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Heart of War- Act XII

By ThingPaste
Created: 2024-02-28 03:11:34
Expiry: Never
heart of war

  1. >…
  2. >You shoot up from the firm bed as you gasp for breath.
  3. >You can feel your heart pounding and you’re sweating a good deal.
  4. >As you raise your hooves to rub your eyes, you see how much they’re shaking.
  5. >Bad dream.
  6. >Bad, bad dream.
  7. >It’s already getting hazy, but you can still remember a bit of it.
  8. >You were in Canterlot.
  9. >The sky was orange from sunset.
  10. >You were sitting in the throne, listening to day to day admin issues.
  11. >Then there were screams.
  12. >Really far off in the distance, in the city.
  13. >But everypony in the throne room just kept acting normally.
  14. >You included.
  15. >As you kept on talking about the budget, or something, the screams got closer and louder.
  16. >They were screams of terror, not anger.
  17. >Through the windows you could see storm clouds forming, as the roar of thunder became constant and lighting strikes started to constantly hit.
  18. >But it was business as usual in the throne room.
  19. >You couldn’t make out if people didn’t realize what was happening, or they just didn’t care.
  20. >Dreams can be funny that way.
  21. >One time when you were young, you dreamt that Anon was telling you about the French Revolution.
  22. >But he was juggling the entire time, with no explanation given, and you didn’t think twice about it.
  23. >In this dream, the screams, thunder, and lighting just kept getting louder.
  24. >Then all of the windows in the throne room shattered.
  25. >That’s when you realized something was going on.
  26.  
  27. >As you got out of the throne, the other ponies kept talking without skipping a beat.
  28. >You walked over to the broken window, wind blowing heavily into the throne room, and looked past the shattered glass.
  29. >That’s when you saw it.
  30. >From your coma, the parasite.
  31. >The great mass of black liquid, but it was more than that.
  32. >As you looked at it, the liquid would appear more than solid black.
  33. >It seemed to swirl around in an almost hypnotic manner.
  34. >It looked both opaque and transparent at any given moment.
  35. >You watch as it flooded through the city.
  36. >Ponies on the street would be engulfed by it, swallowed whole.
  37. >And as it coated the streets, you could see some civilians hiding on roofs.
  38. >Only for the creature, if you can call it a creature, would reach out and crush the building with a wave of its mass.
  39. >The sky had been completely overcast, but from the constant lighting, there was always visibility.
  40. >You turned back to the room, and asked if anypony was seeing it.
  41. >But the speaker continued talking about finances, not even stopping as you spoke.
  42. >Then through the windows on the far side of the hall, the liquid started to flow and bubble into the room.
  43. >It would overtake guards and advisors while they wouldn’t even acknowledge it.
  44. >They would just continue to stand there as the liquid would begin to coat their bodies, turning them into silhouettes until the liquid would rise high enough to completely submerge them.
  45. >And when they were fully overtaken, you’d guess that they just kept on standing there.
  46.  
  47. >With the liquid overtaking the room, you realized that you needed to get out.
  48. >For some reason, you completely forgot that you had wings.
  49. >Dreams can be like that.
  50. >Anyway, you began to run through the hallways.
  51. >Bit the liquid would still keep on oozing through broken windows and from underneath closed doors.
  52. >When you reached a spiral staircase, you sprinted up the stairs, and the liquid was rising through the stairwell.
  53. >As it rose, it was always on you heels.
  54. >You’re pretty sure that you spent a lot of time running through the palace, but it’s all bleeding together now.
  55. >Eventually you got to the top of the highest tower in the palace.
  56. >When you got there, you could see the entire city.
  57. >Each and every building was entirely coated by the liquid.
  58. >But at the palace, it was building up to the tower, forming a mountain with you at the peak.
  59. >Lighting went off across the sky, forming what looked like an enormous spider web of light.
  60. >The thunder reached its loudest.
  61. >But every scream was silenced.
  62. >Then a large wave of the liquid reached up, going up at least twice as high as your tower.
  63. >And it came crashing down.
  64. >Just before it impacted you, you woke up.
  65. >Now that your heartbeat has gone back down, you get out of the bed and head to the window.
  66. >The train is still moving quickly through a lightly wooded area.
  67. >But it’s really dark, probably just before dawn.
  68. >You have a long day ahead, and some night of sleep you got…
  69. >As you let out a deep sigh, the question of the hour rears into your head.
  70. >Are you really sure that you actually got out of that cell?
  71.  
  72. >…
  73. >The alarm clock harshly blares into your ear.
  74. >As you reach over to shut it off, you see that you got a grand total of three hours of sleep.
  75. >Between the battle and the prison break, you needed more.
  76. >A lot more.
  77. >You could probably sleep for a solid twenty hours or so…
  78. “Ugh.”
  79. >A knock can be heard on your door.
  80. >Looks like no sleeping in.
  81. >Lurching out of the bed, which is surprisingly soft for a military bed, you make your way to the door.
  82. >It’s one of Brairheart’s runners.
  83. >”The Admiral would like to see you right away.”
  84. “Understood.”
  85. >As he turns and leaves, you close the door and head over to a mirror.
  86. >Fixing your mane from the way you start to worry a bit.
  87. >Brairheart wants to see you, first thing in the morning.
  88. >Hours after you just released a trio of prisoners from an ally’s prison.
  89. >But, you don’t know that he knows.
  90. >It could be anything he needs from you.
  91. >Just keep cool, and wait to see how things develop.
  92. >Well, not that you’re semi-presentable you shouldn’t keep the Admiral waiting.
  93. >Exiting the room, you start to move through the hallways.
  94. >The special VIP room you were assigned to is pretty close to the forward observation room, so there aren’t many turns you need to take.
  95. >Pretty soon you’re at the door that’s surrounded by a few runners.
  96. >Here goes nothing.
  97.  
  98. >…
  99. >Just listen to that.
  100. >Silence.
  101. >No Discord offering commentary.
  102. >It’s beautiful.
  103. >You’re currently sitting on your cot after waking from a quick nap.
  104. >You took the risk, assuming that whatever’s stalking the ship quit for the night.
  105. >The ship hasn’t sank yet, and there aren’t any screams, so you’d guess that you were correct.
  106. >Now you’re using your dagger to clean out the dirt from under your fingernails.
  107. >Without Discord here to butt in, it’s actually very calm.
  108. >You’d guess that his presence has actually been the most stressful part of this entire little voyage of yours.
  109. >If you had a book, you’d curl up with it and take a day off.
  110. >But the ship is currently being hunted.
  111. >And Equestrian literature never really appealed to you.
  112. >They write characters too one-dimensional.
  113. >And friendship is always the solution to the conflict.
  114. >Always.
  115. >Well, aside from the occasional love story.
  116. >Things have gotten more varied in the recent decades though.
  117. >”Anon.”
  118. >You don’t flinch the knife under your nail as you hear a female voice call out.
  119. “Yes, Lady Tiara?”
  120. >You glance up to find her standing in your doorway.
  121. >Well, it would be a doorway if you had a door.
  122. >Or walls that weren’t just stacked crates.
  123. >”What are you doing?”
  124. “Cleaning my nails.”
  125. >”I know that-“
  126. >She starts to say defensively before going back into a less harsh tone.
  127. >”I just meant that you looked… thoughtful… calm almost.”
  128. >Is your happiness over Discord’s silence that obvious?
  129. “Just thinking about literature.”
  130. >”From your world?”
  131. “Yours actually.”
  132.  
  133. >Her eye sparks with enthusiasm.
  134. >”Have you ever read True Love?”
  135. >You remember that name…
  136. >You begin to chuckle.
  137. “No, romance is clichéd and overly contrived.”
  138. >”But you do know her?”
  139. “Let’s just say I wouldn’t expect any more books from her.”
  140. >From her facial expression, you can see a bit of her heart shatter.
  141. >”What?”
  142. “Her husband was involved in an assassination plot, I was the target. Long story short, I made a deal to give his family new identities in exchange for information about the people behind the plot.”
  143. >”So she’s…”
  144. “Can’t write anymore, it would defeat the purpose of witness protection.”
  145. >”But her last book ended on a cliffhanger!”
  146. “Sorry.”
  147. >You’re not sorry in the slightest.
  148. >”Autumn’s childhood sweetheart just came back from the war after ten years! How am I supposed to find out if she stays with the stallion she finally found peace with after thinking her true love was killed!”
  149. “I think this is the angriest you’ve ever been with me.”
  150. >”Because I am angry with you! Now you’re ruining my personal life too!”
  151. >You’ll try not to acknowledge that statement.
  152. “You know, I never pegged you as a hopeless romantic.”
  153. >”SHUT UP!”
  154. >Okay.
  155. >”Why aren’t you talking!”
  156. >Women…
  157. “Why are you even down here?”
  158. >”I don’t even remember now!”
  159. “Why are you still yelling!”
  160. >You match her tone.
  161. >”I don’t know! Gah, you are utterly insufferable.”
  162. >Is this how Discord feels when talking to you?
  163. >”Now you’re being thoughtful again!”
  164. “Well forgive me for thinking. Sorry, did I say that out loud?”
  165. >”You are…”
  166. >She pauses for a moment to compose herself.
  167.  
  168. >”What were you even thinking about?”
  169. “Sorry?”
  170. >”I’m trying to get back on my train of thought, what do you read?”
  171. “Have you ever read any of the old Minotaur Sagas?”
  172. >”What?”
  173. “I don’t blame you, they were never translated into Equestrian.”
  174. >”What are they?”
  175. “They’re a collection of semi-mythic stories that follow six minotaurs over four generations as they struggle to found and define minotaur society.”
  176. >”That sounds incredibly… dull.”
  177. “You’d be surprised how much you can learn about a people from their myths and literature.”
  178. >”And how long were they?”
  179. “The text itself is only two thousand pages or so, but over the generations there’s at least thirty or so thousand pages of commentary.”
  180. >”You read thirty thousand pages of… that?”
  181. “For they who knows no patience will know no glory. The maw of the basest beast knows of waiting, yet ye fools speak of pressing the immediate. The battle today knows only utter failure, but the battle tomorrow, though not a total end to our struggle, sows the seeds of victory.”
  182. >”What?”
  183. “It’s about patience. As the first minotaur attempted to unite the tribes, he was greatly outnumbered by an army led by his brother. He was challenged by his brother, to meet on the field, army to army, and settle who would unite their people. The tribes allied with him wanted to fight and die in the glory of battle, even though they knew they would all die. But he knew that his brother’s crops had failed, so if he delayed until after the coming winter, his forces would be half starved. In the end, half of his brother’s men had switched sides so they wouldn’t starve, as the winter was harsher than anything they expected.”
  184. >”I see.”
  185. “The knowledge of who you’re up against and the patience to wait for the proper opportunity far outweighs whatever apparent strength the foe has.”
  186.  
  187. >She doesn’t respond after that.
  188. “So, care to tell me why you’re down here?”
  189. >”I don’t-“
  190. >You cut her off.
  191. “And don’t keep playing coy, it’s insulting. You’re not here to talk about book, and I know that you wouldn’t just forget the reason you went so far out of your way to speak to me.”
  192. >For a moment she looks completely furious.
  193. >But, she quickly reigns herself in.
  194. >”Your thoughts on diverting course to the south?”
  195. “Stay the course.”
  196. >”What?”
  197. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”
  198. >”We’re being hunted, you said it yourself. Why shouldn’t we leave?”
  199. “What magical land do you live in where taking a turn stops you from being pursued?”
  200. >”We might lose them in the shallow water.”
  201. “And it would take what, two or three days to reach said water? But fine, let’s assume that they don’t attack until then. Now you have to deal with an attack, and having to navigate the shallows. I don’t know about you, but personally I wouldn’t want to focus on steering the ship away from a cliff while fighting off an attack.”
  202. >”Point made.”
  203. >She says through clenched teeth before turning to leave.
  204. >But she stops herself.
  205. >”Excuse me for trying to TALK to you.”
  206. >With that she takes her leave.
  207. >As she leaves your sight, you give it a fifty-fifty chance that she’ll turn around and give you another piece of her mind.
  208. >But as you wait for that possibility, you find that it doesn’t come.
  209.  
  210. >…
  211. >Alright, nopony else is in the room.
  212. >You’ve closed the door behind you.
  213. >Brairheart is sitting in his table.
  214. >”Sit.”
  215. >That was pretty harsh.
  216. >It’s hard to tell with a single word.
  217. >Maybe he just hasn’t had his coffee…
  218. >As you sit down, he looks at you for a moment.
  219. >”Have fun last night?”
  220. “Could have been better.”
  221. >”You certainly look exhausted.”
  222. >Is this a trap?
  223. “It’s been a long couple of days.”
  224. >”That it has.”
  225. >The door opens behind you, and you hear a set of hoofsteps entering the room.
  226. >You don’t want to turn around.
  227. >”Ah, quicker than I expected.”
  228. >A pegasi approaches the table, holding a platter.
  229. >Atop it is a pot of coffee.
  230. >The Admiral speaks to you as the pony pours him a cup.
  231. >”Care for a cup? It’s pure Arabian.”
  232. “Sure.”
  233. >The server sets down another mug and fills it.
  234. >Brairheart then speaks to him.
  235. >”Thank you, leave the pot.”
  236. >After the pony sets down the coffee pot and leaves the room, The Admiral speaks to you again.
  237. >”You look like you really need that.”
  238. >In reference to your coffee.
  239. >Is this all just one big set up?
  240. >Getting you into a casual mood just to come in for the kill…
  241. >You’re overthinking things.
  242. “Yeah.”
  243. >You reach forward and take a sip of the drink.
  244. >Strong.
  245. >But good.
  246. >”Once trade opens up after this war, they’ll be able to rebuild their nation three times over solely from coffee taxes.”
  247. >You should get to the point.
  248. “You wanted to see me Sir?”
  249. >”Yes. You see, this morning I received some very… unexpected news.”
  250. >Okay…
  251. >”When the messenger came running to me, straight from the source, I could hardly believe it.”
  252. >He knows, doesn’t he?
  253.  
  254. >You prepare to defend your position.
  255. >”The Princess has woken up.”
  256. >”Look, I- wait, what?”
  257. >”I hardly believed it myself, but the flier came in from Canterlot just an hour ago. He flew straight from the capitol without any stops, he almost collapsed as he gave me the letter.”
  258. >Looks like you’re off the hook.
  259. >For now…
  260. “But the Field Marshal couldn’t have finished his mission so soon.”
  261. >”Of course not. They’re saying that it had to do with being born as an alicorn. That magically she was able to eventually overcome the parasite.”
  262. “So… does that mean that the Marshal is going across the world for no reason?”
  263. >”Well not entirely. The other princesses are still indisposed, and if this… thing is as powerful as it’s made out to be, it is a real threat.”
  264. “But there’s still no way to get word to him.”
  265. >”Good.”
  266. “Sir?”
  267. >”The Princess is the only family he has. That might not be the deciding factor about the mission’s success, but it may well be the deciding factor of whether or not he returns from the mission.”
  268. “What do you mean?”
  269. >”When it sent a parasite to infect him, the issue would have been dropped after the parasite was driven out from his body. But sending a parasite to infect Flurry Heart? Whatever this creature is, it signed it’s death sentence with that action.”
  270. >You take a drink from your mug.
  271. >”And with Flurry as the target, it will only make sure that he gets back posthaste: if only to tell her the story of how he saved the day.”
  272.  
  273. >…
  274. >Starting back on the way to your room, you breathe a sigh of relief.
  275. >You’re off the hook, at least for now.
  276. >But you’re not sure what to make of the Princess.
  277. >It’s good that she’s up, but the magic behind it is lost upon you.
  278. >You don’t understand the technical aspects involved with it.
  279. >Personally you don’t know if she’s really beaten the parasite, but if that’s what the more magic-minded ponies are saying, you’ll take their word for it.
  280. >It’ll be interesting to see how things develop now that-
  281. >”Oi!”
  282. >Call yells from behind you.
  283. “Yes?”
  284. >You ask as you turn to face him.
  285. >”What happened mate!”
  286. “Sorry?”
