Addressing the Troops

Celestia wasn’t kidding when she said the supplies would be there before sun set. It was 1330 hours when they got there with everything I needed. Seven planks of wood, a five foot long wooden pole, ten pounds of iron ingots, several sheets of crocodile hide and oddly enough a golden scabbard with the sun and moon engraved in its metal. As the members of my new platoon brought down all the supplies, I stoked the other furnaces and finished hardening the rest of my armor. The plates had turned black except for the golden outlines. There was more than enough iron to make an entirely new set of armor but that wasn’t needed. I took five pounds of the iron and melted it down until it was molten slag. Though against his will, I had Phalanx help me construct a wooden cast for a sword. It was to be a solid iron gladiolus through and through. At the hilt of the cast, I put a vertical indentation on the hilt and fuller of the blade. S.P.Q.R. on the hilt and Omnes Qui Me In Iustitia (All who stand against me shall suffer) on the fuller.

With the cast made from a quarter of the wood, Phalanx and I poured the slag into the wooden cast. None slipped out and the wood didn’t spontaneously combust so we were on the right track. Lucky me my mother was a daughter of Vulcan. She taught me everything I know about weapons. I guess that’s why Mars took interest in her. Anyways, the five pounds of iron that I had smelted down had actually filled the cast perfectly. We just had to let it sit for a few minutes before dipping the cast into the tank of water.

Once the sword was being cooled, melted two more pounds into several sheets of iron. As best I could I measured the width of my head and started pounding out a semicircle for the sheets. Once they were in the right shape, I heated them up more and started cutting the pieces I didn’t need and shaping the ones that would be hinged onto the side of it. It took a few days, but I finally finished forging a new helm. The top had no hair sticking up from the top, just the ridge that would have it lead by an eagle.

The it had turned black from being put through the fires along with the rest of my armor and weapons. I forged a pila with what iron I had left and then started on the shield. It took another two days to forged the metal braces for the top and bottom but even longer to use what little I had left to forge an iron eagle on the face. Six triangles forming the wings and another forming the head facing to the right. After layering crocodile leather over the front and a charcoal paint job, the shield was ready. I finished sharpening my new gladius and pila, slipped on my helmet and started up the stairs fully armored. My armor clicked as I climbed. I was greeted at the top by Twilight and Phalanx. She seemed a little nervous seeing me now and Phalanx was as emotionless as always.

“What’s the status of the troops?” I ask.

“Getting fat and board.” Phalanx told me.

“We’ve been sitting idle since you went into the lab.” Twilight added.

“We?”

“Yes, I’m as much a part of this as you are. My friends have offered to help as much as they can.”

“And this is a good idea why?”

“Because, my friends and I have fought things stronger than an army. Speaking of, I think they’re waiting for an address from their General.”

I stare her down again. She doesn’t budge. Twilight is hell bent on being a part of this isn’t she? “Fine. You have a balcony I could get to?”

“Follow me.” Phalanx said.

We start up the stairs at the back of the library to the second floor. Once there, past the two beds set under a mural of a burning sun we entered what looked like an amateur observatory. Next to several large telescopes, a set of double doors lead into the outside world. Phalanx waited for me at the door with Twilight. I take a deep breath and push my way past the doors and into he open air of Ponyville.

‘The leader is the image of the masses’ I tell myself looking over what was certainly more than a platoon. There were at least three hundred ponies dressed in golden armor of all races, sex and colors. They all see me standing in the sun light, my shield in my left hand and my pila in my right.

“Ten hut!” I shout. The entirety of the ‘platoon’ scrambled to their hoofs and clicked them together in attention. “I am General Jackson Leonidas Anderson.” I bellow to the troops. “And all of you are under my command. I have fought this evil head on before. These are people from my home, they don’t give up. The question isn’t will they attack it’s when. And rest assured there are no ifs ands or buts that we will be on guard for them when they do return. I have lead armies before, let you be the finest I have had the honor to have at my sides. Remember one thing, the weakest point for a centurion is here-” I say pointing at the crease in-between the iron girdle. “and here.” I say pointing to my throat. “Work your way around their shields and you will have a clear shot at them. Remember if you wanna get out alive, hold on for your life. That is all.” I turn and walk back inside.

“What that’s it? That was pathetic.” Twilight told me.

“At the moment it’s all I got. If you got any better ideas I’m all ears but for now we send patrols throughout town and try and keep an eye open.”

“The Princess has a point General. You need to be more direct in your interaction with them.” Phalanx butted in.

“Just split them up into groups and start locking down Ponyville. I want nothing in or out. And could someone get me a map!?”

“Jack!” Twilight said stopping me. “You’re acting like you’re going to take them on all alone and just use the armies as a distraction.”

“That’s not it at all.”

“Then what is it?”

“I don’t know!”

“How could you no know!? You’re the son of a war God right?”

“I am. But I’m not like Cipherus. I’m not a leader!”

“Well you are now. Like it or not you’re the leader now and the troops out there need your support.”

“They have it. Now I need a map of Equestria and a map of Ponyville. I need to see how much of a blockade we’re talking about here.”

Twilight only groans in anger and storms out of the observatory. I hate to say it, and I do mean HATE, but she’s not completely wrong about me. No I don’t want to use the armies as bait, that’s not what I’m doing at all, but she’s right about me wanting to end this by myself. There’s no way I’m letting anything else kill Cipherus. He’s mine to kill, nothing more.

Author's Note

Nexus: So he's not another version of us is he? Cause I don't know how I feel about that.
Me: Don't worry Nex. He's not some alternate us. He's too out of it to be us right now. He'll adjust.
Nexus: So then he's a generic General?
Me: For now yes. Like I said, he'll adjust.