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Heart of War- Act V

By ThingPaste
Created: 2024-02-28 03:03:23
Expiry: Never
heart of war

  1. >You found Lancer going over some papers in the usual meeting room.
  2. “Alright where are we?”
  3. >”Sir… your beard.”
  4. “Yes, now what do you have for me?”
  5. >A good amount of time was spent reviewing various proposals.
  6. >So, you got a cup of coffee and got to work.
  7. >Most were related to reconstruction efforts.
  8. >The others were signing off on officially repealing more of the old regimes questionable decrees.
  9. “Now that those are out of the way, I have something I’d like you to attend to.”
  10. >”And that would be?”
  11. “The PoW camp we’ve set up outside the city; per my instructions the camp has been divided correct?”
  12. >”Yes, we’ve kept the old Royal Guard away from the other soldiers and conscripts that defended the city when we sieged it. After you had many of the nobility arrested, they were separated from the others as well. And recently we’ve started putting the Interior Defense prisoners in a more closely guarded area.”
  13. “Good. I want you to give a proposition to the soldiers that sided with Celestia and ones she conscripted. If they volunteer to spend one year as full time workers aiding the reconstruction efforts, they’ll be allowed to go free once that year is over. If they agree, they will have the same benefits as the other workers, including food and pay. If they don’t agree, they’ll stay imprisoned for ten years. “
  14. >”That’s… rather generous.”
  15. “Exactly, I don’t think many of them wouldn’t take the offer. It’s bad for the governments image to have such a huge camp right outside of Canterlot.”
  16. >You head over to a table to refill your coffee mug.
  17.  
  18. “As for the old nobles, find one of the larger estates here that we’ve seized. They’ll all be put into it, and with twice as many guards posted in or near the mansion at any given time. As well, they can have leave of the city during daylight hours, but will be followed by a group of four guards per pony whenever they are outside of the estate. Each month they’ll all get an incredibly modest stipend to spend how they like, we certainly aren’t lacking with all the money we took from them.”
  19. >”I can’t think of a worse punishment then to have them all under the same roof.”
  20. “My thoughts exactly.”
  21. >”So what about the Royal Guard and MID prisoners?”
  22. “The Royal Guard will stay as they are, unless something comes out to prove which of them were involved with the destruction caused in this city.”
  23. >And the MID?”
  24. “Seeing as we’ve obtained considerable amounts of detailed reports from the MID Headquarters, each member will be given a trial. Have some of our men start searching the record rooms at the HQ, and start collecting evidence of what each survivor has done in service to the organization. When completed, you or I will then review each of the prisoner’s records. Unless our men find something that you or I deem too sensitive to be released to the public, the agent in question will be given to the appropriate civilian court and handed over to local authorities. Otherwise they get a military tribunal.”
  25. >”What exactly is ‘too sensitive’ for the public?”
  26. “Feel free to redact anything pertaining to current national security. But I want as many of them to go to the public systems as possible, after all, it’s the people who have been living in fear for the MID for years.”
  27.  
  28. >”Are you sure you want to move that fast?”
  29. “Yes, we need to get Equestria back to how it was a few decades ago. The people will notice that their lives have been drastically improving under the new regime, and continue to show support for it. Even if they don’t know that Flurry is indisposed at the moment, they still know that ultimately the military has power. And we need to make sure they know we’re on their side. Oh, do you have the time?”
  30. >”Just about one.”
  31. “Good. Finally, you know that I’ll be heading East. Sooner rather than later.”
  32. >”I do.”
  33. “I’ve been doing some reading. Even though we’ve been rebuilding the air fleet, it won’t do much good for getting me there. Due to violent storms nearing the landmass, no air ship has ever made it even near to the land itself. I need a seafaring vessel, and last I knew the new Lady of the Admiralty that Celestia appointed last year refused to back us in the war.”
  34. >”Aye. As you know Celestia separated the naval fleet from the air fleet ten or so years ago. Brairheart was put in charge of the air flee before it was disbanded, and generally some aristocrat was put in charge of the navy. As far as I know the current naval admiral sat out the war entirely, sealed her fleet in a dry-dock a few dozen miles south of Manehattan.”
  35. “I don’t blame her for sitting it out; the Saddle Arabian fleet was what, five or six times larger than our own after the downsizings.”
  36. >”Last I knew, she’s still technically at war with us, still fortified in that dry-dock with the entire naval fleet. Hasn’t done much, and isn’t really in the position to seeing as she’s cut off from resupply. She’d have only a few battles worth of ammunition and limited manpower, but she’s got a couple years’ worth of food and is hold up in a naval base meant to withstand attack from land or sea. It’d be a tough nut to crack.”
  37.  
  38. “Give me that quill.”
  39. >He slides an inkwell and quill over to the side of the meeting table you’re sitting on.
  40. >You reach over for a blank piece of paper and start writing.
  41. >”What’s that Sir?”
  42. “A request for a parlay, on her terms. I need one of her boats, and a siege would risk them being damaged or without able bodied crew. And I don’t have the months it would take for a new ship constructed and a crew trained.”
  43. >”Wait, you intend to sail with the royalists?”
  44. “Yesterday’s enemies are today’s recruits. The alternative would be asking the Saddle Arabians for help, we’ve something of an alliance with their fleet as they try to stabilize their nation, but given my history with them…”
  45. >”I don’t blame you.”
  46. >With the letter finished, you roll it up and pour some hot wax on it.
  47. >The General tosses over a stamp that you use to press the seal into it.
  48. “Have this sent to her immediately.”
  49. >”Of course.”
  50. “And before I go, when I do head for the East, I’d like you to use Thunder as your right hand pony. He’s young and a bit reckless, but loyal. I think he has potential.”
  51. >”Remind you of yourself?”
  52. “Somewhat. Really he reminds me of you, old friend.”
  53. >”Grooming a replacement for me so soon? I’m not even dead yet!”
  54. “Look at it this way: the next time you threaten to retire, it makes calling the bluff that much easier.”
  55. >”Ha, we’ll see.”
  56. >You push your chair out from the table.
  57. “Now if you’d excuse me.”
  58. >”Of course.”
  59. >Taking your leave of the meeting room and the Palace all together, you headed for the Royal Academy.
  60.  
  61. >…
  62. >The campus bell tower starts ringing, signifying two in the afternoon.
  63. >Room 112, just like she told you.
  64. >You enter the room, finding a science lab.
  65. >Well a magic lab.
  66. >On the far end of the room is Starlight, wearing a lab coat, facing away from you, and looking into a microscope.
  67. >She raises her head and starts to turn as she hears the door opening.
  68. >You shut the door behind you and start heading over to her.
  69. “Alright where are we?”
  70. >”Anon… your beard.”
  71. >Déjà vu.
  72. “Yes, now what do you have for me?”
  73. >”Sunburst is currently giving a lecture that should finish up soon, he’d be better to explain some of what we’ve found but I could start.”
  74. >She beckons you over to eth equipment she was working with.
  75. >”The liquid you brought, it… has no mass.”
  76. “Isn’t that physically impossible?”
  77. >”It should be, but here it is. I’ve double and triple checked the results with three different instruments. To the best of my knowledge it shouldn’t exist at all, but there it is.”
  78. >She takes the jar and pours it out onto a scale.
  79. >And nothing changes.
  80. >You push back on all of the weights to make sure they’re all at zero grams.
  81. >”Like I said, double and triple checked.”
  82. “If I remember High School AP Physics, then doesn’t that mean it’s some form of radiation?”
  83. >”That’s… correct. Photons have no mass.”
  84. >She sounded extremely surprised.
  85. >”What did you study exactly?”
  86. “History primarily. The alternate was Nuclear Physics, they made the offer but I turned it down, to get into a good science institute I would have been paying off student debt for a few decades… And besides, history came easier to me.”
  87.  
  88. >She just stares at you.
  89. “Okay, it involved doing less work and back then I was naturally lazy.”
  90. >She continues staring.
  91. “What?”
  92. >”I just never took you for the type. You were offered to study at a science institute?”
  93. “Yes, and a good one.”
  94. >”How good?”
  95. “Not quite the best, but up there.”
  96. >”Wow.”
  97. “Less on how I could have built the better nuke, and more on why I’m here.”
  98. >”Right, sorry. After we found that the lack of mass wasn’t a fluke, we checked for any electromagnetic waves coming off of it and couldn’t find any. It isn’t radiation either.”
  99. “Then what is it?”
  100. >”We…”
  101. “Have no idea.”
  102. >”Not quite.”
  103. >You hear the door open, and turn to face Sunburst, barely carrying a dozen or so binders and books with him.
  104. >He lets them fall onto the nearest table.
  105. >”Hello Starlight, Field Marshal- err, Chancellor.”
  106. “Anon will do.”
  107. >”Right, of course.”
  108. >Starlight speaks up.
  109. >”Sunburst is pretty busy today, he has another class to be at in fifteen minutes.”
  110. “Then summarize quickly.”
  111. >”Sunburst, I was just telling Anon how the black liquid has no mass and isn’t radioactive.”
  112. >He pushes his glasses back further on his face and approaches.
  113. >”Well seeing as we couldn’t find a scientific answer to the question, we looked to magic for the answer. Starlight would you preform Snowglyph’s discernment charm?”
  114. >Starlight’s horn lights up, and you don’t see anything else happen.
  115. “I’m not sure I follow.”
  116.  
  117. >Starlight speaks.
  118. >”Snowglyph’s discernment charm allows the user to… it’s hard to explain, feel the aura of different magic types. Each kind has its own distinct feel to it. And when I use it on the liquid, I’m getting something that as far as I know doesn’t exist. Everything about it feels wrong. Hollow maybe.”
  119. “So it’s a kind of magic that ponies have never encountered?”
  120. >”Like I said, it’s hard to explain to non-magic users. But the charm makes most types of magic feel close to one another, distinct but close. For example, the difference between Friendship Magic and Love Magic would be like chocolate or strawberry ice cream. Keeping with the analogy this feels like lamp oil or rubbing alcohol.”
  121. “Well that’s comforting.”
  122. >Starlight then grabs your attention.
  123. >”That’s all we’ve gathered about the strange liquid, but moving to the insect you brought with it.”
  124. >He goes over to grab one of the binders he brought with him.
  125. >”I did some digging in the Academy archives, and found quite a bit actually.”
  126. >He gives you the binder and you start lipping through it.
  127. >”Over the years, the psychology department here has helped to treat ponies who returned from the East. They didn’t get that far, but when some of the medical department staff took interest, they found something.”
  128.  
  129. >He reaches over and flips a few more pages.
  130. >On the page are old pictures of bugs that look identical to the one that came out of you.
  131. >”They’re actually rather common in ponies who return, about half of the survivors brought one back. One of the medical students did a doctoral thesis on them; she found that the insects are harmless parasites. They lodge themselves into the brain of a host, and feed off of the normally wasted energy from healthy brain function. Other studies collaborated, and while it’s difficult to say for sure given the mental state of the survivors from the East, the parasites never influenced their decision making or emotions. And they are most certainly not intelligent.”
  132. “What?”
  133. >”Yes, actually one study claimed that they actually help ward off minor illnesses in the host. And there were no indications that the creatures even multiply while inside a host. Calling them parasites isn’t even correct, as that implies one organism in the symbiosis is suffering from the other. All research done indicates that it’s a commensalism or even mutualism.”
  134. “Then what’s-“
  135. >Starlight cuts you off.
  136. >”We don’t know exactly why the Princesses… changed. But I’d bet I that it has something to do with the liquid.”
  137. “So what you’re saying is that everything I thought about them was wrong.”
  138. >”Correct.” Sunburst replies.
  139. >He then glances at a clock on the wall.
  140. >”I’m almost late!”
  141. >He takes the binder from you and heads over to collect the rest of his things before rushing out of the door.
  142.  
  143. >As the end of his greying tail crosses the threshold, the door lights up with Starlight’s aura as she closes it.
  144. “Didn’t even say goodbye.”
  145. >You say half-jokingly, prompting a curt reply from Starlight.
  146. >”You’re one to talk.”
  147. “Is there a problem?”
  148. >”You tell me.”
  149. “If you’ve got something to say, then say it.”
  150. >”I just find it a bit hypocritical that you would criticize and joke about not saying goodbye.”
  151. “If this is about what happened-“
  152. >”It’s about that I’ve got a lot of work, and I’m sure you have important duties to attend to.”
  153. “Fine. Notify me when you’ve made progress.”
  154. >You turn and start heading for the door.
  155. >But as you reach out for the handle, it glows and you hear a deadbolt go into place.
  156. >”No! First, you owe me an explanation.”
  157. >Turning back to her, you let out a sigh of your patience being tested.
  158. “I was in a bad place; you were in a bad place. We rebounded. Plain and simple, end of story.”
  159. >”Plain and simple!”
  160. >There is a pop as she teleports onto the nearest table, looking at you at eye level.
  161. >”That’s what you call it? You didn’t even leave a note!”
  162. “We both knew it was only temporary.”
  163. >”Well I sure wish you told me that!”
  164. “Like I said, we were in bad places.”
  165. >”Oh, ‘I was in a bad place’ that doesn’t even describe half of what I was going through!”
  166. “Look Glimmer-“
  167. >”Don’t you ‘look Glimmer’ me, just shut up and listen.”
  168. >You fold your arms, lean slightly to one side, then raise an eyebrow.
  169.  
  170. >”Because it’s not like I was going through a bumpy relationship that was off and on for YEARS at a time, and it’s not like it ended finally with the ‘I don’t think us as more than friends will work out’ speech. And then it’s not like I hit complete rock bottom after that. AND THEN, it’s not like a knight in shining armor came to rescue me from that dark place. And it’s not like that I actually felt LOVED in those weeks, it’s not like I felt like things were finally going to be okay. No more looming feeling of abandonment. But then, I wake up one morning. Alone, with no talk, no note, and not even a letter in the mail. It isn’t like all those years of abandonment came back and hit me. And it’s not like I went back to that rock bottom, and went even further. It’s not like I stayed there for months. It’s not like I didn’t get back to ‘normal’ for years. It’s not like I spend the rest of my life afraid of that ever happening again. It isn’t like I purposely avoided accepting anypony into that spot. And then, it’s not like after thirteen years, eight months, and six days that that knight came waltzing back into my life, acting like nothing had happened. Don’t you DARE call it just ‘a bad place’ and don’t you DARE call it plain and simple!”
  171. >By the time she finishes, she’s hyperventilating.
  172. “Do you need a minute?”
  173. >”NO!”
  174. >She teleports back to the other side of the room, facing away from you, and you hear the door unlocking.
  175. >”Just go.”
  176. >You don’t move.
  177. >”GO! And no, this won’t affect my research or the sun and moon.”
  178. >Deciding it best to give her some space, you do as she wished.
  179. >Crossing the door, you hear it slam shut behind you.
  180. “God I need a drink.”
  181. >You say to the empty hallway.
  182.  
  183. >…
  184. >Sometime later, you’re sitting on the throne in the Palace.
  185. >About two thirds of the way through a fifth of scotch.
  186. “Hey. Guard, tell me something.”
  187. >You see the guards exchange glances.
  188. “How do you have scotch, when it’s supposed to be from Scotland? And the same goes for Champagne with Champagne. And bourbon with Kentucky, wait, no that’s just the process. But the good kind is supposed to be Kentucky.”
  189. >”Sir, maybe you’ve had enough. That was full when you got here, and that was barely two hours ago.”
  190. “Don’t tell me my limit!”
  191. >Bottoms up!
  192. >You chug the remainder of the coarse liquid.
  193. >…
  194. >Next thing you know, you awake with your head on your toilet seat.
  195. >And you have quite the hangover.
  196. >The lights are shining in your eyes, but you reach up and flush the toilet of what you didn’t keep down.
  197. “Uggh.”
  198. >”You okay Sir?”
  199. “I’ve had worse in college. What did I do?”
  200. >”After you uhh… finished the bottle, I led you up here and you spent some time vomiting before passing out. Also I took the liberty of keeping your sword away from you, it’s on your bed in its sheathe.”
  201. “What time is it?”
  202. >”About four in the morning.”
  203. “What’s your name?”
  204. >”Private Charger, Sir.”
  205. “That’s Corporal Charger. Go talk to General Lancer when he’s up, tell him that it’s for the same reason he made Major.”
  206. >”Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
  207. “Yeah. Just need a cold shower and some coffee. Go on, I’ll be fine… and thanks.”
  208. >As he took his leave, you went into the shower.
  209. >After about a minute, you removed your clothes and tossed them outside of it.
  210. >As the cold water washes over you, you remember something you said to Thunder:
  211. >’Someday I’ll pay for my sins.’
