Ode to a Monster

by Tekkonair

Chapter 7 - Monster Attack

“You and Dash stay here,” ordered Cirrus, stowing his spyglass and running for the door.

“What? Why?” Fluttershy asked, eyes widening as Cirrus bolted.

“Something’s incoming, just stay put. We’ll handle it,” he said, flying out the front door as he fished his communications gem out. “Cyclone Two to Cyclone Actual, barghest sighted inbound. Repeat, barghest sighted inbound!” After a moment, Skies’ voice replied through the crystal, slightly distorted.

“Copy, Cyclone Two. Cyclone, all units to Vigilant! Cyclone One, bring the gear. Move it ponies!”

---

Skies returned her gem to her saddlebags and quickly started wiping her face clean as she made for the door. “Skies, what’s going on?” Asked Rarity, standing from her workstation as Sweetie looked deeply confused. “Who is ‘Cyclone’? What’s a barghest?”

“No time right now, just stay inside, we’ll handle it!” She shouted, flinging the door open and launching off, speeding towards the library. Of all the things, a bucking barghest? Hurtling through the air, she spotted Cirrus diving towards the library as well. She swept into a landing, skidding along the ground briefly and leaving small gouges in the dirt, she barrelled into the library. “Cirrus is inbound, Shield if you’ve got any enchantments I could really use them.”

“Hey, what’s going-” Twilight was cut off by Shield.

“I’ve got nothing, sorry. I can help you armour up quickly once our gear gets here.”

“Um, excuse-”

“Our gear? Shield you’re not going up against a bucking Barghest in your state, you are going to stay here.”

“I’d really appreciate-”

“Fine, fine, I’ll stay here. But if anything happens to any of you I’m coming to haul you out, got it?”

“Please just-”

“Alright, that’s fine.”

“I’m trying to ask you something here!” Both ponies recoiled as Twilight shouted, Cirrus entering the library a moment later. “What is a barghest, to start with?”

“Big monster, dangerous, likes to eat ponies. Cirrus, how big are we looking at?”

“Large. We should be able to take it, but it’s not going to be a pushover.” Skies nodded.

“Just need to wait for the gear, then. Even I’m not crazy enough to take on a barghest with just a hoof axe,” said Skies, looking to the door as Tender Care galloped in. “Good, now just Hooves.”

“He’s coming from Sweet Apple Acres though, won’t that take too long?” Twilight asked with a tilted head. Skies chuckled.

“Just wait and see.”

---

“Copy Cyclone Two. Cyclone, all personnel to Vigilant! Cyclone One, bring the gear. Move it ponies!”

“Buck buck buck.” Hooves dashed into the cellar, Applejack close behind. Grabbing the bundle of their equipment, Hooves slung it over his back, grunting under the weight. “Hells, Shield’s armour makes this heavy, bucking…” He tailed off, climbing the steps back out of the cellar.

“Hooves, what is goin’ on?”

“Big monster, need to save the town, they’re waiting at the library.” He ran over to the farm gate and stopped, taking a deep breath.

“Uh, what’re ya doin’? Why’d ya stop?”

“Just watch,” he said, digging in his hooves and closing his eyes. Applejack blinked, before her eyes widened as she saw the earth beneath his hooves shift and rise slightly. Hooves’ eyes shot open, and he tore off towards Ponyville, propelled forwards by whatever he was doing to the ground. Applejack’s jaw dropped as she watched the dust cloud speed off.

“Ah have got to learn how to do that.” Hooves sprinted away from the farm, hurtling into town. The wind howled in his ears, squinting against the flow of air. He grinned despite himself, feeling the earth move beneath him. As the library came into view, he started slowing down, eventually skidding to a halt before running in through the door to catch the tail end of the conversation.

“Just wait and see.” Skies said to Twilight, before looking over as the door opened. “Hooves, there you are.” Hooves ran over, dropping the bundle and rolling it out, ignoring Twilight’s gawping. Each pony’s equipment was surrounded in Shield’s aura, helping each pony get into their armour. “We’re dealing with a barghest, large size. Cirrus, any notable variations?”

