Well, This Can't get any Worse, Right?

Chapter Four

Cloudsdale Train Station

The transport sent from Canterlot was more akin to a passenger train, even going so far as to be painted a bright red (rather than the typical pink or powder blue). Inside the car wash just as ornate, even the chair that bone wrecker was sitting in was comfortable.

The Element Bearers and the two assigned guards sat in benches lined up against the wall, keeping to themselves, with the occasional comment from Bone Wrecker, whose chair was bolted down in the center of the car. His lance was also in the room, stored inside a crate, although the weapon wouldn't have been any use in such an enclosed space.

"Hey!" Pinkie Pie appeared, standing on the back of his chair and looking at Bone Wrecker upside down, "I gotta question about your lance-thingy!"

"Yes?"

"Why does it have that spiral around it?" She jumped, landing with a squeak in front of him, her butt in the air as she turned around and Bone Wrecker looked up, avoiding her tush and an awkward situation, "It kinda looks like a drill..."

"It is a drill." He looked at her once she turned to face him, the others in the car noting his aversion to her flank with a few snickers and eye-rolls. "When I intend to kill or maim my targets, I spin the lance right before it hits, so it pulls itself into them with the shank's edging." He shrugged. "It makes a cleaner stab, so it comes out of the person easier."

"That's really cool!" Pinkie bounced around, his eyes following her, and looking rather confused. "That means that you can take out multiple targets without it getting stuck in a corpse, and you can tunnel through rock!"

"Not really." He chuckled, unsure of weather the mare was serious or not. "Unless I add a motor or something, it wouldn't hit hard enough to bore through stone."

"So you use a weapon meant to kill, regardless," Twilight had a grim look on her face, "Yet you say that you don't kill."

"No, it's meant to guard and protect at the cost of life." Bone Wrecker sighed and bent over, using his claws to scratch the base of his horns. "I earned my name by breaking bones, not killing everything I fought."

Rainbow yawned, stretching like a cat, before lying down on the bench.

"...I'm going to bed..."

"Yeah," Twilight looked at the sky outside, noting how dark it had become, "I think we should all get some rest." She looked at the guards, who left the room. "Goodnight."

"Night."

"Sweet Dreams everypony!"

"Meh..."

"Same to you, Twilight Sparkle." Bone Wrecker laid his head against the back of his chair and closed his eyes'. "Till' the morning sun rises..."

Canterlot, Ten Hours' After Departure, 10:00 am.

The train slowed to a stop, steam rising as the massive vehicle entered the station. With a click, the doors opened and the six mares, one dragon, two guards and one unidentified being, now wearing a black visor over his eyes, trotted and walked out, making a beeline for a chariot waiting for them.

"I don't think that's going to work to well." Bone Wrecker said, looking at the vehicle cautiously as the crate was loaded onto it. "I don't think that thing'll hold all of our weight."

"You shouldn't weigh that much, dear."

"I weigh about two-thirty-eight."

"So?" Rainbow floated around the group, lazily looping around above their heads. "You look like a twig!"

"Add all of us together, than talk to me about it."

All of them got on, waiting on the largest member of the group, who gingerly put a foot on the frail looking chariot before taking a breath. With a quick hop, Bone Wrecker crouched in the center of the group, tensed and waiting for something to break.

"See?" Applejack grunted, the aggressive tone still present, "It aint gonna-"

Crack! Snap!

The wheels fell to the ground as the axle snapped in half, the chariot hitting the cobblestone with a thud.

"-break..."

"I told y-"

"Don't finish that, you varmint."

With that subtle message to be quiet, they got off the ruined chariot and began the trek to the castle on hoof (and wing in Rainbow's case).

Rarity took it rather well, despite having to walk two miles to the castle, and pointed out different stalls in the market as they passed through, Twilight keeping her wings folded against her body to limit the attention from the crowds. It didn't make that much of a difference, since Bone Wrecker and the two guards stuck out like a phoenix sitting with a flock of pigeons.