  212. >He barely knows the half of it.
  213. >You have quite a few more than you let on to.
  214.  
  215. >After showering, you worked painstakingly to get the aftertaste of vomit out of your mouth.
  216. >A few rounds of mouthwash and a clean set of clothes later, you placed your wet clothes on your balcony to dry.
  217. >Once more, you left your hat behind and refrained from wearing anything more than a simple black t-shirt on your chest.
  218. >Right now you need coffee.
  219. >…
  220. >Sometime later, you were back in the meeting room with General Lancer.
  221. >Just another day at the office.
  222. >He has been surprisingly quiet about your… condition yesterday.
  223. >”So I had an interesting talk with a soldier earlier today.”
  224. >There it is.
  225. “Shut up Lancer.”
  226. >”It’s been almost a decade since you passed out drunk, why should I?”
  227. “Because I’m your commanding officer and the leader of the nation?”
  228. >”But there’s just so much material.”
  229. “Promoting you was a mistake.”
  230. >”You don’t mean that.”
  231. “No but my mug is empty and I have no qualms about throwing it at you.”
  232. >”You don’t mean that either.”
  233. >You sigh in defeat and place your head on the table.
  234. >…
  235. “Alright, that should handle the day to day things. What else do you have for me?”
  236. >”Well some of the reports are coming in from the MID locations closer to the capitol. Some of them outright surrendered when the soldiers came, other fought but we haven’t lost any of the skirmishes. Our men and their prisoners should be coming in across the next few days.”
  237. “Next.”
  238. >”I sent some of our best fliers to deliver your letter. No word back yet.”
  239. “She’ll probably take a few days to weigh options. Next.”
  240. >”Honestly, that’s it. I think things have finally gotten more consistent.”
  241. “Great. If you need me, I’ll be in the gym.”
  242.  
  243. >”Not so fast.”
  244. “What do you want Lancer?”
  245. >He gets out of his chair and starts walking towards you.
  246. >”I had an interesting talk with Captain Thunder the other day; he brought me up to speed with your actions the past few days.”
  247. “You’ve seen me do worse, and I’ve seen you do worse.”
  248. >”He also said that he genuinely thinks you’ve seen the light, so to speak.”
  249. “Then what’s your point?”
  250. >He reaches up and delivers a sharp right hook to your jaw.
  251. >Still pretty tough for a stallion of his age.
  252. >”Just following standing orders.”
  253. >The last time you passed out from alcohol, you told him: ‘deck me the next time I get drunk when there’s more pressing matters to attend to.’
  254. “You know, if it was almost any other pony that just did that…”
  255. >”Cut the melodrama, you’re worse than my youngest daughter: and she wants to be an actress.”
  256. “What are you talking about RM?”
  257. >You rarely use his first initials when speaking to him.
  258. >When you do, it’s usually because you’re speaking as friends rather than soldiers.
  259. >”I know you probably better than any other pony in Equestria does, and you’re acting like a child or a fool. I don’t know which one’s worse.”
  260. “Really, how so?”
  261. >You reply condescendingly.
  262. >”Firstly with the way you’ve been pushing yourself. You may have dealt with your attitude, but spending every spare second at the gym won’t do you any good.”
  263. “I have to be in my best possible shape for when I go East.”
  264. >”Then you’d better postpone the trip for a few months, or else there won’t be any notable difference.”
  265. “So what, I should just stand around getting fat?”
  266. >”You managed to kill over two dozen ponies while alone and after spending weeks in a coma, you’re already at your peak you fool. And don’t give me any of that ‘but a few years ago’ nonsense; you’re getting old, deal with it.”
  267.  
  268. “Right! Because any added ability won’t possibly give me an edge, no matter how slight.”
  269. >”Oh shut up, we’ve seen countless soldiers do the same before battles and die just as easily. If you don’t calm down and relax, you’re going to give yourself an aneurism before you can even set foot on a boat.”
  270. >He’s right, at least partially.
  271. >”And enough with the brooding. You had to lock Flurry up, you can’t change that. I can imagine what it’d be like if it was me and one of my kids in your place, but you can be sure I wouldn’t spend my tiem skulking about it. I’d be doing my best to get them out of it. It don’t make it easier, but worrying constantly just takes your mind off of it.”
  272. “Easy for you to say when not actually in that position.”
  273. >”And the drinking! What’s the matter, Ex got your tongue?”
  274. “You’re the one other pony who know about that whole… thing. You know what I went through.”
  275. >”Well boo hoo, a mare yelled at you. Obviously the answer is to drink yourself half to death and try to forget the whole thing!”
  276. “Shut up.”
  277. >”Or what, you’ll go get another bottle?”
  278. “So what would you have me do then, hmm?”
  279. >”Enjoy yourself before marching off to another battle. Listen to some music, read a book, go to a club, anything that doesn’t just get you worked up over what you can’t change.”
  280.  
  281. >Maybe he’s right.
  282. >This might, after all, be the last shore leave you’ve got.
  283. >There’s always that risk, but with this one you’ve got a bad feeling.
  284. >”And there’s that look.”
  285. “What look?”
  286. >”The ‘he’s right but my pride won’t let me admit it’ look.”
  287. >Figures that he’s seen it before.
  288. >Just this once, you indulge him.
  289. “Yes. You’re right… Rainbow Marigold.”
  290. >”Don’t call me that!”
  291. “It’s your name.”
  292. >”I never should have rescued you back in the Second Coast War.”
  293. “Hey, that doesn’t count, I would have been fine.”
  294. >”Were you even at the same hill I found you at?”
  295. “Oh, that one. In that case, you don’t mean it.”
  296. >”Now go on, get.”
  297. “And Lancer, you mentioned your kid and acting?”
  298. >”Yeah, her mother likes the idea of it.”
  299. “You should encourage her. I dabbled a bit in High School and College.”
  300. >”You acted?”
  301. “Shakespeare, Beckett, Brecht, Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, and a bit of Gilbert and Sullivan.”
  302. >”I’ll assume that means something.”
  303. “It means I’ve still got the Major-General’s song as well as countless monologues stuck in my head verbatim.”
  304. >”And I’ll assume that means something as well.”
  305. “It means I’ve got too good a memory for my liking. Really though, if that’s what she wants to do, you should support her.”
  306. >He remains silent for a second.
  307. “And there’s that look.”
  308. >”Laugh it up.”
  309. “Well I can’t just let you have the last word, now can I?”
  310. >After sharing a laugh, you went your separate ways.
  311. >You found yourself in the highest tower of the Palace, watching the world below.
  312.  
  313. >You had brought three boxes with you.
  314. >One was the old cigar box you filled with pictures.
  315. >The next was your lockbox.
  316. >And the final one was a cigar box filled with actual cigars.
  317. >You sat on a chair, thumbing through old photos while smoking one of the cigars.
  318. >Most of them were of Flurry or your time with her.
  319. >You weren’t really one for pictures, and most of them weren’t taken on your account.
  320. >Heh, Flurry always looked so happy when she was with both you and her Aunt Twilight.
  321. >Even though she was still young when Twi went away, those times were the closest she got to having a normal family.
  322. >You suspect that one day, when all this is long since passed, Flurry will remember those memories more fondly than the rest.
  323. >Eventually your cigar burned down to its end, and you light up another.
  324. >As you flipped through the pictures, soon you neared the end.
  325. >The last big grouping of ‘newer’ pictures was from a night in Canterlot over fifteen years ago.
  326. >You think you still have the tuxedo you were wearing that night.
  327. >After those are just various ones of you and Flurry.
  328. >Each taken at yearly intervals; with each passing picture you could see her grow into the mare she is today, and you age into the man you are.
  329. >You take in a large drag, and look out to the city as you exhale.
  330. >It’s just about sunset.
  331. >And although you’re high above the city, you can see the ponies below looking up to admire it.
  332. >As the sun is put out of sight, the moon slowly peaks up on the other end of the horizon.
  333. >Looking down, you see the sizable dent you’ve made in the cigar stockpile since you got up here.
  334. >Getting one last one out, you shut the lid.
  335.  
  336. >After the cigar is lit and clenched in your mouth, you start packing away the pictures, then grab for your lockbox.
  337. >Spinning the three letter combination in to place, you withdraw one of the two items you keep in it.
  338. >A picture that you then stare at for a good while.
  339. >Having enough of the memory, you set it back into the box and shut the lid.
  340. >With all three of the boxes closed, you grabbed them and returned them to your quarters.
  341. >…
  342. >You then sat onto your bed, reaching down to untie your boots.
  343. >But as your fingers grasped the laces you paused.
  344. >It’s barely nine on the start of a weekend, you’re in the capitol, this is probably your last shore leave, and you’re sitting on your bed getting ready to sleep.
  345. >No.
  346. >Standing back up, you headed out of your room.
  347. >You know where you need to go.
  348. >But you have one stop to make first.
  349. >…
  350. >Reaching your fist out, you hoped that this was still the right apartment.
  351. >You rap against the door a few times.
  352. >And hear a muffled:
  353. >”One second.”
  354. >Exactly one second later, the door opens.
  355. >”Oh. It’s you.”
  356. “Hello Starlight.”
  357. >”What do you want?”
  358. >She asks rather curtly
  359. “For what it’s worth, I’m here to apologize.”
  360. >”Well you’re a bit too late for that.”
  361. >She starts to close the door, but you stick your foot out to stop it.
  362. “Starlight, please. I’m just here to make peace, give me ten minutes.”
  363. >She sighs.
  364. >”You have five.”
  365. >You expected that reply.
  366. >As the door fully opens once more, she looks to the object in your hand.
  367. >”What’s that?”
  368. “Something I took from the Palace cellar, a hundred and three years old.”
  369. >”Really, you brought wine?”
  370. “I’m not that good with gifts.”
  371.  
  372. >She sighs again.
  373. >”It’ll do, come on in, you can sit at the table, you should know where it is.”
  374. >As you entered into the apartment, you were met with a small landing area.
  375. >She teleported into the kitchen, and you let yourself over to the table adjacent to it.
  376. >Calling it an apartment doesn’t do it true justice.
  377. >It’s in the rich area of Canterlot and in itself is about as large as the average suburban home.
  378. >But your thoughts are soon cut off as she sits across from you, levitating over a pair of glasses.
  379. >Using magic she pulls the cork from the bottle and pours them full.
  380. >”Five minutes.”
  381. >She reminds you as you take the glass from the air in front of you.
  382. “The other day I said that back then we were both in bad places. I’m not trying to diminish what you went through, but I figure you deserve to hear my side. You never knew the full truth, so here it is.”
  383. >As you start telling her about what was happening back in the day, you manage to eye a clock behind her.
  384. >Soon your five minutes had passed.
  385. >And another five.
  386. >And another.
  387. >You stopped counting after that.
  388. >But with everything on the table, your story grew to a close.
  389. >”Oh my… I’m sorry, I never knew that you were-“
  390. “It doesn’t matter now; it feels like it happened a life time ago.”
  391. >”But you…”
  392. “I’ve had over a decade to deal with it. It’s over.”
  393. >”I’m sorry.”
  394. “For what it’s worth, so am I.”
  395. >You set the empty glass onto the table, and push out from the chair.
  396. “I’ve had more than my five minutes.”
  397. >You began the walk to the door.
  398. “I should let you rest. Goodnight Starlight.”
  399. >As you reach out for the doorknob, her voice causes you to turn back.
  400. >“A-Anon. One night for old time’s sake?”
  401. >That offer surprises you.
  402. >You honestly came here just to get something off of your chest, seeing as it might be your last chance.
  403. “… One night. And only one.”
  404.  
  405. >…
  406. >The following morning you made your way back to the Palace.
  407. >As you entered into the meeting room, you saw Lancer looking at you with a smug grin.
  408. >”Leaving with a bottle of wine, and not coming back until the next morning?”
  409. “I’m getting real tired of your-“
  410. >”Okay, message received.”
  411. “So what do we got today?”
  412. >”Nothing that serious, but we did have a stack full of formal complaints from the nobility we corralled into that mansion.”
  413. “I assume you promptly burned them.”
  414. >”Yeah, told the soldier they made to deliver them tell them that if they preferred the camp, they’re welcome to go back.”
  415. “Excellent.”
  416.  
  417. >You look over to see an out of place folder amongst the other files on the table.
  418. >Grabbing it, you ask:
  419. “What’s this?”
  420. >”Oh, Celestia sent out this year’s Grand Galloping Gala tickets, and some of the recipients have inquired if it’ll still be happening. Given Princess Heart’s… condition, I said that it’s canceled this year.”
  421. >You open the folder and start looking over the guest list.
  422. “It was supposed to be in a couple of days, right?”
  423. >”Affirmative, we’d be five days out.”
  424. >One name strikes you in particular.
  425. >Discord.
  426. >This could be your chance to get him to talk.
  427. “Lancer, inform the guest list (those not imprisoned at least) that the Gala will be occurring this year.”
  428. >”Sir?”
  429. “You heard me, but be sure to include that due to security risks, Flurry will not be hosting. Instead she will be at an undisclosed location as a safety precaution. Instead, I will be host.”
  430. >”Sir, three Princesses are currently in the dungeons right here. Are you sure that’s wise?”
  431. “That’s why I want security to be at its highest. Also, I want you to talk with some of our unicorns. Find a way that they can blanket the area with a constant magic dampening spell, I just need enough to make sure nothing inside the Palace can teleport.”
  432. >”What exactly are you planning?”
  433. “If I wasn’t host, I’d say that I’m crashing this Gala.”
  434.  
  435. >”Oh for the love of- this is going to end badly, isn’t it?”
  436. “Most likely.”
  437. >”Your confidence is an inspiration.”
  438. “Also, seeing as the nobles we’ve imprisoned almost all had tickets, feel free to redistribute them to our officers.”
  439. >”Understood.”
  440. “I can see it now: the theme will be Military Chic, I’ll have to have a new formal uniform made- something befitting of my status as both Field Marshal and Chancellor.”
  441. >”Oh, but Admiral Brairheart will be MAGNIFICANT, after all he has a life time of ‘practice’ looking good for the fleet. If you know what I mean.”
  442. “Ugh, that air head will not upstage me at my own Gala, Lancey. And neither will that brute Red Wave or the ruffian Lightning Offense.”
  443. >The two of you are unable to keep straight faces, and break out into laughter.
  444. >”Lancey? Hahaha. Oh, I needed that.”
  445. >He wipes a tear from his eye as his chuckle starts to die down.
  446. “Really though, go ahead and invite the other Generals and the Admiral, and whatever officers you deem deserving of the break given their history.”
  447. >”I suppose it will be your going away party.”
  448. “Also I want at least three liquor stores worth of alcohol present. I’ve seen how Celestia used to run it, and the guests this year will be in for a surprise.”
  449. >”We’re not going to-“
  450. “Absolutely, hope you’re not too rusty.”
  451. >”I regret this already.”
  452. “That’s the spirit!”
  453. >”I never should have told you to relax.”
  454. “Too bad, now get to work. You’ve got letters to send and a Gala to Plan.”
  455. >”Why didn’t I just retire?”
  456. “Come on RM, you should ‘relax’ a bit.”
  457. >”I could relax if you’d just let me retire!”
  458. “Go on then, walk.”
  459.  
  460. >He remains seated.
  461. “Just as I thought. Besides, you tried retiring once already and it lasted a week before you came crawling back.”
  462. >You start to make your way out of the meeting room.
  463. “Have fun with the preperations.”
  464. >”Thanks…”
  465. >Stepping out of the room, you run into Captain Thunder.
  466. “Afternoon Thunder.”
  467. >”Sir… your beard.”
  468. “Yes I’ve shaved, astute eyes you’ve got there.”
  469. >”Sorry it’s just-“
  470. “Did you have something for us?”
  471. >”Yes actually. Our flier came back from the Lady of the Admiralty.”
  472. >He offers the letter that he’s got in his hoof.
  473. >Taking it from him, you break the seal and start skimming it.
  474. >Eloquently written, with at least four stealth insults aimed at you.
  475. >But, she’s agreed to parlay.
  476. >If you approach the fort with no more than a dozen ponies, and approach the gate alone.
  477. >Then you’ll be disarmed and sent to meet with her.
  478. >At the end it even says that a response isn’t needed.
  479. >The final line before the signature is rather succinct compared to the rest of the formalities.
  480. >’Come on your own time, but if my scouts see even a single pony over the twelve you’re allotted, shots will be fired.’
  481. >Sounds like a charming mare.
  482. >But, you don’t have much of an option.
  483. >Ideally you’ll set out for the naval fort after the Gala and Starlight’s research has been finished.
  484. >But you’ll wait no more than a week.