“None that I could see.”

“Right, here’s the plan. Tender, your priority is evacuating civilians. Any ponies in that thing’s path, get them somewhere safe and then come help us. Cirrus, your job is to slow it down however you can. Ice to stop it, fog to blind it, whatever you can do. Hooves, you’re on damage control, try to limit the amount of collateral. I’ll try and maim it from range before we move in to finish it. Got it?” The other ponies nodded, Hooves hefting his poleaxe. “Right, move it!” The four ponies galloped out of the library, leaving a tense Shield with a gawking Twilight and Spike.

Cirrus and Skies shot into the air as Hooves and Tender galloped towards the east side of Ponyville. “Skies, down there!” Cirrus pointed towards the east side of town, Skies following his hoof. There, stalking between the buildings, was their target; a massive, hulking mountain of pitch-black fur and muscle. Its head rose above the surrounding buildings, glowing red eyes scanning its surroundings as it snarled, baring its teeth before throwing its head back in a howl that set chills down Skies’ back.

“Got it, now go!” Skies hovered in the air, dropping the glamour on her wing to save energy, producing her longbow and stringing it, keeping her eyes locked on her target. Barghest, right. Thick hide, weak points in the joints, eyes and inside the mouth. Piercing and slashing weapons have limited effect outside of weak spots, too sturdy for bludgeoning attacks short of minotaur strength. This is going to be a long day.

---

Hooves charged towards the east side of Ponyville, separating from Tender Care who ran to start evacuating civilians. Come on, giant wolf, giant wolf, how hard can it be to find a giant wolf? Cringing slightly as he heard that spine-chilling howl, he turned towards the source of the noise. Rounding the corner, his eyes widened as a pony screamed, a mare with a foal pinned against a wall, the barghest prowling towards them. Oh no you don’t. Gritting his teeth, he lowered his head and charged towards the creature. The mare screamed, shielding her foal as the barghest lunged.

The mare remained still for a second before realising she wasn’t dead, and hesitantly opened an eye. She gasped as she saw the armour-clad earth pony grunting, holding the giant wolf’s jaws open, shaking with the strain. “What’re you waiting for?!” He shouted back at her. “Go, run!” The mare yelped, dragging her foal with her as she ran. With the innocents clear, he turned back to the barghest, his limbs shaking as the wolf tried to snap its jaw shut on him. With a yell, he pushed against it before leaping clear, the fangs closing mere inches from him as he landed. Hooves twisted quickly, spinning on his front hooves before lashing out backwards, kicking the barghest square on the nose. The beast yelped, flinching back with a snarl. Growling at Hooves, its attack was stalled by Cirrus, hurtling past and dragging a freezing mist with him. The barghest snarled and struggled as its paws were frozen to the ground, Hooves running clear to get some room to move.

In the distance, Skies exhaled slowly, nocking a narrow-tipped arrow, drawing the bow back as she aimed at the struggling barghest. Squinting along the shaft of the arrow, she loosed the arrow between beats of her wings, the bow creaking as the arrow flew through the air. She smirked as the beast howled in pain, the arrow sinking deep into its right eye. She tapped her gem once. “Barghest right side blind!” Lowering her bow, she flew forwards, circling to a better position as the barghest thrashed, freeing its paws in its frantic movements. Hooves nodded as his gem transmitted what Skies said, running to its right side, rearing to his hind hooves and grabbing his poleaxe, stabbing with the tip at the barghest’s armpit. The creature yelped before swiping at him with a paw, Hooves rolling under the swing and backing up again as the wolf turned on him, snarling with blood running from its right eye.