  287. >”Damn right you should be. I woke up sleeping next to a dirty toilet in a bar. The barkeep said that a friend was supposed to come get me, but you never came back!”
  288. >Right…
  289. “How bad was the toilet.”
  290. >”The toilet was fine, barely even used. Drunk Saddle Arabians aren’t the best at aim.”
  291. >Ouch.
  292. “I hope you didn’t sleep face down.”
  293. >”What happened!”
  294. >He didn’t answer that question…
  295. “Look, it was a really long night.”
  296. >”Well I hope you enjoyed it…”
  297. “I think I enjoyed mine more than you did.”
  298. >”Shove off.”
  299. >As you start to turn, he stops you.
  300. >”Really thought, what’d you do? Meet any lady friends, if you know what I mean.”
  301. “NO! I’m married. Last night, I explored the city a bit, listened to the fireworks, and made some friends.”
  302. >Not a technical lie.
  303. >”Sure forgot about one friend.”
  304. “Oh shut up. You’re a big boy, you can deal with waking up in a puddle of urine.”
  305. >”Haha, come here mate.”
  306. >He offers a hug, which you cautiously allow.
  307. >What’s that smell?
  308. >You then here him whisper:
  309. >”Didn’t shower yet… you might want to wash off too now.”
  310.  
  311. >As you shove him away, he laughs.
  312. >”Think we’re even now.”
  313. “Bastard.”
  314. >”Hey, my father loves me… at least he does now that I’m a soldier and not an actor.”
  315. “Sounds like you weren’t a good actor.”
  316. >”Those were the days! The line to my shows were blocks long, and the line to my dressing room after those shows were ever longer.”
  317. “You do know that I’ve yet to see any evidence that you’ve ever even had a hug from a mare.”
  318. >”Come on, would I ever lie to you?”
  319. “Seeing as you just wiped dried urine on me, yes.”
  320. >”You had it coming.”
  321. “Well, maybe you shouldn’t have gotten drunk. How did that even happen?”
  322. >”A lovely mare wanted a drink, so I ordered a couple. Then, she had to use the bathroom. But another lovely mare, well not as lovely, wanted a drink, so I ordered a few. The she needed to use the bathroom too. That happened a few other times after that…”
  323. “How are you so stupid?”
  324. >”They were really into me!”
  325. “How are you even alive!”
  326. >”What?”
  327. “Life decisions in general don’t seem to be your… strong suit.”
  328. >”I’d disagree, but I’m friends with you, so yeah.”
  329. >Fair enough.
  330. “Just… go shower.”
  331. >”Sure thing boss.”
  332. “I think we’ll set out tomorrow. So get rested while you can… and please completely sober up.”
  333. >”No fun at all. Long distance flying is great for a hangover.”
  334. “I doubt that.”
  335.  
  336. >…
  337. >As you continue to sit on your cot, you start get a strange feeling.
  338. >Something is off.
  339. >Not with the ship, you can hear the crew above you moving around as they usually do.
  340. >You reach up to scratch at the short beard that has been growing to replace your proper one.
  341. >It’s something you do miss, after all you’ve spent years working on it.
  342. >You don’t think that Flurry could even remember you being clean shaven.
  343. >Oh, that’s the source of the feeling.
  344. >What would she say if she could see you now?
  345. >What WOULD she say?
  346. >Your fatigues are unbuttoned and left loose and you’re constantly arguing with the other authority figure on the ship.
  347. >Now you’ll admit that a certain degree of snark usually permeates your speech, but this is just unbecoming.
  348. >Whenever you were in contact with others, be it Flurry, soldiers, or civilians, you’ve always tried to act like an officer and a gentleman.
  349. >If you recall correctly, Confucius said that ‘the humane never suffer from vexation; the wise are never perplexed; the brave are never afraid.’
  350. >That’s part of the way he put forward to be a ‘gentleman’.
  351. >Alright.
  352. >It’s time to button up your shirt and start acting like an officer.
  353. >No more intentionally provoking Tiara.
  354. >You’re the head of all of Equestria’s military, and the Chancellor for the government.
  355. >It’s time to get back to acting like it.
  356.  
  357. >…
  358. >As Manehattan became visible on the horizon, you went to put your armor on.
  359. >By the time you had it ready, the train was going over a bridge to the island.
  360. >The concrete and steel outside is a stark contrast to what you’ve seen throughout the trip.
  361. >Canterlot might be the political heart of the nation, but Manehattan is by far the largest population center.
  362. >It’s also the only city that gives Canterlot a run for its money in terms of the arts and culture.
  363. >But here you are.
  364. >As you go to meet with Offense, you pass the soldiers and minotaurs preparing to hit the road.
  365. >When you find him, you’re the first to speak.
  366. “What’s our first step?”
  367. >”Well.”
  368. >He pauses as the train comes to a stop.
  369. >”First I think we should stop by the garrison. Just in case things don’t go exactly according to plan.”
  370. “When have they gone exactly according to plan?”
  371. >”That goes without saying.”
  372. >As he reaches forward to open the door, he puts his hoof forward.
  373. >”After you.”
  374. >Stepping down onto the platform, you notice one thing in particular.
  375. >Manehattan might have some things going for it, but Canterlot undeniably has a better smell.
  376. >The sheer mass of ponies mixed with the industry leaves a… distinct odor.
  377. >Throughout the platform and train station, you can see dozens of police officers.
  378. >Obviously word was sent about your arrival.
  379. >Among the uniformed ponies, you pick out one who is out of place.
  380. >A somewhat portly earth pony with a blue coat and a short but unkempt blonde mane.
  381. >He’s wearing a suit which, while nicely made, does not do much to cover up his extra pounds.
  382.  
  383. >As the pony approaches you, he speaks.
  384. >In a rather bombastic tone.
  385. >”Princess Flurry Heart in the flesh! Welcome to the great city of Manehattan.”
  386. >The welcoming committee.
  387. >”Mayor Hard Truth, at your service.”
  388. >He speaks with an accent that wouldn’t sound out of place in Trottingham or Manechester.
  389. >”And before you say anything, might I offer thanks on behalf of the entire city for allowing truly free elections to take place once again.”
  390. >Will you ever get a word in?
  391. >”Now, I understand that you’re a very busy pony, and-“
  392. >Offense cuts him off.
  393. >”Alright, cut to the chase.”
  394. >”Right.”
  395. “And thank you Mayor, but you’re right in that we’re very busy. What is it that you need?”
  396. >”Well your highness, you see I was recently elected mayor. However only in a snap election to stand in while proper campaigns can run. Today the three candidates for the mayoral position are holding an open forum. Much of the city will be present, and we would love for you to come give a quick speech.”
  397. >Before you can respond, he goes on again.
  398. >”Now, I am not asking for an endorsement. Given recent censorship laws, faith in Canterlot has waned among the people. We want you to come in to reassure Manehattanites that under the new leadership, they can trust the government again.”
  399. >You look over to Offense.
  400. >He then responds:
  401. >”A couple of hours shouldn’t be that big an issue.”
  402. >The look on his face seems to indicate that he didn’t think that statement out.
  403. >Now he’ll have to listen to politicians.
  404.  
  405. >…
  406. >The minotaurs and other soldiers went to the garrison ahead of Brairheart and yourself.
  407. >Meanwhile, Mayor Truth led you to city hall.
  408. >He led you through the backdoor because the crowds kill access to the stage set out front.
  409. >Before you reached the main doors, you stop to speak to him.
  410. “Mayor?”
  411. >”What can I do for you?”
  412. “Before we head outside, I should know the basic positions of the candidates.”
  413. >It doesn’t take a genius to guess that he’s going to use his entry with you as a political point.
  414. >He wants the ponies to think that he has royal support.
  415. >If you’re going to be used to garner votes, you want to make sure that you don’t disagree with him.
  416. >”Well the biggest issue of the day is deciding how the city moves forward. Celestia nationalized our industry, and once power shifted your people gave control to the city government. Now Manehattan has to decide how that control progresses.”
  417. “Seems simple enough.”
  418. >”Now, I support giving control of the factories back to the people. Under my plan, ninety percent of the city’s production will be returned to private control within the year, and the rest will come soon after.”
  419. “And the other candidates.”
  420. >”Miss Light, who was Celestia’s appointed mayor, wants the city to retain full control of the industry. Her main selling point is to bloat the bureaucracy to provide social programs. The past decade hasn’t been good on the city- unemployment is at a record high and most of the northern docks has turned into a shantytown.”
  421.  
  422. “Were things really that bad on Manehattan?”
  423. >”We have an immense population, around ten percent of our stallions were in the military. And when the demilitarization started, all of those colts came home without jobs waiting for them. Light wants to bloat the bureaucracy with social programs.”
  424. “How so?”
  425. >”She’s calling for the city to provide food and housing to the homeless free of charge. After that she wants the city to provide healthcare to every citizen, fully pay for higher level education, and give every Manehattanite a fixed income supplement no matter their employment status. Now yes yes, that sounds all well and good, but she glosses over that roughly half of all citizens earnings would be taxed to pay for those programs.”
  426. >There can’t possibly be any bias in that statement.
  427. >”She wants to give the people free things, I want to give them jobs.”
  428. “Save it for the crowd, who’s the third candidate?”
  429. >”World is just some lefty tosser that wants everything Light does, but also wants the city to expand its ownership of city businesses, and tops everything off with anti-Canterlot rabble rousing.”
  430. “Uh huh.”
  431. >”Opinion polls are showing that Light is leading in the employed lower class, I have the upper class, and the middle is split between us. Interestingly, despite Light’s providing for the unemployed rhetoric, I have the vast majority of ex-soldiers.”
  432. “What about World?”
  433. >”Upper and middle class children who have never worked a day in their lives, and are barely old enough to vote.”
  434. “Well let’s not delay this anymore.”
  435. >”We are a bit late already.”
  436. >As he leads you to the front doors- three sets of large dark wood double doors- he pauses when he reaches them.
  437.  
  438. >”Please, wait a moment.”
  439. >He opens one of the doors, and you hear a female voice is already speaking to the crowd via microphone.
  440. >”It was Canterlot who ruined this city, and it is up to the people of Manehattan to fix it!”
  441. >The Mayor then steps out, and you hear cheering from the crowd.
  442. >As the door swings closed, you stuff you hoof to keep it slightly open, so that you can hear what’s going on.
  443. >You then hear his voice come on over the sound system.
  444. >”Three minutes late and you’ve already started! I’m glad to see common courtesy is lost upon these lovely mares.”
  445. >The crowd cheers, but soon an equal amount of booing is heard.
  446. >As the crowd softens, you hear a second female voice speak.
  447. >”Well if the sitting Mayor can’t keep to simple punctuality, how could we expect him to run the largest city in Equestria!”
  448. >After a mixed reaction from the crowd subsides, Truth then retorts:
  449. >”That’s because unlike the two of you, I actually have a job-“
  450. >He’s overshadowed as his critics yell at him.
  451. >”And-“
  452. >Still can’t get a word in.
  453. >”And-“
  454. >The crowd is still going.
  455. >”Calm down ponies.”
  456. >When the crowd gets a bit quieter, he continues:
  457. >”And one of my duties is to meet with influential ponies. I brought a friend to this-“
  458. >The first female voice cuts him off.
  459. >”You don’t get to bring friends!”
  460. >”Oh shut up you sadistic tyrant!”
  461. >The crowd really liked that.
  462. >But the voice retorts:
  463. >”Says the pony who would play nice with a military dictatorship!”
  464. >And the Mayor returns:
  465. >”Just last week didn’t you say that the military was a good institution and that our veterans need support?”
  466. >Before the crowd can react to the statement, the other female speaks up:
  467. >”Well before you talk about supporting our veterans, I don’t think that ‘letting the market deal with it’ counts as support.”
  468.  
  469. >And the first female continues.
  470. >”The people of the military are the heart of our country, but the leadership needs reorganization. It isn’t even led by an Equestrian. And even if for some reason after these past decades you can still approve of monarchy, the new puppet princess hasn’t been seen for weeks!”
  471. >Rather than waiting for the insults to continue, you’ll take that as your cue to enter.
  472. >As you step out of the building and into the light, the crowd goes wild.
  473. >In front of the building, a stage has been set up with three podiums.
  474. >The Mayor is at the center podium.
  475. >To his right, is a light pink unicorn with light brown hair.
  476. >And on his right is a light green pegasi with a light red mane.
  477. >After they realized what the crowd was cheering at, they all turned to look at you.
  478. >The mares looked shocked, and the Mayor has a smug grin on his face.
  479. >He then turns to speak into his microphone.
  480. >”Princess Flurry Heart everypony!”
  481. >He steps aside to give you the podium.
  482. >As you approach, a hush goes over the crowd.
  483. “Hello Manehattan!”
  484. >After they cheer at the statement, you turn your head to the unicorn.
  485. “You are?”
  486. >”Evening Light, at your service your highness.”
  487. >Based on the tone of voice, she was the second voice you heard.
  488. >You remember that name…
  489. >She can NOT win!
  490. >You lean forward into the microphone to speak while still looking at her.
  491. “Now I’d guess that nopony in the crowd was present in the Royal Palace a few years ago, but I was. Weren’t you on the committee that decided the criteria for who would be sent to the work camps?”
  492. >To say the crowd is angry would be an understatement.
  493. >She tries to get something out over it.
  494. >”I always advocated moderation. While on the committee I tried my hardest to curb the brutal methods however I could.”
  495. >Good political answer.
  496.  
  497. >The crowd is still going, so you turn your head to face them.
  498. “Please ponies, calm down… calm down.”
  499. >As they comply, you glance back at Light.
  500. “Then how did one hundred and twenty-one ponies get sent to a gulag simply for asking to restore local elections? And don’t you ‘at your service your highness’ me- I was exiled for supporting those ponies.”
  501. >”I-“
  502. “That’s enough out of you.”
  503. >You turn to look at the pegasi.
  504. “Then you must be…”
  505. >”New World.”
  506. “Anything you’d like to say to the puppet princess?”
  507. >She’s at a loss for words.
  508. “I’m not Evening Light over there, I won’t imprison you for saying something I don’t like.”
  509. >The crowd liked that jab.
  510. >She doesn’t speak.
  511. “Looks like the cat’s got your tongue.”
  512. >You turn to full face the crowd.
  513. “Well I’ll have to assume that her argument boils down to ‘what has the military or Flurry Heart ever done for us’ right?”
  514. >A few ponies in the front rows let out ‘yes’ responses.
  515. “There’s the security, peace, restoration of personal freedoms, abolishment of the MID, liberating work camps, allowing free journalism, and rebuilding the country after the ravages of war. But sure, What have I or the military ever done for you?”
  516. >You pause for a moment.
  517. “Now, I came onto this stage with full intention to not support any particular candidate. This is a trying time for our people, we need some time to get used to the old ways again. I have the utmost respect for your deciding to have a temporary election until this one could run; but in my opinion, a full term might be needed. Because your choice in opposition is between a pony that wants full control over your lives and can’t even muster a few words in defense of her position, or a misery profiteer.”
  518.  
  519. >You can only imagine the smugness on Truth’s face.
  520. “Now I can’t speak for all of the positions, but your incumbent seems to be the only one that seems reasonable; though I’m sure that there are many points I would disagree with him on. This upcoming term is incredibly important for politics in your city. In it you will reacclimatize yourselves to political discussion. And I don’t think that having a radical or an incredibly morally questionable pony in power will provide the proper climate for you to rediscover politics.”
  521. >You wait a moment to catch your breath.
  522. >”I have always argued that local representation is one of the most important foundations of our society. This will be a free election. No matter who wins, I hope that in the coming years you can put forward candidates that can easily hold up to scrutiny of their political views and their ethical standpoints.”
  523. >That statement got cheers from the crowd.
  524. >But there are still some naysayers.
  525. “I’ve been told that there’s been a decent amount of anti-Canterlot opinions going around Manehattan. And given how bad things were recently, that is completely reasonable. I’d just like to remind you all that although as a people we had a few bad years, our system has worked brilliantly for the millennia that preceded those bad years. Since I took power in Canterlot, we’ve been trying our hardest to return to how those times. It can’t just happen overnight, there will be some growing pains in the coming couple of years.”
