps behind, they turned to see Applebloom approaching, a smile still spread across her face.
" 'Course yah aint late Rookie!" She winked to Scootaloo deviously. "Yah got a whole minute left to get t' the garrison 'fore yah are!"
"A minute!?" Rookie facehooved. Realising what he'd done, he peaked out of one eye at the two who were looking at him with superior smirks.

"Well!" Rookie shouted, springing to action with fake enthusiasm. "Better finish that workout!" The two mares rolled their eyes at their friend's act.
"See yah later Rookie." They both chorused together. The stallion smirked and turned away, knowing that his friends had easily seen through his story. Now was the time to really run!

---

"Late... again Rookie!" Moonshine sighed as he gazed at the panting stallion. Rookie smiled as he tried to catch his breath.
"Only by a minute or two 'Shine." The pearly blue stallion turned away without a word, obvious disappointment radiating from him. Rookie grimaced, and followed the garrison master with heavy hooves.
"So much for a 'new leaf' huh Rookie?" Moonshine observed as the two passed the garrison damage squad. Rookie's heart sank, he knew this journey all too well!
"Yes sir," He mumbled. "I did try!"
"Trying isn't enough Rookie!" Moonshine blurted out suddenly, whirling around to face the younger stallion. His long dark mane whipped past Rookies nose with maybe only a centimetre's distance away. "This is an ARMY! And it is only a GOOD army, for as long as each pony involved can be relied upon!"

"I can be relied on Moonshine sir!" Rookie retorted, trying not to have his temper rise at the exact same speech he was given nearly every day. "I'm the strongest stallion here, I can be trusted to go do whatever's needed, I do anything asked of me!"
"Except turn up on time!" Moonshine countered. "Say we'd been attacked, no survivors could get to the centre, and we needed our 'strongest stallion,' what good is he if he's running late and didn't get here before we were all dead?" The stallion finished and looked to the younger one before him, awaiting some sarcastic response. Rookie had nothing, just a growing lump in his throat. He liked Moonshine, and hated disappointing him to the point of lecturing.
"None... sir..." Rookie grumbled. THIS WASN'T HIS FAULT! Every night he was having those dreams! They kept him trapped in sleep! As though there were something more to them, Twilight in their sessions had told him to embrace the dreams, which were clearly his memories trying to resurface! The only problem was, to ensure he 'embraced' them, he needed to relax and let them take over. Which made him oversleep!

"Whatever!" Moonshine grunted bitterly, turning back to the trail they had been walking. "If you'd come on time, you would have left with the blacksmith, he requires your assistance today..."
"The blacksmith?" Rookie had taken the supplies to his little hut, but he'd never met the pony. Why did he request Rookie's help of all people?! Moonshine stopped while Rookie was deep in thought.
"Yes," He murmured, Rookie, unaware of his surroundings, stepped forward and stubbed his hoof on a piece of metal on the floor. He cried out in surprise, springing away. When his vision fell on what was before him, his attitude sagged massively. The salvage teams findings! Moonshine smirked at the younger stallion's expression. "but since you're here, you may as well take this to him while on your way."

---

"Urraaagghh!" Rookie grunted, tugging the lat sheet of metal to the side of the tiny cottage. Even for his powerful muscles and unequalled stamina, today's haul was particularly bulky and tiresome to carry. The stallion stood there for a moment panting slightly at his excessive exorcise, glancing up into the trees. Unlike most of the woodland base, these tall beauties held no catwalks or huts, the only place of inhabitants was beside him. Rookie guessed it was due to the danger of the blacksmith's art, according to Pip, the blacksmith's methods caused the occasional explosion... OCATIONAL EXPLOSION! And he was about to enter this primacies?! The more he waited, the more stupid this seemed, orders or not! So, without another second to think, Rookie took a breath and entered through the gaping front door.

The smell was the first thing to strike him, sweat, metal, steam, smoke and dirt. The latter three of which whipped up a frenzy as he entered and blew up into his face to meet him! His eyes screamed in pain, threatening to pop out and run for cover. Rookie through up a hoof to cover his eyes, sweeping up dust as he did so, said dust then invaded his mouth and nose, causing him to choke! Only a few seconds in here, and he was already dying! It was ridiculous to think that somepony could survive in here for an hour! Let alone work here every day!

Rookie peered through his stinging eyes, slightly moving his hoof to clear his vision. Then he saw it through the gloom. A figure, long, slim and curved was silhouetted against the read of some unseen fire. It's snout opened to show prominent teeth, and in that second Rookie knew true fear. Something instinctual took over, the slim figure, the long snout, it needed to be feared, respected, obeyed! But mostly feared! Rookie crumbled to his hooves as the figure loomed taller, it's shape distorting over the bumpy bubbles of smoke. Rookie's lips twitched, and slowly began to form words without his knowledge or consent.
"I'm sorry..." What?! Why did he say that? "I'll do better!" He was begging, for his life? His ears pressed against his skull, his eyes widened, he must look like a terrified little colt!