Cirrus circled overhead, gathering the remnants of the freezing mist into a single cloud before hurtling down with the cloud, halting between Hooves and the barghest before slamming his hooves into the cloud, a swarm of ice crystals flying at the creature. The beast flinched back, covering its eyes and nose with a paw, yelping as a broad-headed arrow from Skies lodged in its elbow. Snarling, the wolf barked, missing Cirrus with its paw, but the swipe dispersed the cloud. Hooves’ eyes widened as the wolf lunged at him, before he was yanked back, looking over to see Tender Care galloping towards him. “Thanks for the save, Tender! The civilians clear?” He shouted, starting to circle the barghest .

“Streets are empty now, the rest should be staying in-doors!” She shouted back, bringing the brace of blades held in her magic around for a series of slashes at the barghest’s face. Hooves nodded as Skies flew closer.

“Keep wearing it down, it’s getting slower!” She shouted, wheeling away again and nocking another arrow as Cirrus shot past it, racking its sides with his wing blades. The Barghest swiped at Cirrus before snarling and charging Hooves and Tender Care. The two ponies scattered, running in opposite directions, the barghest swerving to follow Tender Care. She swore, a swarm of blades flying out of her cloak in her telekinesis, slashing around the wolf’s nose and eyes. It flinched, breaking off from Tender Care to swipe at its face. It growled as an arrow bounced off its back, its one remaining eye locking onto Skies. “Aw hells.” She started flying backwards as it raced towards her, her next arrow going wide as she turned to flee, the beast snapping at her heels and barking. She pumped her wings, launching higher into the air, only to yelp as the barghest caught her tail and threw her into a building.

Hooves’ eyes widened as Skies was thrown through a window, before picking up speed as he charged, bringing his poleaxe around to slash at its ankle. The barghest staggered, its leg yanked out from under it as the wound bled heavily, swatting Hooves aside with a swipe of its tail as it wheeled around. Hooves raised his poleaxe to block, taking the brunt of the force as he was flung back, rolling back to his hooves. “Cirrus better be doing something useful!” He shouted to Tender Care as she went for its eye again with her swarm of blades. It growled, eye shut as it wildly snapped at her, the unicorn leaping clear.

Inside the building, Skies groaned as she stood and shook the debris off herself, wincing as she noticed the collecting of scrapes and scratches she’d gathered from the window. Hearing a whimper from beside her, she turned to see a terrified pair of fillies and their parents cowering in the corner. “Monster attack, just stay inside!” She lifted her bow, huffing as she saw the snapped string, and returned it to her quiver before launching herself out of the window and levelling her spear, hurtling at the barghest and spearing it in the hip, leaving a shallow wound before gaining distance again. She tapped her gem as she circled it from out of its range. “Cyclone One, I need a shot at its underjaw. You’ll need to time this right.” She turned and sped away from the barghest, gaining altitude as Cirrus bombarded it, diving down with javelins made of ice.

“Copy,” was all Hooves said in response, flipping his polearm around to the hammer head, breathing heavily as he glanced at Skies, before focussing back on the barghest as Cirrus and Tender kept it occupied, the unicorn harassing its nose and eye with the swarm of knives whilst Cirrus did his best to keep it in place, javelins freezing the ground and fur on contact, slowing the beast. Skies braked hard, turning in the air and narrowing her eyes, gripping her spear tight for her charge.

“Cyclone One, about to engage. Keep it facing west. Five seconds to contact.” She flattened her wings to her sides, diving before pumping her wings, plunging towards the ground in her diagonal dive. Skies grit her teeth, squinting and struggling to keep her eyes open, the wind stinging her eyes as her organic wing burnt with the strain, the join between her metal wing and her body similarly flaring angrily. On the ground, Hooves snorted as Cirrus and Care goaded it to turn west, the beast snarling and swiping blindly, tearing great furrows out of the ground with its claws, unable to open its eye thanks to the swarm assailing its face.