  526. >The crowd is quiet at this point.
  527.  
  528. “But just because it’ll be hard and just because it’ll take time, doesn’t mean it isn’t worth the effort. In Canterlot we’re putting all of our effort into making sure Equestria remains great while returning to the core values and systems that made Equestria great in the first place. Vote your conscious, vote for whomever you truly think will help your city the most. All I ask from you, is that you help us get our country back on track.”
  529. >You let the crowd cheer.
  530. “I’m doing all l can, but I can’t fix everything. If these past few decades have proven anything, it’s that when the people of Equestira unify and put their minds to something, nothing can stand in our way. And I mean NOTHING.”
  531. >The crowd really liked that one.
  532. “Like I said, I’m doing all I can. But I have an immense amount of work on my plate. Right now I also need to work on foreign policy, and if I’m successful, then in the foreseeable future we’ll be able to focus on domestic issues without threat of constant war. While I focus on keeping us secure and at peace, I need you help me rebuild our nation. If we can do that we’ll be back to prospering in no time.”
  533.  
  534. >As the crowd cheers, you offer the microphone back to the Mayor.
  535. >When he reaches it, he wastes no time.
  536. >”She’s certainly passionate, isn’t she?”
  537. >You lean into the microphone one final time.
  538. “And at the topic of foreign policy, I’m currently needed across the border. I stopped the minotaurs from attacking the city, now I need to make sure that peace lasts. Thank you for having me Manehattan.”
  539. >You then take a step back to allow the Mayor to continue.
  540. >”Well I can’t speak for foreign policy, but doesn’t a bit of peace and quiet sound good right about now?”
  541. >The crowd laughs a bit.
  542. >”It’s time for a new and energetic administration to sort out this country’s finances. It’s time to give the Equestrian people back their pride and their trust in their political institutions in this country and in its leaders. Folks, it’s time for change, and Princess Heart’s government will give you your money’s worth.”
  543. >He then finishes with a pun on the ‘money’s worth’ statement.
  544. >”And they’ll give you change as well. Thank you.”
  545. >You wave to the crowd as you begin to leave through city hall.
  546. >As they cheer for you, the Mayor continues.
  547. >”Now we have to get back to arguing, don’t we?”
  548. >Again the crowd laughs at the statement, and you take your leave.
  549. >Inside city hall, Offense speaks to you.
  550. >”At least you shut them up quickly.”
  551. “I try.”
  552.  
  553. >…
  554. >A knock on your door wakes you from your nap.
  555. >What now?
  556. >As you lurch out of bed and go to answer the door, you find one of Brairheart’s runners.
  557. “Let me guess, the Admiral wants to see me?”
  558. >”No, the Mushir would like to see you right away.”
  559. >Son of a…
  560. “Understood.”
  561. >Closing the door, you go to check your appearance in the mirror.
  562. >Sleep hasn’t ruined the effects of the shower that Call forced you to take.
  563. >Alright, the Mushir wants to talk with you.
  564. >Even basic records would have shown that the prison is missing three ponies.
  565. >No, you shouldn’t start worrying.
  566. >He’s got a war to fight, so he’s probably taken away manpower that would have been assigned to guard the prison.
  567. >And with the recent siege, you’re sure that paperwork wasn’t on the minds of the guards.
  568. >But why would he want to see you instead of the Admiral?
  569. >He already spoke to you about your part in the battle.
  570. >Maybe he just wants to give you the key to the city or something.
  571. >You seriously doubt that…
  572. >Alright though, how should you dress for this meeting?
  573. >Full armor might raise some eyebrows seeing as the city is secure for the time being.
  574. >Your sword should do just fine.
  575. >And the dagger the Mushir gave to you.
  576. >All you need to do is keep your cool, and everything will turn out fine.
  577. >But if he does know about what happened last night, you’re not sure what to expect.
  578. >He could applaud your audacity and say that you could have just asked.
  579. >Or he might try to bludgeon your skull with a bust in his office.
  580. >He’s like the semi-sadistic uncle you never had.
  581.  
  582. >…
  583. >It’s a shame that you didn’t bring your jacket.
  584. >But it would have just ended up getting ruined as you eventually will have to go into the wilderness.
  585. >You didn’t bring an officer’s cap either.
  586. >But in your bag, you do have a couple of caps.
  587. >They’re…
  588. >You hate that you can’t remember their name.
  589. >Those kind of blocky caps that soldiers back on earth would wear on duty.
  590. >Not baseball caps.
  591. >Are they even named?
  592. >You should have Discord check your memories to see if you ever saw what they’re called.
  593. >Anyway, you toss on a military cap that matches the solid olive fatigues you’re wearing.
  594. >After ascending the stairs to reach the main deck, you’d guess that it’s around two or three in the afternoon.
  595. >You then head up the stairs to reach the ship’s wheel.
  596. >Port is steering currently.
  597. “What’s out status Commander?”
  598. >He responds in his ever-baritone tone.
  599. >”The wind has died down slightly, we could be making much better time.”
  600. >You do feel that the wind is blowing to the ship’s two o’clock.
  601. “And the crew?”
  602. >”To be frank, not good. Since they saw the dead whale, things have been tense. And it’s only gotten worse now that they know whatever killed it is now following us.”
  603. “Adjust our course to better make use of what wind there is.”
  604. >”Excuse me?”
  605. “I don’t usually give orders more than once, but in this case I will. Adjust course to pick up speed.”
  606. >”With all due respect-“
  607. “With all due respect COMMANDER, I am the ranking military member on this ship. I’ve been fighting and winning wars since most of you were still in school. If my judgment says to change course, then you change course.”
  608. >With a slight moan, he complies.
  609. >Probably not wanting to get caught up in the incoming jurisdictional argument.
  610. “Good. Now assemble the crew. I want every man who’s not required elsewhere out on the deck.”
  611.  
  612. >Before he can carry out the orders, Tiara storms up the steps.
  613. >Presumably after noticing the ship’s turn from her cabin.
  614. >”Belay that order.”
  615. “Lady Tiara.”
  616. >”What are you doing Anon?”
  617. “Field Marshal Anonymous.”
  618. >”What?”
  619. “Although Field Marshal or just Marshal are acceptable. Failing any of those, Sir.”
  620. >”Very funny, now really, what are you doing?”
  621. “Just this once, I’ll take that as a request to speak candidly. I am giving orders to military personnel under my authority.”
  622. >”You don’t have authority over the Royal Navy.”
  623. “Actually, I do. If you recall, during the Second Coast War I was given full authority over all Equestrian military institutions by royal decree.”
  624. >”That decree was rescinded.”
  625. “No it actually wasn’t, I was just removed from the office but the position remained. Like it or not, I was restored to that office.”
  626. >”Royal means Celestia.”
  627. “The charter for the Royal Navy refers to the ‘sitting Princess of Equestria’ and that is now Princess Flurry Heart.”
  628. >”We swore an oath-“
  629. “To a pony who now sits in a cell rather than a throne. Now, I do admit that my naval experience leaves much to be desired. For that reason, I will defer to your judgment quite often. And right now, I am deferring to your judgment.”
  630. >”What?”
  631. “You wanted the ship to take a more southern route, so we’re shifting course slightly. That way should the need arise, we have the option to tactically maneuver into the shoals. And I think we both want to get past this stretch of ocean as quickly as possible, so it seems like there wouldn’t be an issue in gaining speed.”
  632.  
  633. >Word of the argument must have spread quickly, because a good portion of the crew has come above deck to watch.
  634. >Tiara begins to continue:
  635. >”Look, I-“
  636. >You turn away from her to speak to the crew.
  637. “Men! I know that these are trying times. You have all willingly chosen to undertake a voyage that has invariably resulted in nothing but death and loss. If you would ask any pony, they would say the trip is impossible.”
  638. >You pause a moment.
  639. “Those same ponies would have said that stopping the yak horde was impossible- but I stopped it. Those same ponies would have said that breaching the walls of Griffonstone was impossible- but I breached them. Those same ponies would have said that occupation of the Saddle Arabian mainland was impossible- but I occupied it twice.”
  640. >And bring it in.
  641. “Yes, death and loss are ahead… but not for us. You are Equestrians! And if these past decades has taught us anything, it’s that when Equestrians unite and put their minds to a common goal, anything is possible. When this ship returns home, and believe me when I say that it will, you will be legends. The brave few who fought against the abyss… and won.”
  642. >Wrap it up.
  643. “As I speak we are being hunted by creatures that probably wouldn’t seem too out of place in the depths of Tartarus itself. There is no shame in fear, there is only shame in letting fear rule you. So I say that when these beasts do attack, they will find no shame on this ship. When they come, and they will, they will face resolve stronger than any steel we can bring to bear upon them. Equestrian arms and courage will win the day, just like every day previous and for every day to come!”
  644.  
  645. >You get some cheers of enthusiasm from the crew.
  646. “And when the attack does come, I’ll say one thing to any naysayers among you. If you don’t have the courage to bear steel alongside your brothers-in-arms, you can go hide below deck… That is if you can stand to hear the real men fight your battles for you.”
  647. >It looks like Tiara won’t stand for being upstaged.
  648. >”Well if you’re so confident, why don’t we all just let you handle it on your own?”
  649. “Is that what it’ll take for you to stop doubting me?”
  650. >You hear some ‘oohs’ from the crowd.
  651. >She doesn’t relent.
  652. >”It’d be a start.”
  653. >Now you have a choice.
  654. >Do you let banter stay as banter, or do you escalate?
  655. >That’s no choice.
  656. “Care to make it a wager?”
  657. >Tiara is taken back by the request.
  658. >”What?”
  659. “If I can defend the ship all by my lonesome, you accept proper authority.”
  660. >”And what are you putting on the line in this bet?”
  661. “My life.”
  662. >”Not good enough.
  663. “If I have to call for help, then you get to call the shots, no questions asked.”
  664. >”No questions asked?”
  665. “None at all.”
  666. >Port then speaks up:
  667. >”Ma’am, this is absurd.”
  668. >”Not at all, if he wants to play maverick, I think we should oblige… if only to shut him up.”
  669. “Careful Lady Tiara, a good portion of the crew is watching this deal go down.”
  670. >”You’re just one person, and I could stand seeing you knocked down a peg or two.”
  671.  
  672. >-
  673. >As you blink, you get drawn into an empty white void.
  674. >”What are you thinking!”
  675. “I thought you were taking the day off Harv.”
  676. >”And I was enjoying watching The Sopranos until you decided to be an idiot and take stupid risks.”
  677. “Stupid risks are ninety percent of my job.”
  678. >”Can’t you just kiss and get rid of the sexual tension in a way that doesn’t put my new home in undue risk.”
  679. >Sexual tension?
  680. “Harv, I want you to think for a moment. Which would you rather have to see through my eyes.”
  681. >Discord looks off into the distance for a moment.
  682. >He then shudders.
  683. >”Battle away, but don’t expect any help from me.”
  684. “Well that would be cheating.”
  685. >-
  686. “So it’s a deal?”
  687. >Tiara offers of hoof to shake.
  688. >You reach down and grasp it, sealing the deal.
  689. “If we’re doing this, it’s on my terms.”
  690. >”Name them.”
  691. “Reel in the sails, and give me a bit of time to prep.”
  692. >”Port, you heard the man. Slow this ship down.”
  693. >You then hear Discord speak to you:
  694. >”You really are a child, aren’t you?”
  695. >First things first, you need to talk to the ship’s doctor.
  696.  
  697. >…
  698. >You’re not sure what to expect, so you’ve started by placing weapons around the deck.
  699. >Boarding spears, all metal and roughly five feet long.
  700. >Some axes, which are sizable for ponies but are closer to hatchets for you.
  701. >And spare swords.
  702. >You also took a moment to get full equipped.
  703. >And you mean fully.
  704. >You don’t want to ruin a shirt, so you’re currently going without one.
  705. >On your left hip you have your sword- it’s seen you through decades of war, it’ll see you through this fight.
  706. >Next to it is a dagger, and a second one rests on your right hip.
  707. >Lower on your right thigh, you have bowie knife.
  708. >Over your right shoulder is a machete
  709. >And a kukri is harnessed on your back with the grip pointed to your right.
  710. >Each boot has a knife that’s properly balanced for throwing.
  711. >As you look around the deck, you see pegasi in the air, and non-fliers up on the rigging.
  712. >Tiara is up there on a platform, as is Port.
  713. >Your spectators.
  714. >All of them are armed.
  715. >The rest are locked up below deck.
  716. >In case a larger creature decides to show up, the cannons are loaded and ready to be brought out.
  717. >Of all the stupid half-cocked ideas you’ve had… this is up there.
  718. >A shame you weren’t able to give those papers to the ship’s gunner.
  719. >But that would have made things far too easy.
  720. >You grabbed a couple bottles of blood from the doctor’s office.
  721. >Time to chum the waters as best you can.
  722. “Alright Tiara, last chance to call this off!”
  723. >”After you went through all this trouble? Never!”
  724. “Anything comes up there, feel free to stick them.”
  725. >”But if even one set of hooves touch that deck, I’ll consider it a forfeit!”
  726. “Fair enough!”
  727. >As you walk over to the port side of the poop deck, you pull the cork out of the bottle, and pour the blood into the water below.
  728. >You then do the same to the starboard side of the ship.
  729. >Supper time.
  730.  
  731. >…
  732. >Alright, this is it.
  733. >You open the door to the Mushir’s study.
  734. >”Thunder! Come!”
  735. >As you walk through the well lit room, the smell of incense becomes noticeable.
  736. “Is there something I can help you with?”
  737. >”Sit.”
  738. >You pull out one of the chairs on your side of his desk and do as he says.
  739. >”You know, the other day your Admiral told me that you disapprove of how I’m treating my prisoners.”
  740. >Son of a-
  741. “Honestly, yes I do disapprove.”
  742. >”Why?”
  743. >Is he leading you?
  744. “When the surrendered, I promised that they would be well treated.”
  745. >”A man of your word.”
  746. “Yes.”
  747. >”Am I really mistreating them? They are being decently fed and have roofs over their head.”
  748. “With all due respect, you’re executing them.”
  749. >”They’re traitors who willingly supported the enemy. What do you Equestrians do to your traitors? What did your Marshal do to those who sided with Celestia?”
  750. “They’re currently imprisoned in a PoW camp.”
  751. >”Hmmph.”
  752. >He leans back in his chair.
  753. >”Well the point was already made, I suppose the rest can have quick deaths.”
  754. “Excuse me, but is this all you brought me here to talk about.”
  755. >”No, that is trivial. I have recently learned something unsettling about one of my commanders.”
  756. “You don’t want me to assassinate somepony, do you?”
  757. >He laughs.
  758. >”I like the way you think, but no.”
  759. >He reaches to his mug and takes a drink.
  760. >Coffee, you presume.
  761. >”You are setting out for the Sahar mine soon, yes?”
  762. “Tomorrow hopefully.”
  763. >”And how will you be returning, by air or land?”
  764. “It’s hard to say at this point, but by land we think.”
  765. >”Hmm… that means you have to retrieve a spy.”
  766. >Was he supposed to know that?
  767.  
  768. >”Don’t look to startled, how else would you have even known about the mine? I know that I didn’t tell you Equestrians about it.”
  769. “What does that have to do with your commander?”
  770. >”His brother is a slave laborer in it. They don’t know about the relation, but if Jagir’s men get word of it, they could use it against my commander. I don’t want that to happen.”
  771. “So you want us to get his brother out as well?”
  772. >”If possible, but don’t hesitate to simply kill him if it’s too much of a burden.”
  773. “What?”
  774. >”If he doesn’t make it back, he simply didn’t survive the trip. Jagir’s men or the desert killed him on the way back.”
  775. “So you do want me to assassinate somepony.”
  776. >”Look, if a rock just happens to fall and crush his skull while he was sleeping, nothing can be helped. I don’t have the resources to worry about taking the moral high ground like you Equestrians. I just need this war over as soon as possible. And I’ll need to make sure that my lieutenants loyalties are solid.”
  777. “If word gets out that you had his brother killed, I don’t think that his loyalty would be… solid.”
