In the Footsteps of a Giant

The tall grey building loomed like a Roan-an Forum of old. Lyra felt oddly relaxed as she looked up at the structure, taking a sip from her slushy. It's not like she was banned from libraries... right? She had spent most of her day off exploring Baltimare, her new home had a lot to offer. The Mount Mare museum house was an interesting look into the past, and the aquarium had this awesome looking grey octopus with a bow tie!

The minty unicorn let out a sigh. It's not that she didn't like it here, far from it! She actually enjoyed working for Bon-bon at the candy store, her friend made the candy so all Lyra had to do was tidy up and take care of customers. She had even found a small coffee shop that let her play her lyre once a week in the morning, since business there had started picking up she even got paid a little. Of course, the big goal was still a few months away, the orchestra would hold auditions then, so she needed all the practice she could get. That left one day a week for her to simply relax, catch up on a few errands, or in this case, both.

Bon-bon had asked her to pick up some things from the market on her way back from the aquarium. What Lyra didn't realize was that doing so would take her right by the library. The single biggest library she had ever seen in her life. She valiantly shrugged her shoulders in a show of nonchalance as she began to walk up the steps. Ah, there was that old tingle, the feeling of excitement and discovery... No! No, this was just a normal visit, just to look at some books... normal, non-human books. As she pushed through the door, her jaw dropped and her slushy nearly did. There were more books here than she could count! Surely there was something on hum- er... historical... oddities?

An old grey unicorn with a mane and tail streaked with white coughed impatiently. "Excuse me young lady... can you read?"

"Um... duh! Why would I be in a library if I couldn't read?"

"Firstly, some ponies come here to learn how, as they're too embarrassed to go to classes. Secondly, if your claim of literacy is true, how did you fail to notice the large sign out front that clearly states 'NO FOOD OR DRINKS ALLOWED'?"

Lyra smiled sheepishly as she tossed her slushy quickly into a nearby waste bin. "Ah... heh, sorry."

"Not at all my dear. The fact that you can read does not mean you are also observant." The old stallion turned and began to slowly walk toward the check in counter.

"Gee... thanks."

The grey pony laughed at the remark. "Ha! Don't take too much offense, young one. I'm just an old fool trying to amuse himself. What is it I can help you with? Are you searching for anything in particular?"

Lyra brightened at the sudden change in attitude, maybe the old codger wasn't so bad after all. "Yeah! Do you have any books on mythical creatures?"

"My young friend, we have an entire section on mythical creatures. Did you have a particular one in mind?"

"Yes, I- no. I mean, what about ancient artifacts?"

The old stallion's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "... We have a section on that as well."

Seeing the grey unicorn's reaction, Lyra began to shift nervously. "Um, never mind, maybe just something on the middle continent?"

The librarian raised his bushy eyebrow. "Young lady, are you looking for information about the Titans?"

Lyra released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Oh! No, nothing like that."

"Are you sure? They were known to inhabit the middle continent. The only places to find any information on them is in books on mythical creatures and ancient artifacts that they made."

"Wow, that sounds a lot like humans! I mean nevermindI'mnotlookingforanythingthanksbye!" Lyra quickly turned to run.

"Don't go just yet! Human is what Titans called themselves!"

Pausing in mid-flee, Lyra's ears perked. "But Titans were huge monsters that terrorized the world!"

"And what size are humans?"

"They're like... like... huh, I guess I never thought of it before. But I thought humans were peaceful, caring and loyal."

"They were, to the ones they loved and cared for. They were also creative, thoughtful and just."

"But everything I've read about the Titans has been horrible!"

"In all my years as a librarian, the most valuable lesson I've learned is you can't believe everything you read."

"Then what can you believe?"

"That, my dear, is for you to decide. All I can do is show you the books you may find useful. I have quite the collection in reference to the particular subject matter of your interest. You... are still interested, yes?"

"Oh very much so."