Four, he counted down, the earth once again shifting beneath him as he readied his charge. Cirrus gained altitude, raining javelins from above to keep it in place. Three. Cirrus flipped over into a dive, twisting and slamming his hind hooves down on the top of its head, its head jarring down into range of Hooves. Two. Hooves suddenly charged forwards, the earth launching him at blistering speed as he brought the polearm up in a vertical swing. One. The hammerhead impacted its jaw with a sickening crack, the barghest’s head snapping back, exposing the underside of its jaw. Contact. The two ground-bound ponies stumbled, struggling to remain standing while Cirrus dropped to the ground to avoid being thrown out of the air as Skies hurtled past, staccato booms shattering windows and punching into Hooves' chest as she grazed the sound barrier.

The barghest was thrown back as the spear slammed into its jaw with a sickening squelch, puncturing the skin and piercing through into its mouth, the roof of its mouth, and finally into its brain, killing it instantly. Skies released the spear as she continued past to avoid ripping her shoulder out of its socket. Her eyes widened as her wing clipped the creature, upsetting her flight path and sending her spinning out of control. This is going to hurt… She grimaced, tucking into a ball as she hit the ground, skidding and rolling through the dirt, bouncing a few times before sliding along, eventually coming to a stop. Her entire body screamed in pain, her wings felt like they were on fire whilst her shoulders ached from the impact with the barghest.

Trembling, she slowly uncurled as her muscles stopped seizing, flopping with a loud groan. “Oowww.” She coughed, grimacing again, her eye slowly opening. She paused, her blurry vision clearing to reveal a pair of blue hooves. Squinting, she looked further up, seeing white legs, then purple and gold armour with a pink star on the chest, and finally the stallion’s face, staring at her in shock, his expression mirrored by the trio of guards stood behind him. “H-hello Captain Armour.” She groaned. “I can explain… Later.” Her head hit the dirt again as she coughed. “Medic…”

---

“You stupid, reckless, idiotic, borderline suicidal,” Skies winced as Tender Care prodded her, checking for damage. “Rash, senseless, irresponsible nag!” She yelped as Tender Care jabbed her in the shoulder. “Do you have any idea how dangerous that move was? If your armour weren’t enchanted against that kind of trauma you could have died! And even with the enchantments you are stupidly lucky that you didn’t give yourself internal bleeding! What the buck were you thinking?” Skies looked very sheepishly at her as Tender Care treated her injuries. “And you’re bucking lucky that when you got your metal wing they reinforced the shoulder joint otherwise that move could have ripped it off!” She poked the wing for emphasis, wincing as she touched the still-heated metal. “I have no idea how you managed to bucking survive before I came along, it’s miraculous you haven’t died from all the stupid buckery you perform!”

“Um, sorry to interrupt.” Both mares looked over at their audience. The Element Bearers were assembled, along with Captain Armour, a crowd of guardsponies, and a good number of Ponyville residents, all staring at the scene before them. The barghest was very dead, slumped onto its side and bleeding into the street, while Cirrus and Hooves were discussing how best to move it, and Shield sat next to Skies. “But, I think we have a few questions,” Twilight continued, looking around.

“… Yeah that’s fair. Library?” Twilight nodded after a moment, looking to Shining Armour before walking to the library, the Order ponies following after her, Tender Care helping Skies along. Shining Armour sent some of his guardsponies to watch over the corpse of the barghest and help the ponies of Ponyville as he followed with his own personal guard. They soon entered the library, Skies collapsing into a chair. “Aahahaoww stars that bucking hurts. Tender Care, please tell me you have pain relief?”

“I do but if I give you some, you need to promise not to overdo moving, got it?” Skies nodded, and Tender Care’s horn lit up, surrounding Skies in her aura, the pegasus immediately relaxing into the chair.

“Ohhh that feels better. Right, I can answer questions now.”

“What was that thing?” Asked Twilight.

“Monster called a barghest. Big evil wolf, likes to eat ponies.”

“Who exactly are you ponies?” Asked Shining Armour, standing protectively by Twilight.

“I’m Desert Skies, that’s Tender Care, that’s Shield. The earth pony is Hooves, and the pegasus is Cirrus. We’re monster hunters. Since I’m guessing you want the full story, let’s get started...”