  778.  
  779. >”How would word get out? I’m not going to tell him, are you?”
  780. “Well no, but- No, I’m not going to assassinate somepony for you.”
  781. >”Then bring him home alive, the choice is yours.”
  782. >Why are you even supporting this guy?
  783. >”Look Thunder, times have been hard on my people. They need a firm hoof to guide them back. You don’t have to like it, but right now, I’m that firm hoof. The slave you’re looking for is named Sadiq.”
  784. “Anything else you’d like while I’m out? Pizza? Beer?”
  785. >He chuckles slightly.
  786. >”Look, you don’t have to do this, I’m asking. Your mission has to come first, too much is riding on it.”
  787. “If there’s time, I’ll try to find him.”
  788. >”Good… oh, and while you’re gone, if you happen to kill that griffon, the reward is still on the table.”
  789. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
  790. >”Excellent. Now, I’ve had traveling equipment weapons sent up to your ship. It should be much more authentic than the captured or fabricated gear you were planning on using.”
  791. “Thank you.”
  792. >”That is all I require from you. You may go to prepare as you will.”
  793. “Mushir.”
  794. >”And Thunder?”
  795. “Yes?”
  796. >”Good luck, the fate of Saddle Arabia rests on your shoulders.”
  797. “Never thought I’d hear those words.”
  798.  
  799. >…
  800. >After leaving the politicians to their debates, Offense led you across the river to the military base.
  801. >You didn’t immediately go to meet up with the minotaurs, instead he took you to the command headquarters.
  802. >Seeing every soldier you passed stop and salute got old really fast.
  803. >But you soon got into the commanders office.
  804. >And as you entered it, you were met with a familiar face.
  805. >”Your Highness, General.”
  806. >The commander is a pegasi with a light brown coat and a steel colored mane.
  807. “Major Steel Arrow?”
  808. >He commanded the Old Guard before Thunder was promoted.
  809. >”Colonel now.”
  810. “Congratulations on the promotion.”
  811. >Offense then speaks to you:
  812. >”We wanted somepony with experience on this border, and Arrow here was at the top of the list.”
  813. >He then looks to the Colonel.
  814. >”I’ve read your reports, but tell me honestly. How are things along the border?”
  815. >”Decent. Just into Minotaur territory they’re keeping a small garrison. A small amount of trade has resumed, but only with incoming minotaurs. There have been a couple of… altercations in the city.”
  816. >”Altercations?”
  817. >”Nothing serious. A drunken brawl here, some flipped tables over ‘bad’ deals there. But everything has been settled with nothing worse than a few bruises. For what it’s worth, their garrison is only a token force, I think they’re serious about keeping the peace… for now at least.”
  818. “Good.”
  819. >”That being said, I’ve sent in the request to get a couple more squads of unicorns and a half dozen extra cannons. If they do try to attack en masse, the battle would be bloody and a victory would be far too costly for my tastes.”
  820. “Offense, I haven’t been able to properly look over our military logistics for a while. Can they be spared?”
  821. >He then replies:
  822. >”Shouldn’t be a problem. We certainly aren’t strapped for manpower, and we have enough guns in storage to arm our artillery groups twice over.”
  823.  
  824. “Well if Lancer denies the request, write back and say that I’ve given my personal approval.”
  825. >“Thank you Your Majesty.”
  826. “So, I assume you know about my mission?”
  827. >”You’ll be traveling into the core of Minotaur territory with a small honor guard.”
  828. >Offense then speaks to the Colonel:
  829. >”What will your response time be if things go south?”
  830. >”Land based troops would get too bogged down to be of any help, but I can have a thousand pegasi at your location within a day of receiving word.”
  831. >”I don’t like being on our own for two days, but I suppose that’s the best you can do.”
  832. “They’ve sworn a truce for ten years, and I’m a doubly protected figure for as long as the succession goes on. I hope there won’t be any conflict.”
  833. >Offense then retorts:
  834. >”With all due respect, that truce is between their government- if you can call they’re system a government- not with specific tribes. If one decides they want your blood, we’ll be at the mercy of other tribes to help us.”
  835. “I don’t think bringing an army with me will be the best option for cooling diplomatic relations.”
  836. >”Fair enough, I’m just stating the obvious.”
  837. “Besides, an honor guard is expected, but bringing more troops just paints me as a weak leader. I’ve already gained a reputation for being a warrior, so that image shouldn’t be put in jeopardy. If I look weak, it’ll just paint Equestria as weak.”
  838. >Arrow then gets a word in:
  839. >”That’s your prerogative, but please don’t hesitate to call reinforcements if things don’t go according to plan.”
  840. “Don’t worry, I think I understand how they operate.”
  841. >Offense then checks the time.
  842. >”Ma’am, it’s getting late.”
  843. “Yes it is. Colonel, do you have the space to house our men and the minotaurs for the night?”
  844. >”Of course.”
  845. “Then we’ll rest here and set out first thing in the morning.”
  846.  
  847. >…
  848. >The ship has been gently moving with the waves for about an hour now.
  849. >Whatever’s out there better show up soon, or else you’ll just look like a pompous fool.
  850. >In reflection, that’s probably exactly what you look like right now.
  851. >But that will change as soon as it…
  852. >The pegasi are all starting to flock around the bow of the ship.
  853. >Here we go.
  854. >You make your way down the stairs to the main deck, and start approaching the front of the ship.
  855. >After you get about halfway, that’s when ‘it’ shows itself.
  856. >You’d guess that it was on the side of the ship.
  857. >The creature jumps onto the main deck, seawater still dripping off of its body.
  858. >The first thing you do is let out a question to yourself.
  859. “What the hell is that?”
  860. >In almost twenty-six years here, you’ve never seen anything like it.
  861. >As you continue to casually walk towards it, you inspect the creature.
  862. >Its skin is rough, almost like an alligators but colored grey with the slightest tint of green.
  863. >It’s fairly big compared to a pony.
  864. >About four and a half to five feet tall, but it’s shoulders are wide, probably just shy of four feet at the widest point.
  865. >As it shifts around to sniff up into the air, you see that the back half of its body is smaller than the front half.
  866. >It’s probably only three feet high at its back legs.
  867. >Like a horribly bred bulldog almost.
  868. >Then there’s the tail.
  869. >The shape looks pretty similar to an alligators, and you’d guess that it’s about five or six feet long in itself.
  870. >About as long as it’s body.
  871.  
  872. >Over its spine is a low sail, about another foot high at its crest.
  873. >Similar to a Dimetrodon’s sail.
  874. >Bones stick up and are connected by flaps of skin, skin that is colored a bright but sickly green.
  875. >Then you look down to the legs.
  876. >They go straight down to the ground, like a mammal’s leg structure instead of a reptile’s legs.
  877. >The front shoulder joints look like they reach almost all the way up to the creature’s neck.
  878. >Although the back set is shorter and less muscular than the front ones, it still clears the ground by a decent amount.
  879. >It’s feet are comprised of three thick digits that rest on the ground like a dinosaur’s foot.
  880. >The claws that tip the digits look to be three to four inches long, comprising about a quarter of the digit’s lengths.
  881. >As your eyes go back up, you see that just to the side of the creature’s shoulder joints, towards the center of its chest, you can see an exposed bit of dull pink flesh.
  882. >As you look closer to the roughly rectangular pink areas, you can see layers of flesh/skin.
  883. >They look similar to gills.
  884. >But it’s breathing out of its mouth and nose as well.
  885. >That then leaves the head.
  886. >The hide on the upper half of its head looks tougher, almost bony.
  887. >Again like a reptile, it’s head is the thickest towards the neck, where the eyes are located.
  888. >The pupils are incredibly dilated, and the bright orange iris almost completely fills the eye.
  889. >Its snout then depresses after the eyes, and then bulges up again for the creature’s nostrils.
  890. >Which like an alligator are pointing upwards.
  891.  
  892. >The jaw is about eighteen inches long, but the head is wider than an alligator head.
  893. >At the back of the jaw, it looks almost a foot in width, and towards the end it rounds out to about four inches.
  894. >As its mouth is slacked open, you get a look at the teeth.
  895. >Which are thick, serrated, and pointed.
  896. >And in rows that look to be growing to replace those in front.
  897. >Like a shark’s mouth.
  898. >By now, you’re within five feet of the creature.
  899. >And it’s attention turns to you.
  900. >It doesn’t attack, which is interesting.
  901. >Instead it’s gills, if they are gills, start vibrating and you can hear a low hum come from them.
  902. >It looks confused for a moment.
  903. >Then it starts sniffing.
  904. >You notice that it’s eyes aren’t moving that much.
  905. >It’s clearly an intelligent pack animal, but you wonder…
  906. “Can you understand me?”
  907. >It’s head cocks slightly.
  908. >You’ll take that as a ‘no’.
  909. >It then takes a step towards you, and you prepare for when it will strike.
  910. >But you let it sniff in peace for a moment.
  911. >It has no idea what you are.
  912. >You’re utterly alien to this world, so if it loses interest, the pack might turn away.
  913. >Then you-
  914. >-
  915. “Damnit Harv! I though you said you wouldn’t interfere.”
  916. >”Anon, something is very wrong.”
  917.  
  918. “You know what that thing is?”
  919. >”I do.”
  920. “Well what is ‘it’?”
  921. >”… Actually they’re unnamed. Ponies never encountered them.”
  922. “But you have?”
  923. >”I’ve always called them fipplenops.”
  924. “No.”
  925. >”What?”
  926. “We’re not calling them that.”
  927. >”Oh shut up. The point is I know where they’re from.”
  928. “Get to the point.”
  929. >”Fip- THEY are from the deepest levels of Tartarus.”
  930. “Then what are they doing on the surface?”
  931. >”I don’t know, that’s why ‘something is very wrong’, you dolt.”
  932. “What do you know about them?”
  933. >”They’re apex predators of the deepest tunnels and underground lakes. Highly intelligent and just as… ravenous. Their numbers grow until the ecosystem can’t support them any longer, then they turn to cannibalism. I don’t think there’s anything that they won’t eat provided that at one time it was alive.”
  934. “Exactly how intelligent?”
  935. >”They’re capable of using basic tactics and have some degree of conversing with each other. Back in my prime, I specifically stunted their brains so that they wouldn’t be able to get any smarter. Hordes of monsters eating everything is fun to watch, but not when they actually succeed in eating everything.”
  936. “Well look at you taking the moral high ground for once.”
  937. >”You saw the gills on its chest?”
  938. “Yes, I did.”
  939. >”They can vibrate them to send messages to others while underwater.”
  940. “Only underwater?”
  941. >”What you saw a moment ago was… a scan.”
  942. “Go on.”
  943. >”They live in a very low light environment. The gills also work as a sort of infrared pair of eyes, but with magic.”
  944. “They see magic?”
  945. >”Magic is a part of every living thing in Equestria, and they developed the ability to naturally sense it.”
  946. “So they see magic?”
  947. >”… Yes, I suppose that’s accurate.”
  948. “I’ve only got one question.”
  949. >”How did they manage to breech the darkest depths of Tartarus?”
  950. “How do I kill it?”
  951.  
  952. >”Well you show up as a magical void, and it can’t exactly see well…”
  953. “Won’t they still be able to see an empty spot though?”
  954. >”Why are you even asking me? Just stab them, it’s not a hard concept to grasp.”
  955. “You know Discord, I really value your unending wisdom in these conversations.”
  956. >”No need for sarcasm. Just do your thing so I can go back to watching television.”
  957. >-
  958. >Back on the deck of the Avalon, you look at the creature.
  959. >They’ll need a name, but you can deal with that later.
  960. >You watch as it takes one final deep sniff, before stepping back slightly.
  961. >Looking at its eyes, you see the pupils go wide.
  962. >Almost like it just realized something.
  963. >It then roars towards you with an angry and guttural “ARWAA”.
  964. >God the stench…
  965. >It then charges forward, very quickly.
  966. >You sidestep to your right, and after it passes, its tail swings and hits you square in the chest.
  967. >The impact knocked you over and took the breath out of your lungs.
  968. >That’s how it’s going to be…
  969. >As you roll to the side and get back up on your feet, you grab at one of the spears you’ve placed on the deck.
  970. >After the beast turned back to you, it pauses for a moment as it prepares to charge.
  971. >But you hold your ground.
  972. >And wait for it to make the next move.
  973. >In a split second, it goes from fully stationary, to sprinting at an impressive speed.
  974. >And as it closes the short distance, it lunges at you, its jaw open and it’s arms outreached.
  975. >Most ponies wouldn’t have the reaction time to do anything.
  976. >But your reaction time is excellent.
  977.  
  978. >As its claws were just about to reach you, you ducked under them, and plunged the spear straight into the gills on the left side of its body.
  979. >You get a couple feet of penetration, but the mass of the creature forces you to the ground.
  980. >The beast cries out with a painful “HARWOO” as you push the spear deeper into its body.
  981. >For extra measure, you then twist the haft around to further damage its internal organs.
  982. >Then the beast goes limp as it lets out a low whimper.
  983. >As you push its body up to get free, you then rise to stand over the body.
  984. >That was actually quite easy.
  985. >You notice that some of its blood splattered onto your arm and shoulder.
  986. >It’s a deep red, almost black.
  987. >A quick scan shows that the deck is clear from any others, but the pegasi aren’t looking on the deck.
  988. >They’re looking at the sides of the ship.
  989. >As you walk over to the closest railing, you look down.
  990. >And see a couple dozen of them scaling the hull.
  991. >One is directly below you, within striking distance.
  992. >Before it can swing a claw at you, you reach down and give it a firm punch to the snout.
  993. >It gets dazed and falls down into the water below.
  994. >But further down the ship, you see them starting to climb onto the deck.
  995. >One’s easy.
  996. >A few dozen, not so much.
  997. >Getting bogged down underneath a corpse won’t be viable anymore.
  998. >You reach your hand down to the pommel of your sword, but stop yourself.
  999. >That’s too simple.
  1000. >If the crew wants a spectacle, they’ll get one.
  1001. >Instead, you reach into your pockets.
  1002. >Damn.
  1003. >You left your brass knuckles in your bag.
  1004. >So instead of that, you reach for a nearby axe that you leaned against the railing.
  1005.  
  1006. >Responding to the shriek and rapid footsteps behind you, you spin and lodge the axe deep into the left shoulder of an approaching beast.
  1007. >Letting the axe rest inside of its body, you then sidestep the claw that swings towards you.
  1008. >And follow up with a swift punch into the left gills.
  1009. >As the beast flinches, you grab a hold of the axe, and dislodge it from the shoulder.
  1010. >Then you spin the weapon in your hands to bring the pick side of the head down between the creature’s eyes.
  1011. >Releasing the haft of the axe, you let the dead animal slump down to the ground.
  1012. >Shifting focus to the next closes target, you reach down to your left boot.
  1013. >Grabbing the throwing knife stashed in it, you throw it at the creature’s mouth as it roars on the charge.
  1014. >It stops in its tracks as the blade lodges itself in the back of its throat.
  1015. >Quickly closing the short distance between you and the beast, you then shove you right arm into its mouth as it attempts to cough the blade out.
  1016. >Grabbing the hilt of the knife, you draw it out of the creature’s jaw before it can close on your arm.
  1017. >Then you thrust the blade up into its throat from below.
  1018. >In a swift circular motion, you then pull out the knife, spin it around in your hand, and bring it down on the top of its skull where you’d assume the brain to be.
  1019. >But the next beast is already upon you.
  1020. >Glancing over your right shoulder, you see it approaching.
  1021. >Still holding your knife in reverse grip, you jab it into the bottom of its right gills and cut upwards.
  1022. >As it reaches the top of the exposed area, you then retract the blade and jab into its neck, hitting the spine.
  1023.  
  1024. >You are forced to let go of the knife though, as you roll out of the way of a high swipe from the arm of another creature.
  1025. >Getting back on your feet, you find yourself close to the body that has the axe sticking out of its head.
  1026. >You grab the haft and yank the weapon free, as you then swing the axe into the beast you just dodged.
  1027. >Letting the axe rest in the beast’s right side, you then sidestep over to a weapon rack to grab a spear.
