My Little Fortress: Dawnpick

by Paaaad

136

With Falcata and Glaive being parents, Glyph being off with stiletto and Kat in the hospital the job of watching over the stables was left unattended. Of all the ponies in Dawnpick there were few truly capable of filling the roll. Only one pony was willing to fill the job, and he was not one of them. Jaxler was bored as hell and had a nasty head ache. Jaxler had woken up on top of the stables and had a horrid sense of dread.
Jaxler had to do a lot of annoying things today. He had to get a lease for a craftpony's workshop so he could go back to making wood crafts for a living, he also had to buy an axe so he could go back to wood cutting and he had to also buy some wood cutting tools with the few bits that he had left. The one thing scarred him most of all was the fact that he wouldn't have enough bits to buy booze by the end of the day. Jaxler though about this for a long while before realizing that he was on top of the stables, which needed an baby sitter seeing how all the regular one were gone. Jaxler though that he could get paid for helping out there (and would be wrong). So Jaxler flew down to ground level and walked into the building with a fake smile and said "Aye there foals, If I'm correct you need a substitute Stable master... guy... pony... Watcher... thing!"

"I stood in town square, there was a melancholy air clouding Dawnpick after the depot incident. It was the dead of winter, there was some irony in that. Winter, death, my foal-hood is lost. I witnessed death, I witnessed deceit, I witnessed combat. I was apart of combat, and I need to be able to end combat. With the crack of a whip, with the snap of bone, with the clash of steel, with the flow of blood, I will defend Dawnpick. I will defend my family, my friends, my fellow ponies. I will- hey there's Jaxler over by the stables!" Granite says, snapping out of his monologue. He jumps off the roof of an apartment and lands on the nearby tree. Hopping from branch to branch he gently lands on the ground. "And they say earth ponies are ground locked!" Granite muses to himself. He casually strides over to the stables, wanting to witness the hilarity of Jaxler taking care of foals...

As Friesden was walking home after another training session with her master, Fauchard, she happened to be passing by the stables, and saw Jaxler, the town drunkard, there. Sliding Excalibunny away, she approached slowly, the bruises still there from today's training.

"SO! What is it that you little foals exactly do all day?" Jaxler then spotted Granite and Friesden walking in "OH, hello Friesden and Granite how are you two today?" Jaxler said nervously.

"I am well, master Jaxler. What are you doing here?" Friesden asked as she walked in.

"Hey Jaxler, I'm doing fantastic! I just had this kickass monologue and then-" Granite pauses mid-sentence after noticing Friesden behind Jaxler. "Eep!"
Granite adds with enough voice cracks to level the walls of Dawnpick. "H-h-heya Friesden..." Granite stutters.

"That's uh... Good to here! SO, um... do you guys know what this place's warden usually does? I'm kinda in the blank as to what I do here."

"Good day, young master Granite," Friesden says in acknowledgement, before turning back to Jaxler, still waiting for the answer to her question.
"Well," she started as he answered, "typically, they would be responsible for feeding and caring for the foals here. Have you been assigned to be here today, master Jaxler?"

Granite just stands there and starts fiddling with his gold chain, now worn around his neck like a shiny scarf.

"UM... I don't think anypony was assigned to be this place's manager today. Seeing how it's about noon and no adult ponies are here aside from me."

Granite stopped fiddling with his chain and proceeded to stare awkwardly at his front hooves.

"Is something wrong, young master Granite?" Friesden asked, before she turned back to Jaxler. "That may well be so."

Granite mutters something completely inaudible and continues to look down at his hooves.

"What was that? Speak up, if you please," Friesden said with the beginning of a frown.

"Uh... I said... nothing... important..." Granite says with a slightly depressing sigh.

"Well, if you say so," Friesden said with a shrug.

Granite winces and looks down at his hooves for the umpteenth time.

"Are you sure there's nothing wrong?" Friesden asked. Again.

Granite jerks his head upright to face Friesden, "No... nothings wrong, just... just..."

"Just what? Come on, speak up."

Granite speaks up, "Friesden, I... er... i-i-I lo-"

"SO," Jaxler interjected, "I've heard that Glaive sometimes tells stories to the foals, Should I try my hoof at that?"

Friesden was slightly annoyed at the drunkard's interruption, but she gave no sign.