---

Skies slumped at the end of her explanation, bringing Shining Armour and his guards up to speed with the Elements. During the explanation, Shining Armour had subtly moved slightly between Twilight and Skies.

“So, that’s everything I’ve told you ponies. Pinkie, you have a question.” She turned to the pink pony, whose hoof had been raised for the entire latter half of her monologue.

“What happened to your wing? You didn’t have a metal wing earlier.” She tilted her head.

“Right, the wing.” She looked back at the metal wing, sighing. “There was a glamour, a type of illusion, over the wing this entire time. Making it look organic means fewer questions get asked.”

“H-how did you lose the wing?” Fluttershy squeaked from behind Rarity.

“Fighting a monster. Same one that took my eye, actually.” She tapped her eyepatch. “The Order gave me this to replace it. I dropped the glamour because it drains too much energy whilst I’m in a fight, and now, why bother activating it again since you ponies have all seen it?” She shrugged, cringing as her muscles protested against the movement.

“And what exactly is this ‘Order’?” Asked Shining Armour.

“Good question,” said Skies. “I assume that no matter how I answer, you’re going to drag us all to your Princesses so they can decide how to proceed?” Shining Armour nodded with a snort after a moment. “In that case, since I hate repeating myself unnecessarily, I’ll answer that question when the Princesses ask me.” She smiled sweetly at Shining Armour, causing the stallion to narrow his eyes at her.

“Fine. Prepare them for transport, we’re going to Canterlot. Lieutenant, the search parties we brought along, task them to begin helping clean up the town and patrolling the Everfree border.” The earth pony mare stood beside him nodded, saluting before barking orders into a communications gem. “I’m going to have to ask you to surrender your weapons and armour.” Skies sighed.

“Fine, fine. Not like I can stop you right now. Bucking barghest complicating things…” She sat still as her weapons were taken off her, the other Order ponies surrendering their equipment as a guard trotted up with a pair of suppressor rings.

“Are the suppressor rings really necessary?” Asked Shield, eying the two black rings warily.

“Yes, you ponies are an unknown quantity and based on what you’ve told us, we can’t allow you access to your magic until we know more.” Shield sighed, nodding and allowing his magic to be restrained. Skies groaned in pain as Tender Care stopped her spell.

“Owwww. Tender, you don’t have any normal painkillers?”

“Nope, sorry, used my last ones on Shield.”

“Shield I will bucking hurt you later.” She glared at him, as the unicorn smiled sheepishly back.

---

The flight to Canterlot was tense. The Element Bearers all flew in one large chariot, whilst the Order ponies were spread between a few smaller ones, Skies flying in Shining Armour’s chariot with one of the Guard’s medics ensuring her injuries were taken care of. “So, have you ever been to Canterlot?” Shining Armour asked.

“Nope, I’ve always tried to avoid the cities. More ponies to stare at me. Ponies in villages and remote towns tend to understand better.”

“Understand?” He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

“How a pony could get injured like this. They respect the dangers out there more than city ponies.”

“Ah, I see.” He nodded. “I am curious, why are you more scarred than the rest of your team?” Skies grumbled from the floor of the chariot.

“Shield doesn’t do field work in the same way so that’s him ruled out. Tender Care is something of our second line, so she rarely gets injured anyway. Hooves is an earth pony, much better constitution than me. Cirrus attacks mostly from range. Plus, I tend to put myself in harm’s way over the rest of my team.”

“Now that I understand, but to this extent?” Skies looked up at him for a moment, before answering.

“Fine, fine. They can all be something else if they left the Order, and looking like me could stop them doing that. Me, I have nothing I can do outside the Order, so I take the hits.” She said, resting her head on the floor of the chariot. Shining blinked, processing the bitter undertone to her words.

“I’m… Sorry to hear that.” He ventured, looking away as Skies did the same.

“So, what’s the plan for when we get there?” Skies asked after a few seconds of uncomfortable silence.

“We take you to see the Princesses, all three will be in attendance, and you will answer their questions.”

