It always took Red Ink far too long to pack. When he’d left on vacation, he’d spent several days trying to figure out exactly what he needed to take, and exactly how to fit all of those things into a few bags. The red-coated pony ran back and forth across his apartment, floating one thing and then another into a bag. He threw a magic book into the main saddlebag, then paused, and floated it onto his bed. If they were going on a long journey, perhaps he should keep extra reading to a minimum. Maybe a few spellbooks would be in order, or some protective charms. He yanked open a drawer, checked to see if any of the pendants still glowed, and moved those into a small satchel.

Maybe Long Jump packed efficiently. As he understood, ponies in the military always knew how to use space well, but he didn’t know if Long Jump fell into that category. The only time they’d gone anywhere together, Red Ink had been the one moving them around. Now, they were in Canterlot, with access to all of Red Ink’s stuff. What would he need on a secret mission for Luna?

That was really the problem – if he knew more than what direction they were going, he could prepare. He definitely couldn’t bring every book in his apartment or every magical item, because then they’d need a carriage and hire some ponies just to carry everything. If Luna wanted this to stay low-key, she probably need want the young professor to hire extra help or gab on about it out in town. Sighing, the stallion floated a waterproof wizard’s hat into his bag. That would come in handy, especially with the glowing stars dangling off the brim.

Maybe he should check in on Calpain. The buckskin earth pony was his teaching assistant and planned to come with them. What would he take with him? Probably an extra coat, and some books, but Red Ink didn’t really know what the other pony might bring. Maybe he should check to make sure they both didn’t bring the same magic book.

It took him a few minutes to get out of his apartment, mostly because of all the things he’d left floating in the air. It took him only a moment of concentration to move them back to a flat surface, and then he trotted into the hall. Calpain lived nearby, since he worked with Red Ink at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, but he didn’t have a nice tower spire like Red Ink. Odds were, his apartment would be surrounded by other assistants’ homes or students.

There were more than a few apartment buildings near the school, mostly refurbished dormitories for the many magical students, but some of the younger professors and most of the assistants lived there as well. Many of them weren’t around right now, because it was the summer break, but a dozen or so foals loitered in front of Calpain’s building, talking about some recent movie. One of them noticed him and started to get up, but he just shook his head. No need to try and be formal with students today. He was about to be on an adventure. Red Ink walked right into the building and turned a corner in the hallway to look at Cal’s apartment’s slightly open door.

Cal’s apartment was a lot cleaner than those of other student he’d visited. Maybe it was because he was a little older, or he was just a cleaner pony, but instead of things like the crumpled-up papers that dotted Red Ink’s apartment, it looked as though there were as many books in the one-room space as there were in Red Ink’s entire home. They were stacked on the small table, all around the bed, and filled a single bookcase to the point that every shelf bowed significantly. Red Ink pushed open the door a little further, accidentally pushing a stack of books over.

“I’ll be with you in a moment,” Calpain said. The buckskin-patterned pony hadn’t turned around. He was bent with his nose in a giant saddlebag, and Red Ink now noticed a variety of scrolls, ink bottles, trail rations, and the like scattered on the bed, it being the only area of the apartment not stuffed with books. Even there, however, a few paperback books sat waiting to be crammed into the bag.

“What all are you taking?” Red Ink asked. The buckskin-patterned pony jumped a little, but relaxed when he looked up at the unicorn.

“I’m…I’m not sure yet. There’s so much stuff we might need. I’d bring the seven ritual books I have, but I’m not sure if I have the space. It’s all stuff I can draw, but it might be best if we bring at least a few of them. I’ve got these candles that can’t be blown out, and some scrolls that you could use if we need them. There’s even a bag or two of trail rations in case there isn’t enough grass…”

Calpain then ducked under the bed, and bracing his back hooves, he yanked something out. Red Ink needed to take a step backward – there were two full, bulging saddlebags already zipped shut under there.

“This is just extra coats, spell components, and maps. I’ve been packing since early this morning.”

“Why did it take so long?” Red Ink thought, and then realized he was being stupid. Of course it took the earth pony longer to pack – he didn’t have magic to float everything around and look at it.

“Well,” Red Ink continued quickly, “what if you just brought the rations and spellbooks? We can probably figure everything else out. I’ll bring some magic scrolls and money. Those candles sound good too. Where’d you get them?”

“The school’s storerooms. How do you think they keep the hallways lit at night?” Calpain asked.

Well, to be honest, Red Ink had always figured there was a mass of servants rushing this way and that, making the school look perfect all the time. He probably should have figured magic was involved.

“Well, you finish packing. Probably get it down to just the two saddlebags. I’m betting we don’t want to be overburdened,” Red Ink said.

“How is Long Jump doing with his packing?” Calpain asked.

“I don’t know. He wasn’t there when I got up,” Red Ink said. Maybe he should check there as well, but he felt a member of the military could definitely pack light.

• • •

Long Jump awoke an hour before dawn, ignoring the siren’s call of one of Red Ink’s couches he’d slept on the night before. He stole an apple and orange from the unicorn’s kitchen for breakfast, then after a bit of searching found the remains of his saddlebags. Confirming that there was nothing else useful in them he took his battered notebook. Leaving a note on the table that he was leaving for the training base, the grounded pegasus drew on his black cloak and headed out to the city streets.

During his walk from the university, Long Jump reviewed the events of yesterday in his head, his expression getting harder each moment as he did so. While the enchanted collar Red Ink made for him kept the pain down, he was aware of how badly his injuries were aggravated from yesterday’s ‘events’. He should be on paid leave like Prince Shining Armor said, not going on some mission for Princess Luna. He should be in the hospital seeing if his cheek bone was broken, not hobbling down the capitol streets. He should be getting physical therapy so that his right foreleg would get back to strength, not having to worry about keeping his friends safe from whatever when he wasn’t sure he could defend himself from a filly.

