With the ever flowing mana beneath Equestria compromised, so too will all that depends upon the delicate balance between pony, tree, and cloud. Forced to dire measures, request for aid comes from the land of four fingers offering a boon of five.
Mana crystals, the lifeblood to Equestria. So much so, that they even built a royal castle over top the biggest vein discovered near the surface. But as their country grows so does the need, and not even the princesses can help but worry of when the well finally runs dry.
But with hopeful concentrations too deep and toxic for any pony to reach, royal request is sent across the very sea to the master artificers of four fingers. Their answer to it's call granted in bonus to instead send five.
♠♠♠ Two Decades after Nightmare Moon's Banishment ♠♠♠
"Is it safe?" The soft voice of Princess Celestia loses itself down into the darkness, their only light from her horn as Alicorn and Minotaur stand side by side to look upon what has just begun to bare fruit.
"No. But for all of you, quite safer still." The deeper voice just alongside the softer one echoes down and all about with a few more from much farther down. "We finally went and got things flowing where they be needing. You should begin to see the crystals forming which will be safer for you and your ponies to work with compared to the raw liquid."
"I cannot thank you enough for all that you've done for us." Offering a small smile with little more able to be given. "Our kingdom is starting anew once more, but this will help ever so much for those who struggle to expand where we must."
"For quite some time word had been that something such as this might happen. That for all the freedoms of control you exert across your lands you're held hostage to it's needs more than any other would ever tolerate." Peering down into the darkness of his own handy work. "Some would even say that you lot deserved no less than to fall as hard as you did."
"I know." Her solemn voice unable to hide her sadness to the fact. "Our coffers have never been quite full of what others would deem most valuable, and these last few years such truths have never been more painful. But we endure, as we always shall."
"Long after I've become one with the dirt, I'm sure." Laughing to the joke that his companion couldn't even fathom.
"I do not enjoy your sense of humor, I must admit."
"You laughed when I made a joke about getting stuck between a rock and a hard place down there."
"I thought you were actually joking with how you carried on like a loon." Showing her lack of appreciation to finding out after the fact. "Had I known it was because you had several broken ribs-" Grimacing to the memory. "You are such a beast, Darus."
"But luck would have it there lay near a fair maiden to mend the wounds of such a unruly savage, no less."
"I never said you were a savage. I said a beast. There is a definitive difference for one such as yourself."
"Speaking of beasts." He moves forward with the smile eroding away to speaking more grim. "You'll still need to watch if anything tries and makes their way topside. They're as dangerous to all of you as the stuff they live in."
"I've decided to build the castle on top of this very mountain. There lay many a fertile ground, or even upon the very clouds themselves, for which I was encouraged to claim for my own." Pushing a little more into her horn, as the glimmer of budding crystal fruit reflect from much farther down. "But that would only take the best from those who deserve the most."
"Some might call that just being fair." Humming to himself while looking up towards the clear night sky. Looking around to find absolutely no obstruction to the view, he needn't say what is already understood. "You'll need some help making the stone."
"Pardon?"
"If we're going to do this, then we'll do it right. If you just use common stone to build around the dig you'll only smother what you're hoping to gradually bleed off into the air and surrounding land." Rubbing the bottom of his muzzle with his hand. "And if you don't do it right, you'll eventually find yourself perched up here alone since the corrosion buildup will hurt normal ponies."
"I am fully prepared to do what I must." Paying more attention to he whom gives none. "I will not allow-"
"Going to take quite some time to get the right composition to resonate like a sponge, but I think we can get this done within a few decades at most." Nodding only to himself before starting to pace about. "Did you say something?"
"Why, yes I did." Breathing a little harder. "Quite a few somethings."
"Bah, well, you'll have plenty of time over the next twenty years so don't worry none." Pounding his fist into his other open hand with another idea coming in as hard as the Alicorn following closely behind the sudden stoppage. "I got it!"
"I wish you wouldn't do these random things." She raises her foreleg to rub the end of her muzzle. "How would I even pay you? The coffers are almost empty after importing so much to survive and even then, there isn't much worth outside of Equestria."
"Celestia."
"Yes Dar-" Startled into a moment of silence before recollecting herself. "Luna?"
"Are you alright?"
"Just felt the need to visit a old friend." Using her hooves to move around some of the ornaments and flowers set before the grave marking, of which remains secluded in darkness save for the ever burning fire bowl atop. "One sorely missed."
Coming up alongside, Luna too is brought back to years mostly long forgotten save for the ones who lived them. Fearing to admit this being the first time both sisters sat before the marker, she searches in silence for knowledge she does not have.
"We never found him." Pulling from a voice only used in such privacy. "He had made himself to be quite the entertainer among those who came to help build the castle, and even those just coming to visit. When word spread he had gone missing, many came to help search for anything that might let us know." Scraping her hoof against the hard stone ground. "It was here."
Staring forward, Luna chooses to remain the listener, for a little longer.