"Twi?"

"Yes?"

"Ah think we should hurry up." Applejack was well aware of the stares from the crowds. "ah don't like the looks we're getting’ from those ponies."

"Well, I can't teleport all of us, and I don't want to leave him with Rook and Aegis, no offense.

"None taken Princess." The female guard, a Unicorn going by the name Gold Rook. "Though you are right, teleporting all of us would be rather difficult..."

"I could do it."

The group stared at Bone Wrecker, confused glances on their faces.

"And how would you do that?" Twilight was a little miffed at him, thinking he was stronger than an Alicorn. "Some kind of super spell?"

"No, and I would like to be given the minimal respect I deserve for saving your plot multiple times."

"Ignoring the rude language, how do you intend to get all of us to the castle?"

Holding up his claws, he opened them, the talons glowing as he traced a circle in the air, then bisected it vertically, causing the world around the group to distort and twist, forming into the guard barracks' courtyard.

"Like that." He let his arms drop and started chuckling at the shocked looks on the ponies faces. "My magic isn't as Order-based as yours is, Twilight, it's more like Chaos magic."

"You mean like Discord's?"

Rook and Aegis, the two guards' assigned to the group, stepped away from Bone Wrecker, being well acquainted with the reformed gods' abilities.

"In a sense, yes." The group started walking again, making a beeline through the startled recruits who'd been training when they appeared. "However, it's a bit more controlled, so I don’t have as much feedback as he does."

Rainbow Dash landed and joined the group on the ground as they entered the castle proper, and voiced a question.

"What do you mean?"

"Discord is made of magic. His entire being, as a Draconequus is unstable, even though it is organic." Bone Wrecker followed the group to a set of golden doors and waited as Twilight knocked. "When he uses his magic, he uses a bit of himself and the feedback from the process is what makes his actions as chaotic as they seem to be."

The doors opened slowly, the hinges silent. The throne room had changed very little, the white marble floor, the red carpet, the stained glass windows; they were the same as all the other times the six mares had visited.

"Cadence!"

Twilight ran to her old foalsitter, who in turn trotted down the steps of her throne with her husband at her side, and met her halfway, before hugging their respective sister-in-law.

"It's good to see you Twilight!" Cadence smiled as her husband joined the group. "How have you been?"

"I've been good, all things considered..." Twilight said, opening her wings slightly, "What about you and Shinning?"

"Busy." The group moved towards a large, circular, crystalline table, were Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Discord, and Shinning Armor were sitting. "The Empires' a bit...out dated," Cadence winced, "We've been reforming everything from public relations to the building code's..."

"Is there anything I could do to help?"

"Not at the moment."

With that, they all found a seat, the Princess's sitting at the head of the table, side by side, with Cadence and Shinning sitting to their left, and Discord and Twilight on their right while the other five Element Bearer's chose to sit next to Twilight.

Aegis, Rook and Bone Wrecker sat opposite of the Royal Sisters'.

"Welcome to Canterlot, Knight." Celestia smiled at Bone Wrecker's shocked expression. "It has been a long time since I've seen one of you."

"Princess, you know what he is?" Twilight said, ignoring the dancing butterflies Discord had made.

"Of course," Luna tipped her head at Bone Wrecker. His response was to open and close his mouth like a fish out of water, "our mother always had her aids in this world, Twilight Sparkle. You just need to know what to look for."

"Your mother?"

"Celly, as much as I'm enjoying the confusion," Discord kept a neutral expression, "I do believe it's time we explain..."

"You being the voice of reason, Discord?" Celestia chuckled, making the eldritch god sigh in annoyance, "I do agree however. Would you like to do the honors?"

"Why not?" Discord floated into the air, the crate holding Bone Wreckers' lance sprouting spider legs and walking over to him before spitting the weapon out."Wow, that’s fancy!"