"Do you know any stories, master Jaxler?" she asked, still turning an inquisitive eye to Granite.

"Yeah, I've got a few stories"

"Tell them... I guess..." Granite says, lacking confidence.

"That would probably be acceptable. If you would excuse us, master Jaxler..."

Friesden takes Granite over to a side. "What is it?" she demands. "You've never been like this before."

Granite takes a few deep breaths. "How... exactly how would you know how I normally act?" Some hidden anger sparked inside Granite. "WE rarely spoke together for the gods' sake! Sure we had a few conversations around the stables, but that's it! And honestly I think I love you. When I almost got whacked in the face by Jaxler's crossbow my life flashed before my eye's. And it was mainly you! And I'm too much of a goddamn coward to tell you this! Why does this crap have to be so difficult?!" Granite yelled. "There are a few things I want in life, food, shelter, the basics like that, but most importantly, I WANT YOUR BUCKING AFFECTION!!!"

"...What?"

Granite took a step back, fear lit in his eyes. "I-I didn't say anything." He said with a hint of shame in his voice. Granite looks away around as a tear falls from his face.

"...Yes you did. I heard you. What makes you think I don't care about you?" Friesden asks, a little bit of anger in her voice.

Granite sniffs a little and smiles a bit. "How would I know if you cared or not? I mean... you know what? I have no idea what I mean..." Granite laughs nervously.

"Well then, how should I know?"

"I haven't really figured that out... Er, where does this leave us? And what the hell is Jaxler doing right now?"

"I...I don't know. To either of them. But...I think I will learn the answer to both. Sooner or later."

"Great..." Granite changes the subject. "Why do you have a wooden sword on your back?"

"This?" she answered, pointing to Excalibunny. "This is Excalibunny, the sword of legends. I am under the tutelage of the great master Fauchard on the matter of pen and sword in accord."

"Huh, Excalibunny... nice name. I got this golden chain from Jaxler and he's hopefully going to teach me how to be a lasher*1. Let me guess, you saw the slaughter at the depot, too?"

"Yes," stated Friesden, with a grimace forming on her face. "I don't like to remember it."

"Sorry for bringing it up..." Granite replies, a hint of sadness washes over his face.

"It is no fault of yours."

"Shall we head back to Jaxler?"

"Indeed."
They do so.

"Alright." Granite walks over to Jaxler. "So what's been happening on your end?"

"OH, Hay Granite. I've been trying to remember a good story to tell the foals. I think I'll go with one about a Dragon, and two Diamond dogs."

"Awesome."

"Hay Everypony, Gather around. I have a story to tell!" yells Jaxler as he takes a seat in the center of the room.

Granite casually walks over to Friesden. "You're going to love this, trust me." He then waits for Jaxler to tell his tale.

"I have no doubt," Friesden answered.

"Okay then. Here is the tale of two diamond dog brothers named Spifzen and Fregly of the thieves guild. Now, the two Brothers were identical twins and looked identical to one and other. They were completely equal in almost every aspect of there physical being. They were also the smartest Diamond dogs you would have ever met, I mean they could even best a five star general in a game of chess, and they were undoubtedly the best thieves of there entire clan. NO, there entire civilization. Now, the only difference the thieves had was that Spifzen was very inpatient. He was always looking for cheep tricks and short cuts to get his gold but Fregly would always take his time. And one day, They heard of a Dragon's cave, full of unimaginable treasurers. We're talking gold rings, giant cave spider silk dressed, platinum plates, star rubies, diamonds, Basically any and every kind of swag you can imagine, and even some that you cant. Now Spifzen, devised a plan. Turns out the dragon's cave had a Pond in it, and he planed to use his legendary stealth to sneak up and steal from the dragons hoard and run into the water avoiding the dragon's fire. But Fregly said that it would be best to wait for the dragon to leave his lair and go on another rampage, which could take months. In the end Spifzen pulled a knife on his Brother and told him that he had to come with him. Now once the diamond dogs entered the lair Spifzen went along with his plan, and succeeded, but little did he know that if enough Dragon fire is shoot at something it will burn, Even if its covered in water. Now Fregly noticed that the dragon was distracted by his treasonous brother and pounced on the opportunity and walked up to the dragons hoard and stole enough gold to feed him and his clan for a life time.

Now kids, what do you think is the moral to the story?"