"We took every precaution allowed to us at the time to remain vigilant to what I, to this day, have never seen. Now we must send request for help once more without ignorance a shield to the dangers that may very well befallen any who might make attempt." Sighing in frustrations. "I find myself in conflict, far too often, of just how ill-practiced I must remain from what I preach."
"The Minotaur value absolution to one's family and ally, especially in the face of death staring back upon them." Extending her wing to rest against Celestia's. "And if I may be so bold, then Darus the Minotaur could not of asked for any better song sung."
"When his brother came to gather his belongings, he said the very same." Giving a light nestle with her wing right back. "He also vowed if the time were to come again, then so would one of them for as long as the bloodline continues."
"Then you mustn't dishonor word or memory." Luna firmly nods while looking into the gentle flame that suddenly flares into a small inferno that neither sister seems to physically acknowledge as abnormal. "Remember ghost, she sleeps in the west tower."
"I'll have to leave directions, perhaps, so that he doesn't end up with the wrong sister." Flashing her sister a warning that lifts Luna's brow in surprise before offering a smile instead. "Some things are not meant to be shared."
"Might that be why you have yet to talk to Princess Twilight and the other Elements of Harmony?"
"I'd wish not to cause them to doubt themselves. It was Tirek's doing, not their own."
"Then, would I not share in the blame as well?" Luna turns towards Celestia slightly turns away. "Tirek, Discord, myself? There surely lays blame all around for why each time the Elements have been used. But that does not change what is used, nor from where."
"Were they were to know the truth, what then?" Wishing not to carry such conversation before one whose sacrifice would be tarnished with each word. "Of why we can no longer flourish within the Everfree? Or when Cloudsdale floated near the final battlefield against Tirek it started to fall from the sky? That the slow decline in harvest for our dear earth ponies will continue to worsen?"
Trotting to catch her sister, Luna huffs to the stubbornness.
"Ponies will become afraid. They will attempt to find comfort in solution not yet found, and when they fail in doing so, some will turn to blame. I refuse to see good ponies torn down to such insecurities ever again."
Luna brings her wing up to hush Celestia's muzzle before the cavern exit, who jumps from the sudden act.
"If you have one fault that you've carried like a scar that won't mend, it's doing everything on your own."
"Mmhmm." Celestia tries to speak, and then vigorously blows on the feathers to no avail. "Mmm!"
"If you're done, then I think together we finally send the request so that we might prepare ourselves for whatever may come in the days ahead." Finally bringing her wing back in. "I shouldn't need to fight you to help you."
Taken back by the action and words, Celestia looks upon her sister with guilt overtaking anything else that remained. Meeting eye to eye, while hesitant, they find agreement through contradiction of how each wishes to guide their shared kingdom, and sometimes even each other. Sealing the door behind them, they move forward for different reasons and expectations.
With royal correspondence long since delivered to the Minotaur empire, eagerly awaited reply gives way to deafening silence well over one month and counting. But with patience holding firm so does life across Equestria with the hustle and bustle of many hard working pony no matter where they may reside within. This holds especially true for those who might call Canterlot home.
Capital to Equestria, home of the eldest princesses of day and night, and for it's humble size an epicenter of activity for those at home and even abroad. Shops, markets, and entertainment from the questionable to that of royal pedigree find just enough time to cast their mark on the passing of days none would ever consider numbered.
Less you work the busiest air dock in the entire country.
Cut right into the northern cliff that stands as Canterlot's foundation, the open face corridor stretches several hundred yards along the bedrock with rounded platforms built outwards for ease of larger foreign transports. Housing more tour blimps than airships, its purpose changed over time from when foreign diplomatic rendezvous remained tenacious and discreet.
Now open to the public, so too does it's management.
"Harbormaster Glitter?" A stallion's voice riddled with caution calls from just outside the small office window.
Especially if yet one more day of pushed back outbound pickups never show, forcing the pony in charge to merely stare in defeated silence in her office upon the assumed blackboard. Holding the black marker between her teeth, Harbormaster Glitter continue to scan around for anywhere to make another mark. Whimpering softly, she finally hangs her head in utter defeat.
"Harbormaster Glitter? I'm really sorry to bug you but we need you on the dock." The stallion's light blue ears and green eyes peeks up from the bottom window frame. "There's a huge airship coming our way."
Clenching down on the marker with her teeth, Harbormaster Glitter throws a small temper tantrum with splotches pelting the floor and nearby wall. Taking to the air, she spits the market towards the overflowing trashcan before zipping out the open window. Almost immediately letting go of her anger, the sight of inbound transport far in the distance snaps her into focus.
"Gonna need everyponies help on this one!" Harbormaster Glitter calls out to the quick rush of a dozen more with the abnormally large airship coming into clearer view. "Alright ponies, we're going to need to use the large gangway for this size of an airship."
"What!?" Several workers groan, with the pegasus moaning the most. "But it's massive!"