By the time the lieutenant had rounded the last corner and was on the way to the side entrance to the base. His jaw throbbed from grinding his teeth in impotent frustration. With his head down he was taken by surprise when the guard at the gate told him to stop, this causing Long Jump to look up confused.

“What?” the pegasus asked, keeping his voice flat as possible.

“Long Jump what are you doing here? The Prince himself told you to take a break,” the uniformly white guard in the golden celestial armor responded. It took Long Jump a moment of study to the guard to remember who he was under the glamour the armor provided.

“Sunstone, please let me in. I need to talk to the quartermaster,” Long Jump said.

The side of Sunstone’s mouth turned up in a little bit of a grin and he nudged his fellow guard on the other side of the entrance, whose eyes widened a bit “So you did go home with that unicorn from yesterday, eh?”

Long Jump blinked. “What.”

“We were trying to figure out why that unicorn turned this place upside down yesterday for your sorry hide, guess he wanted his toy guard back.” The guard next to Sunstone was doing his best to keep from breaking out laughing.

Long Jump took a few steps up to Sunstone and put a hoof on his shoulder, then just pushed him out of the way. Both of them broke out laughing behind his back as he limped into the base, making the pegasus’s mood even darker.

He headed for the barracks first, not having to dodge the usual hum of activity the base had due to the early hour. However, he did stop for a moment to stare at the potatoes having been pushed into a pile at some point, and held there by some riot barriers. Reaching the building that held his bunk he stepped in quietly, as not to wake any of the other ponies who were off duty and asleep, and headed to his hoof locker.

He let out a sigh and opened it. He never owned much but somepony had decided to help themselves to his possessions, save just left a blank notebook and a few pencils. He took them and then closed the chest quietly, stepping out with his ears low. He could understand taking his bits, but why would somepony take his little plush guard doll? His gut told him that Bulwark had probably seized everything when he had him arrested, and that instead of turning it over as seized property it was gone. Still, Long Jump stopped at the entrance of the barracks and filed a brief theft report. After he turned he could hear the ensign’s mirthful giggles when he left the building.

His fellow guards laughing at him was starting to get on his already-frayed nerves, but he bit down his frustration, the dawn getting brighter meaning he was going to be late if he didn’t get his flank in gear. Managing something of a trot he crossed the base grounds to the quartermaster’s, ignoring the calls of his co-workers asking if he was alright, why he was here, and in one case a cat-call.

A bored-looking unicorn cadet was at the counter instead of the usual quartermaster, probably due to the early hour. Long Jump cleared his throat rather roughly to get his attention, making the mare jump, knocking her coffee over as she got to her hoofs and snapped a salute.

“At ease, cadet. I need a small-sized earth pony field kit, a hoof crossbow, dagger, and a new Mark of the Crown… and why are you blushing?”

“Sir, sorry, sir,” she stammered, her blush coloring her peach colored cheeks a deeper tint of red. “But aren’t you a pegasus? Why do you need an earth pony kit?”

Long Jump huffed in annoyance and threw up the right side of his cloak, turning to show the mare the lack of wing on that side. “That enough of a reason? Get moving cadet I’m on a tight time-table. Oh, and I need some wide and narrow linen bandages, and some leather strapping.” The mare’s blush got even deeper at the word leather, this finally pushing Long Jump over the edge “NOW!” he shouted and the cadet tripped over herself running to the stockrooms. He tapped his hoof impatiently while the mare scrambled, gathering the requested equipment and bringing it in a floating ball to the counter.

This wasn’t the first time he’d re-applied the bandages, but this was the first time he’d done it recently without Red’s assistance. However, he was not going to just trot out of town without doing this. The easiest part was getting his remaining wing to lay flat, with the bandages only really serving to hold it down so he didn’t flap it and fall over. He worked the second roll around his right shoulder, just to stop it from jostling too much, and then finally made a sling from the wide bandages and the straps to just set his right hind leg in, so he wouldn’t trip over his own hooves. As he suspected, and confirmed with the sling, he was wasting a lot of energy keeping his leg up to avoid wearing his hoof down to the quick from dragging it. With a few secure tugs he got the barding around him. The cadet just sort of watched, but didn’t say anything. He was getting a lot better at self-sufficiency, but that whole stunt had tired him out.

Finally the armaments. He didn’t know if he’d need them, but he’d be dammed if he was going to be caught without them. The shield and spear attached to the left side of the field pannier, and on the right was a general purpose bag already filled with supplies. The dagger slipped into the holster attached to his shoulder, at the right height for him to grab it with his teeth. Finally the crossbow and bolts around his right forelimb.

With his armor on his slung the pannier over his back and then checked the mirror, clipping the Mark of the Crown badge on his left shoulder. Looking over himself, everything was in order, crossbow secured, dagger not slipping, pack balanced, the collar rotated so that the shiny heart shaped lock was quite visible hanging off of the front instead of hidden in his mane…

“I’m going to kill that unicorn.”

• • •

After stomping out of the base, it did not take long for Long Jump to make it to the gates of Canterlot. Red Ink and Calpain were already there, saddlebags hanging off their sides, and chatting as though nothing was wrong. He glared at the two of them from under the hood of his cloak, but neither seemed to notice. He wanted the little heart-shaped lock to go away, and he wanted to pummel the stupid unicorn that had locked it on him. Right now, though, they had a mission, however vague is might be. He trotted over on his three good legs to the two waiting ponies. Mission first, yelling at Red Ink second.

Author's Note

2014-10-02: Revision 1