  1028. >The beast seemed unfazed by the axe currently in its ribs, so you thrust the spear deep into its central chest.
  1029. >With the next attacker approaching, you reach over your shoulder and draw your machete.
  1030. >Sidestepping a swipe from its claws, you hack down into its arm.
  1031. >You hack through some of the bone, but not fully.
  1032. >A machete won’t be that useful here.
  1033. >Their hide is tough enough and their bones thick enough to make it almost a novelty.
  1034. >Maybe in your prime it would have gone all the way through, but you’re not in your prime.
  1035. >Hacking the machete into the open jaw of the beast, it impacts the corners of the mouth- giving it a small Glasgow smile.
  1036. >With your left hand, you grasp the dagger next to your sword and bring it down into the beast’s brain.
  1037. >You then let the machete fall with the corpse, but you then quickly sheathe the dagger.
  1038. >This part of the deck is getting too full with bodies, so you decide to reposition yourself.
  1039. >Heading closer to the stern of the ship, you see the beasts are climbing both sides of the ship.
  1040. >You’re surrounded.
  1041. >Good.
  1042.  
  1043. >Sun Tzu said to never fully surround an enemy, if you don’t give them an outlet, they fight to the bitter end.
  1044. >For being supposedly so smart, the creatures clearly aren’t well read.
  1045. >From a weapon rack, you grab a Equestrian long sword with your right hand, and a spear with your left.
  1046. >The sword is too short to be considered ‘long’ in your hands, but a blade is a blade.
  1047. >You use the weapons to cover your movement.
  1048. >Slashing at the nearby beasts with the sword and using the spear as more of a staff to whack arms away from you.
  1049. >You don’t do any real damage, but it keeps them off of you while you reposition.
  1050. >When you reach clearer ground, you thrust the sword into the chest of a creature, and follow up by spinning the spear around in your hand.
  1051. >You then grasp the metal grip with both hands and thrust it downwards into its shoulder.
  1052. >Twisting the weapon for more damage, you let the beast go limp.
  1053. >You leave the spear and sword in the body and move on to the next creature.
  1054. >You see one of them charging straight at you, so you charge back.
  1055. >Grabbing your left dagger in a reverse grip, you then slide onto the ground just before you would reach its outstretched claws.
  1056. >As you pass under its body, you jab the Dagger into its right gills.
  1057. >You lost momentum quickly, so while on your back, you kick upwards where it’s… male parts would be.
  1058. >Rolling out from under the creature, you then get back on your feet.
  1059. >The beast was not amused by your attack, and as it turns it lunges low to bite at your torso.
  1060.  
  1061. >You strike the beast’s lower jaw with your knee, and reach forward to jab at its right eye with your thumb.
  1062. >As you puncture its membrane, you reach down with your free hand to grab the dagger that you left in its gills.
  1063. >And then jab upwards into its throat.
  1064. >For good measure you then pull the blade through its throat towards you.
  1065. >Letting the dagger rest in the dying creature’s neck, you turn to face the next one.
  1066. >The beast behind you was getting too close for comfort, so you quickly sidestep out of its path.
  1067. >Grabbing a spear from the ground, you thrust it deep through its side.
  1068. >Although it doesn’t kill it outright, you then pull the weapon out, and follow through with a thrust into the side of its upper chest.
  1069. >That did it.
  1070. >As you pull out the spear, you turn to the side of the ship, where another creature is about to climb onto the deck.
  1071. >You thrust into its open mouth, and can feel the spear come out the other side of its neck.
  1072. >Quickly retracting the spear, you let the lifeless corpse fall into the water below.
  1073. >You then spin the spear around in your hand, and throw it at the next closest beast.
  1074. >It impacts straight into the gills on its left side, so you then press the advantage as it is stunned.
  1075. >You run forward and grasp the haft of the impromptu javelin, pushing the spear deep into the creature.
  1076. >Choosing to reposition again, you start making for the upper deck.
  1077. >Dodging around a few attacks, you reach the stairs.
  1078. >One of them at the top of the stairs then jumps down towards you.
  1079. >So you simply sidestep at let it impact the creature chasing you.
  1080. >As you then bound up the stairs, you find the upper deck to be clear at the moment.
  1081.  
  1082. >After all, they were all moving to the main deck.
  1083. >But you see a claw grasp a bannister.
  1084. >Right in front of the port side swivel gun.
  1085. >You sprint over to it, and grab the match you set next to it.
  1086. >As the beast tries to climb over it, you strike the match and use it to light the cannon, that then fires straight into its chest.
  1087. >As you look down the ship, you notice something strange.
  1088. >The creatures aren’t even paying attention to the ponies.
  1089. >Why?
  1090. >You cut your thoughts short, as you see one of them climbing the stairs you just came up.
  1091. >Grabbing a spear, you then charge the beast, thrusting the spear straight down its mouth into the neck.
  1092. >You let the dead corpse rest on the stairs, stopping others from easily climbing them.
  1093. >But it also works both ways.
  1094. >If you need back up those stairs, there’s a body blocking your way.
  1095. >While you focused on the port side stairs, they have managed to get up the starboard side set.
  1096. >Reaching down to your right boot, you draw your other throwing knife and launch it at the first in line.
  1097. >It impacts the right side gills, staggering the creature long enough for you to sprint to it and draw your other dagger.
  1098. >You bring it down onto the top of the creature’s skull, and retract the blade to sheathe it.
  1099. >Reaching down to grab your throwing knife from the dead one, you have to use it immediately.
  1100. >As the next creature swings with its arm, you jab the blade up into its middle digit, stopping the blow.
  1101. >You then let go of the blade as you step back, reaching back to draw your kukri.
  1102. >The creature then swings with its uninjured arm, so you swing at the forearm that’s coming your way.
  1103. >The hit was good, and you hack straight through the arm.
  1104. >As the creature falls to the ground, you then hack down into its neck.
  1105. >The kukri is lodged deep into its spine, and kills it just fine.
  1106.  
  1107. >As a beast climbs over the stern side of the ship, you approach and hack into the side of its neck.
  1108. >You hit straight into the side, and work the blade down to the throat.
  1109. >Then you follow through by swinging down into center of its upper jaw.
  1110. >The blade goes through the top of the skull and down into the tongue.
  1111. >Working your weapon free, you then turn to face the next one.
  1112. >As it charges with its maw open ready to bite at you, you sidestep and hack into its chest.
  1113. >You pull the blade free, and hack down into its left shoulder and into the gills.
  1114. >And finish it with a further hack into the central spine.
  1115. >But another is quickly approaching.
  1116. >To this next beast, you sharply swing the kukri down between its eyes.
  1117. >And as its body falls, you let the kukri stay firmly in its skull.
  1118. >They’re quickly swarming the upper deck.
  1119. >Time to make a hasty retreat.
  1120. >Sprinting to the wheel, you go around and jump over the guard rail separating the poop deck from the main deck.
  1121. >As you land in front of the doors of Tiara’s cabin, you then continue running down the ship.
  1122. >Weaving in and out between attacks and bodies, you soon reach the bow of the Avalon.
  1123. >The beasts are regrouping, and you have a moment.
  1124. >You don’t see any more climbing onto the ship, but you count a couple dozen still alive.
  1125. >Reaching down, you shift your dagger into the empty left sheathe.
  1126.  
  1127. >Alright, it’s been fun but no more playing around.
  1128. >You reach your right hand down to the grip of your sword.
  1129. >With the familiar feeling in your grasp, you draw the weapon and let steel ring out.
  1130. >But you don’t want the creatures to get too tightly packed around the bow of the ship, so you start the charge.
  1131. >Reaching the first beast, you charge head on, then step left at the last moment to avoid its strike.
  1132. >You hack into the chest, and continue moving.
  1133. >As you then slice down its side, you stop to thrust the blade back into its chest.
  1134. >Letting the beast fall, you continue to the next closest one.
  1135. >As it swipes with its claws, you meet the claws with steel.
  1136. >Pushing them away, you jab the blade into its neck, killing the creature.
  1137. >You retract the blade and use it to parry the next incoming attack.
  1138. >Then as the beast has to reaffirm its balance, you thrust into the gills, going deep into its torso.
  1139. >Pulling the blade out, the beast is still standing.
  1140. >So you do the same with its other set of gills.
  1141. >That felled it.
  1142. >Gripping your sword with both hands, you then deliver and overhead strike down into the skull of the next creature in your path.
  1143. >As that beast drops, you move forward, away from this cluster of bodies.
  1144. >The one you come across next pauses.
  1145. >It then steps back to stand next to another creature.
  1146. >They then charge towards you in tandem.
  1147. >Clever.
  1148.  
  1149. >Gripping your dagger with your free hand, you spin the blade to hold it in a normal grip.
  1150. >As they approach, you step forward to move between them.
  1151. >With your sword, you thrust into the right most animal’s chest, and you strike your dagger up into the left’s throat.
  1152. >As you pull the sword from the dead one on the right, you then thrust it into the left one’s neck.
  1153. >Pulling both weapons from the body, you continue on.
  1154. >Another pair of beasts meet you, as you thrust your sword into the attacking mouth of the one to your left, and duck out of the way of the left’s claw swipe.
  1155. >From the lower angle, you then jab into the left’s gills.
  1156. >You then duck under its head, and stab your sword deep into its other set of gills.
  1157. >As you pull your sword from the beast, you sheathe your dagger.
  1158. >Running to the next creature, you work your way to its left side.
  1159. >Striking at the back of its front knee, you slice at the tendons.
  1160. >You then move to the back knee and slice them as well.
  1161. >As the beast falls over onto its side, you approach the front and plunge your sword down into its chest.
  1162. >Gripping the cross guards, you twist the sword about ninety degrees, then pull it from the dead creature.
  1163. >Turning around, you strike at the incoming arm.
  1164. >As its owner growls in pain, you thrust into its chest.
  1165. >To your left, yet another beast jumps towards you.
  1166. >Leaving your hand on the sword currently inhabiting one of them, you spin away from the incoming lunge.
  1167. >The attacking beast lands in front of you as you pull the sword from the dead one.
  1168. >You slash to the right across its body, getting minimal penetration.
  1169. >Reaching your freehand to the grip of your sword, you step forward and swing back to the left.
  1170. >Hard.
  1171. >Your sword imbeds itself deep into the front of its chest.
  1172. >You then pull the sword from the beast, and jab up into its head.
  1173. >You see the tip of your blade stick out just between its eyes.
  1174.  
  1175. >As you pull your sword from the creature, you move again to clearer ground.
  1176. >To the next beast in your path, you hack down into its left shoulder.
  1177. >Then pull your sword out and hack again into the wound.
  1178. >And again.
  1179. >The third time was the charm, and the beast slumps down to the ground.
  1180. >Rushing forward, you slash across the body next one you pass.
  1181. >Passing that creature, you stop as you reach its tail.
  1182. >And hack down with an overhead strike.
  1183. >As you sever its tail, you then adjust to hack down into its lower spine.
  1184. >Spinning on your heel, you then are faced with another charging beast.
  1185. >You thrust the sword, hitting into its open mouth.
  1186. >Retracting your blade, you then hack down onto its skull for good measure.
  1187. >To your left, another creature attempts to strike you with its claws.
  1188. >Using your sword to knock its arm down, you then grasp your dagger with your left hand.
  1189. >Then swiftly bring the blade down on its skull.
  1190. >Pulling the blade free, you sheathe it again, and move out of the small pile of corpses.
  1191. >As you move out, you find a creature on your right and left.
  1192. >Swiping at the right beast’s neck, you then follow through and spin to thrust your sword into the left creatures gills.
  1193. >You then spin back to the one behind you to hack into the right side of its neck.
  1194. >And turn back to the other creature to give an overhead chop into its shoulder.
  1195. >With those two dealt with, you move on.
  1196. >Approaching the next creature, you quickly slash at its outstretched arm.
  1197. >Then kick into the gills on its right, and as you regain your footing, you thrust your sword into the other set of gills.
  1198.  
  1199. >You draw your dagger and reach around to jab it into the right side of the creatures neck.
  1200. >As you withdraw your blades from the dead beast, you then sheathe your dagger.
  1201. >Gripping your sword with both hands, you move to the next one.
  1202. >You hack down into the left shoulder, then the right shoulder, and back to the left.
  1203. >Then reverse your grip on the sword, and plunge it into the wound you left on the right shoulder.
  1204. >At this point, there’s pretty much no place on the deck, aside from the area you just moved into, that is free from bodies.
  1205. >And you count five creatures still standing.
  1206. >They’re circling you.
  1207. >You’re not letting them take the first move.
  1208. >Charging towards one of the five, you thrust your sword squarely into its chest.
  1209. >As you pull the blade out of the creature that’s still standing, you spin around to deflect a strike from the next creature over.
  1210. >Reaching down to grip your dagger, you then jab it down into the first creature’s skull.
  1211. >Then pull the dagger out and plant it into the gills of the one you just blocked against.
  1212. >You let go of the knife and let that one be for a moment as you turn and move around the body of the first one of the five.
  1213. >You reverse the grip on your sword, and thrust it down into the torso of the third beast.
  1214. >Letting go of the sword, you then go back to the second of the five.
  1215. >You duck under its arm as it goes to swipe, and then brace your left hand on its shoulder.
  1216. >Leveraging yourself onto its back, landing just in front of where its spinal fin starts, you then reach down and grab the dagger out of its gill.
  1217. >Then jab it down between its eyes.
  1218. >Letting the knife rest there, you then place a hand on each of its shoulders and push yourself over its head and back onto the deck.
  1219.  
  1220. >The fourth beast is charging with its teeth gleaming at you.
  1221. >So, you brace yourself and give a roundhouse kick to the side of its head.
  1222. >As the creature’s charge stops, you then turn to retrieve your sword.
  1223. >Ducking under the fifth’s claws as it attacks, you reach your blade.
  1224. >Bringing the steel out of the corpse, you then turn back to the fifth beast.
  1225. >As it rears another arm to swipe at you, you hack to the inside of its arm.
  1226. >Then as it gets knocked back, you hack back to the outside of the same arm.
  1227. >And finish with a thrust into the chest.
  1228. >As the last creature standing charges you with its mouth open once again, you plunge your sword deep into the open maw.
  1229. >The blade goes deep.
  1230. >Your arm is half inside of the beast’s jaws.
  1231. >But you don’t have to worry about it chomping down, because it’s already dead.
  1232. >You pull the blood soaked sword out of the creature, and plunge it straight down into the body, letting it stand on its own.
  1233. >Glancing around the ship, you see none of the creatures still moving.
  1234. >And you can see the crew cheering.
  1235. >All of them, except Tiara, who is glaring at you with crossed eyebrows and a straight face.
  1236. >You then outstretch your arms to the sides, and look to her.
  1237. “Are you not entertained!”
  1238.  
  1239. >You look down and swat some of the blood off of your arms.
  1240. >Glancing back up to the crew, you see most of them still waiting as they were.
  1241. “Don’t just sit there slack jawed! Get these bodies off of the deck! And would one of you pegasi bring me some rain to rinse off in?”
  1242. >Inspecting your body, there’s not a scratch to be found on you.
  1243. >Maybe a splinter or two from the wooden floor, but the creatures never touched you.
  1244. >Well, aside from getting swatted with a tail, but that probably won’t even leave a large bruise.
  1245. >Been awhile since you’ve had a fight like that.
  1246. >You’ve still got it.
  1247. >It really got the blood flowing through your aging body.
  1248. >Hell, it was fun.
  1249. >That unsettles you.
  1250. >Reaching forward, you pull your sword free of the dead beast, and start collecting your other weapons from the bodies.
  1251. >Killing is your job, but you’ve never had fun with it.
  1252. >Maybe it has something to do with the part of Discord that you’ve got riding shotgun.
  1253. >That could account for a couple of the changes in mood you’ve had in recent days.
  1254. >Such as how you’ve almost intentionally been trying to annoy Tiara.
  1255. >Looking to the deck, you see unicorns starting to levitate bodies off of the ship.
  1256. >If anything else is lurking nearby, the waters will effectively be chummed…
  1257. >You can only hope that the creatures spooked away any other sea monsters in the immediate vicinity.