Not immediately responding to their moan and groan, Harbormaster seems far more concerned to the small blotch coming in from the same distance as the airship. Quickly recognizing one of her pegasus ship guides, the slow but gradual details of it's frightened expression and struggle to fly faster sends sends off alarms of not only herself, but a few nearby stationed volunteer guards.
"Harbormaster Glitter!!" The light green pegasus mare comes in so hard she almost skids into a fall on the rounded edge of the dock, skipping several times before turning into a screeching slide. "We have Minotaurs inbound!"
"Minotaurs?" Harbormaster Glitter cracks a nervous grin to the notion. "Trying to give me a heart attack, Star Breeze?"
"I'm not joking!" Star Breeze begins to trot in place. "I don't even think it's a shipping transport! There was a whole bunch of them on deck in formation like the royal guards in front of the castle, and they didn't even acknowledge me."
"What kind of formation?" Harbormaster Glitter shifts her sight from Star Breeze to much farther behind her, finding the closer the ship comes the more nervous she becomes. "The only thing a bunch of guards are in front of- Oh crap."
Noticing Harbormaster Glitter looking now towards the several guards assembled nearby, Star Breeze seems confused to why that only causes Glitter even greater worry. Tilting her head, she seems unable to find her voice before Glitter finds hers first.
"You can't be here!" Glitter states in unintended intensity that hardly seems well received by the guards now folding back their ears. "None of you have been properly trained for this sort of thing. Send word to the royal guards that some sort of diplomatic envoy has arrived from the Minotaur Empire, and ask for immediate relief to your posts."
"Hey, we're not afraid of a bunch of Minotaurs." The left mare unicorn taps the flat end of her spear on the smooth bedrock before looking to her own left with a cocky grin. "Besides, this is the kind of stuff they say you need to experience first hoof."
"Please, listen to me." Harbormaster Glitter almost pleads as she steps closer to try and get compliance. "I'm sure the royal guards will allow you to watch, maybe even assist, but there are strict protocols when it comes to dealing with foreign military."
"Military?" Star Breeze looks to her fellow dock workers who shrink back or look around nervously. Gulping down, she flies over closer to speak in the flickering ear of her boss. "Um, none of us know if we're supposed to do something special, either?"
Blowing a puff of air in Star Breeze's face to move her back away, Harbormaster Glitter makes sure to shoot Star Breeze an understanding wink before looking back towards the guards who now are five when once they were three. Growling to the blatant disregard of her advice, she wishes she still had the authority of years long in the past.
"I am hereby making it known that I am against your presence here, and while I understand that you might not understand why, I am without time or extra hooves to do what you refuse to yourself." Harbormaster affirms her stance even in the face of those who roll their eyes and look less than impressed. "But if you cause international incident, you'll never step hoof on my dock again."
"Just do your job so we can do ours, eh dock girl?" An earth pony in the ever growing guard pool mocks aloud, earning a few earnest chuckles and snickers along with intense glares from the dock workers close enough. "Hmm?"
With the large airship passing even the distant haze of the hot summer day, such confrontations only add to the unneeded tension already weighing the Harbormaster down. Bringing a light twitch to her eye, she mentally marks down descriptions to deal with later before swishing her tail like a whip to grab everypony in full attention, once again.
"I need every pegasus on the clock front and center!" Harbormaster Glitter turned Drillmaster Glitter finds her request only half filled in number but overfilling with merit with only five coming forth. "While I have the earth ponies pound that old rusted gangway as you lift, the unicorns will do what they can to lighten the load. When the ship arrives, I want you all to be patient until I give the word."
Smiling to all her workers nodding firmly, Harbormaster then turns towards Star Breeze.
"I need you to fly out and inform the captain of the airship that you will lead him to where we are now, as this is the only anchor with a gangway large enough." Glitter nods in unison to her ever trusty Star Breeze lead. "Be polite, and careful."
Watching Star Breeze leave as earth ponies scramble to get their tools and pegasus their ropes, Harbormaster Glitter holds her side glance of disapproval on the dozen large gathering of civilian guards in plain armor laughing and dropping their spears on each other. Not one to judge otherwise, it is from those known to do so quickly that she too must adapt less things get out of hoof.
Yet as all under Harbormaster Glitter's watch take their rightful place, it is the what seems to do so with far too much inbound speed that comes to the forefront of not only herself but those already stepping back in rising fear. Lead by the visibly unnerved Star Breeze doing much like she had on her first skid across the bedrock when she comes in for another hard landing, she finally makes the call.
"That's a bucking warship!" Glitter watches in pure terror as one of farthest away tour blimps is torn from it's anchor in the wake of such mass traveling so fast and close. "Get away from the edge!"
Caught in the frenzy of clamoring guards and galloping workers, those frozen in stare are quick to follow when something is launched from the deck of the passing warship towards them. Screaming and yelling to the misunderstanding, the hard crash onto the very edge of the platform only solidifies seemingly unprovoked attack with dust and light objects not anchored down blowing in a frenzy.