  485. >Even if nothing more comes from the studies, you’ll just have to go in blind.
  486. “As you were Major.”
  487. >”Major?”
  488. “Talk to Lancer, I’m sure he’ll enjoy the extra paperwork.”
  489. >”Thank you Sir?”
  490. >He nervously goes into the Meeting Room, and as the door opens you nod to Lancer.
  491.  
  492. >It’s your plan to have Thunder be a Colonel by the time you leave.
  493. >After a few discussions with Lancer, it’s agreed that he’s to be slowly groomed for command.
  494. >Thunder will be the first of the next generation of leadership.
  495. >But it remains to be seen how he’ll adjust to a larger duty roster.
  496. >He was an exemplary squad leader before being bumped up to an officer, and based on his record in the latest war, you and Lancer are confident he can fill the role with a bit of guidance.
  497. >But he’s still young.
  498. >It’ll be many years before he’s ready to become a general, but he’ll be prepared when that time comes.
  499. >With no more duties to preform today, you headed to your room.
  500. >After kicking off your boots, you settled into your desk.
  501. >You spent the rest of the evening writing.
  502. >There aren’t many ponies you’re that close to, but for that small handful you wrote a letter for each of them.
  503. >A final goodbye to those that might care.
  504. >Most of them went rather quickly.
  505. >All of them in fact.
  506. >Except for one.
  507. >Flurry’s
  508. >You ended up scrapping the entire letter multiple times, and you worked well into the night on it.
  509. >But as it was nearing midnight, you settled on something.
  510. >The truth.
  511. >All of it.
  512. >The ‘letter’ was actually turned out to be a rather sizable scroll, giving her the overview of everything that you never told her.
  513. >Or anyone else for that matter.
  514. >Finally, you ended the message with your goodbye.
  515. >And that in itself would have taken up a normal sheet of paper.
  516. >But with the final message sealed with wax, you set them aside.
  517. >You’d get a proper box to put them all in tomorrow, and inform Lancer that they’re meant to be sent only if you’ve been confirmed killed in action or have been missing for exactly five years.
  518. >But that’s for tomorrow, as it’s late and you’re strained from the goodbyes.
  519.  
  520. >The following day was rather routine.
  521. >After meeting with Lancer in the morning to take care of meaningless formalities, you delivered the letters to him.
  522. >And made sure that you got his word that they would not be opened until one of your criteria had been met.
  523. >After that, you retreated back to your quarters.
  524. >Your ‘room’ is actually comprised of three.
  525. >the main room that you enter into that has your bed, desk, and drawers and cabinets of normal clothes.
  526. >It also has access to the balcony.
  527. >The second room was the smallest of the three, your bathroom.
  528. >But the final one, taking a right as you enter your quarters, was a large walk in closet almost half as large as the main room.
  529. >Or at least it was, until you remodeled it into more of an armory.
  530. >You did keep a rack of more formal clothes, but the other three walls were covered in weapons and a half dozen armor racks dotted the main floor.
  531. >Looking for something to wear to the Gala, you started looking over the clothes you kept.
  532. >Most of them were military dress uniforms modeled after Napoleonic and Victorian styles.
  533. >You saw your old tuxedo, but you decide against wearing it.
  534. >Eventually something catches your eye.
  535. >After changing into it, you find that it still fits perfectly.
  536. >Probably because it’s still one of the newer pieces, six years old you think.
  537. >As you put it back into place, you take note to wear it for the upcoming Gala.
  538. >After today, it’ll be just three days away.
  539.  
  540. >…
  541. >After going over day to day logistics with Lancer, you headed for the Academy.
  542. >Walking across the campus, you could see many students still groggy because it’s Monday.
  543. >A few of them had visible hangovers from the weekend.
  544. >Such is the college life.
  545. >But, you soon passed them and got to the lab.
  546. >As you entered, you only saw Sunburst.
  547. “Where’s Starlight?”
  548. >”Busy schedule today.”
  549. “So, have anything new?”
  550. >”Well I think it’s safe to completely rule out the insects as the culprit you’re looking for.”
  551. >As you approach, you see that he’s staring into the jar of black liquid.
  552. >It’s quite easy to watch it, even though it’s not moving it looks like it’s constantly swirling around.
  553. >You reach out and snap your finger behind his ear.
  554. >”What?”
  555. >He breaks his gaze.
  556. >”Oh, sorry. It’s almost hypnotic.”
  557. “Come on, I’m not paying you to stare at it all day.”
  558. >”Wait, we’re getting paid for this?”
  559. “No.”
  560. >”Well either way, I’m not sure what else there is to do. Starlight and I have run every scientific and magical test imaginable, and then she tired some that weren’t imaginable. Still nothing new.”
  561. “Then find something that gets answers.”
  562. >”Honestly at this point it’s just a waste of my- our time.”
  563. “Right, because I’m sure you have something far better to be doing.”
  564. >”I’m sorry?”
  565. “I’m just saying it wouldn’t be the first time you ducked out of responsibility.”
  566. >”Do… Is there a problem?”
  567. >Seeing as it might be your last chance, might as well air your grievances.
  568. “Yes there is?”
  569. >”I’m doing everything I can here.”
  570.  
  571. “Yes you are, you always have been.”
  572. >”I take it you don’t particularly like me.”
  573. “You were supposed to be Flurry’s crystal-er, or however you pronounce it. Where I’m from, it’s called being a Godparent, and it’s supposed to mean something. But what did you ever do for her? Not much, and then you ran off to Canterlot to take a posting here.”
  574. >”But Celestia herself offered me the position.”
  575. “That’s not the damn point! You were supposed to be there for Flurry, but when you came here you didn’t so much as send a single letter to her or her parents and never even offered to visit.”
  576. >”I-“
  577. “Quiet!”
  578. >He’s visibly shaking from your size and the tone of voice you’ve taken.
  579. “You’ve already made your bed.”
  580. >”It’s just that… well, I’m not… honestly, well I’m awkward with other ponies.”
  581. “That’s no excuse; you were supposed to be family to her. And we both know she needed one.”
  582. >”I… You’re right. I wasn’t.”
  583. >He looks down toward his hooves and stands in silence for a while.
  584. >In the silence, you look towards the black liquid.
  585. >Next to the jar is a microscope with a petri dish under the scope.
  586. >You walk over to it and take a look.
  587. “What’s this I’m supposed to be looking at?”
  588. >”Oh, that. Well I was seeing how the liquid interacted with living tissue. That’s a pony’s blood sample with it.”
  589. >The two liquids are avoiding each other like oil and water.
  590. “Wait.”
  591.  
  592. >”What?”
  593. “Pony blood. You said that it’s magical in nature, right?”
  594. >”Yes, but I’m not sure where you’re going.”
  595. “Get another sample of the liquid.”
  596. >He levitates a dropper over to the jar, and takes a bit out of it.
  597. >As he puts a couple drops into another dish, you reach into your pocket.
  598. >Sunburst switches the samples, and you pull out a pocket knife.
  599. >Flipping it open, you grab a small glass tray.
  600. >You prick your thumb with the knife, and let a drop of your blood fall onto the end of the glass.
  601. >Then look into the microscope as you touch your blood sample to the liquid.
  602. “Is it really so simple?”
  603. >”What?”
  604. >You reach over to the jar and tip a bit of it onto your open palm.
  605. >As the liquid impacts your skin, you hear a slight crackle as it dissolves.
  606. >Dissipate might be the precise word.
  607. >The sample that touched your blood did the same thing.
  608. >”That’s…”
  609. “Every living thing here has some form of magic, even if usually only unicorns can use it…”
  610. >”But you come from a world that completely lacks it…”
  611. “That’s why it looked like a bunch of sting before I touched it, that’s what caused it to liquidate…”
  612. >”So your cells are like poison to it…”
  613. “And that means I can kill it.”
  614.  
  615. >”Not just that, you’re the only known entity that could.”
  616. “That still doesn’t answer the question. What exactly is ‘it’?”
  617. >”It’s an extremely potent magic; it has to come from somepony or something.”
  618. “So all I need to do is track down whatever is making it...”
  619. >”And all of its magic might just dissipate.”
  620. “Wait wait wait, it was in my brain. Why didn’t it just die there?”
  621. >He moves a hood to his chin as he thinks.
  622. >”What if… The insect was a just a medium?”
  623. “How so?”
  624. >”Well some magic types are exponentially harder to keep going over distance. Whatever casted this kind is possibly thousands of miles away. If they used the insects as a carrier though…”
  625. “Like an extension cord.”
  626. >”And by using them, it was never in direct contact with your cells. Ergo, it was able to try and exert control over you by using the insect as a conduit.”
  627. “Haha, you’re a genius Sunburst!”
  628. >You reach down and pull him into a bear hug.
  629. >”I- I- Thank you? Can’t breathe.”
  630. >You release him from your grasp.
  631. “Go east and kill the source.”
  632. >”I doubt that will be an easy feat.”
  633. “No, but I know it’s doable now.”
  634. >For the first time in months you know how to save Flurry.
  635. >And the other Princesses.
  636. “It makes sense though, it’s been too long since there’s been some big magical type apocalypse threatening Equestria.”
  637. >”They weren’t THAT common.”
  638. “When I first got here it was at least twice a year.”
  639. >”We had a bad few years…”
  640. >He says while shrugging.
  641. “Now if you’d excuse me, there’s someone I need to inform about this”
  642. >…
  643. “So I just need to get over there and kill whatever’s causing it.”
  644. >Lancer raises and eyebrow.
  645. >”And it’s that simple?”
  646. “Of course not, I’ve still got to traverse dangerous and semi-uncharted waters, then search across one or possible multiple continents to find where it is.”
  647. >”Just another day at the office…”
  648.  
  649. “I’ve been in worse situations.”
  650. >”We both know that’s a lie.”
  651. “Look at it like this; after it’s is all over I’ll always be able to say that I’ve had worse.”
  652. >”Always the optimist.”
  653. >Your attention is drawn to the door as Major Thunder enters the room with a sack.
  654. “Marshal, General.”
  655. >He walks over to Lancer and places the sack on the table in front of him.
  656. “The last batch of responses about the gala.”
  657. “Thank you Major, why don’t you join us?”
  658. >You notice Thunder pause for a moment with the slightest unsure look on his face.
  659. >But he promptly takes a seat around the table.
  660. >“Now where was I?”
  661. “I think-“
  662. >”Right! Now, I’d guess that your little expedition will make our march back in the Yak Invasion look like a walk in the Palace gardens.”
  663. “That was a long time ago.”
  664. >”This was before your time Thunder. Long story short, command launched a counter offensive against the yaks in winter.”
  665. >”That doesn’t make any sense.”
  666. “How do you think I made general so quickly?”
  667. >”And I followed on your coat tail the entire way.”
  668. >Lancer continues the story.
  669. >”Now, our brave Captain deserted, leaving the surviving fifty men on their own far behind enemy lines. I was a Sergeant, Anon was a Lieutenant and the next in command. And when he takes over he let us rest before heading back south to the front lines.”
  670. “It was a bad plan, I wasn’t about to let fifty men freeze in the snow.”
  671. >”We had got caught in more blizzards than I can remember, the group was over two hundred before attrition kicked in and before the Captain turned tail and ran.”
  672.  
  673. “What finally made him quit?”
  674. >”In the first skirmish we got in, he nearly got cornered by a few yaks. So he took flight and didn’t stop till he reached the nearest friendly city. For his troubles he got a dishonorable discharge. But, we were still left with no supply line and in enemy territory.”
  675. >“That’s when you discovered the enemy army reforming and triggered an avalanche to bury it. They still tell the story in Basic Training.”
  676. >”Well what they don’t tell you in Basic, is that we’d gone four days without food before that battle. And by the time we got back to our own lines, twenty of the survivors had lost limbs to frostbite. After the Captain deserted a couple of our guys even took a dive off of the cliff sides we were going through, rather than continue going on.”
  677. >”That’s…”
  678. >”I don’t need your pity, boy.”
  679. >Lancer points his hoof at you.
  680. >”That man is the only reason that anypony came back alive. And soon he’ll be going through something that’ll make it look like a picnic on a warm summer day.”
  681. “At least it’ll be warm.”
  682. >Lancer chuckles a few times before speaking once more.
  683. >”That song you had us sing, you told me the meaning of it. What was the last phrase?”
  684. >He then starts (badly) humming Yuki no Shingun.
  685. “Anyway, the intention wasn’t to let us return alive. Give or take”
  686. >”That’s horrible.”
  687. >Thunder adds.
  688. “It’s an incredibly upbeat March about dying in the snow, what would you expect?”
  689. >”Not having a song for the occasion at all.”
  690.  
  691. “If it doesn’t end with at least the possibility of a gruesome death due to the realities of war, then it’s not worth it.”
  692. >”I’d disagree.”
  693. >Lancer starts.
  694. >”The focus of a March should be on the romanticized view, not the realistic.”
  695. “No, the March is about the historic or planned exploits of the military, and if it doesn’t include at least the mention of death then it’s missed it’s a just a theme not a March.”
  696. >Thunder speaks up.
  697. >”Isn’t there something more important to do than discussing the semantics of what constitutes a military March.”
  698. >”Absolutely not.”
  699. >Thunder simply nods towards the mound of letters falling out of the sack he brought.
  700. “He’s got a point.”
  701. >”Well I don’t suppose you have the time to help me sort through these?”
  702. “Why do you think I gave the job to you?”
  703. >Lancer lets out a long sigh of sorrow as he stares at the letters before him.
  704. “Besides, I’ve got some incredibly important work I’ve got to do before I set out.”
  705. >That night and the following days, you barely did a single thing.
  706. >It sounds rather silly, but with how your life has been the days where you literally had nothing to do were few and far between.
  707. >So you sat in the library most of the time, browsing Classical Equestrian literature.
  708. >The night before the Gala was scheduled you then went to see the Canterlot Symphony Orchestra.
  709. >And there was a healthy amount of drinking throughout the entire time.
  710. >What can you say, you have slightly refined tastes.
  711. >But, you eventually woke up on the morning of the Gala.
  712. >Most of the officers that were sent invitations arrived early, but only the highest ranked ones were allowed in before the others.
  713. >At ten in the morning, you found yourself around the meeting table with Generals Lancer and Wave, Brigadier Offense, and Admiral Brairheart.
  714. “To think that the last time we all met, was at the start of this war…”
  715.  
  716. >”It is quite the gathering.” Wave says quizzically.
  717. >”So who are we fighting next?” Offense boasts loudly.
  718. >”Hasn’t there been enough already?” Brairheart counters.
  719. >”Never.” Offense says with a wide grin.
  720. >”Well we do have a bit of time to kill.” Lancer quips.
  721. “My thoughts exactly.”
  722. >You reach into your pocket and pull out a deck of cards.
  723. >Then you give a sharp whistle towards the door, and Major Thunder enters.
  724. >Carrying four large sacks of coin.
  725. >Everyone’s next pay checks actually.
  726. >As you begin shuffling the deck, you speak:
  727. “Alright, the game is standard hold ‘em, aces high of course. I’ll be first dealer.”
  728. >”Isn’t this illegal.” Brairheart asks.
  729. >”Of course you’d be the ONE officer in the entire nation to enforce that rule.” Offense jokes.
  730. “Well as Chancellor, I hereby rescind that regulation.”
  731. >”But that takes half of the fun out of it.” Offense states.
  732. >As all of the coin has been doled out, you pat the empty chair to your left.
  733. “Sit down Thunder, you might just learn something.”
  734. >”Sir, I don’t have any-“
  735. >You slide half of your coin over to the empty spot.
  736. “Consider it an order.”
  737. >”Bout time we had some new blood in on these.” Lancer deadpans.
  738. >With everyone seated, you started dealing out the cards.
  739. >Going clockwise the order was Thunder, Offense, Wave, Brairheart, Lancer, and back to you.
  740. >Lancer is a pretty well balanced player.
  741. >Brairheart folds rather easily.
  742. >Offense bets and bluffs too much.
  743. >You still don’t know Wave’s tell, and after you he’s probably the best at poker.
  744. >And Thunder is a wildcard; you haven’t seen him play before.
  745. >Time to clear the table.
  746.  
  747. >Hours started to drift by, and coin was shifted with each passing round.
  748. >Offense was the first to bust; having went all in against Wave.
  749. >And his bluff was called.
  750. >Next was Lancer, having been whittled down too much.
  751. >Followed closely by Brairheart.
  752. >Leaving Thunder, Wave and yourself as the last remaining players.
  753. >Each of you had a similar sized pot remaining.
  754. >And that didn’t change much after another hour of betting.
  755. >Eventually, you and Wave both went all in.
  756. >With two kings, two aces, and an eight on the table.