"Always use your greedy and impatient friend as a decoy?" Granite answered.

"Caution and patience are as necessary as skill."

"Yes Friesden, that is one moral of the story. Another Moral would be don't betray ponies, or diamond dogs, or any intelligent being that has earned your trust, But especially diamond dogs."

"I was way off..." Granite smirks.

"Ug... So anypony here wanna go visit Ms. Kat? She's in the hospital right now and would probably love to see all your smiling faces!" said Jaxler in a nervous tone as he realizes that he doesn't exactly know how to run this place and he might need to seek some advice.

"That would be good, master Jaxler. I need to pay my respects to her."

"Jaxler I would say that this is a stupid idea, but it's a funny stupid idea. Let's do it!"

The foals and Jaxler made there way over to the hospital to check up on Kat. it took them a while to walk there, mainly because Jaxler made a detour around the depot. one the pony reached the hospital Jaxler knocked on the door. "HAY PANACEA, CAN I COME IN!"

Friesden peered through the hospital, slipping past Jaxler. The...The warrior she knew as the lady of terror was here, wounded...

She had cared for Friesden when nopony else would. She should know what was happening. Friesden owed her that much.

She walked up to the lady of terror's bed, and bowed to her. "Good day."

"Well that's one way of doing it... Okay then foals come in!"
Jaxler then walked on in with the rest of the foals "Yo, Kat"

Kat sees the approaching Friesden, Although she's on the bed and still wounded, she doesn't look too bad. Been feeling great lately even, She beams Friesden a kind smile and chirped "ah Friesden! Good day to you too!" oh how have she grown.. She'll probably wouldn't be seeing her around the Stable anymore, But it's still great to see the filly that she used to care for visiting her.

And then there's Jaxler, Kat was surprised to see him leading the foals in, He's the Penfather today? well that's a surprise. Although after that visit, he doesn't really seems like such a bad guy. "Hehe, What's up Jaxler?"

"Miss Kat. You may be unaware, but I have been adopted by my master-at-arms, master Fauchard."

Granite waited for Jaxler and the foal train to enter the hospital before he went in. During this period of time he started playing with his chain... and managed to cut himself. He sighed and then walked in after the last foal. Granite then watched as Friesden and Jaxler each greeted Kat. "Wow, this is actually pretty deep..." Granite says to himself, examining his wound.

Germaine awakens to the sound of shouting. She sits upright, surveying the room briefly before her eyes rest on the little grey mare in the next bed over, currently being swamped by a mass of foals. She can't help but chuckle at the rather odd sight.

Midnight watched, half confused, and half smiling at the parade of foals walking to the hospital. He smiled more as he noticed Rose among them, and decides to follow for a bit. And see what every pony was up too.

Kat didn't think it was possible to feel any better today, She was proven Drastically wrong. Smiling wide as she's being swamped by foals and ponies alike
"Aww, Hello too all of yous!" then Friesden says that.

"Oh? well that's nice Friesden! you having a proper family again. I'm sure he'll do you a great father, he he, might even teach you a thing or two as well who knows? But from those bruises I'm seeing.. He really have been teaching you stuff haven't he hmm?" Kat asked with a smile.

"Wow, I am literally getting blood on the floor, damn..." Granite says, noticing his cut bleeding heavily and watches as it drips in a small pool under his feet. He then looks over to see Kat smiling at all the foals. Granite starts feeling light-headed.

Jaxler looks down at Granite who's bleeding... badly
"PANACEA, GRANITE IS DYING OVER HERE!"

Rose quickly works her way up to Kat's bed, and gently hugs the pony. Midnight slowly working his way through the crowed, easily noticing the injured Granite. Quickly looking around for medical staff.

"Jaxler you don't have to yell! I am perfectly fine!" Granite says, slightly reassuringly, he then takes two steps towards Friesden and passes out from all the bleeding from the cut on his hoof.

"Thank you, miss Kat," she says with a nod. "He has indeed been teaching me," she says, drawing Excalibunny, and giving a short demonstration of her practice, before looking at the other injured pegasus, one she didn't recognise. "Your pardon, miss Kat, but I must beg your leave for now."
With another bow, she backs away and walks over to the unknown pegasus. "Your pardon, my lady, but I do not have the pleasure of knowing your name. I am Friesden, wielder of Excalibunny, the legendary sword!" She holds out the fairly beat-up wooden training sword for her to examine.