The lance was made up of a three foot long, thin cone, a spiral blade giving it a drill like appearance, the two foot grip, complete with a bronze knuckle guard, the shaft ending in three silver Pegasi, their lower halves replaced by a smooth sphere of metal, their wings flared and held back to back as they bent their heads' low and holding their arms close to their barrels.

"So that's it." Discord let the lance fall, the weapon sinking a full foot into the marble floor with a dull thunk. "Sorry about that, but I know which knight he is."

"And that is?"

"The Eastern Knight, Failure incarnate, wielding the blade, or lance in this case, of Redemption." Discord shrugged. "Explains how he ended up killing some random stallion, he is made to fail at his task every now and then.

"Thanks for the compliment." Bone Wrecker deadpanned.

"Your welcome!"

"Discord, don't antagonize him."

With a huff, Discord teleported back to his seat, while Twilight spoke to Celestia.

"Why aren't you mad at him?"

"Twilight, would you be mad at a guard for doing his job?"

"No."

"Then you can't be mad at him for doing his." Celestia motioned to Aegis and Rook with a hoof. "If you would please remove the manacles he is a guest, not a prisoner."

The two guards lit their horns and the manacles' clicked open, falling to the table with a clack.

"How many times have you aided them?" Celestia said her tone neutral.

"Depends on whom." He put a clawed hand to his chin and hummed. "Let’s see...Applejack: Thirteen times I've moved her out of her barns' way when it collapsed, twice I’ve punted a manticore out of her orchards... Twilight: not much actually, though that’s because she never really went anywhere dangerous...Pinkie: nothing. I don't think Discord could beat her in a fair fight. Rarity: Same as Applejack, minus the barn, and add keeping her from getting enslaved by Diamond dogs, despite the fact that she was taking gems from their land without their permission."

"Wait." Rarity said, confusion plain in her voice, "What do you mean by 'their land'?"

"You've been stealing from them." he snorted, "The entire quarry and the surrounding forest belongs to them by a treaty made roughly sixty three years ago."

"So...I've...been..." Rarity trailed off as she realized how much she had taken from them over the years, leaving Bone Wrecker to continue.

"For Fluttershy, a few saves here and there, nothing to major. Rainbows' actually been the most time consuming, though that’s mostly because of her training."

"What do you mean by that?"

"How many crashes have you survived that you shouldn't have been able to?"

"Uh...thirty...no...” She crossed her arms and huffed. "Give me a second..."

Bone Wrecker gave her a few seconds then continued.

"I'll make things easy. Fifty five, not counting minor accidents here and there." he looked back to Celestia and continued, "And multiple assists during Discords' release, though that was mainly so she wouldn't get lost...The Gala, though that one affected everyone... The Changeling's were out of my jurisdiction, and I actually agreed with the Queens' actions, though her attitude could use some work."

"You agree with what she did?"

"Aye." He gave a slight glare at Cadence who had a disgusted look on her muzzle. "Starving to death, losing your land to another race with no way to bargain, and having your son hung by an angry mob will make someone vindictive, especially when you consider how little you all have to deal with in your lives compared to them, Royal Sisters and Deity of Chaos excluded."

All the ponies present started to object, until Discord raised a paw and silenced them, his usual smile replaced by a grimace for a split second.

"That is a discussion for a later date, Celestia." Discord was smiling sadly as he faced the Alicorn, "I do believe that will come into play later on..."

"As do I." Sighing, Celestia glanced at Cadence and Twilight, both still holding an aggresive posture. "Be still, we can discus this later.

Luna voiced the next question.

"Who gave you your weapon, if I may?"

"No one, I took it from a demon who preyed on the soul and flesh of children." He motioned to the lance. "It didn't belong to him in the first place, and the actual owner is long dead, so I kept it as my own."

"So Mother let you keep it?"

"Yes."

"Not to interrupt, but I do believe we need to wrap things up soon." Discord was holding a miniature grandfather clock in his paw, eying the tiny hands, "I think that we have a few things to settle before the night."

“That we do..." Celestia nodded, “First, your sentence, to be dealt with, is simple. You are to continue your duties, as a guardian."