  757. >”Four of a kind, kings.”
  758. “Four of a kind, aces.”
  759. >Leaving just you and Thunder.
  760. >Offense and Lancer actually started making bets on which of you would win in the end.
  761. >Lancer, ever a trusted companion, bet against you.
  762. >After a few hands, Thunder went all in.
  763. >On the table was an eight of spades, two of hearts, ten of spades, king of diamonds, and a six of spades.
  764. >You went in as well.
  765. >Thunder laid out his hand.
  766. >”Straight flush.”
  767. >He had the seven and nine of spades.
  768. >You revealed your own hand.
  769. “Two pair, twos and kings.”
  770. >”You… let me win?”
  771. >Offense immediately blurts out:
  772. >”That doesn’t count Lancer!”
  773. “Actually, it does count. If you’d have remembered, each time there’s a new player at the table, I let them win. Lancer simply caught on to it.”
  774. >”But why do you let them win?” Thunder inquires.
  775. “Because it’s not about the money, it’s about the ability to read and understand who you work with. Also, your right wing gets tense when you’re bluffing.”
  776. >”Enjoy your winnings kid; it won’t be so easy next time.” Lancer adds.
  777. “Now, I’ve enjoyed this afternoon, but it’s about time for me to get properly dressed for the evening. If you’d excuse me.”
  778.  
  779. >…
  780. >Back in your room you started undressing.
  781. >More importantly, you began running through speech ideas in your head.
  782. >This is the biggest public appearance you’ll have done since taking the capitol, and a bit of spectacle here will be crucial to keep stability.
  783. >And spectacle is why you’ve chosen as you have.
  784. >Stepping into your wardrobe/armory, you approach one of the armor stands.
  785. >Because tonight, you won’t be in uniform.
  786. >Before you was an armor set that you had custom made a few years ago.
  787. >You’d like to think that Caesar himself would have worn something similar.
  788. >Okay, you had it styled off of General Tullius’ armor, but no pony knows that.
  789. >After you tighten the various straps on the gilded steel plate, you settle into the boots and bracers.
  790. >The breeze between your legs is actually quite comfortable.
  791. >You decided to leave your sword behind, seeing as its sheathe would just probably bump into too many objects and people.
  792. >But, you did strap a matching dagger to the side of it.
  793. >After all, you wouldn’t want the people to see you fully disarmed.
  794. >With everything set, you left your room.
  795. >You did decide against donning a laurel wreath, that would be pushing it a bit too far.
  796. >But, you started making your way to the hall where the guests would soon be let in.
  797. >Specifically towards one of the balconies where you would welcome them.
  798. >As you approached, you could hear murmurs from the ponies gathered below.
  799. >As you stepped into view, the guards posted in the hall stood at attention.
  800. >Noticing it, the various officers that were invited followed suit.
  801. >And eyes were on you.
  802. “Friends, Ponies, Countrymen, lend me your ears.”
  803.  
  804. >You wait until the words finish reverberating throughout the hall.
  805. >With quick scan, you don’t notice Discord in the crowd.
  806. “… Well go on then, drink up and enjoy yourselves. After all, it is a party.”
  807. >Below the crowd is left confused at the lack of a real speech, some applause while most simply stand there.
  808. >But they soon turn attention back to their previous affairs.
  809. >Towards the eastern side of the hall, a small orchestra begins to play.
  810. >They’ll mostly be playing classical styled music, with the odd Prussian-esque military march here and there.
  811. >But they opened with a slower piece, and much of the floor was cleared as couples began to waltz.
  812. >You turned to head to the nearest staircase.
  813. >Many of the rooms adjacent to the hall contained smaller groups of guests, and as you passed them you gave the courtesy response to their greetings.
  814. >But, you continued heading for the designated entrance.
  815. >The soldiers posted there saluted as you passed, and took a look at the guest list.
  816. >Discord didn’t reply saying that he would attend, but you see his signature next to his name.
  817. >”Looking for me?”
  818. >You hear the oh so familiar voice call out from behind you.
  819. >As you turn, you see him about five feet away.
  820. >In a Human form, wearing a dark brown pinstripe suit.
  821. >His tie matches his eyes, yellow and red striped down to his right.
  822. “Human form still doesn’t suit you.”
  823. >”What’s the problem, pilgrim? This Palace ain’t big enough for the two of us?”
  824. “Quit impersonating John Wayne.”
  825. >”It’s amusing that you stocked so much alcohol, but still manage to be an utter buzzkill.”
  826.  
  827. “Look, we both know what’s about to happen, you can choose the easy way or the hard way.”
  828. >”What are you going to do? Punch m-“
  829. >As he speaks you step forward to deliver a right hook.
  830. >You hear him snap his fingers, but nothing occurs.
  831. >Other than your fist connecting with the left side of his face, sending him to his knees as he recoils from it.
  832. >He spits out on the ground as a bloody tooth leaves his mouth.
  833. >”What?”
  834. >He then rushes back to his feet and begins snapping his fingers.
  835. >Quite vigorously.
  836. >Eventually the gears in his head start turning.
  837. >”Well well, looks like you’ve finally grown a brain.”
  838. >You’ve been waiting almost twenty-six years to properly punch him.
  839. “I figured you were watching and knew that I’d try to stop you from being able to teleport. So, inside of a magic dampening cell, I had a conversation with the strongest unicorns in my service. That dampening field might be more than a bit stronger than you would have expected.”
  840. >”That’s cheating.”
  841. “Call it a house rule.”
  842. >He eyes the exit.
  843. “I wouldn’t try that.”
  844. >Realizing that you’re on a level playing field, he immediately turns and starts running deeper into the Palace.
  845.  
  846. >As you follow you see him enter the main hall.
  847. >Crossing the threshold after him, you’ve lost visual.
  848. >Looking over to your left, you see a grouping of tables.
  849. >The cloth overhanging the nearest one swaying back and forth.
  850. >You start waling over to it.
  851. >Reaching down you pull up the tablecloth.
  852. >Hiding like a frightened child.
  853. >You reach in and grab him by the front of his shirt.
  854. >Getting him to his feet, you slam him against the nearest wall.
  855. >Some of the nearby ponies start watching and whispering to each other.
  856. >”You’re making a scene Generalfeldmarschell.”
  857. “You’ve had this coming for decades. So, the easy or hard way?”
  858. >He sheepishly starts chuckling.
  859. >”Easy.”
  860. “Not so tough without your magic, eh?”
  861. >”But! I want to be able to enjoy myself before I tell you anything.”
  862. “You can have as much time as you want.”
  863. >”Wait, really?”
  864. “Absolutely, I’ve had a cell downstairs prepared in case you wanted to stall for time.”
  865. >”I’m flattered that you thought of everything.”
  866. >You release him and motion over to the exit of the hall.
  867. >”Fine, you win.”
  868. >He then mutters under his breath:
  869. >”For now…”
  870. >Before returning to his normal volume.
  871. >”Alright, let’s go talk.”
  872. “If you try running I’ll break your legs.”
  873. >”Message received Herr Anonymous.”
  874. >You start leading him towards empty areas of the Palace.
  875.  
  876. “You know Discord, this is almost poetic.”
  877. >”You’re an armchair poet now?”
  878. “I’m guessing it was hubris that brought you here.”
  879. >”Ah yes, “Hubris.”
  880. >He turns around and air quotes, then keeps on walking backwards.
  881. >”What could the puny human do to the great and powerful Discord?”
  882. >He turns back around and continues walking normally.
  883. >”If you must know, I came here to tell you everything that I know.”
  884. “A like-“
  885. >”Yes, yes, a likely story. Was it so strange that I helped you before?”
  886. “Yes, it was.”
  887. >By now you’ve reached an empty hallway, one of the stained glass hallways.
  888. >”Still not over the whole ‘pulled you across dimensional barriers into a foreign universe’ thing?”
  889. “You’re the self–confessed spirit of chaos, and a pathological liar.”
  890. >”A bit of reversed gravity never hurt anything.”
  891. “Keep telling yourself that.”
  892. >”A bit of reversed gravity never hurt anything.”
  893. “You already said that.”
  894. >”Shut up, it was an aside. You should really start reading the script.”
  895. “I… On second thought, fine.”
  896. >”Just wait till the end, oh you’ll cry.”
  897. “Discord. Back to the point.”
  898. >”Right right right, well honestly there isn’t much else I can say. You’ve pretty much learned everything that I know.
  899. “Why do I find that hard to believe?”
  900. >”Because contrary to popular belief, I am not omnipotent or omniscient.”
  901. “Go on then.”
  902. >”You know how a certain activity happened to bring you here?”
  903. “All too well.”
  904. >”Well you weren’t the first. Back during my initial reign I may, completely accidentally, brought something here that made the eastern lands even more inhospitable.”
  905. “You what!”
  906.  
  907. >”And after it assimilated everything in a hundred mile radius, I vowed never to go trans-dimensional golfing ever again. But it’s just so fun, and a thousand or so years later, you got dragged here too.”
  908. “So that’s why you feel responsible. It has nothing to do with me, it never has; you just want your mess cleaned up.”
  909. >”Oh don’t look at me like that, it changes nothing. So what if it happens to sweep away a proverbial skeleton in the closet?”
  910. “And that’s really all you know.”
  911. >”Scouts honor.”
  912. >He crosses his eyes, forms a strange pouty grin, and salutes with his first two fingers.
  913. >”Besides, you’re right in thinking that if you deal with the source then little Flurry will be freed.”
  914. >You reach out and deliver another right hook, causing him to recoil away.
  915. >”Is it all out of your system yet.”
  916. “You’re pathetic.”
  917. >”Sticks and stones.”
  918. “So why didn’t you just deal with it yourself?”
  919. >”I was going to, but a pair of certain Princesses decided to turn me into stone. Now it’s too strong.”
  920. “Really? It’s too strong for you?”
  921. >”It uses extra-dimensional magic that is stronger than almost anything I’ve seen in this world. And it’s had over a thousand years to build up its power. So yes, it’s too strong. Thankfully I know my own extra-dimensional being that is immune to magic...”
  922. “Bastard.”
  923. >”Language!”
  924. “Bite me.”
  925. >He pauses as if he’s actually considering it.
  926. >”So, now that the shark has been jumped, can I go?”
  927. “Just… go on.”
  928. >You’ve just about had enough of all of this.
  929. >”Oh, and would you mind turning down the dampening field?”
  930. “And why should I?”
  931. >”Party tricks of course!”
  932. “You have a lot of nerve, you know that?”
  933. >”Pretty please with sugar on top?”
  934. “You know what? Fine! Just get out of my face.”
  935. >You need a drink.
  936. >Or maybe a dozen.
  937.  
  938. >…
  939. >You down another shot.
  940. >This is just great.
  941. >On top of every single thing that’s been happening over the past months, you’re just a cosmic plaything.
  942. >Honestly you let Discord off pretty easily.
  943. >But at this point you just don’t care.
  944. “Yes Lancer, I’m leaving tomorrow.”
  945. >You’re currently sitting next to your friend at one of the bars you’ve had set up.
  946. >”At this rate the only thing you’ll be doing tomorrow is having a hangover.”
  947. “I know my limit.”
  948. >”Never heard that one before…”
  949. >He stays silent after that as you wave over for a beer.
  950. >Taking a sip of it, you start looking over the crowd.
  951. >Discord has hijacked the piano and is leading a show tune.
  952. >Over on the far wall, you see that some of your men have set up a dart board.
  953. >Wave and Offense are currently going against each other.
  954. >And it seems they’ve substituted darts with throwing knives.
  955. >Wave casually scores three bull’s-eyes before walking away.
  956. >Of all the ponies that have ever been on your side, he is the only one that’s even come close to scaring you.
  957. >It’s like Joseph Stalin met Roose Bolton.
  958.  
  959. >One of the other bars has been taken over by a group of ponies that you haven’t seen for over two decades.
  960. >Twilight’s old friends are catching up.
  961. >If memory serves correctly, most of them went their own ways.
  962. >Applejack fully took over the farm after her grandmother passed.
  963. >Rarity has a rather successful brand and is occupied by CEO work.
  964. >Rainbow Dash is the captain of the Wonderbolts, rumor is that she’s grooming a replacement.
  965. >Pinkie and Fluttershy do… something, you’re not actually sure what, but they stayed in their home town.
  966. >Spike the dragon has grown a bit and spends most of his time with his own people; he’s probably the reason why there hasn’t been an actual war with the dragons.
  967. >Starlight of course heads up the Magical Practice department in the Royal Academy.
  968. >The trio of younger ones have stayed together, and have grown quite a bit since you last saw them.
  969. >You were never particularly close to any of them, Starlight was the only one that you didn’t only see in passing.
  970. >Moving your eyes once again, you see a group of officers flirting shamelessly with some of the female guests.
  971. >Over more, you see Brairheart and Thunder talking, probably sharing war stories.
  972. >Next to Thunder is his wife, looks like a few of the officers got some plus one tickets.
  973. >”Come on then.”
  974. >Lancer tells you as he starts to stand.
  975. “What?”
  976. >”You told me to get ready, and if we’re doing it, it’s happening while you can still form a cohesive sentence.”
  977. “Right. Is there a bar there?”
  978. >”Everything is set up just like that celebration back when we took the capitol in the First Coast War.”
  979. “Excellent.”
  980. >You stand up from the bar stool, grab you beer and start following him to a different room.
  981.  
  982. >Down the hallway is another decent sized room.
  983. >Maybe thirty by fifty feet.
  984. >At the far end of the room, some DJ is set up blasting the bass.
  985. >A lot of bass.
  986. >On the western wall is another impromptu bar.
  987. >There are a few chairs and couches set up, and in an open area on the east side is an eight by three table.
  988. >At the end of one side, a soldier embraces another then goes to boast.
  989. >”Come on, five games undefeated! Who’s next?”
  990. “Right here.”
  991. >You wave over to the ponies as you and Lancer take up a position on the (now) empty side.
  992. >”No offense Sir, but aren’t you two a bit old for this?”
  993. >That’s adorable.
  994. “Who you calling old?”
  995. >Lancer then speaks:
  996. >”Hey, we’ll always spring to the occasion to put a pair of cocky ‘youngsters’ in their place.”
  997. >One of them comes back with refreshed cups, and slides yours over to you.
  998. >”Heh, you’re funeral. But we won’t go easy just because of rank.”
  999. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
  1000. >The other one speaks up:
  1001. >”But, I think we’ll give you first go. Think of it as our handicap.”
  1002. >Their funeral.
  1003. >They toss a pair of ping pong balls over.
  1004. >You take a swig of your beer before setting it out of the way and glancing over to Lancer.
  1005. “No mercy?”
  1006. >”No mercy.”
  1007. >Let the Beer Pong begin.
  1008. >You take the first toss, landing in the back left corner cup.
  1009. >Lancer tosses his own in the back right.
  1010. “If I’ve got my rules right, we get those back.”
  1011. >The soldiers toss the balls back at you.
  1012. >”Beginners luck.”
  1013. >You and Lancer proceed to clear their side of the table in a shutout victory.
  1014. “Who do you think introduced this game, boy? Now be a good loser and fetch me a bottle of Vodka.”
  1015.  
  1016. >Lancer then speaks to you.
  1017. >”Looks like we’ve still got it.”
  1018. “I think we can go easy in the next few rounds.”
  1019. >”Wouldn’t want to scare away the competition.”
  1020. “HEY!”
  1021. >You yell to the room.
  1022. “Someone get Wave and Offense in here; tell them that it’s time for the rematch.”
  1023. >They’re the only team to win against you and Lancer consistently.
  1024. >But at the end of every night you’ve done this, you end up tied for total wins against the other.
  1025. >You look back to Lancer.
  1026. “We’re putting them in their place before I go.”
  1027. >”With pleasure.”
  1028. >…
  1029. “Son of a…”
  1030. >”Don’t worry; we’ll get them after they beat their next pair.”
  1031. “If we don’t, I’m busting you back to Private.”
  1032. >”You don’t mean that.”
  1033. “Look at how much is gone from this bottle, does it look like I don’t mean it!”
  1034. >You and Lancer are sitting on a nearby couch as Wave and Offense let a few other pairs of competitors try their hoof at beating them.
  1035. >The room’s total population has about doubled since word has spread that the Leaders are going against one another.
  1036. “You know Lancer; I’m sure that no matter what happens, my legacy amongst college students is sealed.”
  1037. >”It’s become quite popular ever since you invented it.”
  1038. “I didn’t invent it, I just brought it here.”
  1039. >”Right.”
  1040. “And history will remember how I reduced one of the Galas to a glorified Frat party.”
  1041. >”Cheers.”
  1042. >You clink your bottle to his mug of beer.