Panacea comes trotting down the stairs at the sudden shouts. She sees the bleeding pony and rushes over to inspect him. It was a fairly deep cut. "What happened?" she asks urgently as she heads off to find something to stitch it up with.

Rose looks back and watches Granite in horror.

Jaxler looks back at panacea, his face covered with shock.
"He cut himself, Panacea."

Granite magically gains consciousnesses. "Panacea, I was playing with my chain, and then i-i-i-I got a boo boo!" Granite cries out. Pulling himself into a ball, he tries to stop crying in fear of looking less stallion-y in front of Friesden.

Germaine chuckles, smiling down at the young mare.

"My, that is a fine blade you carry, Lady Friesden. My name is Germaine, of Laceabbey."

Midnight just keeps quiet and does his best not to get in the way.

She examines the wound and helps Granite to a safer position to start to work on it. She cleans the wound and stitches it up after a moment. "There... you should be okay now. You need to be more careful, that was a pretty nasty cut."

Kat was rather surprised at the sudden blood pool going on in the hospital.. well, at least he's treated..
"Mind me asking but, why is he playing with a chain made of gold in the first place? I mean... who gave him that? That thing's Dangerous!"

"Thank you, Lady Germaine of Laceabbey. What is your business here in Dawnpick, and how were you injured?" She tries a bit to make herself look more important (mostly failing), but continues to look at the injured pony. Somepony for her to champion!

"Panacea, I just cut myself with a freakin' chain! How does that even work?!" Granite sighs and tries to rub the tears out of his eyes, hopefully before Friesden even notices what's going on. Granite looks over to Kat. "Didn't you know? It's the latest fashion sense: wear a golden chain around your neck that can apparently cut things with ease! And I ain't telling you where I got it from! And how is an almost like three meter chain dangerous?"

Rose takes a calming breath as she sees Granite getting help. Still shaking a bit from the experience. Midnight noticing her, and walking up to her before pulling her into a hug. "Hello, Miss Kat, seems like this has been an eventful day for you."

"I am here with my husband, and our daughter. We were travelling with the caravan to meet our son. I... I am sure you've heard what happened..."

"Granite, do you feel okay.. that was a lot of blood, and you need to tell me how you cut something with a chain."

"I..."

Excalibunny falls from her mouth. She looks down, but makes no effort to pick it back up again.
"I...I saw...It...It...It was horrible..."
She starts shaking. So many ponies...
Tears begin to form in her eyes.

"All I want is some baked goods and a soft pillow, and I guess if you believe hard enough, anything is possible..." Granite says to Jaxler. He then notices Friesden drop Excalibunny. Granite quickly get's up and sprints over to Friesden. "Friesden, what's wrong? Don't cry f-f-Friesden... don't... c-c-cry...Waaaaa!!!" Granite starts crying.

Germaine's face falls as Friesden breaks down before her.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't realize..."
She reaches out a hoof to rest gently on Friesden's shoulder.

"So...So much death...So much hate! What could we do against such reckless hate, uncaring of life, of truth, of reason...What is there to be done?!"
Friesden lets out a pair of sobs, and then continues "I'm...I'm sorry, it must be worse for you, knowing all those ponies who d-d-d-died!"

Midnight gulps and lowers his ears a little as he hears Friesden.

Kat frowns slightly as she sees the scene before her turns into something rather sad. Oh whelp.

"Oh no, it's alright little one..."
Germaine gently pulls Friesden up onto the bed next to her.

Granite tries to compose himself next to Friesden, but then he hears her words. So much death... so much hate... Granite thought to himself. He backed away from everypony's sight and hastily walked out the door. He got a good twenty paces away from the building and stood in a secluded spot away from the crowds and glamor of the city and stood there. Granite stood alone there, thinking about every thing he's done in Dawnpick, from getting kidnapped to beating the crap out of Jaxler. He stood alone and waited for nothing.

Friesden lets herself be pulled up. "I'm...I'm sorry..." she whispers.

Rose lowers her head, fighting off a few tears as she hears the sad scene. Midnight pulling the foal closer, and giving her a comforting smile.

Germaine lays a foreleg across Friesden's withers, hugging her gently.
"Anypony would be shaken by such a scene, little Friesden. There's nothing to apologize for."