Left speechless to the events of a few seconds, Harbormaster Glitter somehow manages herself above any other. Her dock caught in the proverbial tornado, she leaves her muzzle hung open towards the supposed object of attack begins show signs of movement. Tilting her head, one of her ear flicks about when the sound of a cackle tickles the hairs within.
"Holy shit!" The supposed small Minotaur jumps back up as more screams ring out, turning around towards the Minotaur airship already soaring away from it's hazardous fly by. "I didn't think you'd actually do that you bastard!"
"I didn't think I could either!" The large Minotaur yells back with an echoing laugh, followed by pounding it's hand into others in celebration to a throw well made. Knocked over by the hard roll of the ship, laughter only increases, even as one struggles to hold onto the railing over the port side slowly turned into view, shifting finally into a dissipating belligerent scream for help.
"Are. You. Crazy?!" Harbormaster Glitter screams from shock, worry, and rising anger. "Are you laughing?!"
"Hey assholes! I need my stuff too! Oh wait." It grabs hold of both shoulder straps, giving a tug. "We're good!"
Seeing it's fellow Minotaur off with a raised fist given likewise in return, no hard feelings seem apparent. Lowering it's arm, it abruptly turns about to it's eager to chastise audience, whom for their patience are greeted something very much not expected when one just plain faints into a ball of fur on the dirty ground.
It's eyes small and beady, with no muzzle to speak of. Lacking any sort of fur or hair save for the short blonde atop it's head, even it's attire seems all too foreign that time itself seems to freeze as some begin to question what their even seeing.
"You're making a bad impression." The creature's definitive male voice speaks loud and clear.
As does the screams of those fleeing in unbridled terror to anything a shield, be it a crate or fellow fainted pony. Even the assembled small battalion of twenty or so guards find a few within their ranks dropping their spear in order to gain another hoof to flee faster. Or in the case of one sending it's spear whizzing by the creature's unflinching head, a very good reason to.
"But a great one for getting your ass kicked." It's voice lowering past baritone with an abrupt aggressive step forward.
Harbormaster Glitter, jumping into the air from the well forecast sign of aggression, beats her wings to try and get somewhere in between unknown creature and untrained guards. Facing to quell what is far more focused in it's intent, she gulps while holding her forelegs up to try and impede any farther movement that will surely only escalate things further.
"W-wait! You're not a Minotaur." The pegasus mare somehow finds her proper voice, one gradually growing calmer in an effort to hopefully set in example to the one before her. "We need you to come to customs, before you can enter Canterlot."
"I did not honor the request for my presence only to be insulted by such gestures of fear and thrown spears. If this is what you would offer one who has come to your aid, then none of you would be deserving." The creature turns around while sliding it's hand into a loosely tied pouch fastened to it's waist belt, wiggling out a small blue marble. "What a waste of time."
Staring towards the Minotaur ship all but enveloped in distant haze, the creature rolls the marble in it's hairless hand of even more fingers than it's once assumed identity. Snapping it's hand closed into a fist, it shifts it's straight legs to anchor for a hard throw.
"Wait!" Harbormaster Glitter zips just in front with hooves extended forward. "Listen, we're all just a little surprised because we weren't even expecting a Minotaur ship today, let alone one who seems to have come from even farther away."
"Are you admitting that you do not trust the Minotaur?"
"What? No! Of course not. All I'm trying to explain is that-"
"What is your age?" It's tone closer to what most pony would only expect within a garrison. "It would be needless for me to speak with but a youngling any further, and I shan't make my final decision with one too young to accept it."
"I'm a full grown mare! Can't you tell?"
"You are the first before my eyes of what I only know only in words." It Scans her up and down. "Yet you would cast such disgrace as to fear me, as if my arrival upon a clearly marked Minotaur airship means absolutely nothing. Perhaps I only need call them back to inform them that the entirety of your dock view me a greater threat than the sum of all of them?"
"Oh no no, please don't!" Glitter begins to plea, "They'd destroy the dock!"
"Is that not what you've made very apparent of what you considered of me?" It leans in, causing Glitter to move her head down without her eyes losing sight of it's own, it's open finger gloves creaking from the clench. "Still think of me."
Glitter begins to gleam the wetness from her eyes from all the tension and frayed nerves. Looking around for possible help, her eyes now cast upon the guards with weapons poised offering the opposite. Shifting from the harder flap of one wing, she finds nothing but more of the same to the blindside of what still stands an enigma.
Glancing back to the creature, she catches just in the time the tell tale signs of what may truly have become most endangered. Caught in the drag of it's vision in swift turnabout, Glitter cannot help but notice the etch of a devious smile making show and tell.
"You catch on quick. Most don't." Turning it's head towards the guards, curling it's upper lip with the tip of his tongue helping give emphasis to something in particular. "If they want to have a go, I'll give them some first hand experience."