“What if I can’t answer them?”

“It wouldn’t be a good idea to withhold information at this time,” Shining replied with a hint of caution.

“No, but, what if I actually can’t?”

“If you don’t know the answer, then just say that you don’t know. If you are actually incapable of answering truthfully, then we’ll see.” Skies looked at him flatly.

“You are just the most reassuring pony I’ve ever met, truely. What about the rest of my team?”

“They’ll accompany you.” Skies nodded, relaxing a fraction. “That move you pulled off back there, I wasn’t aware there were any pegasi except Rainbow Dash that could break the sound barrier.”

“I can’t maintain faster-than-sound flight. I end up fluctuating between faster and slower, which leads to the repeated booms you heard, and I can’t get to that point without the enchantments on my armour and wing.” She explained. “Plus like Tender Care said, it’s a really stupid move.”

“So why do it?”

“Outside of a town, we’d have just kept wearing it down. Risks more collateral damage but avoids getting one of us too badly injured. But in Ponyville, that collateral damage could have been a pony. We couldn’t risk that.”

“I see. Well, we’ve at least got that in common. Willing to put ourselves in harm’s way to save others.” Skies nodded at his words.

“It’s not fun, if it was fun it wouldn’t be right.”

“You are once again correct.” He glanced up out of the chariot again. “We’ll be arriving shortly, get ready.

“Yay more walking, I can’t wait.” She wiggled her hooves and winced. “Ow…”

---

Mercifully, Shining Armour had arranged for a pair of hospital beds to be waiting for Skies and Shield, sparing the two injured ponies from walking. “So, what do they already know?” Asked Skies as they waited outside the doors to the throne room, looking over to Shining Armour.

“Everything you’ve already told us, including Rainbow Dash’s situation.” Rainbow for her part was looking around anxiously, checking the bandages on her leg. The corridor was empty save for the Elements, the Order ponies, and a select few guards.

“Right.” Skies nodded, wincing as she moved her shoulder. “Ok, promise me something. When we’re done here please someone just dose me up to my eyeballs in painkillers I hurt so bucking much.” She whined. Shining sighed, rolling his eyes.

“Fine, we’ll get you some pain relief,” he glanced at one of the Royal Guard as they nodded. “They’re ready for us now.” The doors opened, and the group walked in, Skies helped along by the guard medic. At the far end of the throne room, the Royal Sisters sat in adjacent thrones, Cadence sat just off to Celestia’s side in a throne of her own, whilst on Luna’s side sat a batpony stallion in dark blue armour. Skies walked ahead with Shining Armour, watching each Princess’ reaction. Celestia’s almost went unnoticed, the slight crease of concern around her eyes, whilst Luna remained totally impassive. However, Cadence’s reaction was far more noticeable, a hoof covering her mouth as she spotted Skies, whilst the batpony looked impressed, to only mild surprise from Skies. “Princesses, Major Aurora. Presenting Desert Skies.” Shining saluted the four ponies before stepping to one side.

“Thank you, Captain Armour.” Luna spoke first, the only Princess to return his salute. She turned back to Skies with an appraising eye, Cadence having remembered her manners and sitting neutrally once again. “Desert Skies, We must say that when We heard that a barghest was slain by a mere four ponies, We could scarce believe our ears. And the tales that accompanied stretched our belief further. However, seeing thou before us, We are more inclined to trust the tales. Yet, We believe there is more to be told of thine ‘Order’. So please, enlighten us.” All the ponies in the room looked to Skies expectantly. The mare sighed, nodding after a moment.

“Alright then. I’m no historian, so this’ll be the short version, just what everyone in the Order knows. It all started long before Equestria; there was a war. A vicious civil war brought about by a being far beyond the understanding of mere mortals. The war grew and grew, dragging other nations in, all spurred on by the being that started it, until other powerful beings were forced to intervene. Monsters and worse were set loose upon the world, and out of the death and the violence rose the Order of the Broken Crown. We couldn’t restore what had been lost, but we could put an end to the madness, and save that which was left. Ultimately, we were successful, the monsters were driven back, the beings that caused the Old World to fall were imprisoned, the weapons and magics of the Old World were locked away, and the Order disappeared into the shadows.