“I agree.”

“You must also find lodging with one of the Element Bearers, as I doubt you would return if you were to leave.”

"...Ok, but who would-"

"You can bunk with me." Rainbow said, ignoring the glances from the others, a cocky grin on her muzzle. "I gotta spare room with nothing in it, so you can use it."

Once again, he was unsure whether to hug the blue pony, or hurt his skull in some way.

"...Thank you."

"Good." Celestia lit her horn, lifting the lance and floating it to Bone Wrecker, the tip still coated in dried blood, while his coat was given to him by Rarity, "Your belongings will be returned to you, though any attempt to use them against the ponies of Equestria will end with a fittting sentence."

Nodding, Bone Wrecker put his coat back on, sliding the panels on his back through slits in the back, and then grabbed the lances' grip. Holding it in front of him, he gave it a once over, making suree nothing was bent or warped. With a practiced spin, he laid it across his back before tilting it to his right, two clips on the back of the coat hooking onto the weapon just above the knuckle guard and just above the cone, leaving the grip within arm’s reach, and positioning the Pegasi up and to the right of his head.

"Understandable, and perfectly reasonable, Princess"

"Then this meeting is complete." Everyone stood up, and waited. "Transport to Ponyville will be provided for you and the others tomorrow morning, Twilight."

"Thank you, Prin-" Twilight caught herself and smiled sheepishly, "Thank you, Celestia."

With that, they left the room, leaving behind Luna, Celestia, and Discord.

"Well," Discord drolled, a cigar and armchair appearing for him, "This is definitely going to be fun!"

Underneath Foal Mountain, Unmapped Cave System.

The darkness had held for years, leaving the great war machines hidden from the surface-dwelling ponies, and the metal lining the walls keeping other races out. Amongst them was a tall, golden statue of a unicorn, laying upon a silver throne bedecked with cables and wires', a small, seven pointed crown mounted to its head. Each strand of its mane was a miniscule gold chain, each individual link etched with runes and seals. The platinum and silver plates that made up its skin gleamed in the darkness, radiating light from within, illuminating a small hemisphere of the room it watched over.

A small figure, hyena like in shape, moved into the light, bone plates obscuring any features of its face.

"Heh heh heh, you almost did it, Mr. Plate!" it laughed in a sickly breathless voice, sludge dripping from its mouth as it made its way to the statue. "You almost escaped me... but you forgot one thing." The creature melted, the bone plates becoming hands and jagged teeth as sludge formed into a short, slug like form with multiple tendrils supporting its rearing body. "I. AM. EVERWHERE!" it bellowed, the room suddenly full of blue fire, showing hundreds of pony like figures, and even a few dragon's, hidden in alcoves and shelves. "And I expect payment," The jagged teeth arced into a smile, sludge dripping from its gums, "With. Interest..."

It snapped its fingers, sending power into the decrepit frames and machinery, and with groans of pain and fear, the golems awoke, their once proud leader still dormant in front of the monstrosity that had roused them from their slumber. It waved a hand, and the figures marched forward, forming ranks behind it as the higher alcoves stirred, heavy forms dropping to the floor and shattering the stone under their weight.

"Enough!" With another snap, the Golems were silenced, their minds overridden and returned to a sleeping stat, though their bodies awaited orders. "You will watch your savior die, truly, for the last time!"

It raised an arm and slammed it onto the golden figure, sending it crashing to the ground, small bits of metal falling from its shell. It growled, and raised its bony hands, forming two jagged war hammers, and slamming down into the figure again and again, crushing the once regal Gold Plate into nothing but a gold plate, vaguely shaped like a pony. It smiled and pried the flattened figure, the light fading from its form, and tossed it at a Diamond Dog Golem, giving but one order.

"Forge your king a CROWN!"

As the Golem walked away, the creature laughed, the sound violent and sickening, till the fires faded into darkness, and its armies eyes stared into the shadows, unseeing, unknowing, screaming in pain and sorrow.