  1258. >One of your daggers is levitated up to you, so you grab it from the air and re-sheathe it.
  1259. >Moving forward, you reach a body with one of your throwing knives.
  1260. >And as you retrieve the weapon, you notice Tiara stomping towards you.
  1261. >You try (and fail) to contain a smug grin.
  1262. >”Clean up and meet me in my cabin.”
  1263. >She immediately turns and starts stepping around the bodies on the way to her room.
  1264. “Meet me in my cabin, Sir.”
  1265. >You let out right as she turns.
  1266. >It doesn’t illicit a verbal response.
  1267.  
  1268. >…
  1269. >After cleaning off, and putting on a fresh pair of fatigues, you step back onto the deck.
  1270. >The crew worked quick.
  1271. >No bodies are left on deck, and the last blood spatters are being mopped up.
  1272. >Tiara should have calmed down… slightly.
  1273. >Well, better not keep her waiting.
  1274. >As you cross over to the doors, you pause a moment before entering.
  1275. >Should you knock?
  1276. >No, you won’t.
  1277. >Entering the cabin, you see Tiara rush to hide a bottle.
  1278. >”I see you put a shirt on.”
  1279. “Drinking this early already?”
  1280. >You turn to close the door behind you.
  1281. >She doesn’t respond to the question.
  1282. >Turning back to face her, you approach the table she’s sitting at.
  1283. >As you reach the empty chair, you swing your leg over the low back rest and sit in the chair.
  1284. >You then lean slightly forward and weave your fingers together as you place your arms on the table.
  1285. “You know, I never took you for a betting pony.”
  1286. >”Ugh.”
  1287. “Look Tiara, we’re both adults here. I’ll be honest, my naval knowledge and experience is relatively low. How this ship runs is your business, and I’m not here to overrule you on every detail. But this is my mission, and I’m in charge.”
  1288. >She remains silent.
  1289. “You are the head of the Equestrian Royal Navy, that leaves me as your boss. But, that doesn’t mean that your opinion and experience mean nothing. For the most part, I will defer to your judgment. When our opinions do clash, I want you to argue yours as best as possible; but ultimately when that rare conflict does arise, the decision is mine. And don’t worry, you won’t have to put up with me for long.”
  1290. >Tiara still doesn’t say anything.
  1291.  
  1292. “So, I’m here with a peace offering.”
  1293. >”What?”
  1294. >You pull out a folded and sealed letter from a pocket.
  1295. >Then slide it across the table.
  1296. “Once you get back home, take this to Canterlot. It’s a signed order that will fully put you back into the fold. You’re head of the navy, and you deserve to be back on High Command. As you know, Flurry is currently infected with the same thing that’s got Celestia. That means you’ll be on the council that’s running Equestria.”
  1297. >”You’d really let bygones go? Your generals would let themselves work with somepony that didn’t help them in their Civil War?”
  1298. “Brairheart and Offense won’t like it, and will probably be vocal about it. Lancer and Wave are more pragmatic. But they’ll all accept the decision because I told them to. I’ve worked directly with them all for years, and they know that if I make a decision, they can trust it.”
  1299. >”How do I know this isn’t an order for my arrest or execution?”
  1300. “You really think I’m naïve enough to think you’ll let the letter sealed? Go on and open it, read for yourself.”
  1301. >You pause to let her open and read the letter.
  1302. >After she gets through it, she tosses it onto the table.
  1303. >”I don’t want your consolation prize.”
  1304. “Then retire and let someone else do the job. You have a lot of sailors locked into Fort Shipbreaker, you take my offer, then they all get to continue doing their jobs an get to go home to their families. The Royal Navy gets reconciled with no questions asked. You don’t like how my people have been running things, then do something about it.”
  1305. >”No questions asked?”
  1306.  
  1307. “You placed all your eggs in the Celestia basket, and you lost. I’m offering you a second chance with no strings attached.”
  1308. >”And how much weight will my word actually have?”
  1309. “As much as any of them, but in my place Lancer has the final say. Look, we can argue for days on end about Flurry and Celestia. But until my mission is successful and they both get freed from the entity that’s controlling their minds, that argument doesn’t matter. What does matter is making sure that Equestira rebuilds and continues to stay secure. I want you to have a part in that.”
  1310. >She pauses for a moment to think.
  1311. >”Fine, you win fair and square.”
  1312. “Good.”
  1313. >”Now with all due respect, may I speak freely Sir?”
  1314. >She basically spits out the ‘Sir’ part of her question.
  1315. “Go ahead.”
  1316. >”Get out of my cabin.”
  1317. “One last thing.”
  1318. >”What?”
  1319. “What…”
  1320. >”What Field Marshal?”
  1321. >It really pains her to add your rank.
  1322. “I’m only going to say this once, so listen very carefully.”
  1323. >You say in a completely serious tone as she listens.
  1324. “At ease. No need for formalities, just ‘Anon’ will do.”
  1325. >Her jaw slacks open and her eyes widen in disbelief, and perhaps a bit of disgust.
  1326. >And you just smile smugly as you rise from the chair and take your leave.
  1327.  
  1328. >…
  1329. >After leaving Tiara’s cabin, you mosey on up to the wheel to see Port.
  1330. >But Discord speaks to you as you start going up the steps to the upper deck.
  1331. >”Now Anon, listen carefully. You need rest from my activity. I’ll be doing the equivalent of taking a nap, so I won’t be able to sense what you sense for a while. Try not to get us killed.”
  1332. >A break from Discord’s vigilance.
  1333. >You’ll take it.
  1334. “Commander.”
  1335. >”Sir.”
  1336. “Anything you want to say about the situation?”
  1337. >”That’s between you and Lady Tiara.”
  1338. “Good man.”
  1339. >You pat his shoulder as he continues to work the ship’s wheel.
  1340. >”It was quite the sight though… the battle, that is.”
  1341. “I’ve had tougher scrapes.”
  1342. >”I’ll take your word for it. But it was no easy feat, facing three dozen of those… things.”
  1343. “I counted forty-two.”
  1344. >”You had time to count during that?”
  1345. “Subconsciously. It helps me focus in smaller battles.”
  1346. >”Small.”
  1347. “I’ve stormed Changeling hives and fought on the front lines of the largest battles Equestria has ever seen.”
  1348. >”Fair enough.”
  1349. “There is still something I don’t understand though.”
  1350. >”Hmm?”
  1351. “They had to have seen the crew up on the rigging. Why didn’t they pay you any mind?”
  1352. >”Well they were a bit preoccupied. Perhaps they didn’t think about taking the effort to get to prey that was out of reach.”
  1353. “I hope it’s that simple.”
  1354. >A voice yells out in pain.
  1355. >You look over to the source.
  1356. >A sailor is hopping on three legs, a large splinter sticking out of his back left hoof.
  1357. >An aqua blue earth pony with an oaken colored mane then starts berating the sailor.
  1358. >”I told you ponies to watch your step, their claws did a number on the deck, and I haven’t gotten around to fixing it all yet!.”
  1359. >The injured pony retorts:
  1360. >”Look at the size of it!”
  1361. >”It’s just a splinter, you dolt!”
  1362. >The aqua pony is the ship’s boatswain.
  1363.  
  1364. >Ironically enough, he’s named Bosun Boatswain.
  1365. >Which is redundant.
  1366. >Incredibly redundant.
  1367. >The Boatswain yanks out the shard of wood sticking out of the sailor’s hoof.
  1368. >Prompting a sharp yelp to escape the pony.
  1369. >As the Boatswain inspects the shard, he then speaks to the pony.
  1370. >”That was deep. Go get patched up, I don’t want your blood on my deck.”
  1371. >As the pony limps away, you call out to the Boatswain.
  1372. “Sorry about the mess Bosun.”
  1373. >”Yeah, you haven’t seen how they dug their dirty claws into the hull. It’ll take a week to get the ship presentable again.”
  1374. >The Boatswain then takes his leave to continue repairing the scratches that pepper the ship.
  1375. >With that done, the ship returns to its quiet state.
  1376. >Well that just won’t do.
  1377. >You approach the guard rail overlooking the main deck, and yell to one of the riggers.
  1378. “Seaman Bass, start something!”
  1379. >He’s one of the more musically inclined crewmembers.
  1380. >After a moment of thinking, he chooses one of the shanties you taught the crew.
  1381. >”Come cheer up my lads, ‘tis glory we steer,”
  1382. >”To add something more to this wonderful year;”
  1383. >”To honor we call you, as freemen not slaves,”
  1384. >”For who are so free as the sons of the waves.”
  1385. >Much of the rest of the crew joins in for the chorus.
  1386. >”Heart of oak are our ships, jolly tars are our men,”
  1387. >”We always are ready; Steady boys, steady!”
  1388. >”We’ll fight and we’ll conquer again and again.”
  1389. >You rest a hand on the guardrail as the crew continues.
  1390. >This voyage might not be as bad as you feared it would be.
  1391.  
  1392. >…
  1393. >As you awoke in the morning, you waited in private for Starlight to raise the sun.
  1394. >After that, you tried to use magic again.
  1395. >Nothing fancy, just basic telekinesis.
  1396. >It proved useless; you still can’t even lift a feather.
  1397. >But, you were able to get a sustainable aura from your horn.
  1398. >If you can’t get privacy during sunrise or sunset, you should at least be able to provide the façade that you’re the one actually doing it.
  1399. >Maybe by the end of this little trip, you’ll have regained some use of your magic.
  1400. >Even if it’s only something as simple as using it to open doors.
  1401. >You really miss being able to so that.
  1402. >After showering and getting ready, you equipped your armor and went to meet the others.
  1403. >You found the group waiting for you.
  1404. >And the local garrison has all lined up at attention to see you off.
  1405. >Major- Sorry, Colonel Arrow was first to salute.
  1406. >”Good luck your Highness.”
  1407. “Thank you Colonel.”
  1408. >You then nod to him before going over to Offense.
  1409. >”Ready?”
  1410. “As I’ll ever be.”
  1411. >The old minotaur then speaks to you:
  1412. >”From here, the roads can take us to our destination. Overland the journey should take about a week depending on the weather.”
  1413. “If any storms do come our way, I’m sure our pegasi can keep the road clear at least.”
  1414. >”Then we should make excellent time, young one… even with my old legs slowing us down.”
  1415. “Then let’s not waste any more time. The tribes are waiting.”
  1416. >As you lead the group of honor guards and the Sage’s attendants, you walk with Offense on your left and the old minotaur to your left.
  1417. >And as you begin to move away from the camp, the soldiers spring into salutes.
  1418.  
  1419. >…
  1420. >Fully rested, you go through your morning routine.
  1421. >This is probably the last time you’ll be able to shower for quite some time, so you take your time and enjoy the warm flow of water.
  1422. >With your morning affairs settled, you then make your way to the cargo bay, where Brairheart is waiting.
  1423. >”Major.”
  1424. “Sir.”
  1425. >A familiar voice calls out from behind you.
  1426. >”I’m here, I’m here.”
  1427. >Call is panting slightly, he likely rushed this morning.
  1428. >Brairheart then levitates over a pair of saddle bags and some weapons.
  1429. >”Compliments of the Mushir. Genuine Saddle Arabian robes, and the necessary amenities to survive in the desert.”
  1430. >You each leave the robes in the bags, seeing as you’ll be flying at a high altitude for the first leg of the trip.
  1431. >”And a pair of scimitars of his highest quality. He also sent you this dagger, Corporal.”
  1432. >The two of you begin strapping the weapons to your torso, and as Call finishes he pulls out the dagger.
  1433. >He then comments on it as he balances it on his hoof.
  1434. >”Balanced for throwing, how did he know?”
  1435. >As Call puts away the knife, the Admiral speaks to the both of you.
  1436.  
  1437. >”You both know the mission and what is at stake. Provided that you’re successful, out intervention in Saddle Arabia can end and the Mushir can properly sort out the country. I honestly can’t say if the peace will last, but after so much blood has been spilled, we can only try.”
  1438. >He then pauses for a moment.
  1439. >”Get in, find the MID spy, and find a way to destroy the mine. If she has a way to get the job done, she’s to be offered a full pardon for her history with the organization. Bring her home, if she decided to play turncoat we have no idea how much intelligence she’ll be able to offer to Jagir’s faction.”
  1440. >Call then asks a question:
  1441. >”And if she isn’t willing to cooperate?”
  1442. >”Do what’s necessary, but we’d prefer to have her alive. If she knows anything the MID kept off the record, it will be invaluable to making sure the organization stays dead.”
  1443. “What do you mean by ‘necessary’?”
  1444. >”We’re soldiers, not assassins. But if push comes to shove, the mission has to come first. If Jagir gets another air fleet in the skies, it will only draw out this conflict even further. And I do not want to fight another war against Saddle Arabia, even if we have full dominance in the sky.”
  1445. “Understood.”
  1446. >”Now good luck you two. A lot is riding on this mission, but I have the utmost faith in your abilities.”
  1447. “Thank you Sir.”
  1448. >Call speaks the same words right as you do.
  1449. >”Thank you Sir.”
  1450. “We won’t let you down.”
  1451.  
  1452. >…
  1453. >It’s been a day since the fight, and Tiara is still nowhere to be seen.
  1454. >She’s been locked in her cabin for quite some time now.
  1455. >As you open her door, you hear a loud groan.
  1456. >”What!”
  1457. >Closing the door behind you, you speak to her:
  1458. “You’re drunk.”
  1459. >”Stop yelling!”
  1460. >She raises her head from her table.
  1461. “You’re hungover.”
  1462. >”Shut up!”
  1463. >Her mane is unkempt, and she reaches up to clear the strands that are falling in front of her face.
  1464. >A single group of strands then fall back down, lying right over her left eye.
  1465. >”You don’t get to judge me!”
  1466. >Approaching the table, you remain standing as she is slumped into the chair across from you.
  1467. “I thought we came to an agreement the other day.”
  1468. >”The other day?”
  1469. “It’s eight in the morning.”
  1470. >Her eyes go wide as she stares into the distance.
  1471. >You’d guess that she isn’t exactly a heavyweight.
  1472. >”Right…”
  1473. >She moves her hooves up to massage her temples.
  1474. >You sigh.
  1475. >It’s going to be one of those days.
  1476. >Moving over to a cabinet, you open it up and begin rummaging.
  1477. >”What are you doing?”
  1478. “Just hold your horses.”
  1479. >You didn’t just let out a horse based play on words, did you?
  1480. >You’ve been here too long.
  1481. >Retrieving a bottle of gin and two shot glasses, you return to the table and sit across from her.
  1482. >”Really?”
  1483. “Best cure for a hangover.”
  1484. >Filling each glass with the clear liquor, you slide one over to Tiara.
  1485. >She groans at the sight of the shot glass presented before her.
  1486.  
  1487. “You okay?”
  1488. >”My head is killing me.”
  1489. “I know about that, I mean how are YOU doing?”
  1490. >”What does that mean?”
  1491. “It means that I never took you for the type to drown yourself in alcohol. Ergo- what’s wrong?”
  1492. >”Why does something have to be wrong?”
  1493. >She asks as less of a question, and more of an accusation.
  1494. “Because you’re getting defensive. Now we can continue the psychoanalysis, or you can just get whatever it is off of your chest.”
  1495. >”There is nothing on my chest!”
  1496. >If that’s how it’s going to be…
  1497. >Time to unshackle your inner Freud.
  1498. “Well due to your family’s wealth, I’d assume your parents weren’t really around when you were a kid.”
  1499. >”My father has nothing to do with this! And you don’t have the right to bring my family into this.”
  1500. “Well that tells me two things. One, you immediately defended your father, so I’d guess it was your mother that was detached. And secondly, because I don’t have the right to bring your family into this, then you accept that ‘this’ is something tangible; meaning that yes, there is something wrong after all.”
  1501. >”So now you’re a shrink too.”
  1502. “Just call me a Renaissance man; after all I am the very model of a modern major general.”
  1503. >”What?”
  1504. “Oh that is a very long story, twenty-six plus years in the making actually, it’ll have to wait for another day.”
  1505. >”I don’t understand.”