  1043. “Cheers.”
  1044.  
  1045. >…
  1046. >With three more games against Lancer and Wave, you’ve won two and lost two.
  1047. >And now they’re saying about how they’re ‘done for the night’.
  1048. “Cowards! Yeah that’s right, run back to the main hall!”
  1049. >You yell at them as they flee the room.
  1050. >”Actually, I think I’m done for the night as well.”
  1051. “Et tu, Brute?”
  1052. >”I promised Brairheart that I’d meet his wife.”
  1053. “Well go on Lancer.”
  1054. >You look over at a clock on the wall.
  1055. >It’s not even ten yet.
  1056. >You begin to head back for the main hall, making sure to bring your bottle along.
  1057. >As you pass back into the main hall, noting major has changed.
  1058. >Although Discord and Pinke are both atop one of the chandeliers, singing a duet of some kind.
  1059. >Your heavily buzzed mind doesn’t pay it much attention.
  1060. >You start heading over to Thunder and his wife, who are just sitting at a table after having danced together.
  1061. >”Sir.”
  1062. “At ease, it’s a party.”
  1063. >You pull out a chair and sit.
  1064. “You know Winter, Anon is a great name for a child, boy or girl.”
  1065. >”I’ll… keep it in mind.”
  1066. “I’m joking. So how’s the pregnancy going?”
  1067. >“Alright all things considered. I’m still working; it has only been a couple months.”
  1068. “Also for what it’s worth I’m sorry to have taken Thunder away from you so much.”
  1069. >”I’m used to it; it’s a military family after all.”
  1070. “Right, send my regards to your father.”
  1071. >”Will do.”
  1072.  
  1073. “Seriously though, Anon.”
  1074. >She laughs.
  1075. >”It is better than what Thunder came up with.”
  1076. >”I’m sitting right here.”
  1077. “Shush, the adults are having a conversation. What was his idea?”
  1078. >”Purple Rain.”
  1079. “Hahaha, never took you for a Prince fan, Thunder.”
  1080. >”Who?”
  1081. >Thunder asks.
  1082. “Never you mind. So Winter, was it that much of a hassle for you to come down here for the Gala?”
  1083. >”Not really, honestly I just took a pair of sick days. Nopony knows I’m actually just down here.”
  1084. “You’ll get in trouble that way.”
  1085. >”Who hasn’t faked a sick day or two?”
  1086. “Well I’m sure they’d be utterly lost without you.”
  1087. >Your then cut off as a chandelier comes crashing down.
  1088. “DISCORD!”
  1089.  
  1090. >You leave the table to approach the wreckage.
  1091. >At least no one was hit by it.
  1092. >As Discord wipes dust and shards of glass off of his suit, he immediately points to Pinkie.
  1093. >”She did it.”
  1094. >”Nuh uh, he did.”
  1095. >You reach up with your free hand and squeeze the bridge of your nose.
  1096. “Just... fix it.”
  1097. >You did tell the guards to lower the dampening field.
  1098. >Right?
  1099. >Looking back up, you see Discord snap his fingers, prompting an unrelated chandelier to start falling.
  1100. >Thankfully, you see it encompassed by Starlight’s magical aura before it impacts the orchestra.
  1101. “Fix. Now.”
  1102. >Discord works his magic, and both of the chandeliers are repaired and put back into place.
  1103. >”Oh, while I have you…”
  1104. “What do you want?”
  1105. >”I got you a present!”
  1106. >Discord reaches behind his back and starts pulling something out.
  1107. >”It’s an oldie, but a goodie.”
  1108. >He procures a golden scepter; the top of it is adorned with a bust of your face.
  1109. >And it has the most obnoxious grin.
  1110. “I hate you, you know that.”
  1111. >”I just KNEW that you’d love it!”
  1112. >You then mutter under your breath.
  1113. “Why didn’t I kill you when I could have?”
  1114. >”You’re a bit preoccupied right now, so I’ll just leave it with a guard when the night is over.”
  1115. “I mean, I had him. Right there. And I didn’t just get it done with.”
  1116. >”Now if you’d excuse me, the other room could use a bit of my magic.”
  1117. >Discord turns and starts walking.
  1118. >”Oh Fluttershy, I’ve got a game to teach you.”
  1119. “It would have been so simple… it’s not too late, is it?”
  1120. >You know what…
  1121. >You don’t want to remember the rest of the night.
  1122. >Bringing your bottle up to your mouth, you down a copious amount of alcohol.
  1123. >What could possibly go wrong?
  1124.  
  1125. >…
  1126. >God, your head.
  1127. >You distinctly remember drunkenly singing Fredericus Rex.
  1128. >You may have confiscated one of the violinist’s bows and used it as an impromptu swagger stick during the song.
  1129. >And there was Starlight… in a broom closet.
  1130. >Afterwards you drank more of, well, everything.
  1131. >Your memory is blank after that.
  1132. >At least you’re in your bed.
  1133. >Naked, but there’s worse places to wake up naked after being drunk.
  1134. >And you’re not covered in vomit, so that’s a plus.
  1135. >As you start to get out of your bed, you notice pieces of your armor thrown around the room.
  1136. >After a nice and long cold shower, you start to get dressed.
  1137. >But then you notice something on your desk’s mirror.
  1138. >It’s written in lipstick.
  1139. >[Thanks for the night]
  1140. >[-The C.M.C.]
  1141. >Each of those letters are drawn in a different shade of lipstick.
  1142. >And under each of them is a heart drawn in the matching shade.
  1143. >Oh God.
  1144. >Maybe you shouldn’t drink so much…
  1145. >…
  1146. >”And that about finishes the costs in property damage.”
  1147. “Better than I feared, worse than I hoped.”
  1148. >”But there are quite a few rumors going around about yo-.”
  1149. “That’ll be all Lancer.”
  1150. >”If you say so.”
  1151. >He knows not to press that any further.
  1152. >”Then I suppose that would bring us to your departure.”
  1153. “I’ve already packed a few days ago; I’ll be taking a dozen pegasi with me.”
  1154. >”Just pegasi?”
  1155. “If things don’t go according to plan, they’ll scatter and get word back to you. If that happens, I expect a siege within the month.”
  1156. >”Understood, I’ll have of my officers ready.”
  1157. “But, if I can negotiate access, I’ll be sailing immediately.”
  1158. >”Sir?”
  1159. “You heard me.”
  1160. >”I… understood.”
  1161. “There’s nothing more to say Lancer.”
  1162. >”Just… Good luck.
  1163. “Keep the nation safe.”
  1164. >”I will.”
  1165. >You push out from your chair and walk over to his seat, then place your hand on his shoulder.
  1166. “Goodbye, old friend.”
  1167. >”If you die out there, I’m retiring.”
  1168.  
  1169. “Never going to happen.”
  1170. >”You dying or me retiring?”
  1171. >You give a slight grin to Lancer before you turn and start walking to the door.
  1172. >As you open it, his voice calls out after you.
  1173. >”Sir.”
  1174. >You turn back to face him.
  1175. >He’s standing, and gives a salute.
  1176. >”It’s been an honor.”
  1177. >You return the salute.
  1178. “The honor was mine.”
  1179. >And so you left the meeting room for, perhaps, the final time.
  1180. >…
  1181. >You made one last trip to your quarters.
  1182. >Once inside, you went for your lockbox.
  1183. >After spinning the combination open, you looked inside of it.
  1184. >You let the picture be, but grabbed the other item and slipped it into your left shirt pocket.
  1185. >And then went to meet your men.
  1186. >…
  1187. >In the Palace gardens you found your chariot ready to take flight.
  1188. >Inside of it was your luggage- a single backpack with the necessary equipment to survive off of the land.
  1189. >Your sword was strapped to your belt.
  1190. >And you were wearing a simple set of olive fatigues, and the sturdiest boots you owned.
  1191. >Stepping onto the chariot, you took one last look at the Palace.
  1192. “I’m gonna save you kiddo.”
  1193. >You whisper to yourself before addressing your men.
  1194. “Alright, you know the flight path. Move!”
  1195. >The distance you’ll be covering won’t be that great, but because you’re departing in the afternoon, the men will need to rest when night falls.
  1196. >But after that it should only be another hour or so before the target appears on the horizon.
  1197. >Nothing to do but wait.
  1198.  
  1199. >…
  1200. >You awoke the next morning; thankfully yesterday’s hangover has passed.
  1201. >Just out of your path was a small military outpost used as a training camp, so you had your course adjusted to rest there.
  1202. >Your fliers deserved proper beds after flying for so long.
  1203. >But as soon as food was in their bellies, it was back to the voyage.
  1204. >…
  1205. >Strong winds delayed your trip, but at noon you arrived.
  1206. >Your men set down on a small hill overlooking the destination from the south.
  1207. >As you got off of the chariot, your men started getting out of their rigging.
  1208. “Lieutenant, if I’m not back by nightfall then carry out your orders and return to General Lancer.”
  1209. >”Yes Sir.”
  1210. >You left your backpack behind, and stepped forwards to take a look at the complex below.
  1211. >Shipbreaker.
  1212.  
  1213. >A state of the art star fortress built on the coast.
  1214. >Although the term ‘fort’ doesn’t do it justice.
  1215. >Three quarters of the walls are built on the land, and sturdy enough to withstand any know artillery that could be brought upon it.
  1216. >Inside the walls is a shipyard, and you count a dozen ships of various builds docked inside of it.
  1217. >The rest of their fleet is anchored outside of the walls.
  1218. >Towards the coast, the walls stop.
  1219. >But a tower of sorts is built where the next corner of the fort would be if it was fully on land.
  1220. >The tower in itself is built in the same style as the walls, but almost twice as reinforced.
  1221. >Built to withstand broadsides from any armada that would attempt to take the Fort.
  1222. >One each side of the tower, a large chain can be raised to deny access to the dockyard inside.
  1223. >Both of the chains are currently down, but could be raised at a moment’s notice.
  1224. >It is the single largest non-city based fortification built in Equestria’s history.
  1225. >And you had a hand in the specifications.
  1226. >All you can do is hope that the negotiations go well, because the few thousand men inside could withstand everything that the nation could throw at it.
  1227. >And you mean everything.
  1228.  
  1229. >So, you started walking down the hillside.
  1230. >Alone.
  1231. >As you reached the bottom of the hill, you could see countless ponies scrambling on the walls.
  1232. >There are no less than two dozen cannons that have a clear line of fire on you.
  1233. >And they were all trained for you.
  1234. >As you started up the glacis towards the main gate, the doors started opening.
  1235. >”Halt.”
  1236. >They stop you about ten feet before entering the Fort.
  1237. >”We’ve been ordered to have you disarm before being allowed entry.”
  1238. >The Lady of the Admiralty did include that in her letter.
  1239. “I know her terms.”
  1240. >You start unhooking your sword from your belt.
  1241. >An earth pony is sent to take it from you
  1242. >Then you unhook your dagger.
  1243. >Remove the two brass knuckles you’ve got in your pockets.
  1244. >Take out the throwing knife you keep in your right boot.
  1245. >And the one kept in your left.
  1246. >As the pony struggles to keep them in his grasp, you quip:
  1247. “That’s it. And I expect them undamaged.”
  1248. >You hear one of the ponies beyond the gate whistle, and another pony comes over to pat you down.
  1249. >”He’s clean.”
  1250. >”Then he may proceed.”
  1251. >Based on the booming baritone, you assume that one to be an officer.
  1252. >As you start forward, the voice continues:
  1253. >”I am Commander Port, and I will be escorting you to our Lady.”
  1254. >Port is wearing a bright red naval uniform, similarly built to those that the Napoleonic era British forces wore.
  1255. >A few other men are wearing similar uniforms, but most aren’t wearing anything.
  1256. >You suppose there’s no sense in being uniformed when just waiting for an attack.
  1257. >He whistles once again, and a few dozen men surround you, weapons pointed.
  1258. “Am I a guest or a prisoner?”
  1259. >”That isn’t for me to decide, but given your reputation the armed escort seems a bit small.”
  1260. “Fair enough. Take me to your leader.”
  1261. >You can cross that cliché off of your list.
  1262.  
  1263. >Commander Port turns, and you start following him.
  1264. “So what’s your exact duty?”
  1265. >”I am currently an advisor to the Lady of the Admiralty. Otherwise I captain the HMS Hoof-Hearted.”
  1266. >A slight chuckle escapes you.
  1267. >”Is there a problem?”
  1268. “We have a ship called the ‘Hoof-Hearted’?”
  1269. >”And she’s a fine Man-o-War.”
  1270. “Say it out loud.”
  1271. >”Hoof-Hearted. Yes, doesn’t the name just embody the esprit de corps of this fine Nation?”
  1272. >It was almost comically lost on him.
  1273. “Sure.”
  1274. >”Through here.”
  1275. >The buildings within the walls, although not built to withstand direct fire, are almost all made of stone and could probably hold against the odd shell that went over the walls.
  1276. >He enters one of the buildings closer to the waterfront, and you follow behind.
  1277. >Your escort follows suit behind you.
  1278. >Even inside the building, the strong sent of saltwater is ever present.
  1279. >Port leads you up two flights of stairs, then to the far end of the hallway.
  1280. >He opens the door, revealing an empty office.
  1281. >The office is decorated with both Equestrian and Naval décor.
  1282. >Port approaches the chair in front of the desk at the center of the room.
  1283. >”Sit.”
  1284. >You oblige, but soon a pair of ponies flank you on either side.
  1285. “Handcuffs, really?”
  1286. >Port answers.
  1287. >”A simple security precaution.”
  1288. >A door opens on the far end of the room, and a female voice calls out:
  1289. >”That won’t be necessary, Commander.”
  1290. >The ponies with cuffs back away, and Port salutes.
  1291. >The Lady of the Admiralty continues talking:
  1292. >”After all, we can be civil, can’t we?”
  1293. “Hello Lady Tiara.”
  1294.  
  1295. >She starts walking into the room.
  1296. >Her attire is standard red dress uniform for an officer in the Equestrian navy, but has obviously been custom-tailored for more pomp and circumstance.
  1297. >And she’s wearing enough medals on her chest to make Brezhnev jealous.
  1298. >”Leave us.”
  1299. >On her command, you hear your armed escort start to filter out of the room.
  1300. >”Not you Port.”
  1301. >”Ma’am.”
  1302. >Walking over to the desk, the chair on her side is pulled out as it lights up with one of her soldier’s magical auras.
  1303. >”Let’s get straight to business. Why are you here?”
  1304. >Charming.
  1305. >She sits down at the desk, placing her forelegs atop it and placing her hooves together as she leans forward.
  1306. “Well it all started because about twenty-six years ago, a reality warping demigod decided to go trans-dimensional golfing.”
  1307. >A swift hoof strike connects with the back of your head.
  1308. >You probably deserved that.
  1309. >”At ease Port.”
  1310. >Where’d she find him?
  1311. “In truth, I need a boat.”
  1312. >She laughs a couple times.
  1313. >”And why would I help a traitor? I’m sorry, it should be: why should I help THE traitor?”
  1314. “Well seeing as the entire nation has accepted the regime change with almost no voices speaking against it, wouldn’t that make you the traitor?”
  1315. >Her head is lowered slightly as she stares you down.
  1316. “What are you going to do, have him hit me again?”
  1317.  
  1318. >”Like I said, we can be civil. But the fact is that you’ve broken everything that the entire military has stood for.”
  1319. “I swore my oaths to the nation, to Equestria. Not to Celestia.”
  1320. >”Well in the ROYAL navy, we have sworn those oaths.”
  1321. “But when it comes down to it, you have no choice, not really. You’re a few ships and a couple thousand men against the entire nation.
  1322. >”Ha, you can do better than that. Give me a real reason to surrender.”
  1323. “Then you might want to get comfortable, because it’s quite the story.”
  1324. >So you told her.
  1325. >Everything.
  1326. >About Celestia and the other Princesses.
  1327. >About the bugs and the black liquid/magic.
  1328. >About the East.
  1329. >About Discord.
  1330. >That if you can’t take your voyage, there might not be an Equestria for much longer.
  1331. >…
  1332. >Port closes the sliding iron cell door and locks you in.
  1333. >He’s wearing a stoic look, but you have the distinct feeling that he enjoyed it.
  1334. >But he then turned, and left the cellblock.
  1335. >Lancer better not kill you when he shells the fort.
  1336.  
  1337. >”Cheer up Anon, you know what they say.”
  1338. >The disembodied voice soon takes shape as Discords pops into being on the cell’s bench.
  1339. >”Some things in life are bad; they can really make you mad. Other things just make you swear and curse.”
  1340. “Really?”