"Now you stop that too." The mare whooshes her wings extra hard to the statement. "We shouldn't of acted like we did, but right now you're purposely trying to egg them on. If you're telling the truth that you're not a threat, then act like it."
Heaving uncontrollably, the Minotaur like creature lowers his head while sounding like he is trying to hold in a sneeze. Catching the curiosity of the utterly befuddled Glitter, she extends a hoof to touch in concern just as the creature erupts in laughter. Slapping it's knee a few times to allow no words time to come between the bouts, it suddenly points a finger towards the guards.
"You all look so damn scared I'm surprised you haven't dropped your spears!" Struggling to catch it's breath, even as it almost begins anew to the slew of enraged glares. "This one beside me has more balls than all of you put together!"
"C-come on now, let's calm down. Yes, lets all calm down." Glitter flutters in between the creature and guards, light red somehow coming through her dark gray coat to the comments made. "If we exchange names, will you work with me and cooperate?"
"Names? Well which one do you want, because I have quite a few."
"You have more than one name?" Glitter tilts her head to the notion. "Not titles, names."
"How about Catfish John?" Catfish John crosses his arms with one eye held close. "It's a good name, I think."
"It's not your real name, is it." Glitter crosses her forelegs in kind. "That's not very nice, you know."
"Neither were any of your parents when they tried to drown you lot in rainbows when you were born. But I guess you ponies are just weird in general. Even if your wings flapped as fast as a hummingbird you're still too damn big for it to make sense." John reaches over to grab Glitter, much to her shriek and struggle to his heaving up and down. "They told me on the way here, but damn."
"Hey, I might not be like Fleur Dis Lee but I'm not unfit you big brat!"
"Who the hell is Fleur Dis Lee?" John watches patiently as Glitter zips away towards the large office, coming back just as fast with something strangely held in her hoof. "Bullshit."
"This is Fleur Dis Lee!" Glitter shifts the two page picture back and forth to match John's intense focus on the edges of her hooves that arch out halfway on either side of the flipped magazine. "That's very very hard, you know."
"Bet she fucks like a skeleton, too." Ignoring all the gasps. "How are you doing that?"
"You realize you can't just be going around talking like that, right?"
"If you don't give me a name in the next ten seconds I'll have to name you myself." John looks her dead in the eyes with a return to his previous serious demeanor. "You don't want that, but I do."
"Aren't you listening to me, at all?" Glitter asked with growing exasperation. "My name is-"
"Winzor." Catfish John nods to himself. "Most likely better than any name you had before."
"But that's not even-" Suddenly going silent, Winzor blinks a few times. "That's not as bad as I expected, but-!"
"Shut up Winzor, we're wasting time on things already set in stone. I need to meet with someone that I only have in description." John slips out from one of his shoulder traps to bring about a rugged looking saddlebag. Grabbing it with his other hand to slide it off the other arm, he sets it down in order to clip the top flap free. "Never surprised how much crap I can fit in here."
"You came all this way without even having a name?" Glitter barely resists smacking her forehead with a hoof. "What if they aren't even in Canterlot?" Flaring her forelegs in growing frustration. "Or Equestria?!"
"Well, it's someone associated with another of the clan I was forced into that died long time ago." John's selective wording bringing little comfort or clarity to Winzor or the others listening nearby. "When they came and asked if I knew, I lied and said no."
"Um, okay." Winzor watches as John seems to pull things up that shouldn't even fit. "Huh?"
"Week later they came back with a few more soldiers, but I had already packed up my house and moved elsewhere." John's continued wording causing Winzor to look back to find only the same reaction as her own. "Considering how many almost died finding me up in the mountains, there was little more I could do than move again."
"You say that like you don't even care." Winzor speaks with softness to the very idea. "That's not very nice."
"Not my fault and I healed them before I left." John looks up with a raised eyebrow. "I said almost."
"You do understand how you made that sound just now, right?" Winzor inquires. "Right?"
"Two weeks and quite an adventure later, they finally brought me down and took me to the head judiciary at the capital." Rearing back after catching whiff of something that curls his upper lip, John dives right back into his little story. "Turns out I may have went and committed some capital offense with a capital punishment." Pausing. "Well, twice after that."
Unable to offer much for or against, Winzor just flaps her wings in continued awkward silence.
"All said and done, and I mean done, I was satisfied for the good run I've had here. But I guess I was the only one who thought so, and when it comes to the last of anything for the Minotaur, that's all that matters." John peers down inside as if his pack were a deep chasm, his voice muffled to it's true context. "So here I am, looking for a picture."
"Sad thing I guess was that even though back then the Minotaur had made a kind of camera, he never could figure out how to do the next step of processing." John reaches down inside up to the shoulder. "Later on they were able to actually get the stuff to imprint onto something else, and damn was it a well guarded secret until I made a bunch of copies. Kinda silly to me, though."
Finally finding what he needed, John pulls out to show Winzor the same type of book used by many a pony for modern pictures. Flipping through a few times, he turns it around to show Winzor who immediately goes full eyes white with muzzle agape. Slowing her flaps, her wings stiffen to her eventual plop.