"T-t-t-thank you. I...I keep seeing them...I keep seeing them at night. Dad makes them go away, but they always keep coming back..."

Jaxler sits there looking at the foal as she lets out her pain. He can't believe that she's this sad, this torn up, this scarred. The last time he saw her she was just normal little Friesden at least until he...

Now Jaxler was filled with pain from knowing that he should have lied, and by the fact that he couldn't do something as horrible as lie, and that he mentally scarred a little foal "Damnit"

"They will fade, in time. Maybe not soon... but in time. I'm sure your father will help in that regard."

"T-t-t-t-thank you..." Friesden sniffles.

Midnight smiles a little more as he sees Friesden calming down. He looks down at Rose, who seems to be feeling better too.

Jaxler walked out of the hospital. He needed to get away from everything for a few moments. He felt sick for causing a foal to be that scarred. once he got out of the hospital he saw Granite sitting seeming completely depressed. Jaxler walked over to his friend. "Granite, are you okay?"

Granite was brought out of his thoughts as Jaxler appeared next to him. "I've been better Jaxler." Granite responds. "I was just thinking about... everything. Since the day I was almost kidnapped to the sight of the dead at the depot." Granite pauses. "I was thinking about death. A vast nothingness beyond life. Being removed from existence... the end of a story. Each page, each chapter, gone, removed, deleted. I grew up at a lucky time you know, Rainbow's could ambush us anywhere and at anytime. Everything just seems dangerous now. The occasional thieves are easy to deal with, but we just incurred the wrath of an entire nation." Granite thinks for a few more moments. "And no matter how good the previous day went, no matter how strong you are, no matter how smart you are, you could end up walking down the wrong path and end up in the middle of an ambush..." Granite pauses again. "Jaxler, I'm scared..."

Jaxler put his hoof on Granite's withers "Granite, I... Please don't be afraid. You can't think when your afraid. Sure they could kill us, but it's not like that changes anything. Another beast could raise up from the caves and wipe us out, a demon could charge our walls, a roc could block out the sun, and now the rainbow ponies could attack us. It's not like anything changed. There will be death, Granite, but that happens everyday. Every day you could get decapitated by a badger pony or dragged down to the caves by a monster but before rainbow ponies death you acted just fine living each day knowing that you could die at any moment. So, why now are you afraid? We'll survive each day as we did before, that I can promise you."

"I appreciate the words Jaxler. I'm just scared because I feel as though my own potential could be wasted in death before I put it into helping Dawnpick. When the times comes, when the Rainbow's lay siege to us, I want to stand on the front line next to my friends and comrades and help give my all to keep Dawnpick safe. Or I would build a giant retractable sky bridge that would send all the invaders plummeting to their deaths. Either option works for me." Granite says.

"Granite, If you spend your potential killing then you are wasting your potential..."

"What if I used my potential building things that could kill stuff? Like the sky bridge of death for instance." Granite responded. "Or what would you prefer I put my potential into?"

"Put your potential into something that makes you that ponies won't haft to kill anymore."

"So I should put my potential into making world piece? Is that even possible?"

"World peace is impossible, but it would still be nice to see ponies try to make things more peaceful."

"But it would be to no avail. Sure, I could get two countries to stop fighting, but give or take a few months and they'll go right back to it. I would rather spend that time protecting those I care about from the inevitable onslaught of bandits, beasts, and all the other crap that's tried to kill us before."

"Then protect them, but once the threat is gone work towards creating a place where you will never have to protect anyone ever again."

"So isolation? And what about the sky bridge of death?"

"Granite... isolation could work, but it would be better if we could learn to live with each other. it would be better if we could learn to live each and every race and kind of pony. If we could learn to live with the diamond dogs, griffins, zebras, and buffalos. If we could just put a knife in our pride and realize that we all are equal instead of letting primordial hatreds pin us agents each other in the fields of slaughter."

"Okay Jaxler, and if you were in charge of a country and you figured out which nation destroyed your home town, what would you do? Also, I really want to build that goddamn sky bridge now."

"You don't know anything about what happened to my home town do you?"

"You said you woke up in an alley way bleeding out of your side and everything was on fire. It relates to the date etched on your crossbow."

"You don't know much then... Tell me, have you ever talked to a Topoireneian?"