  1341. >”When you’re chewing on life’s gristle, don’t grumble- give a whistle, and this’ll help things turn out for the best.”
  1342. “Go on then, bust me out.”
  1343. >”Well that would be too easy.”
  1344. >At least it stopped him from singing.
  1345. “Do you exist solely to irritate me?”
  1346. >”It’s just so fun.”
  1347. “And after decades it hasn’t gotten boring?”
  1348. >”Not really.”
  1349. >You let out a sigh as you walk over to the cell wall.
  1350. >Then place your back to it and slide to the ground.
  1351. >”So cellmate, what are we going to pass time, I suggest we sing.”
  1352. >You place your head into your hands as you prepare for the wait.
  1353. >”Always look on the bright side of life.”
  1354. >It’s going to be a long siege.
  1355.  
  1356. >…
  1357. “But I should have won.”
  1358. >Lancer tips the king piece over.
  1359. >”Yes, you should have. But you didn’t catch that I used four illegal moves.”
  1360. “You cheated?”
  1361. >”An enemy on the actual field would.”
  1362. “So it was a test.”
  1363. >”Something like that.”
  1364. >Lancer begins setting the chess board again,
  1365. >”Look son, you know that we’re grooming you for something greater. Something’s might seem esoteric, but some day you’ll thank me.”
  1366. >General Lancer has been referring to you as ‘son’ rather often today.
  1367. >Probably to imply that he’s still a superior, but is trying to be less formal.
  1368. >With the board set, he starts by moving up his king’s pawn by two squares.
  1369. >Reaching forward you grab your queen, use it to tip his king, the place it in the now-empty square.
  1370. “Never said we had to use legal moves.”
  1371. >”I thought it was implied.”
  1372. “Well the king is gone, you’ve already lost.”
  1373. >You see a slight smirk form on his face.
  1374. >”Maybe there’s hope for you yet. Now follow me.”
  1375. “Where are we going?”
  1376. >”You’ll see in due time.”
  1377.  
  1378. >Lancer begins leading you through the hallways of the Palace.
  1379. >”Anon once told me: If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle. Tell me, do you know yourself?”
  1380. “Sure, I know myself.”
  1381. >”No, think about it. Do you KNOW yourself?”
  1382. “I…”
  1383. >”That pause is all I needed.”
  1384. >You’re not quite sure what he’s getting at.
  1385. >”Do you believe in no-win scenarios?”
  1386. “Given what the Marshal has achieved, no.”
  1387. >”But?”
  1388. “But what?”
  1389. >”Just something to think on…”
  1390. >You really have no idea at what he’s leading on.
  1391. >But you would guess that he’s trying to get you to look at your preconception in a new way.
  1392. >”But remember, every battle- every choice has its consequences. And those consequences could have amazing or dire ramifications eventually.”
  1393. “Okay.”
  1394. >”I tell him something profound, and he replies: ‘okay’. Kids these days…”
  1395. “I just-“
  1396. >”Hold on a second.”
  1397. >He’s led you towards his personal quarters in the Palace.
  1398. >”I need to change out of dress uniform, wait here.”
  1399. “Sir.”
  1400. >With that he enters the room.
  1401. >Leaving you to wait.
  1402. >Did you just hear glass break inside of his room?
  1403.  
  1404. >Probably just your imagination.
  1405. >But that train of thought crashes as you hear the distinct sound of furniture being shattered.
  1406. >Rushing into the room, you see the General leaning against a wall, holding a hoof to his right shoulder.
  1407. >Trying to stop an immense rush of blood.
  1408. >You can see a pegasi flying away from his balcony, with what looks to be a bloody knife in his hoof.
  1409. >”What are you standing there for?”
  1410. >Lancer pauses to cough up blood.
  1411. >”After him!”
  1412. “But Sir-“
  1413. >”Don’t but Sir me, you’re wasting time! It’ll take more than a scratch to kill me.”
  1414. “You’re hurt pretty badly.”
  1415. >”It’s fine, get him and bring him back for questioning you Idiot!”
  1416. >You nod before taking flight after the fleeing pegasi.
  1417. >He’s currently heading east, and as he reaches the cliff side, goes into a nose dive.
  1418. >Flying low, just over the gardens’ tree line, you do similarly.
  1419. >He has a few hundred feet on you, so you tuck in your wings, going fully into a free-fall.
  1420. >As he was still using his wings to slow his descent, you started gaining on him.
  1421. >But you notice him look back, noticing you giving chase.
  1422. >Reaching terminal velocity, you were mere yards away from the attacker.
  1423. >Then he banks hard to the right.
  1424. >Leaving you rapidly drawing closer to the ground below.
  1425. >The immediate rush of air severely strains your wings as you attempt to crash straight into the ground.
  1426. >However just feet from reaching the dirt, you manage to pull up.
  1427. >And then start heading back towards the pegasi.
  1428. >He’s heading north, and tightly hugging the cliff- his dark brown coat making it difficult for you to track him.
  1429. >So you adjusted course closer to the cliff, so that his outline was against blue sky in the distance.
  1430. >He’s a considerably slower flier than you are, but having to dodge rocky outcroppings is limiting your speed.
  1431.  
  1432. >As you press forward, you start flying higher to level out with the fleeing pegasi.
  1433. >Now that you are on the same flight path as he is, you can finally start gaining on him.
  1434. >Assuming that he is flying full out, you just need to wait for his wings to tire out.
  1435. >It’s hard to gauge, but you do think that he is somewhat slowing.
  1436. >Again the distance is nearly closed, but then you see his head turn back once more.
  1437. >Taking the knife in his hoof, he throws it backwards, under his body, at you.
  1438. >You try to move away from the path you’ve been taking, but the blade slices a shallow cut just under your left wing.
  1439. >If it were any higher, you would have been sent plummeting.
  1440. >It might just be the adrenaline, but you think the cut is almost entirely superficial.
  1441. >Either way it’s time to end this.
  1442. >Flying forwards, you take up a position next to the pegasi, and attempt to push him into the cliff.
  1443. >It’s only now that you realize that you’re unarmed.
  1444. >So you ram him with your shoulder.
  1445. >But he had the same idea.
  1446. >As your bodies collide, your flight path is broken as you each begin striking at each other.
  1447. >And the two of you go crashing downwards about ten feet onto a small outcropping.
  1448. >The impact onto the stone is harsh as you fall onto your right side.
  1449. >And you received a fair amount of whiplash as well.
  1450.  
  1451. >You raise your head off of the rock, and rub the side of it with your hoof.
  1452. >As you pull it back, you notice a small amount of blood covering it.
  1453. >Maybe a bit more than whiplash.
  1454. >AS you examine your surroundings, you find yourself on a relatively flat surface, maybe ten feet wide and jutting outwards by five.
  1455. >In front of you, the would-be assassin is reeling from his own wounds.
  1456. >As you stand, you feel a limp in your back right leg.
  1457. “Ah!”
  1458. >Testing it, you think it isn’t that serious.
  1459. >Walking over, the pegasi is attempting to stand as well.
  1460. >Reaching out, you grab the pony by his neck, and slam him against the cliff.
  1461. >Then with your free hoof, you start punching.
  1462. >You were still dazed from the crash, and you’re not sure how many times you struck him.
  1463. >But eventually as his face was covered in blood, you released him.
  1464. >And he slid onto the ground motionless.
  1465. >Is he-
  1466. >No, he’s still breathing.
  1467. >Barely.
  1468. >But something’s not right.
  1469. >Everything feels slow.
  1470. >And your blood feels boiling hot or ice cold.
  1471. >It seems like both.
  1472. >Your back legs fail, and you fall to the ground.
  1473. >The knife.
  1474. >It was poisoned, wasn’t it?
  1475. >Your wings start to go numb, and your front left leg starts giving way.
  1476. >Rolling over, your back is against the cold stone, a cool breeze coming over your body.
  1477. >And your eyes soon closed.
  1478.  
  1479. >…
  1480. >You cough violently as your eyes spring open.
  1481. >Why are you on a cliff?
  1482. >As you look at the bloody pegasi next to you, the memories start coming back to you.
  1483. >You’re not dead, that’s something.
  1484. >The knife did only barely graze you.
  1485. >But the General wasn’t…
  1486. >No, there are plenty of medics posted at the Palace; they would have gotten to him in time.
  1487. >As you start to get back onto your hooves, you can feel a bruise across most of the right side of your body.
  1488. >Thankfully, somehow, your wings feel undamaged.
  1489. >Looking westward, you see that the sun is an hour or two away from setting.
  1490. >It was around noon when you started the chase.
  1491. >You need to get back.
  1492. >Testing your wings, you thing that you have the energy needed to get back while carrying the still-unconscious pegasus with you.
  1493. >So you grabbed him by the shoulders, and took flight.
  1494. >You aren’t that far from Canterlot, so the trip shouldn’t be that bad.
  1495. >…
  1496. >Although you almost dropped the pegasus, on multiple occasions, you soon drew near to the Palace.
  1497. >At the front entrance, you saw Brigadier General Offense speaking to some officers.
  1498. >Flyign to his position, you released the prisoner and landed.
  1499. >”Is that him?”
  1500. >The Brigadier asks in an uncharacteristically solemn tone of voice.
  1501. “Yes Sir.”
  1502. >He nods to his officers who drag the prisoner away.
  1503. >”You look hurt, anything serious?”
  1504. “I don’t think.”
  1505. >He’s also talking at a much lower volume than usual.
  1506. >”Good, because you won’t have time to get checked out anytime soon. We need to act, and we need to do it now.”
  1507. “Is something wrong?”
  1508. >”Lancer was already dead when the nearest guards got to him.”
  1509. “What?”
  1510.  
  1511. >…
  1512. >You’ve been in the cell for quite some time now.
  1513. >At least Discord teleported away an hour or so ago.
  1514. >It’s given you some time to think clearly.
  1515. >Sundown should soon be approaching, and when it does your men will scatter and deliver word back to Lancer.
  1516. >And Tiara will probably send an ultimatum to the capitol.
  1517. >Release the Princesses and submit, or she’ll execute you.
  1518. >But it’s a bluff.
  1519. >And Lancer will call it.
  1520. >She needs you alive; if you’re dead then you have no value as a bargaining chip.
  1521. >So if she got her position because of even the slightest bit of aptitude, she knows that.
  1522. >But then what is her end goal?
  1523. >You know what you’d do.
  1524. >Use the prisoner to draw the army out.
  1525. >Then bait them into assaulting the fort head on.
  1526. >After that it’s a gambit that the fort could break the incoming army.
  1527. >Assuming that the army does route, make a beeline for the Royal Palace.
  1528. >All they need to do is get one man to open Celestia or Luna’s cell.
  1529. >If even one of them gets out, the defenders wouldn’t have a chance against their magic.
  1530. >But Tiara isn’t you.
  1531. >In fact, you have had no experience with her, and have no idea what she could be planning.
  1532. >You know yourself, but not the enemy.
  1533. >For every victory, you will suffer one defeat.
  1534. >And you’d guess that rotting in a cell indefinitely counts as defeat.
  1535. >Your thoughts end as you hear a door open in the hallway.
  1536. >And a pair of hoof steps starts coming down it.
  1537. >You stand and approach the cell door.
  1538. >Tiara soon approaches the cell door; Port is holding a few paces from her.
  1539. “Afraid that I’ve already escaped?”
  1540. >At this range you could easily reach past the bars and grab her neck.
  1541.  
  1542. >All it would take is a single stroke, and she could be dead before any response.
  1543. >It might make the defenders more susceptible to surrender when Lancer sends in the troops.
  1544. >”What you told me, is it true?”
  1545. “Every word.”
  1546. >”I pick the ship, I pick the crew, and I’m going with.”
  1547. >Wait.
  1548. “What?”
  1549. >”Why would you come here, alone and unarmed, with such a preposterous story, unless it was at least partially true?”
  1550. “So you’re letting me out?”
  1551. >”A certain spirit of chaos dropped by and had some words. He assured me that you were telling the truth… and threatened to turn my walls into dust and my ships into stone if I didn’t help you.”
  1552. >That magnificent bastard.
  1553. >”Let’s be clear, I don’t trust you. And if you so much as think of stepping out of line, I will not hesitate to leave you stranded on the nearest island. I’m in charge. And as long as you remain on one of my ships, you do what I say, when I say it.”
  1554. >”Just like that?”
  1555. “If you agree to the terms.”
  1556. “You have my word.”
  1557. >You can hear the slightest of asides from her:
  1558. >”For what little that’s worth.”
  1559. “Well if you’d be so kind as to let me out, my men are about to return with orders to take the fort. And I think that won’t be necessary.”
  1560. >She nods to Commander Port, who retrieves a key.
  1561. >But then reaches out a hoof to stop him from unlocking the cell.
  1562. >”We leave at first light. You’ll have the run of the fort until then, however the Commander will be escorting you the entire time.”
  1563. “Understood.”
  1564. >She lets go of Port, leaving you free to go call off the attack.
  1565.  
  1566. >…
  1567. >”Aright kid, listen up.”
  1568. >Offense is leading you through the Palace, towards the throne room.
  1569. >”I don’t care if it isn’t the ‘proper chain of command’, neither of the others can be allowed to take control. Brairheart is useless and Wave would be a tyrant.”
  1570. “Sir, aren’t you jumping to conclusions to quickly?”
  1571. >He stops you, and turns.
  1572. >Then puts a hoof on your shoulder and looks into your eyes.
  1573. >”Who do you think had Lancer killed? Hmm? Don’t tell me that you don’t think that Wave had his own agenda. We have to stop him here and now, while we can.”
  1574. “But-“
  1575. >”You know how bad things were recently, he’d bring it all back. The work camps, the secret police, ponies ‘disappearing’ in the middle of the night. We stop him now, or else there’s another civil war.”
  1576. “Sir…”
  1577. >”How many died when they blew up part of Canterlot? The answer is too many. I know Wave, and if he’d burn down all of Equestira to win in the end. Lancer and the Anonymous were grooming you for something greater; I need you with me if this is to work. Right here, we can stop countless thousands of deaths. Are you with me?”
  1578. “I… Yes Sir.”
  1579. >”Good, then come on. His supporters are fighting my men and what’s left of Lancer’s are fighting over the throne room right now, we need to get there.”
  1580. “Understood.”
  1581. >Offense looks back to the hallways in front of you, leading you to the distant battle.
  1582.  
  1583. >As you break into the main entrance of the throne room, you see the remains of a battle.
  1584. >Dozens of bloodied ponies lay scattered across the hall, and some of Offense’s men are limping towards the doors as you and the Brigadier enter.
  1585. >At the far end of the room, General Wave is sitting on the throne; at the foot of the steps leading to it are a dozen fully armored soldiers.
  1586. >Their weapons and armor are all coated in blood.
  1587. >Offense yells to his survivors:
  1588. >”On me, it’s not over yet!”
  1589. >He helps one of the downed men to stand back up.
  1590. >”Come on kid, you’ll be okay.”
  1591. >He then starts approaching the throne, stepping over the casualties.
  1592. >The survivors fan out and follow.
  1593. >You move up next to the Brigadier.
  1594. >He stops the advance about twenty feet from Wave’s men, who have raised weapons and are preparing to be charged.
  1595. >”We were friends Wave! How could you just have him killed like that?”
  1596. >General Wave ignores Offense’s yell, and looks down to you.
  1597. >”Is that what he told you?”
  1598. >”Shut up you traitor! Thunder, don’t listen to him.”
  1599. >”Tell me Major, have you even thought about the possibility that it was in fact Offense that had Lancer assassinated?”
  1600. >”You can’t trick him that easily. Unlike you, he actually has a conscious.”
  1601. >Wave continues to ignore the Brigadier.
  1602. >”Thunder, you do know that Offense here was overlooked TWICE for promotion. Once in favor of Lancer, the other in favor of myself. He’s playing you. He knows that he would never advance any further, he’s too impulsive to be given anything higher.”
  1603. >”It’s true Thunder.”
  1604. >Your attention is drawn back to a side entrance to your right.
  1605. >Admiral Brairheart is standing with a splatter of blood across his face.
  1606.  
  1607. >Behind him, a pair of soldiers are dragging the assassin that you brought back.
  1608. >He’s awake, but bound and gagged.
  1609. >”He’s one of Offense’s officers and we found him giving orders to others. They intended to release the Princesses, but we stopped them just in time.”
  1610. >Offense then speaks:
  1611. >”No, not you too Brairheart. We grew up together!”
  1612. >”That only makes it more painful to see you betray Equestria.”
  1613. >General Wave then addresses you again.
  1614. >”Help us apprehend the Brigadier, he already had General Lancer killed and will probably do the same to you. You’re a risk to him; he’s only using you to get the throne for himself.”