"That's Princess Celestia!" Winzor flares her forelegs, unsure if to keep looking or not. "Close it! Close it now!"
"What the hell?" John turns it back around to look back onto the picture. "What do you and the Minotaur even see? Her wings are fully extended and you've already flashed me a dozen times. I mean she looks pretty majestic, I guess?"
"Release the fabrication!" One of the closest guards shoves his spear forward, signalling all behind him to ready their own once more in much firmer posture and intent. "Under penalty of law, you are hereby under arrest!"
"No can do. It's property." John stuffs the book back into the pack. "My property."
Clipping the top flap shut, John seems to entirely ignore the events unfolding before him. As Winzor hovers firmly between him and the guards, she is rewarded with being enveloped in orange glow and shoved aside. The same unicorn guard as before suddenly lunges forward with his spear tip stopped only mere inches away from John's forehead.
With lack of reaction a warning in itself not heeded, the unicorn soon finds himself well rewarded in kind.
Grabbing the shaft of the spear without even lifting his eyes, John yanks it hard enough to bring the base of the head into his hand but out of the magic somehow unable to keep hold. With the orange blur lingered from it's owner's surprise, it only helps to blind him from the flat end of the spear slamming underneath his muzzle in upward swing, shattering teeth and wood.
With the unicorn snapped up onto it's hind legs in reactive rearing, the punishing ball of bone at the bottom of John's foot serves well enough to send him flipping back the rest of the way. Sent onto the several other guards mistakenly overconfident in their attempt to reinforce the unicorns advance, the high pitched frequency their only warning to the concussive impact across their chests and forelegs. Finding their breaths robbed of the ability to scream, they fly back like rag dolls past even their rear guard.
Distracted and mostly blinded, the guards mistake of being so condensed like a pointed vanguard instead blunts from the sudden fear and confusion. Lending themselves to the mercy of their plight, they find none as another impact from the newly established line of scrimmage brings even more front to back. With those once in front crying out in pain from their injuries, none seem to notice Winzor separating the dust overhead in the wake of her frenzied flight towards the only way into Canterlot itself.
"Kind of feeling bad over here. I guess I should of warned you that I'm not used to warnings." John's voice cuts through the dust that still conceals him otherwise with a bit of play in tone. "Guess I should teach you a little about myself, huh."
As if in accordance to proper Minotaur etiquette, he slams both fists which never meet knuckle to knuckle with a thundering vibration whipping the clouds of dust away in violent efficiency to make his entirety known once again. Stretching out his arms, he lets forth a battle cry worthy of any who would call themselves warriors of the horn.
"Lesson one!" Cracking his neck to the growth of a cornered smirk he refuses to hide. "I'm not a Minotaur!"
"Lesson one!" Cracking his neck one more time. "I'm not a Minotaur!"
"Neither are-" The keen feminine voice disappears much like the unicorn herself off the dock when her loudly announced teleport to just behind is met with the low hum of upside down knuckles. Shot out like a bullet along with wooden debris to the valley below, several fliers take in after her with only the one flying to Catfish's left allowed, the right met with the same as the unicorn.
"Our accords allow just enough to cross enemy lines to recover their wounded."
As chaos begins to fill the air with a few going to check on the pegasus laying clear across the dock, spears begin to fly from those uneasy of getting any closer. Showing their inexperience, even those that soar near do so with tips never coming close. Shrugging it off in contempt to the threat, Catfish John carefully pulls up and snugs his goggles over his eyes.
As a more charge their magic, they can do little more than hold with the lone raised fist, knuckles held sloped down in warning.
"You all seem surprised." Raising his knuckles in guide to his eyesight, a few with more primal instincts kicking in scatter out even more. "You'll find no cheer in the streets by the time you ever manage to bring me down, cause they'll go down with me."
"You killed her!" A stallion earth pony seethes with rage.
"If your flier couldn't catch her, then she killed herself."
"You attacked her with your magic!" Another bucks up in the scattered garrison.
"She crossed the line and I held when she decided to push. Do you wish for me to show the difference?" Shifting one foot back in order to anchor with the hum unseen energy upon his knuckles begins to vibrate ear hairs.
Showing little to the rise in fear as only a few are left in the alignment of his guided knuckles, the slow glide left and a little higher towards the large open gates behind the guards gives rise to pleas and screams.
"Stop!" A unicorn rushes forward alone, it's baritone voice cracking to the shakes of it's current position. "Please don't! My family live just outside the gates!" Literally throwing off it's helmet to which it's coat shifts from white to brown. "Please!"
"Then if they die you will need to blame the one who moved." The vibrations strong enough to bring visual shimmers of heat from the ground directly underneath the fist that strikes out like a fan, starting to sizzle and smoke soon after. "Well?"