  1506. >She says as she sheepishly takes a sip of the gin.
  1507.  
  1508. “Since I arrived at your doorstep, we’ve been arguing- rather constantly actually. I think that’s why you’ve suddenly developed a taste for gin. Good choice in brand by the way.”
  1509. >”Really?”
  1510. >She asks with more than a hint of sarcasm.
  1511. “And I’ll hazard to guess that your issue isn’t with the ethics of the Civil War, or over who should be sitting on the throne over in Canterlot.”
  1512. >”Then what is my issue?”
  1513. “Authority.”
  1514. >”Authority?”
  1515. “Celestia always let the military take care of its own matters, meaning that as Lady of the Admiralty, your word was absolute. You don’t like being the pony taking orders.”
  1516. >”Absurd.”
  1517. “Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
  1518. >”You’re one to talk about pride and haughty spirit.”
  1519. “Tu quoque? Don’t expect me to fall for a logical fallacy. You don’t like the idea that anyone can make better decisions than you do. I think the concept of someone else solving the problem terrifies you.”
  1520. >”How would it terrify me?”
  1521. “Because you ponies have a habit of freaking out whenever you think there’s something wrong with your special talents. Also because you expect your word to be carried out to the letter, it’s kind of obvious.”
  1522. >She continues working on the gin.
  1523. “You put a great deal of effort into your image. That’s why you didn’t back down when the bet was offered the other day. You don’t want people to think you aren’t the best pony for the job.”
  1524. >”Uh huh.”
  1525.  
  1526. “Take what we’ve been through on this voyage so far. First there was the pirate ship, and instead of turning to face them in open ship to ship combat, I went ahead and dealt with it personally. Then there was the siren, which had the entire crew under her spell until I broke it. Next was the Fog, and although your word was needed to have the trapped ponies stand down, you wouldn’t have come to that conclusion without me. Most recently was the battle the other day, where rather than have the crew fight under your command, I defeated the onslaught on my own.”
  1527. >”Do you have a point?”
  1528. “Each one of those events could be taken as a blow directly against your ego. A stranger comes onto your ship, and whenever you encounter trouble- he’s the one to solve it, not you or your crew. Yes that’s an oversimplification, but I think that’s the core of the problem.”
  1529. >Tiara finishes her gin.
  1530. >”Please… get out of my cabin.”
  1531. “One thing.”
  1532. >”What!”
  1533. “How’s your head?”
  1534. >”What? My head?”
  1535. >She pauses to think about her hangover.
  1536. >”It’s… not that bad.”
  1537. >A slight smug grin forms on your face as you stand from the table.
  1538. “Best cure for a hangover.”
  1539. >You reach down to your untouched glass of gin, and down the liquid in a single gulp.
  1540. “A decent conversation to get your mind off of it... and again- good taste in gin.”
  1541. >Turning to take your leave, you stop to look back at Tiara.
  1542. “And please refrain from drinking like this on a regular basis. A ship’s Captain really shouldn’t be a drunkard.”
  1543.  
  1544. >As you close the door to Tiara’s cabin, you walk to inspect the deck.
  1545. >The crew is going about their daily routines, and the ship is at full mast.
  1546. >But you have to reaffirm your footing as the ship violently lurches to the side.
  1547. >You watch as the ponies on deck focus towards the starboard side of the ship.
  1548. >Well this should be expected.
  1549. >You’re in the ‘Lake of Tartarus’ after all.
  1550. >And you killed the creatures keeping the other sea monsters away.
  1551. >Then chummed the water with their bodies.
  1552. >A thick pillar of scaled flesh is raising high into the air, just off the side of the ship.
  1553. >Walking forward to meet it, you scan upwards.
  1554. >The underbelly is a light sand color; on the sides the scales are speckled: a dark navy blue with round splotches of aqua colored scales.
  1555. >And when you say scales, you don’t mean smooth scales like a snake would have.
  1556. >These are bony and just out slightly from the creature’s torso.
  1557. >Moving upward is a pair of tiny arms, with three fingered hands at the ends of them.
  1558. >The claws are about as long as the digits they rest on.
  1559. >It has thumbs, which would give it the ability to grasp items or prey.
  1560. >At the top of the long neck is what looks like a dragon’s head.
  1561. >A skull with many bones sticking out, chief among them are a pair of slightly curved horns.
  1562. >It’s eyes are bright red.
  1563. >A long pair of whiskers rests on its snout, right next to the nostrils.
  1564. >And the head is looking downwards, straight towards you.
  1565. >It looks a lot more… bestial than sea serpents from Equestria.
  1566. “You’re not intelligent, are you?”
  1567. >You yell up to the serpent.
  1568.  
  1569. >In response, it’s back curves, and the head comes down, the end of its snout coming within a few feet of your body.
  1570. >It then lets out an ear piercing shriek, wind and some mucus covering your body.
  1571. >A glob of the spit lands right on your face.
  1572. >It’s jaws are large enough to swallow you whole.
  1573. >And its teeth are long and sharp.
  1574. >You sigh as you pull out a handkerchief to wipe your face clean.
  1575. “Well that answers that.”
  1576. >Glancing to each side, you see the crew just standing there dumbfounded.
  1577. “SPEAR!”
  1578. >One of the earth ponies springs into action and tosses you a spear from the weapon rack he was next to.
  1579. >You grab it with your left hand as it sails through the air.
  1580. “AXE!”
  1581. >He tosses an axe, which you grab with your right hand.
  1582. “Go on then, battle stations!”
  1583. >You’ll let the crew do as they will.
  1584. >The sea serpent cocks its head slightly as you stare it down.
  1585. >You look at the animal and speak to it, one last time.
  1586.  
  1587. “You know, my knees are getting far too old for this.”
  1588. >The beast’s jaws shoot open as it lurches forwards, trying to catch you with its maw.
  1589. >You let yourself fall backwards, letting its head go above your prone body.
  1590. >Hacking upwards with the axe, you imbed it into its lower jaw- the haft resting to point straight forward.
  1591. >As the serpent retracts its head, you roll over and spring to the ground.
  1592. >It’s pulling its head away from the deck.
  1593. >You’re not letting it get away.
  1594. >Charging forward, you reach out with your free hand and grab onto the tip of its right whisker.
  1595. >Using it as a rope, you swing inwards towards its neck.
  1596. >You thrust with the spear, pushing it deep into the right side of the creature’s neck.
  1597. >Glancing down, you see that you’re about forty feet off of the deck as the creature raises its head back up.
  1598. >Using the spear as leverage, you climb around to the back of the serpent.
  1599. >Its jagged spines give you ample space to grab onto with your hands and feet.
  1600. >The only weapons you have on you right now are your sword and a dagger.
  1601. >Should be enough.
  1602. >Looking down the back of the beast, you see a large fin poking up from its spine.
  1603. >You’re about ten feet from where it starts.
  1604. >But then you’re honestly a bit shocked as an immense set of wings sprout from its sides, about in line with its fin.
  1605. >The wingspan must be almost as long as the ship.
  1606. “Oh shit.”
  1607. >Reaching down with your right hand, you draw your dagger and jab it as deep as you can get it into the serpents back.
  1608. >You’ll need the extra grip as the beast flaps its wings and takes flight.
  1609.  
  1610. >Alright…
  1611. >How can you tame this thing and fly it straight to the East?
  1612. >If only things were that easy…
  1613. >Gripping tight on your dagger and one of the serpent’s scales, you try to lodge your boots against the scales as well.
  1614. >As the beast gets out of the water, you glance down at its long tail.
  1615. >At the tip, you see a pair of spiny fins similar to the one on its back.
  1616. >But they go out to each side, presumably so it can use them to swim like a whale does with its tail.
  1617. >The skin flaps that make up the fins and wings are a bright red.
  1618. >Why is everything in this world so damn colorful?
  1619. >Wind blows across your body as the sea serpent circles the ship.
  1620. >A loud noise in the distance takes you off guard.
  1621. >It sounds like some of the gunners are trying to take long range shots at the beast.
  1622. >Only the first few cannons go off though.
  1623. >Either they stopped because you’re on the creature, or because they can’t hit it when it’s moving so quickly.
  1624. >Well, you’re currently secure.
  1625. >You’re central enough on its body that it can’t really shake you off.
  1626. >Though that’s certainly not stopping it from trying.
  1627. >But you’re not making progress like this.
  1628. >The creature takes a hard bank left, trying to get you off.
  1629. >Good, if it’s focusing on you then it’s not focusing on the ship.
  1630. >An arrow bounces off of the creature’s scales, almost within arm’s reach.
  1631. >Looking to the skies around you, you can see a handful of pegasi in the air.
  1632. >They’re trying to keep its attention in the sky.
  1633. >As the sea serpent gets close to one of the fliers, it thrashes its head to the right to chomp down on the pony.
  1634. >The pegasus barely avoids becoming a meal as the teeth crash down just as he gets away.
  1635. >They’re making the beast thrash around too much for you to move.
  1636. >Reaching out with your left hand, you beckon out to one of the pegasi.
  1637. “GET OVER HERE!”
  1638.  
  1639. >He hesitates for a moment before shooting over towards you.
  1640. >Unable to keep up with the creature’s movement, he latches onto your back, hugging you tightly to keep on.
  1641. >”SIR!”
  1642. “What are you people doing!”
  1643. >”Helping, Sir!”
  1644. “No you aren’t! Get out of here, I have a plan!”
  1645. >You don’t have a plan.
  1646. >”Sir?”
  1647. “Just have the gunners prepare a broadside, they’ll know when to fire!”
  1648. >”Yes Sir!”
  1649. >After a moment, the sailor pushes away, finding his path away from the beast.
  1650. >Now you have to get its focus back onto you…
  1651. >Reaffirming your grip on your dagger, you pull it out of the serpents back.
  1652. >And reach it higher, stabbing it higher up on its back.
  1653. >You pull at the dagger, making sure it’s firmly imbedded between the scales.
  1654. >Then you begin climbing.
  1655. >Each time you jab the knife back into the serpent, it tries again to shake you off.
  1656. >Once or twice, you lose your footing, but you manage to regain it quickly.
  1657. >Pulling yourself higher, you soon reach its head.
  1658. >Working your knife free, you stick the grip in your mouth.
  1659. >You then reach out to grab the beast by the horns.
  1660. >Literally.
  1661. >The beast is flying at a relatively stable pace, so you pull yourself up to a standing position.
  1662. >You’re in the middle of an ocean, standing atop the head of a flying sea serpent as it circles your ship.
  1663. >There’s a first time for everything, it seems.
  1664. >As the creature violently shakes its head, you shift both of your hands to hold the creature’s right horn.
  1665. >The force makes you lose your footing, and for more than a moment, you’re soaring through the air, barely holding onto the horn.
  1666. >As it levels out, your torso slams against the side of its face.
  1667. >You’re virtually face to face with its eye.
  1668.  
  1669. >So you do what any sane man holding onto a flying sea serpent’s horn while a couple hundred feet in the air would do.
  1670. >You let go of the horn with your right hand, and grab your dagger.
  1671. >Plunging it deep into the beast’s eye, it shrieks out and violently swings its head to the right, trying to throw you off.
  1672. >Your body is thrown, and an immense strain is put on your left arm.
  1673. >If anymore force was used, it would have dislocated your shoulder.
  1674. >As you dangle in the air, you sheathe your dagger.
  1675. >Sticking your right hand into the gouged eye socket, you pull yourself up.
  1676. >As you climb the side of the creature’s head, you then shift your right hand back over to the horn.
  1677. >Alright, this is going to be difficult.
  1678. >No, no thoughts- just go for it.
  1679. >You work your legs up and curl as if you were going to kick off of the serpent’s skull.
  1680. >Then launch your right leg up and over the head.
  1681. >You straddle the creature as you let go of the horn with your right hand.
  1682. >This is not a secure position, so you don’t bother drawing a weapon.
  1683. >Leaning over to your right, you jab your fist deep into the creature’s last good eye.
  1684. >Your hand gets soaked in fluids as it pops from the force.
  1685. >The serpent cries out in pain as the now blind creature tries to force you off of its head.
  1686. >It swings its head upward, so to brace yourself you jab your boots into the eye sockets and hook your feet around the bone that forms the top of the hole.
  1687. >As it fails to get you off of its body, the blind sea serpent begins heading towards the water.
  1688. >Glancing around, you see that its course takes it close to the ship.
  1689. >Very close.
  1690. >There’s a good chance that it’ll dive straight into the Avalon.
  1691. >You don’t have much time, so you act quickly.
  1692.  
  1693. >Letting your legs out, you thrust them back and place them atop the creature’s snout.
  1694. >Now comes the hard part.
  1695. >Releasing your hands from where they gripped the serpent, you then use them to push yourself up.
  1696. >Straddling the creature again, you then spin your legs around to turn your body to face forward.
  1697. >Leaning forward, you grab at the serpent’s whiskers, attempting to pull them to the right.
  1698. >It isn’t really flapping its wings any more, but it is gliding down at a steep angle.
  1699. >Come on you dumb animal!
  1700. >The beast growls as it begins to lurch slightly to the side.
  1701. >Now you just have to get off.
  1702. >At this height the water would still kill you.
  1703. >Or at least break a few bones.
  1704. >At least height won’t be an issue for long.
  1705. >But at this speed, it wouldn’t be much better.
  1706. >And you sure as hell aren’t going to ride this thing down.
  1707. >Alright, you need to slow down.
  1708. >And you can only think of one way to do that.
  1709. >Letting go of the beasts whiskers, you draw your sword.
  1710. >It hasn’t failed you since you first picked it up, and it won’t fail you now.
  1711. >As long as your aim and timing is true.
  1712. >Then you swing your right leg over to the left side of the beast’s mouth.
  1713. >And kick off of the beast, jumping through the air.
  1714. >You are a leaf on the wind…
  1715. >As you soar, you reverse the grip on your sword and grab it with both hands.
  1716. >Trusting it into the skin on the serpent’s wing as it passes under you, the blade starts to cut down through the bright red wing.
  1717. >As it tears straight down the wing, it hopefully slows you down enough.
  1718. >Breaching the end of the wing, you rush to sheathe your sword as you fall.
  1719. >When it fully rests back in the scabbard, you feel your legs breach the water.
  1720. >As your body is submerged, you can make out a pair of muffled noises.
  1721. >First is a large rash into the water.
  1722. >And it’s followed by what you’d assume to be a broadside of cannons.
  1723. >Opening your eyes, you feel the sting of salt water.
  1724.  
  1725. >Then you start swimming towards the light.
  1726. >Breeching the surface, you take in a fresh breath of air, and look to the ship.
  1727. >A large smoke cloud is rising from the port side of the Avalon.
  1728. >And in the water, barely twenty feet away from it, the sea serpent rests floating on the waves.
  1729. >It’s outstretched wings are probably the only thing keeping it buoyant for the time being.
  1730. >The torso of the creature is torn and mangled from the cannon fire, with blood seeping into the water.
  1731. >Right now you only have one thing last to do.
  1732. >…
  1733. >You pull yourself onto the deck, grasping the ropes with your right hand.
  1734. >Because in your left is the spear, and the axe’s haft is resting in your mouth.
  1735. >You hand the spear off to one of the sailors, and then give the axe to another.
  1736. “Let it never be said that I waste equipment.”
  1737. >Port and Tiara were on the deck, waiting for you.
  1738. >She cleaned up pretty quickly.
  1739. >The Commander was the first to speak.
  1740. >”That was… impressive.”
  1741. “That would have been impossible on my world. You have a slightly lower gravity, and you have a bit more oxygen in your air. Then your physics seem to be much more heightened comparatively: makes it easier to jump higher and fight longer… also there weren’t sea serpents on my world, so even finding one would be difficult.”
  1742. >Tiara gave out the slightest chuckle at the statement.
  1743. >Did she really just…
  1744. “Now, Lady Tiara, set a course due south.”
  1745. >”Really?”
  1746. >She asks.
  1747. “I’d rather not keep up the trend of a sea monster attack every day. I’ll trust the crew to see us through whatever navigational issues we might face… now if you’ll excuse me, I need to clean up.”
  1748.  
  1749. >…
  1750. >Landing on a sizable cloud, you wait for Call to catch up.