  1615. >Behind you, you hear many hoof steps.
  1616. >As you glance back, you see dozens of the Marshal’s Old Guard entering the throne room.
  1617. >As they take up formation, they look to you, their commanding officer, for orders.
  1618. >The Brigadier turns to you.
  1619. >”Thunder, you’re a good kid and a good leader. It’s true that I was overlooked for promotion, in time you’ll probably outrank me too. And when that day comes I’ll gladly accept it. I might not be the best at strategy and leading. I haven’t the slightest idea how to run the nation, but if I have to step up to stop these backstabbers from getting control, I’ll do it. I owe that to the Field Marshal.”
  1620. >A voice from the Old Guard calls out:
  1621. >”Major, what are out orders?”
  1622. >Offense then speaks again.
  1623. >”Thunder, please. You know that you can’t trust them.”
  1624. >Wave then speaks from the Throne.
  1625. >”Major, apprehend this traitor at once, that is a direct order.”
  1626. >You have the numbers to decide who wins.
  1627. >Offense or Wave.
  1628. >But which one do you believe?
  1629.  
  1630. >…
  1631. “Good job men, you can tell Lancer that I’ll be setting out tomorrow morning.”
  1632. >Your Lieutenant nods.
  1633. “And you can tell him to leave the fort here be. As long as I’m on my voyage, consider us at armistice with the defenders.”
  1634. >Not that you were actively fighting them, but you don’t want to come back seeing that you’ve lost thousands of men trying to take Shipbreaker from the Royal Navy.
  1635. >Walking over to the chariot, you grab the backpack you prepared for your trip.
  1636. “Alright, move out at your own discretion. No need to rush.”
  1637. >As you turn away from your men, Port puts an arm out to stop you in your path.
  1638. >”What’s in the bag?”
  1639. “Survival gear mainly. If it’s that important I’ll let you poke through it once we’re back behind the walls.”
  1640. >Port just gives a grunt as he lets you continue walking back to the fort.
  1641. >As you walk down the hill, your mind shifts to the capitol.
  1642. >Hopefully Lancer and the others won’t be too lost without you.
  1643. >…
  1644. >You look at Offense.
  1645. >Then at Wave.
  1646. >Over to Brairheart.
  1647. >Then to your men.
  1648. >As you start backing up towards the Old Guard, you start properly weighing possibilities.
  1649. >If one of them was to take power for themselves, it would be Wave.
  1650. >His casualty rates are almost always higher than all of the other’s combined.
  1651. >And his entire demeanor is cold and calculated.
  1652. >But the Admiral is supporting him, and from what you’ve seen, he has a valid point.
  1653. >But the assassin could have been under the command of any of them, and Brairheart’s men may have just attacked those that were already watching him.
  1654. >Then there’s Offense himself, while he doesn’t provide as much evidence per say, the shock at having to fight Brairheart seemed genuine.
  1655. >You have no idea who is telling the truth.
  1656.  
  1657. >Okay, what’s the best and worst case scenarios of each side.
  1658. >If Offense is telling the truth, you stop Wave from becoming a dictator.
  1659. >But if he’s lying, the Princesses will be released and will resume their own tyranny.
  1660. >If Wave is being honest, you stop that from happening.
  1661. >But hand the throne to said dictator.
  1662. “I…”
  1663. >You don’t know.
  1664. >But outside you can hear fighting drawing closer to the throne room.
  1665. >You need to act now.
  1666. “I…”
  1667. >You need a different option.
  1668. “I can’t trust any of you.”
  1669. >You turn to the Marshal’s Old Guard.
  1670. “Men, apprehend the three of them. Until we can investigate and find out who really had Lancer killed, none of them can be trusted.”
  1671. >You turn back to face the leaders.
  1672. “Just come quietly and have your men stand down. If you’re telling the truth, then there’s no reason to fight.”
  1673. >Your men rush towards the entrances to the throne room, blocking any of them from fleeing.
  1674. >”What are you doing Thunder?”
  1675. >Offense starts.
  1676. >”Wave has more men here than either of us do, there won’t be anypony to ‘investigate’ once we’re all dead!”
  1677. >Wave then speaks up, but no to you.
  1678. >”Cancel the Major’s orders, as ranking Officer I order you to imprison Brigadier Offense, as well as Major Thunder.”
  1679. >You turn your head, and see some of your men looking unsure to the ponies around them.
  1680. >”Belay that!”
  1681. >Admiral Brairheart yells.
  1682. >”Wave, he’s right. We don’t have a reason to fight. And we do have more men in the area…”
  1683. >This prompts Offense to speak out:
  1684. >”See Thunder, they’re practically admitting it! You can’t win in the long game against them.”
  1685. “Proceed as ordered.”
  1686. >You hope you’re doing the right thing.
  1687.  
  1688. >”That won’t be necessary.”
  1689. >Was that?
  1690. >You look behind you, as the Old Guard are splitting to allow a pony through.
  1691. “Lancer?”
  1692. >”Alright everypony, show’s over! I’ve seen enough.”
  1693. >With that order, you see the ‘dead’ soldiers start standing up.
  1694. >A few unicorns’ horns light up as the more severe gore is lifted as an illusion.
  1695. “I…”
  1696. >”HAHA.”
  1697. >Offense laughs as he walks over to you, gripping you in an embrace.
  1698. >”Clever!”
  1699. >Lancer continues walking towards you.
  1700. “It was…”
  1701. >”A test, yes.”
  1702. “But you-“
  1703. >”Fake blood. You never saw me get stabbed; only holding a wound.”
  1704. “And all of these-“
  1705. >”The only real damage is having to wash the fake blood out of everypony’s coats. Well, you did hurt the ‘assassin’ pretty badly, but he knew what it entailed and still volunteered. Besides, we needed you away from the Palace while we set up the rest of the scenario.”
  1706. “But I was poisoned!”
  1707. >”And he only grazed you with a sleeping agent. Corporal Call over there is an expert at throwing knives, if he wanted to do more than scratch you, he would have.”
  1708. >The now released ‘assassin’ gets your attention as he puts you on the back.
  1709. >”No hard feelins, eh?”
  1710. “I could have killed you!”
  1711. >”I’ve had worse, mate.”
  1712. >Lancer then continues speaking.
  1713. >”While the four of us were in the capitol for the Gala, we decided to test you. We wanted to see who you would follow when it came down to it: rank and logic, or your instincts and what was ‘right’ from a moral standpoint. We had the notion that you would have your own idea, and wanted to see what it would be.”
  1714. >Offense then adds in:
  1715. >”From what I saw, I’d consider that to be a damn good choice.”
  1716. >General Wave’s voice is then heard.
  1717. >”Why did I have to be the tyrant?”
  1718. >To which Brairheart answers:
  1719. >”We both know that Offense wouldn’t have been able to pull it off.”
  1720.  
  1721. >Lancer then addresses the room:
  1722. >”Alright everypony, we’ve got quite the mess to clean up, get to it. And good job!”
  1723. >The General then beckons you out of the throne room.
  1724. >He leads you and the other leaders to the meeting room.
  1725. >”I’d like to apologize about the wounds you’ve received today and for leading you on like that. If it’s any consolation, Anon did something similar to all of us.”
  1726. >Brairheart then quips:
  1727. >”He never painted the Palace red with blood, even if it was faked.”
  1728. >Offense then adds in:
  1729. >”Remember the goats in yours?”
  1730. >”We all swore never to speak of that again!”
  1731. “What I don’t understand is why.”
  1732. >Wave answers:
  1733. >”You know that we’re testing you, before you get to question everything we do, we needed to get a response that was completely genuine.”
  1734. >Lancer then continues:
  1735. >”In the next few years, no matter what happens, you’ll always have the idea that anything could just be a test of your character or aptitude. This was just getting one of the more important ones out of the way early. If we did this in a month or so, you’d immediately call it out as a test.”
  1736. “Wait, so this is going to happen regularly?”
  1737. >The four of them respond in unison:
  1738. >”Maybe.”
  1739. >Lancer then continues:
  1740. >”Honestly, I don’t know. Brairheart had dozens of tests, while Wave only had one. That has a bit to do with him being able to call out the tests too easily, but it all depends on a lot of factors. Factors that we won’t disclose to you.”
  1741. ”I need a drink.”
  1742. >Did you say that out loud?
  1743. >Lancer chuckles a bit.
  1744. >”Go on Son, you’ve earned it.”
  1745.  
  1746. >…
  1747. >You awake the next morning in the modest quarters provided to you.
  1748. >The first thing that you notice is that your shadow is watching you from the chair he set up in the corner.
  1749. “You’re not going to watch me sleep once we’re on the ship, are you?”
  1750. >No reply.
  1751. “You do sleep, right?”
  1752. >Port remains silent.
  1753. “I take it that you don’t speak much.”
  1754. >”Only when there’s something worth saying.”
  1755. >The next minute or so is an awkward silence as you stare each other down.
  1756. >”Eat and finish up whatever you need on land. We leave within the hour.”
  1757. >…
  1758. >After bathing, relieving yourself, and eating, you let Port lead you towards the ship you’d be taking your voyage on.
  1759. >He leads you towards a frigate, with the last of the supplies being brought aboard.
  1760. >You notice the ship’s name on the stern.
  1761. “The Avalon?”
  1762. >”You know it?”
  1763. “Celestia asked for names a decade or so ago, but I never saw it in person. Is the Pinafore still afloat?”
  1764. >”Scuttled in the downsizings.”
  1765. “No, not the Pinafore.”
  1766. >Port just motions for you to board the ship.
  1767. >As you set foot on the HMS Avalon, you notice Lady Tiara barking orders near the wheel.
  1768. >Port then asks you a question:
  1769. >”Have you much experience in naval fields?”
  1770.  
  1771. >While you’ve been in Equestria, your focus was always on land based warfare.
  1772. >The navy was only particularly useful against the Saddle Arabians.
  1773. >And you always deferred to Brairheart or the other Admirals, you only used the navy to land armies.
  1774. “Among my people, I was well versed in naval positioning and strategy. In my service here, I’ve boarded my fair share of ships in the Coast Wars.”
  1775. >You watched some 17-18th century ship based movies, and played some Total War and Assassin’s Creed games.
  1776. >That was about it.
  1777. >”Hmm, hopefully you haven’t lost your sea legs.”
  1778. >”Port, you’re needed on the upper deck!”
  1779. >At Tiara’s order, he heads to her side.
  1780. >Seeing the crew getting ready to sail, you walk over to the bow of the ship.
  1781. >The chains leading out of the port are both lowered, and the fleet outside has been arranged forming two lines leaving the Avalon a clear path to open waters.
  1782. >Beyond that, on the horizon, the sun is still just peaking over the waters to the east.
  1783. >You place your left hand on the pommel of your sword as you watch what’s left of the sunrise.
  1784. >Now this is not the end.
  1785. >It is not even the beginning of the end.
  1786. >But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.
  1787. >You let out a slight sigh.
  1788. >This is it.
  1789. >Your Odyssey into the unknown.
  1790. >Centuries of reports and legends have described the East as hell.
  1791. >But if you’re going through hell, keep going.
  1792. >You don’t know how long the voyage will take, on sea or land.
  1793. >But you will see it through.
  1794. >This ends with the death of ‘it’, or your own.
  1795.  
  1796. >Your internal monologue is cut short, as Tiara addresses the crew.
  1797. >”Men!”
  1798. >As you turn to face the ship, you see the all of the sailors on deck, looking to their leader.
  1799. >”Each and every one of you knows the risks of this voyage. We are sailing east, alone and into uncharted waters. Into the abyss. I asked you to man this ship on short notice, now that the situation has had time to set in, if any of you wishes to withdraw from this mission, you may walk off now, and nopony will think you any lesser. Although we will not be weighing anchor on the Eastern lands themselves, you all know that many ships that venture that far fail to return. This is your only chance to withdraw.”
  1800. >The entire crew stands resolute in their decision.
  1801. >”Good, now what are you all standing around for! Raise anchor, and unfurl the sails!”
  1802. >At her word, the crew springs into life, preparing to set off.
  1803. >You look back to the horizon.
  1804. >Soon the ship starts to lurch slowly forward.
  1805. >And you pass out of the fort.
  1806. >With each pair of lined ships, the smallest craft nearest to the fort, they each fire a (unloaded) broadside.
  1807. >As you pass the largest ships, the sound becomes even greater.
  1808. >And the Avalon exits the formation in a cloud of smoke.
  1809. >She certainly favors dramatic effect.
  1810. >But as the ship reached open waters, Commander Port approached you.
  1811. >”I’ll be leading you to your accommodations.”
  1812. >You nod and follow him below deck.
  1813. >Your ‘quarters’ are comprised of a small cot and desk cramped behind some crates stacked almost to the top ceiling.
  1814. >Home sweet home…
  1815. >Setting your pack onto the cot, you mentally prepare yourself to spend the duration in an area no larger than a broom closet.
  1816. >”Lady Tiara would also like to inform you that you are welcome to dine with the officers should you wish.”
  1817. >With that, Port takes his leave.
  1818. >You sigh as you sit on the firm cot.
  1819. >Once more unto the breach.
  1820.  
  1821. >…
  1822. >Days started to slowly pass on the ship, but you didn’t take Lady Tiara up on her offer to sit with the officers.
  1823. >It’s better to get acclimated with the crew first, otherwise they would be much more reserved when talking with you.
  1824. >You did manage to glean that the general sentiment is that they don’t have anything against you personally.
  1825. >Nor do they support Celestia based off of the ideal.
  1826. >They are at odds with your forces because that’s what Tiara said.
  1827. >Supposedly, although she obtained her position purely based off of politics, she did quickly acclimatize to the post.
  1828. >She’s not particularly good at strategy or tactics, but she has managed to become a capable leader.
  1829. >And where her own skills are lacking, she relies on her advisors to fill in the gaps.
  1830. >The most important thing that you learned is that her men are loyal to the last breath.
  1831. >If it came down to you verses her, the chances of even a handful of the crew siding with you are virtually non-existent.
  1832. >But that is to be expected, seeing as she personally chose the crew with that in mind.
  1833. >You can’t really fault her; you would have done the same thing.
  1834. >The bottom line is that you have to play by her rules.
  1835. >Also you (re)discovered that Equestrian sea shanties are horrible.
  1836. >So you took it upon yourself to teach them some better ones.
  1837. >One week into the voyage, Commander Port came to have a word with you.
  1838. >Apparently Tiara is quite insistent that you quit dodging her at every turn.
  1839. >Taking the ship’s size into account, it was no mean feat, but you managed to completely ignore her for almost seven days.
  1840. >So that evening you put on a shirt that wasn’t stained with sweat, and went to meet with the officers.
  1841.  
  1842. >The cabin directly under the captain’s quarters is made for the officers to meet and dine.
  1843. >As you make your way throughout the inner workings of the ship, you soon reach the double doors leading to the room.
  1844. >Opening them, you find the room empty, save for Tiara.
  1845. >There is a long table in the center of the room, enough to fit a single pony on each end and four on each side.
  1846. >She’s sitting at the head of the table, you start walking left towards the opposite end.
  1847. >As you pull out the chair, she sits in silence.
  1848. “So, am I late or early?”
  1849. >”Neither.”
  1850. “Faking a dinner party just to get me alone?”
  1851. >”Are you always this smug?”
  1852. “Only with you, Lady of the Admiralty.”
  1853. >”As Commanding Officer of this ship, Captain will do.”
  1854. “Understood… Lady Tiara.”
  1855. >You have been acting uncharacteristically smug when speaking to her and Port.
  1856. >At a guess, you’d say that it’s to better keep them on the defensive when in discussion.
  1857. >”I’ve noticed and heard enough reports of your conversations with my crew. What’s your endgame?”
  1858. “That’s rather blunt.”
  1859. >”And you’re dodging the question.”
  1860. “Touché. In truth, I wanted to better understand your own endgame. I don’t know you, that makes you a variable I can’t account for. And given your current role…“
  1861. >”That makes me the key to your success or failure.”
  1862. >Somebody has a high opinion of themselves.
  1863. “You wish. At worst it would add a day or two before I make landfall.”
  1864. >”By now you know that each of my crew would fight to the death if need be, I doubt that even you could operate this ship alone.”
  1865. “I have my ways.”
  1866.  
  1867. >She pauses for a moment.
  1868. >Then she rises from her seat and goes over to a cabinet on her side of the room.
  1869. >You see her take a bottle of wine, and fill two glasses.
  1870. >Walking back to the table, she places one within your arms reach before returning to her seat.
  1871. “I don’t drink.”
  1872. >”A hundred or so rumors say otherwise.”
  1873. “I gave it up after the Gala.”