Not easily impressed, the thundering decompression of air near the gates comes into full view to block the pleading stallion. With it's dark coat of fur adorned with the accessories of wing and horn reacting to the tension already in the air, the iris barely make themselves known from their narrowed shields. Holding it's wings in warning arch, it finally speaks.
"Were you never told where you had made landfall?" Princess Luna's words of courtesy ask no question, nor does the tone that can barely contain her anger but speaks clearer than any word. "If you were ever lost, you should have stayed that way."
Each holding their ground, more ponies in armor tiers above that of the plain guards shown thus far usher the latter away in any manner required. Cleared of any pony save for the biggest one yet, tension simply refuses to do anything but grow.
"My name is Princess Luna. You are not a Minotaur, and even if you were, it make none the difference now. Yet as stipulated with our treaties, I must still inquire if you speak for them in this act of aggression, or perhaps, act of war."
"I speak only for myself." Giving nothing of word or fist still brimming in hum. "Who do you speak for."
"All those whose lives you have threatened."
"Without the context, I'd have to say that some would rather die than accept that."
"Your crimes this day are numerous, and too great for simply a change of heart. While I do not think such will carry much weight, I'd rather you willingly surrender your weapons and yourself than for me to force you to your knees."
"None have died." Giving her no indication to his cooperation. "I'm not a dock guard. I'm well aware of who and what has been watching and assisting, and for how long." Only now giving the slightest indication to an understanding. "Just not long enough."
"If you infer onto the reasons for your actions, then I am not concerned."
"At least you understand, then." Taking notice to the briefest of moments that shows her confusion, before her horn begins to flare in held decision. Concealing from her only the slowest of blinks, does the invitation and subsequent sneeze ring his ears.
Forced to bring his hand up to the dust forced in along with all the air once forced out, the rumble and crumble directly ahead in the distance continues as more and more begins to topple down from the hardest of impacts against the city wall. Realizing what had happened, Catfish John does the one thing any with any sense would immediately do.
"Well, I had a good run." He braces to fight for his life, once more in the sight of the pissed off princess flipping a giant chunk of the wall off her with a wing. Somehow finding the courage to crack a smile to the sight of her hair, "Best way to go, I guess."
"That is quite enough!"
The voice, coming loud and true to it's intend, denies any who might wish to not look it's way. Already in whistling descent followed by Winzor and an entourage of golden armored pegasus, she lands equal distance between Luna and Catfish John.
"You will both endanger those farther inside the city if you persist in this!" Showing more worry towards her sister not of her well being, but state of mind. "Luna? Luna, please listen to me. This has escalated far too much from it's origin. I believe-"
"I do not care what you believe. He tried to kill several guards and had I been anything but what I am, myself as well." Curling her lip with hooves cracking and kicking up hard concrete with each impact. "It must be contained, immediately!"
"And it shall, but not the way you intend unless left with no other way. Please calm yourself." Finally switching targets. "I give you my word that if you do as we ask I will also listen to yours, but only if you desist any and all aggression."
"You expect me to believe you'll do more than showcase in front of your own, let alone against your own?"
"I have given you no reason to believe otherwise, have I?"
"She has." Pointing over towards Princess Luna who attempts to burn him with her gaze alone. "Not intending on dying like a bitch when she charges, flies, or just teleports past you and attacks me. So get out of the way."
"If she intended to do such then you would not be speaking as callous as you do now, I can assure you."
"Not good enough."
"You would rather have judgement made here and now?" Celestia shakes her head to the insanity. "You arrived on unscheduled Minotaur transport to our docks, yet you are not one of the horned. You take great offense to your presence being unknown, and as such, one of contention. Harbormaster Glitter calms you down, and then something about a picture causes the guards to raise their spears?"
"Picture of your ass." Catfish John remains rigid, but not focused. "Winzor thought it was pretty hot, however."
"Winzor?" Celestia tries to process what she must, ignore any else until later.
"The pegasus behind you." His words bringing Celestia to look behind her towards the blushing pegasus who now covers her eyes with her forelegs, wings twitching rapidly like her nerves. "I gave her a better name than what she had."
"Harbormaster Glitters?" Softening her voice which earns her part of one eye back into her own. "Winzor?" Which immediately takes back what was just given and more as she curls up down on the dirty dust covered ground. "I see."
"Where I come from the only time you have weapons pointed at you near a cliff is so that when they get what you want, you still die." Losing some context with his goggles guarding his eyes. "Only need to read a story once to know how it always gonna go."
"The unicorn you shot off the edge along with the pegasus who you hurt to prevent aid are both in serious condition." Luna joins into the conversation with her voice scraping against ice. "Nothing you can say can excuse what you've ultimately done."
"Whose trying?" Catfish John fans the flames once again. "If I wanted them dead they would be. I told Winzor she had five minutes, but I knew if I needed ten, she'd only make it if she was going to run out of time. Kinda cushy, you know?"
"Cushy?!" Winzor pops up only to look directly forward and pop back down.