“It was agreed from the start that the Order of the Broken Crown would have no part in governing the world, our duty was to safeguard, not to rule, and knowledge of our Order’s existence would only tempt the newly emerging nations to try and gain access to the tools of the Old World. So, we did our duty in secrecy, protecting the New World from the perils of the Old, and I like to think we’ve made a very good showing of it.” She smiled. “Nowadays the Order recruits members from every nation on the planet, from all walks of life.” She cleared her throat as she stopped, looking to one of the guards. “Could I get some water? My throat’s dry after everything that’s happened today.” The guard looked to Shining Armour, who nodded, the guard walking out to fetch the requested water.

“An interesting tale, Desert Skies.” Celestia spoke. “The war you mentioned, does it have a name?”

“We call it the End of Innocence, but I’m not sure what the war was called in its day.”

“I have a question,” Cadence started carefully. “If your Order is dedicated to defeating monsters, then I have to ask, where were you during the Changeling invasion? Or when Discord terrorised Equestria?” Shining Armour grimaced slightly, while the Sisters remained impassive.

“Two good questions. To answer the first, the Order does not interfere with political strife unless influenced by the Old World. The Changeling invasion was based purely on a Changeling Queen’s own naked ambition, no external influence. As I’ve said, the Order does not exist to rule. Besides, you won in the end, and even if the forces at Canterlot had failed to carry the day, I have no doubt that Princess Luna would have seen Chrysalis off. We are fully aware of her martial prowess from records of the Lunar Rebellion.” Skies suppressed her smirk as Luna flinched. “As for Discord, we were very much aware of what was happening, but against a being like Discord there’s not a lot we could have done, and you had the Elements. Besides, we try not to interfere if the victims are capable of taking care of the problem; it’s easier to stay hidden that way.”

“And where is your Order based?” Asked Major Aurora.

“Everywhere. We have bases, safe houses, camps, and outposts all over the world.”

“You don’t have a centralised headquarters?” He pressed, raising an eyebrow.

“We do,” Skies replied after a moment of silence.

“Could you tell us the location of this headquarters, please?” Asked Celestia, causing Skies to cough out a laugh.

“Oh, absolutely not. Sorry, but when you good-as arrest us, slap suppressors on my unicorn friends, and march me up here to be questioned despite my injuries, I’m not particularly inclined to spill one of the Order’s greatest secrets just because you asked nicely.” She grinned defiantly as Princess Luna bristled, the guards in the room tensing. “I’m happy to continue answering questions, but I won’t betray the Order. Plus the longer I’m kept not dosed up on painkillers the worse my manners are going to get because I am in a lot of pain if you hadn’t noticed.” Silence filled the room as the Princesses glanced between each other, before Celestia nodded.

“Very well, Desert Skies. We will resume your questioning at a later date. For the time being, you and Shield will be treated in the castle infirmary, and your friends will be shown to guest quarters. Your equipment will not be returned to you just yet, however. We still know too little to trust you with them.”

“Fair enough. I expect you want to talk to the Element Bearers as well, so this is well timed.” She smirked as Luna nodded to Shining Armour, who then motioned to the guards, and the Order ponies were escorted out of the throne room. “Well that was fun.” She said to Shield, who shook his head.

“You shouldn’t taunt the Princesses like that, Skies.”

“Oh lighten up, Shield. They need the sticks up their arses wiggled every once in a while.” Her crass remark elicited a stifled snort from Cirrus, Hooves, and one of the guards, earning said guard a dirty look from the others. “Now, to make this pain finally bucking stop!” She cheered as she was escorted to the infirmary. Oh this is going to be a pain to explain to Master I can already tell.”

Author's Note:

Chapter seven, and we get to see Skies' team take down a monster!