"Hey! Is that you Rookie?!" Wait, who said that? Rookie frowned, the voice wasn't what he was expecting from the figure, but he was sure it couldn't have come from it! The long figure spread a set of large wings and -only with enough time for Rookie to realise what was going to happen- beat them hard, sending all smoke and dust soaring through the open door. The whirlwind of dirt, dust and metal shavings streamed past Rookie's scrunched face. He felt one little sliver of metal nick his cheek, but even with the sudden stinging he didn't open his eyes for fear of more coming his way and blinding him. After a few more seconds of gushing wind, the dust ebbed away to nothing, leaving the room far clearer than before.

Rookie glimpsed out from behind his shielding hoof, as his hoof dropped, it brushed his graved cheek. The stallion gave out a pained gasp.
"Oh jeez! Was that me?!" The slim shadow Rushed across the wall and vanished. Seconds later a much smaller creature came rushing over from the fiery centre of the room. Whatever it was, it had purple scales, green plumes and a pair of slim feeble wings. As it approached with concern in its bright green eyes, Rookie realised he must be looking at a dragon! He was rather scrawny, slim but tall, wearing a stained white apron coated in brown dust and dirt. The dragon came to a halt before him, eying up the cut on Rookie's face. "I guess I should warn you next time huh?" He joked nervously. It tickled Rookie -maybe due to the shock of seeing a dragon- to see the creature seem so nervous around him. Shouldn't it be the other way around? He laughed, shrugging off the light injury.
"I'm fine, just a scratch." He smiled, which made the dragon sigh in relief.
"Ok then."

"So..." Rookie began as he started to walk into the round furnace room, "You asked for me? I don't really know much about metals or weapons..." The dragon laughed, shaking his head lightly.
"Wow, I said the exact same thing to Rainbow years ago!" Rookie laughed, he looked up from the round furnace in the centre of the room.
"Why doesn't that surprise me! You've got the best kind of abilities for it, so you got the job!" The dragon laughed again, he was fast warming up to this young stallion.
"You sound like you're talking from experience!" Rookie turned, stretching his forelegs outward. "You're looking at the star crap carrier of the northern barricade." He took a melodramatic bow which received a few sarcastic claps from the dragon as he crossed the room.

"Name's Spike!" He reached out his clawed hand to the stallion, who took it with his hoof and gave it a firm shake.
"Good to meet you Spike." This was unbelievable! A dragon was part of the anti-discord movement? He would have to ask Pip how that came about later tonight, but for now he had been sent here for a job. "So, what d'yah need sir?" Spike shuddered at the formal title.
"Just Spike, please. Well, I needed that scrap from the barricade mostly."
"Oh..." Rookie frowned, was that it? Spike went over to the furnace, and shot a bright emerald flame into the centre which exploded in joy of the new heat. "So, why am I here?" Spike didn't look up, he grabbed a pair of tongues and pulled a long and tin sheet of metal out of the fire. It's end glowed as orange as the morning sun, giving into gold and white at the very tip which ended sharply. Rookie watched the obvious blade twirl through the air, over to the anvil lying just to the side of the room.
"I've been meaning to get you in here for over a month!" Spike explained, picking up a hammer in his free hand and bringing it down hard, shaping the supple hot metal beneath him.

"But whenever-"
CLANG
"I had a second-"
CLANG
"A new weapons batch-"
CLANG
"Was needed!" Only after the three strikes he took a break, panting slightly, inspecting his work so far. To Rookie the blade looked perfect, but he clearly knew nothing, as Spike took one last speedy strike with his hammer. Spike chucked the blade into a trough of water, the blade sizzled and boiled the water for a moment before settling. Spike sighed slightly, then turned his attention back to Rookie with a smile. His hands rested on his parted knees as he hunched forward, silently watching. Then the hand with the hammer raised and pointed straight at him with the head of the tool. "I owe you a debt my friend."

"You do?" Rookie hadn't met this dragon, hell as far as he knew he'd never met ANY dragons in all his life. So how could this creature owe him anything? Spike smirked as Rookie's brow furrowed in confusion. The dragon pushed himself up to his feet again and slowly made his way to the far edge of the room. It was then that Rookie noticed a large gilded chest sat against the furthest wall, Spike now opened this chest and began rummaging through it.
"Yes. I owe you my heart!" Rookie nearly laughed, but when no smile was sent his way by the dragon, Rookie stopped himself just in time.
"C-come again?" He stammered.
"Two months ago, you saved somepony very close to my heart." Rookie frowned, two months ago? The fire?
"Are you talking about Rarity?" Rookie queried, to which Spike grunted and affirmation, his back still turned away. Rookie's eyes widened in surprise, then again it wasn't much of a surprise, the mare was beautiful. However...

"But I thought... she was with-"
"Big Macintosh?" Spike finished for Rookie, he wasn't sure, but the stallion was sure he heard a hint of bitterness in the dragon's tone. The dragon continued t rummage through the chest, how much stuff was in there? "I loved Rarity from the moment I met her, she was the most elegant thing I'd ever seen, but she never saw me in any way other than a child." Rookie saw Spike's shoulders sag under the weight of his story. "Then when the whole world went to hell, Big Mac began to show what he was really like, and Rarity took an interest." Spike stopped his search for a moment and looked to the wall balefully, he leant back and sat on his heels. "They've been together... dear Celestia, it's been so long now I don't even remember..." Rookie couldn't help but feel sorry for the scaly creature before him, he sounded so heartbroken, to love someone and see them leave for somepony else... The dragon sighed yet again, then adopted an almost optimistic tone. "But I still hope, that she'll see me as who I am, and not what I was. But that won't happen if she dies!" He looked back to the chest, then with sudden enthusiasm, spotted something within and lunged for it.