"What do you think Jaxler? I was born and raised in Dawnpick for the past like 5 or 6 years."

"Do you even know what a Topoireneian is?"

"No idea Jaxler." Granite replied.

"I guess that makes sense. Some ponies don't even think they exist any more, so why would a foal like you know anything about something that probably doesn't exist anymore."

"Let me guess, you are a Topoireneian? And are you from Topoireneia?" Granite asks, not amused.

"Probably not, seeing how we apparently don't exist anymore."

"Well technically if you are a Topoireneian then they still exist. And I guess you have to remember what Topoireneia has achieved over the years because no one else knows... you should write a book about it. And we should have a library here in Dawnpick so it can help collect all the events and historical figures we have here, just in case we all get wiped out..."

"Maybe it would be best if some of the evil my nation did was forgotten, and it's not like even much of a Topoireneian anymore... It's been so long that I don't even know how to speak our language anymore..."

"Huh... so should we head back to the hospital now?"

"We probably should, but first you should know, I Promise you that this fort will not fall."

"No doubt Jaxler. No doubt." Granite says. He then starts walking back to the hospital.

Jaxler walked into the hospital along with Granite. Jaxler then walked over to Kat with a rather concerned look on his face. "Um Kat, I kinda need to ask you about some stuff about how to run the stables."

Kat perk her ears up as Jaxler asks, already laying back on her bed
"Sure, what do you need to know?" She ask with a smile... Still surprised that Jaxler out of all and every pony wants to run the stable as well. That brings her smiles. heh, maybe he's a good pony after all...

"How do I run the stables in general? What do I feed the foals and what exactly do I do all day while I'm running the place as the stables?"

hmm.. good question coming from Jaxler.. "Well, It's not that hard when you know the secrets of it. It's just like.. a Rotate of Activities each days, Even the same thing over and over again and the Foals will be happy about it. You really shouldn't be feeding them Booze though, I like to feed them Nicely-made Salad that i chop up for them along with fresh Strawberry juices. Usually fresh veggies is nice, Strews are great too if you can get any from the kitchen. And for what you do? well, here's a neat little cheat trick." Kat said then lean a little closer to him, whispering.
"Ask what they want to do or what games do they want to play.. That'll give you enough ideas for what they like.. And when they want you to think up a game for them, try to remember what they liked to play a few days ago.. It'll never get old!" Kat said with a nod "Oh! and stories, With morals. Those are great too. Running around just laughing and trying to catch the cloud is fun too sometimes."

"Okay, that's helpful... Is there any problem with me feeding them meat, and what exactly do I do about my crossbow?"

"Well, I wouldn't think it's a good idea to feed them meat just yet... Maybe little bits mixed with salad for flavor but nothing more. And you can bring your crossbow I think, As long as you didn't bring any bolts or anything that could be use as a bolt. As long as it's just an oversize jewelry rather than a weapon, They're fine."

Friesden quietly snuggles into Germaine's hug. "Thank you," she says again with a sniffle.

"My crossbow isn't jewelry... Ug, anyway what do I do if somepony gets hurt?"

"In my case I would tend to their wounds if it's small enough, some little cleaning and bandaging always works. But in your case? well.. If you don't think you can first-aid them then you can always take them to Panacea, it's not like she's usually busy... Thankfully."

Germaine drapes her good wing over Friesden. "Any time, little one."

"Bringing them to Panacea is probably best, seeing how the only way I know of to close wounds is cauterization... Well thanks, for the help. I really needed it."

Kat nods with a smile "He he, no problem. Hey Jaxler? Thanks for trying out at the Stables alright?... You might be an okay pony after all.."

Jaxler said sarcastically "What made you think that I wasn't an 'okay' pony?"

Kat simply chuckled and lay more onto her bed. "Thanks for bringing the foals to visit me Jaxler."

"Anytime... Thanks again for the help."

"No, thank you for the help." Kat said with a smile.

Before too long, quiet snores start emanating from the stripy yellow filly.

Germaine doesn't seem to mind. She just settles her wing around Friesden's shoulders, letting her sleep.

Author's Note:

*1: Just as an aside, I should note that only the use of a whip or flail will train the lasher skill. Use of a chain will train the Miscellaneous Object User Skill instead.

Had this one sitting around partly done, so I figured I should finish it up.