Inwardly, the librarian was grinning from ear to ear. Finally! After all his years of secret research and hoping, another Titan enthusiast had come along. A fresh face and a new perspective were just what he needed. Perhaps now, together, they could make some real progress! The pair made their way to a secluded section of the library, their obligations forgotten.

Applejack sighed at her muffin. It hadn't done anything to her, she had just been feeling down lately. First poor Twilight passed, then Rarity and Spike left for Canterlot, and now Rainbow Dash seemed to be avoiding everypony. The farmer had come to sugarcube corner in the hopes she might run into the pegasus, but she was nowhere to be found. Pinkie Pie popped her head in from the kitchen.

"Aw, don't feel down AJ, things aren't looking that bad!"

"Ah know, Pinkie, I just wish I could sit down with RD and have a talk. I want to make sure she's doing alright."

"Really? You'd better hurry then, she's leaving on a train for the Wonderbolt's training camp in ten minutes!"

"WHAT!?! She never told me she was leaving! Why did she tell you but not me? I'm gonna throttle that varmint!"

"Oh, she never told me either, silly!"

"Then how do ya know she's leaving?"

Pinkie's demeanor quickly changed to deadly serious. "It's my job to know."

"Wha- Never mind, we've gotta get to her now!"

Rainbow Dash nervously paced up and down the platform at the train station. No sign of her friends... that was good. She felt bad about leaving without telling anypony, but she was terrible at goodbyes, and this was going to be hard enough as it was. She had put off going to the Wonderbolts tryouts last year, telling herself she wasn't quite ready. That was true, technically... she wasn't ready to leave her friends. After the... incident... with Twilight, though, there were feelings and memories here she had trouble dealing with. Yes, this was the best thing to do, it's not like she wouldn't come back.

"Consarn it ya dunder-head! What in tarnation do ya think yer doin'!"

Rainbow cringed at the voice. "Aw, crap."

Applejack lunged at Rainbow Dash, tackling her to the ground. She glared at the pegasus as she stood over her. "'Aw, crap' is right, missy! What's wrong with you? What do ya think yer doin?"

Laying on the ground, Dash glared back. "I'm going to try out for the Wonderbolts. It's been kind of a dream of mine, remember?"

"That ain't what I'm talking about. I know that's your dream and I'm happy you're followin' it. What I want to know is what's the big idea, tryin' to skip town without tellin' us?"

"Y...you know I'm bad with goodbyes." Dash tried to defend herself.

"Don't give me that bull, Dashie. How do you think Fluttershy'd feel, knowing you left her without sayin' goodbye?"

"Okay look, I... this is already hard enough. I didn't want the three of you trying to talk me out of leaving."

"Oh, Rainbow Dash, we would never try and talk you out of following your dreams!" A yellow pegasus said as she walked up the stairs to the platform, followed by a bouncing pink earth pony. "But it does hurt a little that you tried to leave without telling me."

Applejack let Rainbow up. "You didn't want us to know 'cause you knew if we did try and talk ya out of leaving... you'd stay."

Embarrassed, Rainbow looked at her friends. "...Yeah, pretty much."

"Aw, Dashie! You Pinkie promised you'd let me throw you a good luck party before you left!" Pinkie's face was an unreadable mask. "Remember?" An unreadable mask of horror.

"Uh... oh! Yeah! Yep, I remember..."

"Good thing I brought all the supplies with me! Otherwise..." Pinkie left the rest unsaid as she began to set up a small table with some rainbow cupcakes and apple cider. A banner that said 'Good Luck Dashie!' rolled down from the roof of the train station, like it had been placed there in anticipation of the current events.

As the conductor called for everypony to board, the four ponies quickly finished their food. Rainbow hugged each of her friends in turn. She stepped onto the train to a chorus of 'Good luck' and 'Go get 'em!'. As the train pulled away, she watched out the window until Ponyville disappeared. Now that it was out of sight, there was only one direction to turn. Rainbow sat straight in her seat, facing forward.