Finally the dragon stood clutching something to his chest. He turned and made his way back across the room, finishing his thought. "Thanks to you, the girl I love is still alive. And for that I will always be grateful!" He reached the stallion, letting him see what was clutched in his grasp. It was a bundle of rags, covering something long and solid looking. Spike locked gazes with Rookie, his dyer seriousness emanating from his emerald eyes. "If you ever need me, if you ever need anything from this humble servant of the rebellion, just ask. My fire is yours!" He bent down on one knee, presenting the gift in his claws above his head. "And this too! The best I've ever made!" Rookie stared for another moment at the material, before inching his forehoof up. It slowly travelled through the air, reaching further forward. This felt like something out of a story...

Finally, his hoof reached the material and pushed the fold away to reveal what lay underneath.

---

"So, you're having dreams? Anything specific?" Twilight asked, her pad and quill poised at the ready in her magenta field of magic. Rookie shrugged, he was sat on a chair in the centre of Twilight's quarters. His new set of dragon bronze blades leaning against his chair beside him. They were just like Scootaloo's, blades welded hard against the rings that were meant to lop around his forehooves. Even in this dim light they seemed to shimmer as though laying in a patch of sunlight.

Now Rookie sat here in one of his sessions with the strategist of the rebellion, trying to unlock even the slightest portion of his lost memories.
"Yes, and... kind of." The stallion muttered. Twilight etched a note with her quill and raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
"What do you mean?" The stallion grimaced, clearly having difficulty finding the words.

"I don't think it's a memory... It's too strange, it doesn't feel real..." Twilight silently added another note to her pad.
"Trust me, 'strange' shouldn't be your basis on what's real... Pin- somepony...taught me that a long time ago." Rookie noticed the stutter, however he had grown used to it over his past meetings with the magenta unicorn, it was clearly the traitor she spoke of, it seemed that the higher ranking officers all knew the pony well. Twilight struggled the most not to say her name however, and Rookie had learned to let it slide.
"Well," He continued. "In the dream, it's like I'm running somewhere, I'm following... a voice..."
"Does it say anything?" Twilight asked, not even pausing to make a note. This was all news to her! It was easily to the most progress the stallion had seemed to make in his hunt for his past.
"That's just it... I-I... I don't think it is saying anything, it's just there. So I follow it, and when I get close, I'm always woken up." He sounded bitter, with no question as to why, he was angry that his memories were taking so long to come back, two months and no key details had come to light.
"Don't get angry Rookie, it isn't your fault." Twilight cooed gently, setting her note pad down on the table.

"I know better than anyone how difficult it is to fight Discord's magic." Rookie looked inquisitively to the mare. She gave a half smile, focusing her eyes on a spot on the floor a few feet from Rookie's seat. "Years ago, I mean a long time ago, me and my friends fell victim to his magic." She looked lost in memories of her own. "We almost lost everything important to us. If it wasn't for our friendship, we would have never beaten him!"
"You beat him?!" Rookie shouted, almost bolting to his seat. "How is he still here then?!" Twilight sighed, not even startled, almost as though she'd seen this reaction many times before.
"It was a different time, a different world. We didn't kill, we'd never even think of it. We beat him and imprisoned him in stone... b-but..." A tear began to brew in her left eye, "B-but it didn't even matter, he came back again, but this time he destroyed e-everything!" The tear fell to the floor and left a dark circle on the pale wooden floor.

A soft hoof gently rested on Twilight's shoulder, she glanced up and saw Rookie, now out of his seat and stood ahead of her. Giving her a warm smile.
"Not everything..." He encouraged, "You've got everypony behind you guys! You and Rainbow, all of the ponies from the old Ponyville, you're the reason why he hasn't destroyed it all..." Twilight's tears died, she gave a grateful smile once more, then rested her hoof on Rookie's chest.

She began to rise from her seat, still connected to the stallion by the contact of her hoof. For a wild, incredibly crazy moment, Rookie believed she was about to kiss him! She reached the ground and began to walk into the stallion, making him back up. He felt the soft bump of the seat behind him brush against his fur. Twilight continued to push silently, gently guiding Rookie to take a seat. Rookie stared up at Twilights violet irises as they loomed over him. They began to sparkle and dance as the unicorn's horn began to glow brightly.
"Close your eyes Rookie." Rookie did so instantly, hypnotised by the mare. "Relax..." He took a breath, it was hard to relax at this moment! "Nooowwww...." Twilight whispered, "Sleep..." Rookie opened his eyes instantly, that was what she wanted!

But he thought-

Twilight's spell struck, and sedated the stallion instantly, just like all their other sessions. Yet again, Rookie slipped into the realm of dreams, hopefully, on the hunt for his memories.