  1751. >When he lands, he immediately begins fashioning a chair out of the puffy vapor.
  1752. “Really?”
  1753. >”Winds are strong, so we can ride this baby all day. Might as well be comfortable while we do it.”
  1754. “It’s a cloud, what difference does sitting or laying make?”
  1755. >”All the difference in the world.”
  1756. “You know what, I’m not even going to try arguing with you-“
  1757. >Call cuts you off.
  1758. >”Smart man.”
  1759. “So… Before we left Equestria, the Admiral sent word to Cloudsdale to send heavy cloud cover and wind in this direction. Most of it has dissipated, so for the most part we’ll be under natural weather. If the clouds permit it, we’ll use them to rest on during the day so we can fly by night. With the skies so clear down here, I’d rather not risk being seen flying in the day.”
  1760. >”Yeah, yeah. Sit back, relax, and let the wind carry us to our destination.”
  1761. “If we make decent time during the nights, we should arrive in three to five days.”
  1762. >”Which reminds me!”
  1763. >He stands from his cloud chair and approaches you.
  1764. >He then starts to nudge at your shoulders.
  1765. “What are you doing?”
  1766. >”You said you only know some battle commands in Arabian, right?”
  1767. “I don’t see why that’s relevant.”
  1768. >You reply as you swat his hoof away.
  1769. >”Oi!”
  1770. “Don’t you ‘Oi’ me!”
  1771. >”Oh, shut up and stand straight.”
  1772.  
  1773. “What. Do. You. Want!”
  1774. >”I’ve got to teach you how to act. We’ll be behind enemy lines, so you need to be able to play the part.”
  1775. “I take it you have an idea for a cover story.”
  1776. >”Back at the Siege of Baltimare, you were my brother. We fought together and managed to escape the battle after ‘we’ lost. But, you came out with a few screws loose. You only repeat the words you remember from the battle. Mainly ‘retreat’ because your position was overrun.”
  1777. >He really thought this out, didn’t he?
  1778. >”After we got out of the battle, we managed to get back to Saddle Arabia before the Civil War properly started. So, I’m escorting you back home- to some rural farm or such in the south, before I can go back to join with Jagir’s forces to stick it to Equestria. That story should cover us for a day of rest once we reach the mining town… or when we meet any soldiers.”
  1779. “Giving us enough time to find our spy.”
  1780. >”Now let me work with you, we need to make you act properly insane.”
  1781. “It can’t be that hard.”
  1782. >”Acting is an art.”
  1783. “Says the Actor.”
  1784. >”First we need to start with your stance. You’re standing too properly, hunch over a bit, and stand with one shoulder out.”
  1785. >This is going to be a long day…
  1786.  
  1787. >…
  1788. >Inspecting your body as you change into clean clothes, you find that your torso and thighs are heavily bruised.
  1789. >Probably from being thrashed around so much.
  1790. >Your left shoulder aches a good deal from when it was the only thing keeping you from being thrown from the sea serpent.
  1791. >A loud yawn catches your attention.
  1792. >Discord, in human form and wearing a brown set of pajamas (he even has a cap on), walks into your room between the crates that form the ‘doorway’.
  1793. >”What did I miss?”
  1794. >He looks over your bruises.
  1795. >”I don’t what to know, do I?”
  1796. “Just check my short term memory.”
  1797. >He pauses for a moment as he stares into the distance.
  1798. >”ARE YOU TRYING TO GET ME KILLED!”
  1799. “Quit being so melodramatic Harvey.”
  1800. >”You jumped on top of it as it flew hundreds of feet in the sky! Do you think this is some cartoon!”
  1801. “Well the color palette of this world is rather… bright.”
  1802. >”That’s no excuse!”
  1803. “Harv, it wasn’t too dissimilar to how I’ve dealt with larger dragons in the past.”
  1804. >”You’re lucky that was a young serpent, they can get at least three times larger out here.”
  1805. “The bigger they are, et cetera.”
  1806. >”You are just loving this, aren’t you?”
  1807.  
  1808. “What?”
  1809. >”Playing the hero to this group of ponies.”
  1810. “You’re just upset that you’re cooped up with me. I think you don’t like being so helpless.”
  1811. >”Well excuse me for caring about self-preservation.”
  1812. “You know, I really miss you being whole. When you split your consciousness to hitch a ride in my brain, I got the side that constantly whines.”
  1813. >”I do NOT whine.”
  1814. “He says in a whining tone of voice, the irony completely lost upon him.”
  1815. >”I am SO sorry that your persona hasn’t been split into two, you don’t know what it’s like. How empty it feels!”
  1816. “Good, after everything I’ve had to put up with, you deserve the discomfort.”
  1817. >”Oh once I get free of this cage, you have no idea what I’m capable of.”
  1818. “You ended that sentence in a preposition… bastard!”
  1819. >”I think I might seal you in a solid steel box for a decade or so, then we’ll see whose laughing.”
  1820. >You chuckle a bit.
  1821. “I want you to try.”
  1822. >”Humph. Well if you need me, I’ll be watching television.”
  1823. >Discord then disappears, presumably to go binge watch something from your memory.
  1824. >Leaving you to finish getting dressed.
  1825. >…
  1826. >Stepping back onto the main deck, you immediately go up to the wheel.
  1827. >Port is manning it, as Tiara looks off the stern.
  1828. >Moving over to stand next to her, you see what she’s been looking at.
  1829. >Black skies at the edge of the horizon.
  1830. “Storm clouds.”
  1831. >”Coming this way.”
  1832. “No rest for the weary… Do we have enough pegasi to stop it?”
  1833. >”No.”
  1834. “What do you think we should do?”
  1835. >”Set course back due east. The longer we go without it reaching us, the softer it’ll be.”
  1836. “It can’t possibly die fully down before hitting us.”
  1837. >”No, but if it’s even a bit less severe, then it’ll be worth it.”
  1838. “Due east?”
  1839. >”Straight with the wind.”
  1840. “Make it so.”
  1841.  
  1842. >…
  1843. >”The weather started getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed.”
  1844. >This really isn’t the time, Harv.
  1845. >But he’s right.
  1846. >You finish pulling and securing a thick rope, you’ve been assisting because you’re strong enough to do the work of three ponies.
  1847. >Most of the sails are being brought in, and after a skeleton crew is left above deck, the hatches will be battened down.
  1848. >You hear Tiara speak to Commander Port, right as the first drops of rain begin to fall on you.
  1849. >”Give me the wheel; I’ll need you to relay orders once the winds strengthen.”
  1850. >”Ma’am.”
  1851. >Approaching Tiara, you ask the question of the hour
  1852. “You have been through storms before, right?”
  1853. >”Of course I have!”
  1854. >She barks at you.
  1855. >”I just doubt that the storms out here are anything like back west.”
  1856. “You don’t say that with much confidence.”
  1857. >”Shut up!”
  1858. “Just an observation.”
  1859. >”Well go observe below deck, the last hatches are closing.”
  1860. “I’m staying.”
  1861. >”This is your only chance.”
  1862. “Well who’s going to fight the kraken that decides to attack us in the storm?”
  1863. >”If we get attacked because you decided to open your stupid mouth, I’m holding you personally responsible.”
  1864. >She says as the ship rocks from a wave.
  1865. >Alright, two battles and a storm in just two days.
  1866. >Is that all the world has to throw at you?
  1867.  
  1868. >…
  1869. >You brace against a railing as the ship rides a particularly large wave.
  1870. >The Avalon rocks back and forth as it rises and falls with the current.
  1871. “Come on Poseidon, what did I ever do to you!”
  1872. >Over the winds, you can hear Tiara yell to you:
  1873. >”WHAT?”
  1874. >Although you’re barely ten feet from her, the wind makes it hard to hear her scream.
  1875. “NOTHING!”
  1876. >Letting go of the railing, you approach the wheel.
  1877. “You just had to ride this out, didn’t you?”
  1878. >”The clouds went as far as the eye could see, what other choice did we have! Or would you have preferred to be flown up to the clouds so that you could stab them?”
  1879. “You might be on to something there!”
  1880. >Lighting webs across the sky, illuminating the dark skies for a moment.
  1881. “We did get Three-Leg out of the crow’s nest, right?”
  1882. >”He’s probably laying on the ground propped up next to some cannon, sleeping soundly from the alcohol!”
  1883. “Lucky him!”
  1884. >”You chose to stay up here!”
  1885. “Well without me, who’s going to-“
  1886. >You’re cut off as a large wave flows over the upper deck of the ship, while you withstand the barrage; Tiara is knocked from the wheel.
  1887. >You quickly stop the wheel from turning by grabbing it with your left hand as your right catches Tiara by the arm.
  1888. >She is swept with the flood, but her rear hooves land back onto the deck as the water passes.
  1889. “Who’s going to catch you when you fall?”
  1890. >As she regains her footing-
  1891. >Her hoofing?
  1892. >When she retakes the wheel, she quips back to you.
  1893. >You’re able to hear the sarcasm clearly over the wind.
  1894. >”Oh, my hero!”
  1895. “You know I really don’t think-“
  1896. >An immense roar of thunder echoes out in the air.
  1897. “-you meant that…”
  1898.  
  1899. >…
  1900. >You’re currently laying on your back.
  1901. >Although the sun is harshly beating down on the desert below, up in the clouds the wind and altitude are quite cool.
  1902. “So Call, what’s the first thing you’ll be doing when we get back to Equestria.”
  1903. >The Corporal leans back in his cloud chair to think, although it’s become more of a throne over the past few hours.
  1904. >”Cold one at the nearest pub.”
  1905. “I think I’ll join you.”
  1906. >”Not visiting the wife first thing?”
  1907. “Well unless we keep going south until it becomes north, I’ll be on the other side of Equestria from her. So no, not first thing.”
  1908. >”Don’t let her hear that, especially in her condition.”
  1909. “What condition?”
  1910. >”The one that takes eleven months.”
  1911. “Pregnancy isn’t really a condition.”
  1912. >”What are you on about?”
  1913. “Well it is a condition, but not a condition condition.”
  1914. >”Try saying that five times fast.”
  1915. “She is in perfect medical condition!”
  1916. >You used condition again… didn’t you.
  1917. >”See, it is a condition.”
  1918. “This is going to be a long trip.”
  1919. >”Shove off, you’d be lost without my company.”
  1920. “Well it’d certainly be… quieter.”
  1921. >”Exactly, you’d nosedive straight into the ground without my presence keeping you sane.”
  1922. “That doesn’t sound half bad.”
  1923. >”Nice to see that my good friend is still a constant pillar of support and enthusiasm.”
  1924. “Hey Call?”
  1925. >”Hmm?”
  1926. “Shut up, we’ve only got a few more hours till nightfall, and I want some sleep before we have to fly tonight.”
  1927. >”Yeah, I should probably catch forty winks or so too.”
  1928.  
  1929. >…
  1930. >You shiver as a gust of wind blows over your body, waking you up.
  1931. >Five more minutes…
  1932. >No, you need to get up.
  1933. >Rising from the pillow-like cloud, you begin to stretch out your wings.
  1934. >Need to get circulation going.
  1935. >Walking over to where the Corporal is curled up, you try to wake him.
  1936. “Call, get up.”
  1937. >No response.
  1938. >Giving a light but swift kick to his shoulder, his eyes spring open.
  1939. >”What!”
  1940. “Get up, the sun’s almost down.”
  1941. >Call grumbles as he starts to stand.
  1942. “So how are you flying long distances?”
  1943. >”I took you for quite the ride first time we met.”
  1944. >Back when he ‘assassinated’ Lancer as a test.
  1945. “That wasn’t really an endurance run.”
  1946. >”Look, if either of us couldn’t make the flight, we wouldn’t be here.”
  1947. “Fair enough.”
  1948. >He snickers a bit.
  1949. >”You know…”
  1950. >Call stops himself.
  1951. “What?”
  1952. >”Oh, it’s nothing.”
  1953. “Then what is it?”
  1954. >”Well, back when I was… fifteen? Fifteen or sixteen, can’t remember. Anyway, there was this one mare that I really fancied.”
  1955. “What was his name?”
  1956. >”HER name was Violet… Plug, Mug, Pug, Jug… I can’t remember her last name.”
  1957. “So you really fancied her then.”
  1958. >”Blossom! That was her last name!”
  1959. >That doesn’t rhyme with what he was trying…
  1960. >”Anyway, she was in my class, and I spent five or so years madly in love with her.”
  1961. “Really…”
  1962. >”So, one day, I got a letter at my door. It was from you know who.”
  1963. “Totally not clichéd at all.”
  1964. >”See, she fancied me too, and she wanted me to join her friends as they went out of town on vacation.”
  1965. “Did you go?”
  1966. >”I ran straight to the train station, but it had already left... So I started flying, and I managed to get to the destination right as her train was pulling in.”
  1967.  
  1968. >Nice timing.
  1969. >”I was sweating pretty badly, so I tried to clean up as best as possible before she got off the train.”
  1970. >Oh this is going to end so badly that it’ll be beautiful.
  1971. >”So, and let me set this up first. As a kid I had some extra pounds, and my last growth spurt hadn’t kicked in, so I was still rather short.”
  1972. “You were tiny and fat?”
  1973. >”And horribly awkward.”
  1974. “Now let me guess, she was the opposite?”
  1975. >”Tall, thin, and the most popular mare in school. So obviously I was ecstatic when I got her letter.”
  1976. “Ecstatic enough to fly quick enough to beat the train.”
  1977. >”So when she took the first step off of the train, I started espousing how I felt, and how I felt about hearing that she felt the same way.”
  1978. >Of course he did.
  1979. >”I didn’t really notice, but Violet and all of her friends just stood there with wide eyes.”
  1980. “And what happened then?”
  1981. >You can guess…
  1982. >”Well after my voice was thrown out from all of the flying cardio and talking, I finished up. And they all started laughing at me.”
  1983. “Saw that coming from a mile.”
  1984. >”Oi!”
  1985. >You continue to play the part.
  1986. “What happened?”
  1987. >”My bloody sisters is what happened! Two of them were Violet’s friends, so they forged it to have a laugh.”
  1988. “Such is life having only sisters.”
  1989. >”So I ran away while crying, and started walking home in the rain. After that I got into shape, and turned my life around.”
  1990. “And what happened to Violet?”
  1991. >”No idea, stopped caring about her. This is the first time I’ve even thought about it for years. Only popped into my mind cause of the flying I did that day.”
  1992. “Even as a kid you had no luck whatsoever with mares…”
  1993. >”Oi!”
  1994. “Yeah, yeah, start flying already.”
  1995.  
  1996. >…
  1997. >It’s actually quite peaceful up here.
  1998. >The starry night and moon casting a low light down upon the sands below, as you soar high in the sky amongst the stars.
  1999. >Well aren’t you getting all poetic, you should write that one down.
  2000. >Really though, for a place that you connect with death and suffering, you didn’t expect to be taken aback by the sights.
  2001. >When you were here for the war- well, when you were here for the OTHER war, you never liked looking at the sand dunes.
  2002. >They were homes for venomous ambush creatures that would attack troops while they slept in the night.
  2003. >And aside from the Saddle Arabians, there were also some nasty snakes and scorpions.
  2004. >Every pile of sand you saw was just a potential home for something out for your blood.
  2005. >This desert was a forsaken wasteland.
  2006. >But now it doesn’t seem as deadly.
  2007. >When you look down to landscape below, rather than being met with dread and caution, you feel a strange sense of wonder.
  2008. >Even though the same amount of war and conflict plagues the land as before, there’s something more down there than just a potential battlefield.
  2009. >The desert you’re looking at now has a sort of attraction.
  2010. >It is beautiful in its own way.
  2011. >You find your attention drifting as you gaze at the endless waves passing by as you soar over this ocean of sand.
  2012. >But as you continue to glide through the cool night’s air, you can’t help but feel some attachment.
  2013. >Almost as if there is an individual stake in this mission now.
  2014. >Not some abstract concept of preventing further conflict, or simply following orders.
  2015. >You can’t exactly say why; but setting aside from the fact that it’s your job, you still personally want the fighting to end.

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