Very slowly... very carefully... Bone Crusher opened his eyes. The Titan stood over him, casting a dark, menacing shadow. Bone watched as the Titan turned his head and looked at a guard near the gate he had entered the Arena through. Wait. This Titan looked to the guards for help? For what had essentially been forever, the guards and gladiators shared a dubious relationship, at best. The guards saw the fighters as slaves and savages, no better than wild animals to be controlled. The gladiators, for the most part, saw their captors as mindless servants to the throne, no better than a member of the Emperor's harem. When such views were expressed verbally, fights inevitably broke out.

Yet somehow, this Titan seemed to have established a working relationship with these cretins. How was that even possible? The guards never like anydoggy they felt threatened by, and by all rights this Titan was the most threatening thing in the mountain, save the Emperor himself. As Bone watched the guard hold up two fingers and make some signs, however, an idea began to form. Every gladiator either grew up knowing the rules of the Arena, or had the rules explained to them. It seems this Titan doesn't know the rules, which means he doesn't speak the languages of any of the Empire's numerous translators.

If the guards had to try and explain with hand signs every time something new happened, they would think this Titan to be the dumbest thing since rocks were invented! They weren't threatened by physical violence... that stuff they understood... they were threatened by dogs that were smarter than them. This little revelation had little to do with the pit bulls' immediate fate, however, so he filed it away for later.

He watched intently as the Titan nodded, seeming to understand the guards' explanation. The giant turned away from Bone, dropping his weapon, and began to walk to the exit. Reality came rushing back to Bone Crusher as he realized what he had just done. Subjugation was an option available in all fights... this was because almost nodoggy ever took it. It was unlike submission, where a gladiator could defer if he was unable or unwilling to fight any longer. This was an unpopular option, so it was only included in fights for prizes and a few other select instances.

Subjugation... where a gladiator gives up his freedom to his attacker. The gladiator can decide to kill the lesser for a display of weakness, or take them on as a slave. The Titan had decided not to kill, so Bone Crusher was now the Titan's slave, to do with as he pleases. A slave owns no possessions... that would have been a problem, but fortunately his wife owned everything, including his armor and weapons. It was an eventuality they had prepared for,  so at least his family would be all right... for now.

Bone followed the Titan, not sure what to expect. As he passed through the giant gates, the guards looked at him suspiciously, almost as if they were being protective of the Titan. This was getting too bizarre. The group made their way through a relatively straightforward path to the larger cells. The biggest, belonging to the Titan, had been furnished with a large mattress that took up nearly a third of the floor, a few tapestries, a wash basin and a large chamber pot. Bone began to feel sorry for whoever had to clean that out. Then he shuddered as he realized that it might be him, now.

One of the guards, a black coated dog with a medium build, stepped forward to address Bone Crusher. "Okay, so what's your deal?"

Bone took a defensive stance. "I don't know what you mean."

"Don't give me that, old timer. What kind of game are you trying to play here?"

One of the other guards spoke up. "Whoa there, Onyx, ease up. That there is Bone Crusher."

The black dog turned to the speaker. "I know his name. What I want to know is what he was thinking back there."

"I'm pretty sure he was thinking he didn't want to die. That's pretty much always been his game."

"What do you mean?"

"He always picks fights with low stakes or good odds. He just got thrown a curve ball this time."

"So he's not going to try and kill the Titan?"

"Are you kidding? The sire has a wife and kids! He knows what the Emperor would do to them if he killed the new toy."

"Hmm... true." Turning to Bone, Onyx continued. "So why subjugate? Why not just take the hit?"

"Seriously? Were you even watching the fight?" the pit bull shook his head in disbelief. "The last four gladiators were killed outright, he was going to do the same with me! My only hope was to prostrate myself and hope for the best."

"I see... okay, we'll figure out what to do with you later. For now go back home, I don't think Tim knows or cares that he has a slave at the moment."

"Tim?"

"That would be your new master's name."

Sure enough, the Titan was laying down and taking in sharp, ragged breaths as a group of mundane doctors tried to staunch the flow of blood and sew closed his wounds. He seemed to have no interest in whatever the dogs were talking about.