"Then you have no remorse to the pain you've caused?" Celestia treads carefully, not only for her own willingness to hold judgement but also that of her still fuming sister. "Do you think it is so fair to punish them so for not being of your world?"
"What do you mean by my world?" Showing the first time a break in his usual nonchalant. "Speak up!"
"You dare demand answers from the only one here who permits you able?" Luna looks towards her sister. "It matters not if he comes from the Griffon or Minotaur realms, or even farther. That is still is not here, and for him to come uninvited-!"
"That is one of the few reasons I have permitted him the chance to explain, for all of us to understand." Celestia looks first to her sister and then towards Catfish John. "According to Harbormaster Glitter, he was ordered here under our invitation."
Brought into silence and greater tension mixed with confusion and the unconvinced, Princess Luna cannot stand it any longer when she teleports to just before Catfish John who neither flinches or backs away. Fixated on each other, one guarded of eyesight to the other who hides nothing from her own, all bare audience to the possible finale.
"You, who have taken to the act of pain and suffering as if born your right. You, who disregards any and all as entertainment even upon their very home that you might spit upon." Doing the same act herself to the side. "I would never invite."
"Luna?" Celestia teleports over as well, unable to hide the rising concern in her voice. "Luna, you're bleeding!"
Staring upon her sister as if gone mad, Luna only hesitates to match where Celestia from the sheer lunacy of the suggestion. But with the flick of her sight upon the ground where she had spit, each return grows until entirely fixated upon the dark blotch.
"A crystal dragon acted the same way, once." His casual mention something long since thought extinct causes both princesses to step back and away, the atmosphere instantly changing against his favor. "Guess that's why I sneezed. You tried."
"What do you mean I tried?" Gaining only enough distance to react if need be, Luna readies her posture.
"That's lesson two." Shifting his head to align the goggles towards Luna. "I call it The Hard Way."
"Hey!" The voice pitched so high it almost squeaks literally flies up and to directly in Catfish's face. Reaching up with her hooves, Winzor yanks his goggles down before pressing the tip of her muzzle to his nose. "No more."
Not even letting his breath be heard, he simply stares down upon her even as the air begins to sting his eyes. Holding them both on Winzor until one finally closes with the subtle crack of a grin, he lets go of all tension with the light drag of his nose across her muzzle. Never letting contact end, he drags his cheek alongside her own until both their nostrils each near the others ear.
Dipping his chin down, much to her now automated state, he makes sure that all hear his gradual but deep inhale during his travel back up to near her ear. Opening his mouth just enough for her to hear the tap of a quick snap, he blows a little up to the longest hairs coming out from inside the ear. "It's gonna be one hell of a wild ride if you plan on trying to steer me."
Pulling away while dragging skin to hair until parting end to end, he does so farther than immediately understood. Smirking to her staring utterly taken back, the clean footprint of no dust or debris marks his one and only compromise. Turning his attention to just behind the still unnerved pegasus mare, he becomes combative once again.
"Problem?" Giving the princesses just enough time to open their muzzles. "Better go deal with it, then."
"Certainly!" Luna stomps forward before a white wing impedes her, again. Turning to confess her contempt for the act, she instead snorts when attention does not flow back onto her, but instead forward towards the ground. Narrowing her eyes, she eventually follows their path down towards the only part of the ground protected in it's entirety. "Not accepted!"
"You have complicated this day, to no end." Celestia leads off to try and salvage what still may drown. "You have attacked my home and subjects, including my only family. Even if I were to fall asleep tonight, come morning, I will still feel unsure if standing before my sister for your protection was the right course to take. You have given me so very little to compel me otherwise."
"Was never here to convince any of you anything. I was ordered to come here, never to stay."
"Under whose authority?" Luna interrupts where Celestia once stood. "You said you spoke only for your own."
"As the last living member of my clan, as far as any of you will ever be concerned." Squinting one eye to the expressions both the princesses begin to shift into. "What you could ever want from the Rockhorn clan was never made known to me, regardless."
"I sought the clan out in order to help me save all of mine." Celestia, already weighed too far down by the events of the day, cannot bring herself to remain much longer. "I will need some time but if you will allow us to accommodate your housing and other needs, I will fully divulge the information you seek. I will also pardon your crimes this day and not bar you from leaving if you choose, tomorrow."
Given not enough time to even answer, Catfish John can only watch as Princess Celestia instantly teleports away. Glancing towards Winzor who looks visibly shaken to the voice of the most loving and accepting pony she'd known breaking in pitch, pulls her forelegs in to comfort herself. Nodding to the guards in sparkling golden armor, he taps Winzor who brings up the rear.
Finally brought a moment of isolation herself, Princess Luna waits to show any reaction until those in question disappear past the gates and into the city. Jerking her head abruptly to the guards who approach her, they too leave until the dock remain as barren as her once joyous day to any inner comfort.
Catching her eye, and blame, she struggles to hold her raised quivering hoof after giving approach.