  1874. >”While on this ship, you’ve had more rum than any sailor I’ve ever heard of.”
  1875. >That’s true.
  1876. >But you don’t have a problem.
  1877. >”So, are you going to drink, or continue the act to probe for more answers?”
  1878. >You reach forwards and grab the glass.
  1879. >”Then let’s answer your question.”
  1880. “And which one would that be?”
  1881. >”Who I am. My name is Diamond Tiara, and I was raised in Ponyville.”
  1882. >…
  1883. >Time started passing as your small talk continued.
  1884. >After an hour or so, she brought up what you’ve been teaching the crew.
  1885. >And you ended up singing.
  1886. “Leave her Johnny, leave her. Oh leave her Johnny, Leave her. For the voyage is long and the winds don’t blow, and it’s time for us to leave he-“
  1887. >You’re cut off as the doors slam open.
  1888. >Port is standing in the threshold.
  1889. >”Ma’am, we’ve spotted sails to the west. There’s a ship following us.”
  1890.  
  1891. >You and Tiara rush out of the room, following Port to the deck.
  1892. >Visibility is reduced, as the sun is soon to set.
  1893. >He leads you to the stern of the ship, and as you reach it, a crewman gives a spyglass to his Captain.
  1894. >Although it’s on the edge of the horizon, you can make out a small outline of a ship.
  1895. >Looking through the telescope, Tiara speaks:
  1896. >”Saddle Arabians, a frigate by the look of it.”
  1897. “How can you tell?”
  1898. >”They’ve a pair of front mounted cannons, none of ours have them.”
  1899. “I know you’ve been out of the loop, but Saddle Arabia is in civil war. A half dozen or so factions are vying for control, and I’ve formed a truce with their navy. Ergo, we’re not at war with them anymore.”
  1900. >”They’re flying a black flag.”
  1901. “Pirates… Of course there would be pirates, why would anything be simple? Or non-clichéd for that matter…”
  1902. >Port then speaks:
  1903. >”And they’re gaining on us, slowly but surely. When we first saw them, their hull wasn’t in view.
  1904. >”Commander Port, take the wheel, turn us about and prepare the men for battle.”
  1905. “Hold up.”
  1906. >”I take it you have something to add?”
  1907. “Roll up the sails, and surrender.”
  1908. >”What?”
  1909. >”What?”
  1910. >Port and Tiara ask simultaneously.
  1911. “And hold my shirt.”
  1912. >Reaching down you grab and pull your shirt over your head.
  1913. >Then toss it into Lady Tiara, who awkwardly grabs it as it hits her face.
  1914.  
  1915. >”What are you doing!”
  1916. “Bring in the sails, and just let forward momentum move the ship. You’re about to be under attack by Saddle Arabians, good thing you’ve got their personal Grim Reaper aboard… well that isn’t technically accurate now.”
  1917. >You step onto the rail and dive off of the ship.
  1918. >Behind you, you hear murmurs from the crew.
  1919. >’He’s mad.’ ‘Has he got a death wish?’ ‘Well that’s…’
  1920. >You brace for the impact with the water.
  1921. >The first thing you notice is the cold.
  1922. >After a brief moment of disorientation, you refocus yourself.
  1923. >You’re well under the surface, so you start swimming to get breath.
  1924. >Breaching the surface, you find that the distance between you and the Avalon is slowly growing.
  1925. >It’s far off, but you can see the other ship.
  1926. >So you start swimming towards it.
  1927. >You wouldn’t have done this if the waters weren’t so calm.
  1928. >Or if visibility was about to be reduced.
  1929. >You notice that you aren’t being weighed down, but that’s because you haven’t been keeping any weapons on you since the voyage started.
  1930. >Ideally you’ll have the situation dealt with before the pirate’s ship can reach the Avalon.
  1931. >By having them bring in the sails, it makes sure that allies won’t be too far away.
  1932. >And if they ‘surrender’ like you told them to, it should limit damage to the Avalon in ship to ship combat.
  1933. >God you needed a fight.
  1934. >Alone, unarmed, and weakened from swimming in open waters.
  1935. >They don’t stand a chance.
  1936.  
  1937. >Did something just brush past your leg?
  1938. >After a good while of swimming, you hear a cannon shot go over your head.
  1939. >It splashes down into the water far behind you.
  1940. >As you turn your head back, you see that it landed far away from the ship.
  1941. >A pony is waving a white flag off of the stern, so at least they’re going along with your plan.
  1942. >But as you turn back, you see that the enemy ship is still far ahead.
  1943. >And that’s a shark fin.
  1944. >About three feet to your right.
  1945. >Reaching over you grab at the shark.
  1946. >Grabbing its fin with your right hand, you start jabbing at its eyes with your left thumb.
  1947. >You’re not about to let a measly great white ruin your cover.
  1948. >The beast starts descending, and after giving it an extra jabs at its nose, you let go.
  1949. >It’s dark, but you see the shark swim off to the south, rather than going downwards.
  1950. >That should mean that it’s actually fleeing instead of preparing to attack from below.
  1951. >You think.
  1952. >Surfacing, you see that you actually got considerably closer to the pirate’s ship from holding onto the shark.
  1953. >So you start treading water, keeping as much of you submerged as possible.
  1954. >The goal is to not be seen by the crew.
  1955. >When the ship draws even closer, you hold your breath and swim downwards.
  1956. >Under the surface, you kick towards the ship.
  1957. >And grab onto the net that runs along its starboard side.
  1958. >Climbing above the water level, you catch your breath and take a moment to rest.
  1959. >The sun is almost completely down at this point, but you can see the Avalon still some distance away.
  1960. >Above you, you can hear countless crew scurrying around.
  1961. >Looking towards the stern of the ship, you see that you grabbed onto the far end of the rigging on this side of the ship.
  1962. >Anything further to your left is wooden.
  1963. >You’ve never actually tried this in real life, but you reach out and try to grab onto the wood.
  1964.  
  1965. >…
  1966. >You’re hanging onto the stern of the ship, just below the railing you would need to climb over to reach the deck.
  1967. >Well, no time like the present.
  1968. >In a swift movement, you reach up and grab the railing, then throw yourself onto the deck.
  1969. >In front of you lies the wheel, as well as what looks to be the captain, surrounded by a handful of other Saddle Arabians.
  1970. >None of them are aware of your presence.
  1971. >You whistle towards the captain.
  1972. “I’ll be accepting the terms of your surrender now.”
  1973. >The captain just stares at you, holding a pipe between his teeth.
  1974. >His crew share uncertain looks.
  1975. >You wonder…
  1976. “Boo!”
  1977. >You lean forwards as you say it, prompting the captain to turn tail and run.
  1978. >He goes past the wheel, and jumps straight down onto the main deck, yelling orders to his men as he flees.
  1979. >The remaining crew on the upper deck ready their weapons.
  1980. >Boarding pikes, a few swords, and one with a boarding axe.
  1981. >You bash your right fist to your bare chest, and beckon them towards you with your left.
  1982. “So who’s first?”
  1983. >In the distance you can see that the Avalon is still a quite a few ship lengths away.
  1984. >But as you glanced away, the larger one holding the axe advanced.
  1985. >Grabbing just shy of the head with your right hand, you stop the attack.
  1986. >Then use your left to force it out of his grasp.
  1987. >Spinning the weapon around, you then bring down the pick side of it into the attacker’s skull.
  1988. >And let them both fall to the ground.
  1989. “Sorry, was that the first mate?”
  1990.  
  1991. >It seems the deck crew didn’t take kindly to that, seeing as they all then charged you.
  1992. >You run towards the closest Saddle Arabian to your right, grabbing onto the haft of his boarding pike, then knock him off of the ship.
  1993. >Taking the pike, you then use the blunt end to bash the nearest attacker’s head.
  1994. >As he reels from the strike, you step forwards and kick upwards into his face.
  1995. >To your left, one is charging with a sword.
  1996. >So without turning, you grab close to the tip and thrust the pike into his torso, then let go of it.
  1997. >Before his hoof can fall limp, you reach over and grab his sword with your left hand.
  1998. >You then toss the sword to your right as you step over the bodies.
  1999. >The other Saddle Arabians have backed away after seeing how you dealt with the others.
  2000. >But on each of the staircases leading to the upper deck, it looks like the entire boarding force has been turned to stop you.
  2001. >At this point, an arrow skims just shy of your head.
  2002. >Glancing up, you see that the man they’ve got in the crow’s nest is armed with a crossbow.
  2003. >Before the others can reach the upper deck, you run towards the remaining Saddle Arabians, easily brushing past their weapons to deliver the killing blows.
  2004. >You take up a position on the port side stair case, just as the first of them has reached the upper deck.
  2005. >He swings his sword at you, but you easily knock it away.
  2006. >Then knock him back down the stairs into the others.
  2007. >You then rush over to the wheel.
  2008. >An enemy from the opposite side charges and meets you at it.
  2009. >You deflect his pike with your sword, and then slash at his neck.
  2010. >With that enemy dealt with, you grab at the wheel with your left hand.
  2011. >As you use your right to block and parry incoming strikes from the ever advancing enemy, you begin spinning the wheel.
  2012.  
  2013. >The ship begins turning hard to starboard, throwing many of the Saddle Arabians off of their balance.
  2014. >By the time the ship has turned a full ninety degrees, you release the wheel.
  2015. >Thrusting your sword into the only enemy still standing upright in front of you, you let go of the blade as you hear hooves rapidly approaching from behind you.
  2016. >You sidestep quickly to the right as you see a pike’s tip where you were just standing.
  2017. >Grabbing onto it, you rip it from the Saddle Arabian’s grasp, before spinning it around and using it to stab him.
  2018. >Taking a moment to survey the upper deck, you see that the enemies are holding back.
  2019. >Having the free moment, you spin the short pike around in your right hand.
  2020. >Then bring it back as you aim towards the crow’s nest.
  2021. >Chucking the impromptu javelin at the crew member posted up there, you see it pierce his chest as he was aiming another shot with his crossbow.
  2022. >He still fires, but the shot goes far above your head.
  2023. >Stepping forwards, you walk to the rail looking down to the main deck.
  2024. >Raising each of your arms outwards from your side, you yell to the crew:
  2025. “Ready to give up yet?”
  2026. >You see the men on deck start exchanging looks between each other.
  2027. >A few of them let go of their weapons, but the majority begin to slowly ascend the steps back up to the upper deck.
  2028. >You also see more of them starting to make their way up to the main deck from below.
  2029.  
  2030. >The first of them that ascends from the inner workings of the ship just yells out:
  2031. >”Abandon ship!”
  2032. >Before running to the longboat.
  2033. >The topside crew stops what they’re doing, and just watches as he starts lowering it.
  2034. >Why is he…
  2035. “Well shit.”
  2036. >You start hearing more screams from the other crew that get onto the main deck:
  2037. >”Fire!”
  2038. >”The magazine!”
  2039. >”Run!”
  2040. >Each crewman that comes topside either runs to the longboat, or just heads straight for the side of the ship to jump off.
  2041. >You turn on your heel and start running towards the stern of the ship.
  2042. >It must have happened when you turned the ship so sharply.
  2043. >Or maybe the captain did it simply out of spite.
  2044. >After he saw you, he must have known that there was no way out.
  2045. >Whether it’s accidental or deliberate, it doesn’t matter.
  2046. >But something occurs to you, and you stop.
  2047. >Looking over your shoulder, you see that the Avalon is at a safe distance.
  2048. >So you continue running.
  2049. >Behind you, you can hear more yells and splashes as the crew abandons ship.
  2050. >One scream stands out in particular.
  2051. >”Fire in the hold!”
  2052. >As you reach the guard rail, you don’t brake stride as you raise your right leg to step on it, getting ready to use it as a springboard off into the water.
  2053. >As you set your foot on it and start going off of the edge, it blows.
  2054. >Your body is shot further out from the blast, and you feel the shockwave ripple through your body.
  2055. >The heat is…
  2056. >The next thing you know, you’re under the water.
  2057. >Your back is stinging, as many wooden splinters have perforated your back and now the saltwater is in contact with the open wounds.
  2058. >You try to move, but you’re in shock.
  2059. >You’re entire body just…
  2060. >Everything becomes dark as you go limp in the cold abyss.
  2061.  
  2062. >…
  2063. “Fold.”
  2064. >You set down your cards.
  2065. >Lancer then takes the pot.
  2066. >”Your deal Wave”
  2067. >The other leaders have been hanging around Canterlot ever since the Gala.
  2068. >Things have finally got to the point where they aren’t needed elsewhere.
  2069. >Admiral Brairheart has been overseeing industry and agriculture, but relocated his base of operations to the Palace.
  2070. >Generals Wave and Offense have their men assisting in reconstruction, but aren’t needed in person.
  2071. >And seeing as General Lancer has streamlined most of the day to day operations of Equestria, there’s been a lot of down time.
  2072. >And that means there’s been a lot of poker.
  2073. >Occasionally they would play pool.
  2074. >Lancer and Offense against Wave and Brairheart usually.
  2075. >Actually, the Brigadier has been insisting that you all should go bowling.
  2076. >You asked Lancer if this is what they usually did when there wasn’t a war to fight.
  2077. >He effectively just said ‘pretty much’ but in more words.
  2078. >With the net round of cards dealt, Lancer spoke.
  2079. >”Anypony else just get a bad feeling about Anon?”
  2080. >To which Wave replied:
  2081. >”I always have a bad feeling about him.”
  2082. >”Fair enough.”
  2083. >He tosses a few bits into the pot.
  2084. >”Call.”
  2085. >Offense then speaks.
  2086. >”Thunder, you want a drink?”
  2087. “I’ll pass. Also, call.”
  2088. >You toss the bits forward.
  2089. >You know, now that Lancer mentioned it, you do have a bit of a bad feeling.
  2090. >Eh, it’s probably nothing.
  2091.  
  2092. >…
  2093. >Everything that’s happened.
  2094. >No, No…
  2095. >NO!
  2096. >Can’t hurt anypony.
  2097. >Need to stay here.
  2098. >Stay strong.
  2099. >Concrete is hard.
  2100. >Just like your heart.
  2101. “GET OUT!”
  2102. >No, no, no.
  2103. >You’re strong.
  2104. “WEAK”
  2105. >NO.
  2106. >Fight fight, fight it.
  2107. >Keep on fighting.
  2108. >Your wing twitches.
  2109. >As does your right leg.
  2110. “AAHHH!”
  2111. >You let out a bright beam that impacts the force field.
  2112. >Get out.
  2113. >Have to get out.
  2114. >You scrape your hoof at the floor.
  2115. >Then stop.
  2116. >No.
  2117. >Have to get IT out.
  2118. >You don’t need out.
  2119. >Do you?
  2120. >The pain.
  2121. >You’ve been here for so long.
  2122. >How long has it been?
  2123. >Months?
  2124. >Years?
  2125. >Days?
  2126. >Hours?
  2127. >Seconds?
  2128. >It’s hard to tell, everything just bleeds together.
  2129. >Everything will be okay.
  2130. >Uncle will fix everything.
  2131. >He always does.
  2132. >Right?
  2133. >Yes.
  2134. >Always.
  2135. >You curl up tighter.
  2136. >Focus focus focus.
  2137. >You need to focus.
  2138. >Clear minded.
  2139. >Just relax.
  2140. >Close your eyes.
  2141. >They already closed.
  2142. >Open your eyes.
  2143. >Gah, it’s bright.
  2144. >But isn’t this a very dim room?
  2145. >Close your eyes and focus.
  2146. >Breathe in and out.
  2147. >You know that he’s probably forgotten about you at this point?
  2148. “GET OUT OF MY HEAD!”
  2149. >You shut your eyes tighter.
  2150. >Just focus.
  2151. >Past the pain.
  2152. >Past the voices.
  2153. >Past the everything.
  2154. >Why…
  2155. >Why is it quiet?
  2156. >You open your eyes.
  2157. >You’re standing now.
  2158. >But you don’t remember uncurling and getting off of the floor.
  2159. >And you’re… you’re in something.
  2160. >Not the cell, just an empty white void.
  2161. “H-hello?”
  2162. >The sound of your voice is strange.
  2163. >Like you could hear dozens of echoes, but at the same time your voice ended abruptly.
  2164. “Where am I?”
  2165. >The strange reverberation happens again.
  2166. “Is anypony there?”
  2167. >Again the echoes happen, yet don’t.
  2168. “Is anyONE there?”

Heart of War- Prologue

by ThingPaste

Heart of War- Act I

by ThingPaste

Heart of War- Act II

by ThingPaste

Heart of War- Act III

by ThingPaste

Heart of War- Act IV

by ThingPaste